The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1933-07-14
"Foolishnent"
BY FRED BURROWS
@. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNU Service

AM JACh0ON OpeH6u the uO0F Oh
= the safe slowly, but thankfully. In
the safe was certain paper. On this
paper appeared the signature Of q
number OF hotheaded young men who,
In the heat OF their indignation at
what they considered wrong dealing
on the part Of the government, had
signed this document pledging them
selves to overthrow the government
Since signing the document the young
men had all seen the error of their
ways. Now they were exceedingly anx-
lous to destroy the evidence Of their
foolishness. And Jackson, In enter
Ing this office and In opening this safe,
was acting for the young men Of
whom the main leader was his
younger brother.
The Office in which Jackson was now
standing and the safe was now open
Ing were those of Claude Lagrange, a
shyster lawyer, who had been largely
instrumental In working the young
men up to the point Of signing the
paper.
outer door Of the safe and then the
thinner door inside he flashed pocket
light on the safes shelves and COM
partments. These were filled with pa
pers. Seeing the great quantity of
material he must go through Jackson
impatiently jerked the papers forth
and began examining them carefully.
At last he found the paper he was
searching for and caught 1t up with
sigh Of relief.
AT this instant dim figure rose
from crouching position In front of
Jackson and cried:
Hands up"
walk over to that table In the GEN.
ter of the room, put that paper in the
center of the table, and then sit down,
but keep your hands up!" went on
the voice.
And now Jackson thrilled to the
sound of the voice. There was no mis-
taking the Identity of the person Is
suing the voice-it was Clara Fergu-
son, recent newcomer In the city,
with whom Jackson had fallen violent
ly in love and who had told him one
evening not so long ago that she re-
ciprocated his affection.
"Clara!" cried Jackson.
Yves, It's me-" came Clara's
voice. "Oh, Sam, I'm so sorry It's you.
I've got TOTO arrest you !"
"Arrest?" cried SAM II don't un-
derstand this at ALL"
Don't you see?' cried Clara. I'm
In the federal secret service. The
government heard about this conspir-
acy these local young men were
mixed up in and sent me here to find
out all about it."
Clara in the secret service? There
had always been some mystery con-
nected with her occupation from the
time she arrived In the city. So she
had been detailed on the case? There
had been rumors of a secret service
agent being on the Job. That was one
Of the reasons why the young men
had been so anxious to recover that
damning paper and why Sam, In or
der TO keep his younger brother out of
trouble, had volunteered to get 1t.
Slowly Sam took his seat at the
table, his face blanched, his heart
beating rapidly. AS he seated himself
Clara switched on the lights In the
room and then seated herself opposite
him. AS she did SO Sam threw the
paper to the center of the table In
front Of him.
Clara" said Sam, this is a fearful
mess we're In. How can l ever ex-
plain the whole thing to you?"
I'm sorry-dreadfully sorry" she
said. II had no idea 1t was going
to be you when l got the tip that the
paper was to be taken from the safe
tonight But, Sam, I've got to see to
1t that you're taken to the proper au-
thorities."
But, Clara" Sam protested, "Pm not
In this thing myself. I simply came
here to get paper my younger broth
er signed In a moment of foolshness.
Now We'll have to CO." she said.
Stand up!" she commanded, her voice
strained and husky.
1t was while Sam was slowly rising
that an amazing interruption oc-
Cured. Through the open window
bulky woman rushed into the room.
Sam recognized her at once. She was
Hannah-Clara's colored NANNY"
who had come with her to the city.
whats this hyah foolishment? Miss
Clara, done followed you, cause
thinks you-all mighten get into trou-
Bile. And | done hear you-I was lis
TENN on de fab escape. And what's
this hyah foolishment, huh?"
AS she spoke Nanny caught up the
paper from the center of the table.
Calmly she drew a match from a ca
pacious pocket, struck 1t and set fire
to the paper
NANNY, put that out at once p
cried Clara angrily.
Huh, yoah Oh nanny knows what's
bes'," cried Nanny and calmly ig-
nored Clara.
Fascinated, Sam watched the hungry
flames eat up the paper-the only ex-
listing evidence of his young brothers
and his brothers. hot-headed chums
foolishly planned conspiracy And as
the last bit of paper was consumed
Sam looked across the table at Clara
He saw In her eyes look of mex
pressible relief.
Then Sam went around the table
and caught Clara In his arms. AS he
did so he heard Nanny mutterlng sat.
isfiedly to herself.