Show I Saint J Sinner Bob y eyes dropped for tor tora fora ora a moment before the scorn and unger anger un- un ger cr and stricken en love In Faiths Faith's voice and face tace Ch Churchill almost a lad had me con con- convinced con convinced vinced Faith but before God 1 believe e Cherry Is fa telling the truth Well We'll stand by her darling In of the grand crand jury and In spite spill of Stephen Churchill's doubts of oher her Innocence Shell She'll come coma corn out ot of triumphant ls triumphant vindicated be- be because be because cause she's hes he's innocent Ill I'll spend every ry cent I 1 can cin raise borrow horrow or steal to 10 clear her name frame If that that Is necessary ri Are i you satisfied Faith The overwrought girl cirl collapsed in his arms arm realizing for the th time since Cherrys Cherry's arrest that her sisters sister's very life me was wag was at ake her lIer cold fingers clung duns to his hia coat but bul the face race which she lic raised to fobs fob's was illuminated with lovo love and grat- grat gratItude gratitude crat to him Thank Than you fob Dob BobI 1 Im I-I'm Im I'm sorry sorry-I sorry I spoke as I 1 did I dont don't have to remind you that nothIng you ou say ay to me now can cnn hUrt me Bob Dob murmured tenderly And by the way WilY heres here's something that may mean mean a II lot and lot and nothing What In the world world- world 7 Faith gasped as he held up a short piece of old brown leather strap the pointed end with holes I punched at inch inch halt Intervals interval The bit of ot strap had been broken off oft at the th widened hole hoe by which It evident evidently had been fastened countless times limes Awful looking thIng Isn't It Ills voice was straIning to be ca- ca cas- cas casual cas casual ual and natural I 1 found it to- to tonight to night In hi the snow now under Uncle window The Tho Plato place Is be be e- e I lug guarded by the police ot of course but the boys boy all know that Im I'm a friend of ot Storehouse and aud that thai It was my uncle who was killed Matter Malter of fact tact I 1 found It when no noone noone noone one was looking You think its think Its It's a clue The bright color of ot hope liopo flamed d Into Fakirs Faiths wan cheeks May bo be Bob Dob admitted I was fanning the snow now oft off those foot foot- footprints footprints prints I told you about t to see It If they were still visible at all They were faintly faintly but not very much blurred as to outline And I found this thIng thine burled under the tho top lop dusting ot of snow directly under the window Do you get set what hat that means There was snow now under it as well as over oyer it- it It Which proves prove that It tt was dropped there after the snow mow be- be begal be iran be-iran gall gal to fall l Faith Interrupted Int In breath breathless leas excitement i Oh Bob Dob tt it must have been the murderer who dropped It somehow She Sh paused as lS sho alto saw Bob lit lift litta L a bit ot of o broken strap to his nose and sniff miff at It II a a slight frown ot of his eY eyes 5 Sweat ho he h explained briefly human sweat nt Its It's an unmistakable unmistakable unmistakable able odor ollor Smell ho he command command- commanded ed thrusting the bit of damp dark leather toward her No she the drew back bael with a shull- shull shudder shudder der The thing thine makes malles me feel teel creepy somehow Did Diet you checkup check checkup checkup up to see It if It tt have could have been los lost by a It servant or a policeman Wise Ise girl Birl he ho applauded smil- smil smilIng smil Ing at al her lier Tony fony Salvatore Salvator the pardoner Ii swore snore ora that It had not been there before tha tho snow began to fall but of or course he h might ens- ens easily easily ily lIy overlook II a little thing thine like liko that nut But hes he's positive that It was broken bro from nothing connected with my uncles uncle's lincio house or grounds I thought at first It might bo be a piece ot of a tops lOps iop belt or from the he strap on which a cops cop's billey swings But the billets billet's are arc carried on a leather thong tho not at all like this and the belts bells tor for the gun eun bolsters fasten with 1111 a wider strap I managed to 10 find out without giving my secret t tawa awa away Theres There's just one olle on thing thine that occurs to me he frowned at the tho bIt of strap as s If It trying to It by power of his will 11 to O I up its lis secret TO IOnno Hobs Hob's amazing liter about the bIt lilt of strap str i Copyright 1947 1921 1 27 by NEA NE Service Inc |