Evening star., 1932-08-21

terpolated Kent modestly.
Volunteers to see me home intacto, and
then" she paused.
And then," said Kent reproachfully, "and
then you do a conjuring trick and fade out
side door,"
Impulse" she said land it was a boorish
thing to do, without even saying thank you"
mot Bit" said Kent, gallant.
Frederick Merrill was not man to grow leg
weary confabbing in front of a goldfish pond,
so he made the sensible suggestion that they
HE themselves across the street and have a bite.
"You haven't eaten, Mr.-er?" he asked
Nicholson. No. I shall be delighted" said
Kent
When they we're seated in a corner of a very
Jolly little restaurant, and the orders were IN,
Melissa continued her explanation I get
funny notions like that. I didn't see any need
Of troubling you further"
Troubling him! thought Kent.
"I hope you will forgive my asking It," said
Kent, earnestly, but why were you there alone,
Miss Merrill?'
Just being wayward or, maybe, tempera-
mental" said Merrill, pater. "She gets those
notions and there's no stopping her. One week
she's out in the slums distributing charity, or
organizing something, visiting some down.
and-ourters' hotel and getting odd stories out
of them, Or she's off deep-sea fishing, or Lord
knows what. She's of the lone lady Gag
lettes Claims she enjoys herself most when
there's nobody around to bother her. ObserVa-
ton I think she'll wind up novelist or
playwright something.
IT like people," she said, eff they little
odd. BY the way, they got the bad man, and
our friend Wung, and let the guests go with
small fine apiece Got that clipping from the
Examiner Dad?"
Dad fumbled in his pocket and produced the
clipping. 1t was human interest stuff out OF
police court statistics. One Henry Tuttle had
attempted to hold up a gambling joint, the
lights had gone out, a gun had gone on several
times, wounding one Chinese badly and marking
several whites up bit.
The flash of human interest at the bottom OF
the story caught Keht's eye particularly:
"Tuttle claimed that he was down -and-ou
that he had panhandled 80 cents from fellow,
that he had gone into cheap gambling dive
and invested the 80 cents in crap game had
come out with s12 and taken himself to a Sec
ond-hand store. There he had bought re-
volver and some cartridges and decided on a
stick-up expedition Having heard of the pros
perity of Wung's and being in that vicinity, he
selected Wung for his first victim. In this case
also the last"
LENT smiled to himself, handed the clipping
~ back and applied himself to the eggs. zone
of those unemployed chaps he said.
Eyes; it's bad" said Frederick Merrill. Tive
had it pretty much to the good so far. People
seem to write to each other oftener during de-
pressions. Perhaps they have more time"
"Or perhaps they're writing home for money
Dad manufactures stationery, in case you don't
know what we're talking about" said Melissa
1--WE kept things running almost full blast,
but they're slackening up bit these days.
Maybe they've borrowed all the money they can
from their relatives, or hard times have ex-
hausted the possibilities for correspondence"
suggested Merrill pater.
Kent perked up Immediately. what you
need" he said eying Mr.. Merrill forcefuly and
convincingly "is an advertising manager. And
maybe I'm the bloke. Say, will you give me q
try? I've hovered all around the edge of ad-
vertising but I've never got started somehow"
Have you any ideas that would help put
the plant back on its normal schedule? II YOU
have maybe we can talk business"
Have II" said Kent with unlimited enthusi-
asm "I should think so! And in the morning
I'll have a dozen more. Why, right of the reel.
why not run an ad showing facsimile examples
of the famous letters in history, and what the
letters brought their writer's? Wars have been
averted with letters, friendship has run into
love- art has been inspired. The possibilities are
boundless."
Speaking Of wars" said Frederick Merrill.
looking at his watch, I've got a golf date in 25
minutes Sunday morning constitutional Ill
have to be going Coming, Melissa?" He pushed
back his chair and arose. Come around In the
morning, Nicholson, and do sample I'd or
two. Possibly you have something that I
can use"
"Sure," said Kent. "And, Miss Merrill The
Merchant Of Venice Is in town. I wonder-do
you care anything for Shakespeare"
II should say do. was going to make poor
old Dad take me some time this week. He
hates theaters," said Melissa.
Tonight then at 1902" asked Kent eagerly.
She smiled "I'll risk it."
Here's the home address and the business
address," said Frederick Merrill handing Kent
a card in answer to his humble "See you in
the morning, then?" He nodded affably and
signed the check.
This Is in the nature of a pound of flesh Won