The Wilmington morning star., 1940-07-31
CHAPTER

any sort of trouble is to look it
suuarely in the face and defeat it
or minimize it's strength. This die
tum Bill Bailey knew. He knew it
from reading about the pioneers,
who shot at - rather than run
from-vicious grizzly bears a n d
murderous Indians. He also. knew
it from experience, because often
a big opponent in football amount
ed to nothing if charged directly
and with force.
On the other hand, Bills expert
ence with women was negligible.
He wouldn't have admitted it, but
he was still a boy who thought
girls were just lovely creatures to
dance with and laugh with a n d
eventually to fall in love with.
That girls are human beings, prac-
tically as normal as males and
even more sensitive, simply had
never occurred to him. He had
done a lot of thinking about the
theft of the bracelet, in a care
less masculine way, and when he
had decided to work a trick on
Lola Montesa the trick had back
fired right into his face.
Since Saturday night he had
been certain that Lola was the
thief. This morning he had evolved
his clever trick to make Lola COLI
TESS. If he could make her talk"
about her past and her present
criminal actions, he would have
definite evidence to use against her
in court. He had felt no compunc-
tion-or at least not much-about
trying to worm his way into her
confidence this morning, because
he fell that she had taken advan-
tage of his and Mr.. Merrifield's
trust in her. He felt that he was
doing what any shrewd detective
might do. But-Bill hadn't count
ed on Lola's tears.
Many a stern man is suddenly
helpless, of course, when a woman
cries. He had thought at first that
Lola was just putting on a smart
act. He had tried to act tough
about it in return, but his own act
izzled. Something an intuition
stronger than reason-suddenly
told him that pretty Lola was not
acting, that she was as innocent as
a baby, and that he himself was a
bungling boor. This realization
made him angry at himself and he
took it out on Jeremy in a careless
outburst, although he caught him
self up in time to apologize for
that.
Thanks, Jeremy-my lordy!!"
Bill was awfully upset, helpless
there before Jeremy's astonishing
offer Of friendship. He had just
heard Jenny offer him a million
collars if needed! He know, too,
that the offer was genuine.
Zee here, Bill"
"No, Jeremy, but thanks-thanks
a lot, my friend. II know now
that you are my friend. Just-just
trust me, will you? There's nothing
you a do for me right now. I've
got to 60 talk this at once with
Lola and Gayle. Where's Gayle?"
She is with Lola. They went be-
yond the swimming pool some
where. Lola was crying"
Il know. I'm going to them. I'll
be seeing you later"
Bill fastened away. His face held
a set look now, of humility and de-
termination.
In his heart he was still confused
because he couldn't think just how
to right matters. He decided while
walking across the vast lawn that
the best way would be to lay all
his cards face up, apologize to Lola
and explain his actions to Gayle,
or at least tell Gayle what he had
done.
AS it developed, he came onto
Gayle first. She saw him and came
to meet him, questions in her eye
Il accused Lola of the theft" he
murmured without preliminary. II
tried to proposition her to join me
in other thefts, and"
"What?. What, Bill?" Gayle was
amazed.
yeah, I know. It was crazy. l
tried to pose as a crook myself. l
figured I could make her agree to
team up with me and so get the
Bella LANAN-COURT RE
H-