The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-05-20
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CHAPTER THREE

When Madge discovered the
ring was missing from her purse.
she returned Immediately to the
kitchen to ask Hilda and Clyde IL
they had opened the handbag after
it was returned to the door.
Both denied IL.
Il had no idea what you had in
IT, so I didn't check when the man
brought IT. Hilda said. Il gave
him a dollar Of my own"
Madge knew that both Hilds
and Clyde were truthful and alb
solutely dependable and she never
doubted for a moment that either
had seen the ring.
She was about to go TO her
room when Clyde, who had been
fiddling with the small radio in
the nook which served him and his
wife as a dining room, urged her
to stay and listen to her fathers
speech.
Feels Thrill
The girl sat down, and felt a
thrill as she heard Forbes Kendall
introduced as the standard bearer
OF the forces of decency and right
eousness in Altonia and then heard
his familiar voice coming from the
loudspeaker.
He was not q spellbinder but
Madge couldn't imagine anyone
who heard him not believing every
word he said. He spoke calmly,
but with a ring of sincerity that
to her mind was much more eff
fective than stirring flights of
eloquence.
He paid his respects to Alex
ander Wayne and to Louis Ia
tum, whom he named as the man
behind Wayne pulling the strings
and exacting heavy tribute from
the underworld of Altonia.
In passing. he also mentioned
Roland Beatty. the district attor-
ney, who, although he was a coun-
ty officer and not directly con-
cerned in the city campaign, was
part and parcel, Kendall said, of
the unholy alliance of which Ia
tum was the dominant figure.
Madge Smiled
Madge smiled at this reference
to Beatty and wondered if Victor
Warning were listening to the
broadcast.
1t was a short broadcast-only
is minutes-and when he stopped
speaking, Madge applauded az
Clyde switched off the radio.
Il suppose your father is hav-
ing dinner with Mrs. Seldes again
tonight" Hilda said.
You're wrong this time, Hilda.
Dan Nichols said it was a meeting
But what's the matter
with Mrs. Seldes? Don't you like
herr"
rs your father going to marry
ner ?" Hilda asked, in return.
"Why-no-I don't know, Hilda,
never thought of it," The ques-
ion caught the girl by surprise.
She hadn't thought about her
friendship with the very
wealthy Mrs Lea Seldes in a ro-
mantle light at all.
Now when she thought of it, she
lid realize that since she had been
nome for good her father was see
ng Mrs. Seldes often. Madge
hadn't met her until recently but
or years she had known her by
equation as a leader in many
charities.
For no benefit in Altonia was
unless Mrs. Seldes plan
led and served on the committee
which ran 1t.
1t had never occurred to her
hat her father might marry. But
# course, she had to admit to
herself, 1t was possible.
She worried about it a bit as she
vent upstairs to her rooms, got
nut her clothes and took a quick
hover. 1t continued to worry her
- she dressed
Suppose he should marry, if not
irs. seldes, someone else? Her
lsns would go completely by the
oard. When she had come home.
was with the intention of set
ling down and making a comfort
BILE home for her father in the big
Id house In which they had lived
= long as she could remember
The house was old fashioned,
uilt nearly rs years before, but it
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