The Washington times., 1936-02-25

me what the trouble was. I
told her. She laughed and said,
Here, youngster, take my pen.
Bring it back to me when you
are through with it, and be sure
you take good care of it, because
I never use any other pen. It's
sort of a pet of mine.'"
so you used her penn" asked
Dad.
Yes, was a little late after
all. BY the time was ready
to go, she had left the building.
So Dicky-he is my boy friend
took me out to her apartment
and I returned the pen to her"
AS I told the story to my par
ents, it seemed to me that I
! could see her as she was the
afternoon before. small and lively
and gay. The kids were all
pretty fond Of her. more fond
Of her than the other teachers
were. She was about IS, I
imagine. almost as short as I
am. with reddish hair and bril-
liant green eyes. and she had
marvellous clothes. I think my
self the other teachers were
jealous of her. Her family had
evidently been wealthy once: she
had q different background from
the rest of them. She had even
studied French in a convent in
Switzerland. She was friendly
with the students, too, a little
too friendly. some of us thought
at heart. A young teacher has
to be careful about that: I know
some Of the boys had crusheS on
her.
She lived alone In a four-room
apartment, another thing which
most of the teachers thought
funny, for if they didn't live
with their families. they lived
with one or two other teachers.
A couple of them lived across
the hall from Miss Sinclair. ]
had seen them the day before.
I was almost crying by the
time Dicky honked his horn as
told my folks about the last
time had seen her. He was
all agog about it. of course. and
he wondered If we would be
questioned about our visit there.
That hadn't occurred to me. but
it seemed quite probable. and
wished I had worn the green
knit suit that is so much more
becoming than the dark blue
one had on.
Glasses did not amount ~ much
that day. I don't know who were
more upset, the pupils or the
teachers. AS for me. I just sat
waiting to be called tn confer
with the police. But when $3.50
came and no one hod nhoned
for me, I relaxed. I'll admit I
was a bit disappointed. I went
down to the office to work, hop
ing something might happen
there. I was surely glad that I
had taken that tv~ewri+inq nriZe
which had got mo This ion after
school. I never dreamed of ever
using 1t for what YOU might call
commercial purposes when I en-
rolled for the course. I merely
thought I should be able to type
my own stories if I was going
to write after grew a title older.
I realized that one had to know
something about life before be-
ginning. But believe me. I've
learned 4 lot about life since
those days!
That afternoon, however, did
not seem to be very exciting.
The regular stenographerS whis-
pered that Mr.. Perkins had been
upset all day. Of course, and
there had been lots Of telephone
calls. But they really did not
know any more than did.
At ! o'clock a big man with
gray hair and a red face came
in and asked for Mr.. Perkins
(He is IT,, PRINCIPAL. in case I did
not tell you).. He went into his
office and was gone some time.
Then suddenly the door opened.
Mr.. Perkins stood there. looking
very white and serious.
guile" he said. Inspector
O'Brien wants to speak to you"
CHAPTER II
Inspector O'Brien was rather
nice, awfully gentle and quite
unlike a detective while he was
talking to me. He asked me to
sit down. Mr.. Perkins coughed
nervously. He said. I'm sorry,
Julie, that you must go through
this. did not suppose any stu
dents would be questioned"
every angle is worth inveStt.
eating in a case like this" said
Mr.. O'Brien pleasantly.
IT don't mind" I hastened to
assure him.
He smiled. Suppose you tell
us all you know about Miss Sin
clair. Julie" the Inspector sug-
gested. He took a paper from his
rocket. a sheet Of writing paper
in pale green covered with fine,
web-like lines in black ink. It
was very peculiar penmanShip,
almost like engraving. Somehow
it seemed familiar.
''I believe you visited Miss Sin
clair witt a friend about 4:30
yesterday afternoon" he stated,
consulting the paper. This time
I saw the signature. Anna Sar-
doni. It was evidently q signed
statement from her.
To be COntinued)
(CopV right 1885. by King Features