Show I i Daily Short i Fiction Story IN PURSUIT OF A HAT By EMILY WINTER Copyright ht 1915 b by the McClure Newspaper Syndicate Charlie le Gr hams ham's bl bi bis gray sra motor motorcar motorcar motorcar car glided do down ClOWn tho the village street and paused before the door of or Miss Artemisia Artemisia Artemisia Arte Arte- misia Dodds Dodd's millinery parlor Oh Mr Graham Im I'm so 80 sorry b began an Miss 1188 Dodd when when when-ho he appeared In the doorway but your our sisters sister's hat hatla hatla la is not quite finished If It you ou dont don't mind waiting five minutes She In Indicated indicated In- In ted a chair at the end of ot the counter Thank you Ill I'll wait nit decided Charlie and sat sut down n In the obscurity It ity of ot a tall screen Miss lIss Artemisia Dodd fluttered out and returned with the lallo Echo icho Cho and having once more apologized apologized apolo apolo- for or keeping him waiting she fluttered Into the thc dim fastnesses of oC the workroom If Charlie Graham had been in inclined inclined in- in dined to listen J to the buzz of ot eon con conversation In the workroom he ml might ht have havo realized that the the- three little milliners were discussing him In what they believed belien to bo bet guarded voices What hat they thE said was flattering howver however however how how- ever ver to the son and heir of oC the Grahams and Indeed there was little Ill III that might be said ald of ot the fine tint clean cut youth who had won the respect respect re- re and admiration of his friends by choosing to carve out a a. cal career r for himself Instead of ot depending upon his rich and Indulgent father While Shile the voices droned away avay In Inthe intIle tIle the workroom Charlie glanced out at tho th dullness of the village street yawned a stopped short In the middle of nf a a. second yawn and stared through the lace curtains at a dainty taco face aco looking at al the hats In the shop window Sho She stood on the sidewalk outside e with a rather shabby little felt fell hat haton haton on her sunny head looked critically at th the creations which MI Miss s Dodd Dorid was sas displaying ing for the enticement of ot ofen en customers Suddenly the girl disappeared and andI Charlie I withdrew his ey eyes reluctantly from the street It was sas at this moment that ho he spied the hat It H was on a stand at his elbow and was an ambitious creation of or Tuscan braid with little hunches bunches of ot pink I rosebuds and blue nots with witha a n fascinating little chin strap of or vel elet elye l el I ye vet et t. t Jove JO She would look adorable In that hat that exclaimed Charlie But I expect the tho poor little thing couldn't afford this confection ve Ive heard Stella sa say that Miss 1 Dodd can make a Fifth avenue milliner r blush when it comes coms to paying for or value received A little later latel he added I 1 wonder onder I who she is la That felt hat was waR shabby enough enough enough- The shop door opened softly and the girl In question came Inside Apparently she did dill not see seo him for tor su suddenly sp spying ing the lovely hat on the stand she uttered n n. little gasping cr cry picked It it up whirled It aroun around on her hand tossed off her own little felt hat put on the straw on one ad- ad the strap under her dimpled chin blew a nonchalant kiss at her reflection in the mirror and skipped out of ot the tho door Charlie Graham araham stared for or one ono be bewildered bewildered be- be moment at the felt hat sho sito had tossed on the stand and then In Indignant in- in at the thc bold hold act of oC piracy ho followed the thc charm charming In shoplifter The Tuscan straw hat was proceed proceed- big ing down the village c street with apparent apparent ap tip parent unconcern but hut Charlie was waa convinced with regret that the lovely lovely love lovo- ly violet iolet e eyes s. s were furtively watch- watch I I II I i I I I j j I i I I I I i Ing to see ECO If It her ncr theft then had been discovered dis- dis covered As soon as sho she reaches reAch 8 a n sate sara corner sho she will till run for It or Im I'm no I sleuth he decided quickening his steps The dainty figure ahead quickened Its steps also and as she eho reached Locust lane ane she nho turned and dl disappeared ap- ap behind the hl high h hedge that encircled tho the grounds on the corner Charlie Graham still Mill In the tho Interest Interest Inter Inter- est eat of the victimized Miss Dodd broke broke- Into a run When hen he lie rounded Locust lane the wearer waltr of ot tho the hat was sauntering slowly along the pleasant shaded d pathway But Hut at the sound found of oC his rapidly ap approaching ap ap- feet teet the girl turned her had head paused as If it stunned at the of her 11 unexpected otell sight o pursuer and anil andi then she too ran rl fleetly as it if for tor her liet life lite The The Thc gasped Charlie Graham who was getting short of ot breath The Tho girl Irl In the th stolen hat gave him hima a pretty race The west side of ot Locust Locust Lo Lo- Lo- Lo cust lane was bordered bordere all the way down lown to the ba bay by a n high evergreen he hedge ge and behind that hedge was a n great brick house which had hod been closed for tor many years Charlie Graham followed the girl down the I length of ot this hedge believing that the gates gateA would be he locked as usual and that ho he must certainly overtake her before the they reached the waters water's edge But Hut Budden suddenly she swerved to tho the left and vanished through a n narrow pate gate In the tho ho hedge The rhe gate gat was wa open OIen and Charlie followed after arter now gleefully certain of oC capturing his prize Ho lice was galloping madly around a turn in the path with a a. tantalizing glimpse of ot the hat hal beyond a tall taU shrub In the distance when a newcomer newcomer new flew comer corner appeared on the scene in tn the p por person on of the former butler r In the tho Graham household Save me nl shrieked tho the fair criminal grasping the a aston ton ton- man about his e expansive pansie x waist Percival ol opened hi hla arms and Charlie plunged into them alm almost upsetting the tho stolid butler Mr Charles Charlesl I shouted th the butler in a horrified tone Are you you- you are re you you are are you you you- ouNo No Im I'm not flot noU roar roared d Charles Charle i. i In- In PI Please 3 io rem remove remo vm your our hands Percivall Excuse me meIr Mr Ir Charts Charles sir sir coughed couChed the servant but Miss Smith asked I 1 mo me to hold bold you She l is afraid afraid- dont don't understand sir 1 he added helplessly Charles looked O over Or r Percival's broad shoulder j-houlder j and saw faw the fr fright fright- Cn en creed cd violet iolet eyes eK glancing up P at al him nm He nodded significantly at the hat No use UI I denying It he ht said impolitely im- im politely v and grimly r i ra saw Haw W you ou take It il t I i r was In Mitts Miss Dodds Dodd's wh when hen n you came in Ia anti and Look It IL ft If It you'll give gl n It hack back to m me why Ill I'll hush the tho matter matter mat t ter up tip he concluded sternly You arC are too kind sho she said humbly hum hum- bly bb with downcast eyes I 1 will d dmore do more than that sir I will wilt go back hack t to Miss lIss Dodds Dodd's with you and take th the hat hatS That would b be the better way said saM Charles quickly and Percival ha having mysteriously vanished vanish Id I'd h he followed tho the girl back to Locust Locus lane I knew you cr cr you know know know-I could coul toll tell in a minute you were suddenly sud sud- denly tempted and and ot of course It course It I Ia is isa isa a peach of oC hat he a n. explained sym ym- pathetically A pair of ot sad violet e eyes es glanced a at him from rota under the brim of ot the hat You think so sho she asked demurely And although he talked volubly altho all al tho way back hack to the millinery milliner parlor larlor the tho wearer of Miss Dodds Dodd's hat merely merel answered In monosyllables She appeared ap appear ap- ap pear d depressed Charlie Graham felt more lIke a criminal himself than a n. clever young w Il lawyer er leading a wrongdoer to tice Dont be afraid he whispered i at her elbow as the they neared d Miss Dodds Dodd's You are er very kind She Sho flashed w a l a glance at him that ho did not un un- un dc An onlooker might have havo called It admiration but Charlie be beInA being being be- be ing InA modest did not attempt to classify it It Once Inside the shop the they both bolh glanced at tho the hat stand Tho The little felt hat was gone gonel Curtains parted In th the back of ot the room and Miss Artemisia appeared smiling benevolently upon the young oung pair pail Your sisters sister's hat is ig all ready Mr Graham she nodded at him And Am how do you ou like your our hat Miss 1 Chrissy Chris Chris- sy She turned to the the- girl nn and touched the dainty headpiece with a 1 professional finger Its SIts lovely Miss l Dodd cried the girl enthusiastically She whirled around before beCore the tho milliners milliner's milliners milliner's milliners mil mil- liners liner's admiring gaze and as aN she turned her mischievous eyes es caught a fleeting glimpse of or the tho sheepish countenance of ot a a. wretched young manI manI man I 1 found your our felt hat on the stand Miss 1 Chrissy went on Miss Do Dodd d so I knew you'd ou 1 been and taken your you hAt I am delighted eJ d with It ft 1 Miss Dodd said eald tho the girl sweetly and It If you OU will give mo me tho the bill bill- bill Her voice voice- trailed Into silence as she fol followed followed fol- fol lowed Miss Dodd to tho the desk In the cern corner cr Charlie Graham took tho the opportunity opportunity opportunity to escape His car tore up the thea a a of oC the tho Graham place Plane at a n breakneck pace Ethel Graham Jumped up from her chair as ns he paused before the ver vcr anda What i is the matter Charlie she he hed d demanded excitedly Sa Say do you Jou know a girl gill named Chrissy Y was his answer Ethel stared at him Are you crazy I will sill be If It you dont don't answer he said positively Theres Theros ChrIssy Smith Smith her her folks haw have Just returned to their old home that that brick place in Locust lane lan and and and- Charlie groaned dismally You run haven't r over her demanded demanded de de- de- de mantled Ethel tragically Xo Xo No I ran after her confessed her brother And then relying upon his sisters sister's loyalty as well as her sense of ot humor he related the events of or the afternoon You poor pOOl thing gurgled Ethel when he ho had finished Watt Walt until I 1 get set m my coat coal and I will wm KO go o with you OU and we can straighten It out And Ancl fifteen minutes afterward as Charlies Charlie's car CRr K glided ded down the sunlit they the overtook overtook overtook over over- length of or Locust lane lant took Chrissy Smith entering the gate of ot her home The dainty hat was Wag poised on her charming head hend and when she saw the tho car and Its Itc occupants occupants beautiful color invaded her pants pante a cheeks I 1 hope you dont don't think I 1 stole toe anything any an- anything thing but the hat she laughed as ns came up to herl her l S am afraid you OU have ve Chrissy II Ethel with mock gravity said M Charlie Charlie seems to have missed cd some some- thing |