The Washington times., 1931-01-20
NOU Continue

WOulQ D6 JuSL my 1uCA w AoFS
them pick on me-"
mo, these small-town police
up here are no good" Tracy as
serted. II know a chap that
has a detective agency down in
Wall Street. If you like, I
could get him to >Sld UP q
man"
I'D rather leave it to Duke,
if you ask me-" Kitty declared.
HE knows crooks and crimes
inside and out. You know how
they work, don't you, Duke.
You remember that mob that
used to pull off some of that
stuff out on Long Island?"
Carson smiled.
1--we known several hundred
crooks of all kinds" he said.
unruffled, "and the hardest of
them to figure is the amateur"
What do you men by that?"
Tracy asked him, intently.
Mark Of an Amateur
"Just what I Said," Carson
replied. For instance, when
you came back with the story
of being held up last night, I
confessed it was all very puzzling.
just felt there was the mark
Of the amateur all over the
whole episode"
WAS Jim Held up?" Mrs.
Calvert demanded, in astonish-
ment.
Eyes, but they decided not to
tell you about it," Kitty said.
Two men stopped him on the
road going home and took his
wallet. Maybe the same two
broke in the house and stole
your pearls"
Mrs. Calvert's lids flutered
for a moment and she drew a
long, distressed breath. my
goodness, this is getting too
much for me! I've lived all
my life without anything like
this happening before, and I
don't know what to say or do"
Comics eyes grew misty with
concern for her mother. II
think, dear. you mustn't let all
this get on your nerves and
upset you. You've been under
heavy strain already and all
the pearls on earth aren't worth
it if they throw you into a
breakdown"
That's right, Mrs. Calvert"
Kitty put in. 1T isn't as though
few thousand dollars meant
anything much to you one way
or the other. You can well
afford the loss, and wouldn't
worry"
A Sensible Viewpoint
That's a sensible way of
looking at it," Jim Tracy
added. ''If those two men that
held me up got into the house
there'd be no tracing them.
If you have some insurance on
the pearls, you can collect, all
right, SO you'll get back, at
least, part Of their value. May
be 1t would be best to notify
the insurance company and let
1t go at that"
And we'll all be investigated
to DEATH" Kitty said, un-
happily.
Mrs. Calvert shook her head
and turned to Connie. What
shall I do, dear? It's too much
for me, and I shall have to
rely on your decision. The
whole thing is so distressing
that I can hardly bear to think
about it. Whatever you desire
to do, Connie, dear, will be all
right with me. I do dread any
newspaper notoriety about our
family, though, Poor Kitty,
here"
Yes, am the blot on the
family record" Kitty said, with
a queer grimness. 1T wouldn't
look nice in the papers that
the respectable Mr.. Calvert
ditched his first wife and baby
down on Tenth Avenue.
Suddenly Mrs. Calvert lost
color and began to tremble.
Mrs. Calvert Is Upset
"Oh, I'm so sorry, so sorry"
Kitty cried. II didn't mean to
hurt you. Mrs. Calvert. I was
just talking Of myself"
Mrs. Calvert got up from her
chair and moved toward the
door.
I'm going to my ROOM" she
said in a tremulous voice.
Connie followed her. Before
she reached the door Duke Gar
son stepped to her side and
said, in a low voice: Come
back soon as you can. Wen all
wait here for you."
Connie nodded.
IF you'll excuse me-" Jim
Tracy said, "I'll get in my car
and run over home for a while.
want a change Of clothes.
I'll be back presently"
Carson stared at him with
dark, commanding eyes. IT
don't think you had better go
just yet" Mr.. Tracy. Well all
stay right here until Connie
returns"
Continued Tomorrow