The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-10-18

earning my salary late. What day was that, anyhow?"
 Friday" said Sandy promptly. T remember because that was Eve Lewis's birthday. She bawled me out for not remembering to be home for her dinner party" "Why Sandy-did you break an engagement to go canoeing with me?" asked Jean.
 Say, I'm glad I did-for more reasons than one." Jean eyed him archly. Whats the other one?" Sandy sighed. "Aw, there's funny mix-up here in town. Seems there's holdup artist somewhere around who looks like me-"
 "Sandy!"
 "Yeah-can you imagine?" C "How do you mean, Sandy?" she asked, puzzled. "How did you find out about it?"
 >"Art Lanning, down at the Gold en Feather, told me. The coppers got description of this holdup man, and a couple of 'em were in the Golden Feather the otber night and saw me. So theX>SWent home and talked it over and decided that since I looked like the bird they'd better pick me up. The word got out, some way, and Art heard about 1t and told me-" He looked over with an express sion of mock dismay.
 You mean-you mean they they want to arrest you?" Yeah"
 He took out a cigaret and lit it, apparently supremely unconcerned.
 "But Sandy! What are you go- ing to do?"
 He laughed.
 well, as soon as this ride is fin- ished, I'm going down to police headquarters and explain the mis- take and ask them to stop worry ing about me-" he said lightly.
 She was still uneasy.
 Are you sure they-theyll be- leve you?"
 / Once more he laughed confi- dently.
 T know they will" "How?"
 Because" he said, half-turning in his saddle to look at her, lat tho moment that this particular rob- bery was being comyAitted, out on the east side of town, you and l were in a canoe IS miles away. padding along the river" His eyes rested on hers, and she felt weight disappear from her chest.
 "Oh, Sandy-really?"
 Sure. That's why said I was glad in more ways than one that you got the afternoon off last FIi- day. If you hadn't I'd probably have had the devils own time try ing to persuade these coppers I'm an honest man. This way it's per- fectly simple. All we've got to do is go down there and explain about last Friday afternoon, and every thingll be settlsd. But if I hadn't been with you it all might have been pretty unpleasant before I got things strengthened out"
 Jean stared at him, somewhat startled.
 "We2" she said. It was his turn to look surprised.
 "Why, of course. You'll go in with me, won't you? Being more or less of a stranger here, might have trouble getting them to take my word for it, but with you along"
 He gestured airly with his cig- aret. Jean told herself that it was silly to feel any reluctance toward going to the police station with him. After all, he'd been the victim of a silly mistake. and 1t was 8 stroke of luck that with her help he would be able to keep the mis- take from becoming serious.
 "Oh, of course I'll go," she said. Its just that-oh, l suppose it's just because I've never been in a police station, and I always sort of imagined them as dirty and messy, and"
 He laughed.
 "Won't take five minutes" he said. And there's no hurry about 1t. We'll finish our ride and have some lunch first. Okay?"
 She nodded. and in a sudden mood of gaiety spurred her horse down the road. He was after her instantly, and they finally returned to the barn flushed and breathless.