| Show Sri a I 11 f s q f GROVES Service Y inc TIllS THIS HAS 8 HAPPENED l. Mildred ka Lawrence rence meets meet Stephen Armitage A when he rescues her fox fur from nm 5 a thief thief- Their friendship grows Brows until J. J Pamela amela Judson daughter of ot Mildreds Mildred's Mil Mil- dred's employer tries to lur lure him Mm away from na her Huck Connor becomes infatuated with iu Pamela ramela and she plays plais both men Her brother Harold Is in lo love with 1 Mildred who tries to keep him front from gambling with Mucks lucks crowd when nen Stephen continues seeing Mil Mil- dred Bred Pamela cables a lell her ller father to discharge dis due charge her hel Harold tries to prevent this but falls Pamela succeeds In to turning Stephen against Mildred and the latter Iatter faces dreary days das in search earch of work Then Pamela tries to break with Huck tuck and when he objects tells him she and Stephen are engaged encased she begs bees Stephen to confirm the tho engagement Huck commands Harold to prevent Pamela's marriage under fear of ot ex exposure exposure ex- ex con con a forged check liar Har old says sn's he be cant can't force Pame Pamela co to Huck Stuck plans to dispose of ot Stephen He Hit has one of his gang frame Stephen for stealing stealIng steal steal- Ing one of his firms firm's demonstration cars and the detective thinks the evidence against him sufficient nt when he finds Stephen giving a big- big party that night nigh to announce his engagement to Pamela Harold l confesses enough to Mildred to reveal re to her that Stephen Is in n danger of Hucks Huck's scheming In desperation sho decides to make an effort to save eave him hlin ow OW GO OX ON ITJI TIm TILE STORY STORT CHAPTER Mildred was still without a tion was free to seek Huck Connor at any time but household duties kept her at homo home throughout the morning And by afternoon when she went vent to the Judson and asked for him it was too late He was out of town she was told No he h had d not said when ho he would re re- re e- e turn I Huck Ruch had gone gon to a town a few miles up the Hudson river where a retired gangster kept a convenient hideaway camouflaged camouflage as a chicken farm He lie had business with the proprietor one Ras Has On her way from the hotel Mildred Mildred Mildred Mil Mil- dred passed the Mettle Agency and though she would not not allow h her r steps to slow she could not keep leep from glancing through the plate glass window hoping for a glimpse of Stephen Naturally she did not see him ashe as ashe ashe he was even then headed for J. J Bs B's place under Lefty Flints Flint's malign direction Mildred told herself it was better not to see him but as she sho hurried on she was conscious of ke keen n disappointment dis dis appointment Her heart ached for forsight forsight forsight sight of or Stephen and even her pride great as It was could not moderate tho the desire There were other things besides thoughts of Stephen to occupy her mind however and Mildred was too conscientious to neglect them then She must make male a few calls where It t was possible she sho might obtain a a tion Tho The outlook at home was becoming becoming becom becom- ing gloomy The small income de derived derived derived de- de rived by a cautious Investment of the tIle insurance money her father had left was insufficient to meet the bills I 1 must have a job Mildred told herself worriedly If we e fall behind behind behind be be- hind with the rent and get into debt there wont won't be even so much as a trip to Coney Cone Island on Sunda Sundays s 's for our vacation this summer She could not help feeling bitter toward Pamela at that moment Once on a hot humid da day she had been sent to the tine Judson boat where where it was anchored in the breezeswept breezeswept breeze- breeze sw swept ept sound to do some work for forthe forthe forthe the owner It had been Paradise to her starved luxury-starved senses The unexpected warmth bf of the present day clay lay brought brought it back to her mind Well Vell Stephen had tasted of that luxury She didn't blame him so much b but t of f course he was in love with Pamela in spite of her brutal selfishness Mildred could picture her curled up on her lacy pillows commanding that even her slightest whim b be satisfied satisfied sat sat- While I walk the streets looking for work was Mildreds Mildred's bitter reflection The injustice of it still smarted She was efficient capable but on en a n. parasitic creatures creature's creatures creature's creatures creature's crea crea- tures ture's wish she had been treated as though her worth in the world were of no more account than a a. flysHer flysHer flysHer flys Her resentment clung as the da day wore awa away and she was still num numbered numbered nuni- nuni among the unemployed She Sine knew that it might mis-ht be weeks yet before phe she found a position Chance was such a large clement element In this matter in New ew York People missed big tiff opportunities by a a. hairs hair's hairsbreadth hairsbreadth breadth others stumbled upon them when they were not wanted Mildred was genuinely worried Her mother noted her downcast expression ex- ex expression ex ex- when she returned home and made her lie down a few minutes minutes minutes min min- utes before dinner Mildred had had to tell her mother that shed she'd lost her position at the Judson hotel but she site did not reveal her concern for the immediate fu fuw fu- fu w ture I It was not just this alone that troubled her her mother knew for Connie had told her of Stephens Stephen's engagement to Pamela Mildred came out to the kitchen jn in time to broil the hamburger cakes and fix tho tine salad Connie was cutting up some cold boiled potatoes po po- po- po How much butter she sho asked when she went to the cupboard cupboard cup cup- board for a frying flying pan Butter her hel mother exclaimed Use the fat drippings And you needn't have peeled the potatoes The skin is healthful when its it's nice and clean Connie groaned You can bet Im I'm going to marry a big butter and eg egman egg eggman eggman man she sho said determinedly I 1 hate fat drippings S Ordinarily Mildred would have given her a 1 little sisterly advice after such a remark but tonight the older girl was preoccupied and silent Connie decided not to pester her but before she fell asleep that night tight silo she was aware that Mildred was cr crying ing soundlessly and it was all she could do to keep from blurting out her contempt for Stephen For Stephen it was a night of pleasure by any omen of what awaited him on the morrow It was daybreak when ho he unlocked his door and let himself into his room Ho lie hurried to undress and get some sleep before going to th the of office of- of nee flee but sleep would not come t to trim Mm Now that he was alone hl his troubles returned like liko a flock of vultures to pick at his peace Pam Pain In a a. flat Pam in Its a s. kitchen apron aplon Pam Pant in the balcony at the theatre Pam in the tine subway He lIe couldn't see it But hang it all aU she bhe knew hed he'd make good with her to work for Hed He'd h have ve to to He couldn't expect her ller to go on living in what would to her be abject poverty What a girl she was She Site certainly certainly certainly could put life into a a. party Not that her hel friends were dull but Pam led them all Shed She'd been as sparkling and as gay when he ho took her home as when they first reached Margolas Margola's party He dozen off finally and with the tine thou thought ht in his mind that lie was a a. lucky lueK devil to bo ibo loved by a girl like Pam It seemed only a moment before his Ills alarm clock woke him with Its Inconsiderate summons He hurried to ibe he at the office e early He could get t oft off game fome letters to certain of his prospects who needed neede a reminder of their promise to come in and inspect the new models Mr AIr Mettle came in late ale ilIe greeted Stephen with a sour SOUL face and a skimpy nod Stephen worked like a Trojan that I morning using his llis utmost utmost sellIng telling powers powers powers-on on tall un potential buyers who came camo within sound of his voice He saw Carl Short come in sometime sometime some sometime time after 11 and go directly to Mr 11 Mettles Mettle's private te office The investigator investigator investigator gator was closeted there with the manager for about fifteen minutes before beCore Stephen was sent for Fresh trouble was In the a air r Stephen Stephen Stephen Ste Ste- phen knew as soon as he opened the thedoor thedoor thedoor I door and faced the two On the tho desk between them lay a caliber revolver a large roll of bills and a bunch of keys in a leather leath leath- er key holder Stephen did not at first see the keys or 01 tire the money His eyes were fastened upon the tho gun Ever see it before S Short lort asked dryly Mr Mettle said nothing His mouth was like a crack of Ice I drawn sharply across his face asIt as asit asit it was Stephen shook shok his he head d. d No o. o he said saW Or 01 tills this Short picked up the roll roIl rollof rollof of or bills Stephen looked puzzled Again he shook his head And I I suppose you ou never set your eyes on these before either Short ra rasped Ped taking the ke keys s 's from Crom the table and holding them out on tire the palm of his hand under Stephens Stephen's Stephens Stephen's Ste Ste- phen's astonished gaze Why they look like my lw keys s 's he hc exclaimed unhesitatingly Jim Hm Mr Mettle muttered guess you ou couldn't deny it because I 1 saw you when you snapped on the tho ke keys s 's to tho the car you ou stole Stephen whirled upon him rim Stole he repeated blankly right Armitage Short In Interjected Interjected interjected In- In crisply weve wove got gott the tho goods on you ou Like hell hen you ou have Stephen re retorted retorted retorted re- re losing control of his temper What kind of a setup Is this I never saw that gun or that roll be before before before be- be fore in my life lIe I dont don't know where you ou got the kE keys s unless youve you've caught ht the guy who wro stole We have Short assured him The keys s A were ere found In your our room this morning The gun grun and th the tho mone money 1 too That's enough nough to hold mold you Stephen stared at him pope popeyed edNot ed Not in m my room lre he ire began but Short cut him off again Theres no argument he saidI said curtly the tile hotel manager made the I search with us I 1 guess youre you're I through helping crooks to rob your firm Better come along quietly be before before before be- be fore the men outside get wise r t tA A shiver ran over Stephens Stephen's body as it was borne brne In upon him that he was under arrest Under arrest He Stephen Armitage Ho lIe couldn't get It Turning for Cor aid to Mr Mettle he saw his employer wave his Ibis hand with an outward finishing gesture that did not need words to convey its meaning Nevertheless Mr Mettle Met Met- Mettle IettIe Iet- Iet tle tIe barked out an order to Short to take rim him away Get him out of here And Stephen was taken away Later he found himself booked at atthe atthe atthe the nearest police station on a double double double dou dou- ble charge of possessing a firearm without a a. license and grand larceny Being unable to provide bail he was locked up The Tile help of professional professional professional bondsmen was not available neither would he wire to his family In hi Indiana for aid ald But it a lawyer hed he'd have to have havea a lawyer Someone had alad to get him out of there He paced u up and down downin in his cell vainly figuring how and where he lac could raise the money for fora a s. lawyers lawyer's fee And Pamela God how was he Ibe going to let her hel know about this That was Stephens Stephen's darkest mo mo- ment The disgrace of ot his position swept over him like a crushing weight He dropped to the cot and buried his face in his hands It It was some same time before he was was able to think rationally Then it came came camo to him that he could communicate com com- with with Harold Halold ask her brother Pamela to him Hed He'd have to seo see her lter have haye to know d believe beHeye in his inno inno- innocence cence cence l V c He got up up pressed his face to the bars and called out loudly for the thet t turnkey To be continued |
