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Show Hearts of Gold IS ti it i i c- S II ! 1 1 By GEORGE ELMER COBB ? j if j ! (Copyright. 1st, by the Western Newi-I Newi-I Pper t nloa. Eleanor I'.oyce tn the shady foot-paths foot-paths of the p::-k wiih y.-v ,,,t down and a heavy heart. She evaded the I L'ay uro'ips, f,r her spiri's were nut in aiv.iril with festivity or companion-I companion-I ship. Siie came to v.h.re they l.a'I been filling in refuse and rubbish. lis-I lis-I mal and grewsome as was i),o spot, at ieai iiM-ie Mie couiu ee tuoue anil think out the problem of her sorry existence. ex-istence. Fur over a month she hail been out of work, and but for the kind hoarled-ness hoarled-ness of her landlady she would have been without a roof to shelter her. It was a poor place at the best, but there were other MrugpKng beings like herself. She was thinking just now of one of these unfortunates, a young man named I H xtor Brill. In his more nourishing days be had been courteous and considerate o her. had invited her to the theater once or twice, was a player of the violin and an excellent singer, and noipiaintance with him had been a pleasure to Eleanor For a week he had been aibng and .Mrs. Booth and Eleanor had been ' faithful nurses and friends. Eleanor ! had exhausted her last dollar ?u the purchase of fruits and ice. Brill had i laughed at the anxieties of those two. j "I'll be all right in a few days." he told them, but for two days past a J sort of lethargy had come over him j and Mrs. Booth had said to Eleanor: "Mr. Brill is a sick man, dearie, atel I'm afraid we will have to send him to the hospital. He has no money and I am way behind in my rent, and oh! the poor good souls that a little help in time of need would help along!" and Eleanor went out trying to get a position at any 'price and failed. Then this gloomy isolation at the edge of the park. She noted a frayed edge of the wrap she wore, the broken shoe, and poked at the dirt about it aimlessly with the point of her umbrella. She never took off its case for fear the tattered fabric would fall to pieces. As she prodded she abruptly leaned j forward a bright glint caught her eye. he poked anew and drew a I great long breath as a tiny but gorgeous lady's watch came into view1. With eager, trembling hands Eleanor Elea-nor brushed the dirt from the dainty bit of jewelry. The case was encrust- ; ed with diamonds. "It must be worth " and Eleanor figure'! out an extravagant value: Then her face fell. "But it is not mine." she whispered to herself. She arose with some precipitancy. looking excitedly ex-citedly all about her. holding tightly to the priceless bundle with her hand in her dress pocket. "Oh. dearie! Mr. Brill has had a very bad spell." greeted her as she reached home. "We must either send him away or get a doctor." "I will attend to that at once," said Eleanor. Her lips compressi d and her statuesque face showed like a mask of stern justice. Regaining the street Eleanor entered the first pawn shop she came to. "I wish to borrow twenty dollars till I earn some money," she stud. "I wotdd buy the watch for a much larger price," hinted the pawnbroker, an avaricious gleam in his selfish eyes. . "It is a beauty yes, and worth so much as many hundred dollars." "No, I do not wish to sell." said j -F.Iennnr :ind on her w.qv hack home A left word for a doctor. It seemed as though brighter skies i and new inspiring hopes were to be:i awarded hy fate all around after that, j? Within a week Dexter Brill was upi$ and well and on his feet in a business ' way. Eleanor had secured work. At jj the end of the month she visited the ji pawnsliop. ii "I wish to pay ten dollars on the ; watch." she said, contemplating " its ; ? full redemption later and meantime j ; advertising for an owner. The pawnbroker made an ado about i detaining her. He went to a rear ? room and telephoned. As Eleanor ;i was about to leave a man came in from the street. ' ? "You will excuse me, miss." he said, 'i "but I am from the police depart- r ment of justice, and it is necessary for ' i me to question you. How came you t hy that watch ?" Eleanor was flustered somewhat, but ' she narrated a clean, convincing story, i Could she lead the detective to the ? spot where she had found it? "Oh. f surely!" and in the rubbish heap the ? officer probed until he brought to light f a dozen similar pieces of valuable I jewelry. ? rip explained to Eleanor how- the I jewelry had belonged to a wealthy so- ? ciety woman. Tl.e receptacle holding I them, a silk bag. had disappeared. ? supposedly stolen by some servant, i Xow it appeared th..t in some manner t the bag had found its way into the i family dust heap and thence to the ? park area. i Mrs. Randolph Drexel was a lib eral-minded lady. She insisted upon -seeing Eleanor, fur'her upon the he- ; stowtil of a generous money reward. And that became the pest , u'g of a I fund later employed in th- ptirrb:: " of a wedding trous.-mi. for win n rli.- i landlady recited to P.xrer Brill the story of Eioiith-r's ittiftiiling intere-' ! in him wheti !e- va- ill, his pent uti i love burst all buumLs in full coaXtj- ' - siou. |
