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TUESDAY, APRIL 7. The Case of Jenny Brice PROLOGUE. * Vo* Jennie Brioe murdered? > If the were murdered, who was guilty of the foul deed ? If she were not done away with by an assassin, what became of hsr? Whence did she disappear? These and a few other inter• osting questions are raised at onoe in this very clever tale of mystery written by a woman who is not only an adept at writing fiction of this charac ter, but the possessor of a style that chains the interest by its clearness and directness and Wins by its rich humor. J 1 Continued From Yesterday “The pillow will have to be paid for. too, Mr. Ladley." 1 said. “And there's • sign nailed on the door that forbids ■molting In bed. If you are going to ■et lire to things I shall hnve to charge extra.” "Really!” he jeered, looking at me with his cold, fishy eyes. “Is there any sign on the door paying that board ers are charged extra for seven feet of filthy river In the bedrooms?” I was never a match for him, and 1 make It a principle never to bandy words with my boarders. I took the pillow and the slipper and went out. The telephone was ringing on the stair landing. It was the theater, asking for Miss Brice. “She has gone away,” I said. “What do you mean? Moved away?" “Gone for a few days’ vacation,” 1 replied. “She Isn’t playing this week Is she?” “Walt a moment” said the voice There was a hum of conversation from the other end, and then another man came to the telephone. “Can yon find out where Miss Brice has gone?” * “I'll see.” I went to door and knocked. Mr. Ladley answered from Just be yond. "Tlie theater Is asking where Mrs. Ledley Is.” “Tell them I don’t know,” he snarl ed, and shut the door. I took his mes sage to the telephone. Whoever It was swore and hung up Jhe receiver. All the morning 1 was uneasy—l hardly knew why. Peter felt It as I did. There was no sound from the Ladleys’ room, and the house was quiet, except for the lapping water on the stairs and the police patrol going back and forth. At 11 o’clock a boy in the neighbor hood, paddling on a raft, fell into the water and was drowned. I watched the police boat go past, carrying his little cold body, and after that 1 was good for nothing. I went and sat with Peter on the stairs. The dog’s conduct had been strange all morning. He had sat Just above the water, looking at it and whimpering. Perhaps he iwas expecting another kitten or— It is hard to say how ideas first en ter one's mind. But the notion that Mr. Ladley had killed his wife and thrown her body Into the water came to me as I sat there. All at once I deemed to see It all—the quarreling the flay before, the night trip In the boat, the water soaked slipper, his haggard face that morning—even the way the spaniel sat and stared at the flood. Terry brought the boat back at half past 11, towing It behind another. "Well,” I said from the stairs, “I hope you've had a pleasant morning.” "What doing?” he asked, not looking It me. "Rowing -about the streets. You’ve had that boat for hours.” He tied It up without a word to me, lut he spoke to the dog. “Good morn ing, Peter,” he said. “It's nice weath p—for fishes, ain’t it?" He picked out a bit of floating wood from the water, and, showing it to the log, flung It Into the parlor. Peter gent after it with a splash. He was pretty fat and when he came back I heard him wheezing. But what he brought back was not the stick of good. It was the knife I use for cut ting bread. It had been on a shelf in the room where I had slept the night before, and now Peter brought it out bf the flood where its wooden handle Ead kept It afloat. The blade was bro en off short. It la not unusual to find one’s house hold goods floating around during lood time. More than once I've lost a tbair or two and seen it after the wa ter had gone down, new scrubbed and painted, In Molly Maguire’s kitchen text door. And perhaps now and then l bit of luck would come to me—a dog kennel or a chicken house, or a kitch »n table, or even, as happened once, l month old baby In a wooden cradle, that lodged against my back fence and bad come forty miles, as It tnrned out, gith no worse mishap than a cold In Its head. But the knife was different. I had put It on the mantel over the stove I gas using upstairs the night before ind hadn’t touched it since. As I sat ltaring at It, Terry took it from Peter ind handed it to me. “Better give me a penny, Mrs. Pit nan,” he said in his impudent Irish gay. “I to give yon a knife. It nay cut our fri* r> ' , “ h,r> ” ——- By MARY ROBERTS RINEHART I reached over (o iiil him u clout on the head, but 1 did not The sunlight was coming In through the window ut the top of the stairs, and shining on the ro[>o that was tied to the banister. The end of the rope was covered with stains, bright with a glint of red In them. 1 gut up shivering. “You can gel the meat at the butcher's, Terry,” 1 said, “and come back for me lu half an hour." Then 1 turned and went upstairs, weak in the knees, to put on my hat and coat. 1 had made up my mind that there had been murder done. I looked at m.v clock as I wcut downstairs. It was Just 12:30. 1 thought of telephoning for Mr. Itcyn olds to meet me, but it was his lunch hour, and besides, 1 was afraid to tele phone from the house while Mr. Lad ley was in It. Peter had been whining again. When I camp down the slulrs he bad stopped whimpering and was wagging hls tail. A strange boat had put Into the hallway nnd was coming back. “Now, old boy!" somebody was say ing from the boat. “Steady, old chap! I’ve got something lor you!” A little man, elderly and alert, was standing up in the boat, poling 11 along with an oar. Peter gave vent to Joyful yelps. The elderly gentle man brought his boat to a stop at the foot of the stairs and, reaching down into a tub at his feet, held up a large piece of raw liver. Peter almost went crazy, and I remember suddenly that I had forgotten to feed the poor beast for more than a day. “Would you like 11?" asked the gen tleman. Peter snt up, as lie had been taught to do, and barked. The gen tleman reached down again, got a wooden plutter from a stack of them at hls feet and, placing the liver ou it. put It on the step. The whole thing was so neat and businesslike that 1 could only gaze. “That's a well trained dig. madam,” said the elderly gentlemaK beaming at Peter over hls glasses. “You should not have neglected him.” “The flood put him out of my mind.” I explained, humbly enough, for I was ashamed. “Exactly. Do you know how many starving dogs and oats I have found this morning?” He took a notebook out of his pocket and glanced at it “Forty-eight; Forty-eight, madam: And ninety-three catsl 1 have found them murooued in trees, clinging t< fences, floating on barrels, and 1 have found them iu comfortable house? where there was no excuse for theii neglect. Well, I must be moving on I have the report of a cat with a new litter In the loft of a stable lieu, here.” He wiped his hands carefully on a fresh paper napkiu, of which also : heap rested on one of the seats o the boat, and picked up an oar. soil! lng benevolently at Peter. Then sud denlv he bent over and looked at tin stained rope end tied to the stair rail "What’s that?” he said. "That’s what I’m going to find out,' I replied. I glanced up at the Dad leys' door, but it was closed. The little man dropped bis oar and fumbling in his pocekts, pulled out : small magnifying gloss. He ben over, bolding to the rail, and inspect*' the stains with the glass. I had tak en a fancy to him at once, and iu spi' of my excitement I had to smile a little “Humph,” he said and looked up a. me; “that's blood! Why did you cut the boat loose?” "I didn't,” I said. “If that is blood I want to know how it got there That was a new rope last night” 1 glanced at the Ladleys’ door again and he followed my eyes. “I wonder,” he said, raising hi volce a little, “if I come into yom kitchen If you will allow me to fry a little of thnt liver. There's a wretch ed Maltese in a tree at the corner ol Fourth street that won't touch it raw.” I saw that he wanted to talk to me, so I turned nround and led the way to the temporary kitchen 1 had made. “Now,” he said briskly when he had closed the door, "there’s something wrong here. Perhaps If you will tell me I can help. If I can't it will do yon good to talk about It. My name’s Holcombe, retired merchant. Apply to First National bank for references.” “I’m not sure there Is anything wrong,” 1 began. "1 guess I’m only nervous and thinking little things are big ones. There's nothing to tell.” “Nonsense. I come down the street In my boot A white faced gentleman, with a cigarette, looks out from a win dow when I stop at the door and ducks back when 1 glance up. I come In and find a pet dog. obviously overfed at or dlnary times, whining with lyinger on the stairs. As 1 prepare to feed him a pale woman comes down, trying to put a right bnnd glove on her left hand and with her jacket wyrng side out What am I to think?” I started and looked at my coat. He was right And when as I tried to take It off he helped me and even pat ted me on the shoulder—what with his kindness and the long morning alone, worrying, and the sleepless night. 1 be gan to cry. He bad a clean handker chief In my band before I had time to think of one. "That’s it” he said. "It will do you good, only don’t make a noise about It If It’s a husband on the annual flood spree don’t worry, madam. They nl wars come around In time to, white wash the cellars.” “It Isn't n husband. 1 sniffled. "Tell me about It.” he said. There Was something so kindly In hls face and It was so long sit,ice 1 had had a bit Qf human sympathy that 1 utmost broke down again. CHAPTER 111. fTI SAT there, with a crowd of j| children paddling on a raft outside the window, and Molly Maguire, next door, hauling the morning's milk up In n pall fastened to a rope, her doorway being too narrow to admit the milk man’s bout and 1 told him the whole story. .. j "Humph?" he exclaimed, when 1 had finished. “It's curious, but—you can’t prove a murder unless you can pro duce a body.” "Wheu the river goes down we’ll flud the body." said I, shivering. “If* In the parlor." “Then why doesn't he try to get away ?" "He Is ready to go now. He only went back when your boat came In.” Mr. Holcombe ran to the door and, fllngiug It optu, peered into the lower hall. He was too late. Hls boat was gone, tub of liver, pile of wooden plat ters and ail! We hurried to the room the Ladleys had occupied. It was empty. From the window, ns we looked out. we could see the bout, almost a square away. It had stopped where, the street being higher, a doorstep rose above the flood. On the step was sit ting a forlorn yellow puppy. As we stared Mr. Ladley stopped the boat, looked back at us. bent over, placed a piece of liver on n platter and reached It over to the dog. Then, rising lu the boat, he bowed, with his hat over hls heart. In our direction, sat down calmly and rowed around the corner out of sight. Mr. Holcombe was In a frenzy of rage. He Jumped up nnd down, shak ing hls list out of the window after the retreating boat. He ran down the staircase, only to come back and look out the window again. The police boat was not lu sight, but the Maguire chil dren had worked their raft around to the street and were under the win dow. He leaned out and called to them: “A quarter each, boys,” he said, "if you’ll take me on that raft to the nearest pavement" “Money first.” said the oldest boy, bolding his cap. But Mr. Holcombe did not wait. He swung out over the window sill, hold ing by his hands, and lit fairly In the center of the raft “Don t touch anything in that room until I come back!” he called to me, and, Jerking the pole from one of the boys, propelled the raft with amazing speed down the street. The liver on the stove was hurntug. There was a smell of scorching through the rooms and a sort of bluish haze of smoke. I hurried back and took It off By the time I had cleaned the pnn Mr. Holcombe was back again in hlB own bout. He had found It at the end of the next street, where the flood ceased, but no sign of Ladley anywhere. lie hud not seen the police boat “Perhaps that is just as well," bo said philosophically. "We can’t go to the police with a wet slipper and a blood stained rope and accuse a man of murder. We have to have a body.” “He killed her,” 1 said obstinately "She told me yesterday he was a llend. He killed her and threw the body In the water.” “Very likely. But he didn’t throw It here.” But In spite of thnt he went over all the lower hall with Ids boat, feeling "Don't touch anything in that room." every foot of the floor with an onr. and finally, ut the bark end, he looked ap at me n* 1 stood on the stairs. “There's -i.; I'lho; I to,'' In* " id To Be Continued Tomorrow “I SAW IT IN THE HERALD” THE AUGUSTA HERALD. AUGUSTA, GA. IN “REEL” LIFE rs- mom- Ye Bis S<?oink^|| ~ J DON'T Try To-s Tart J <*> V I NOTmi*.' /wound Hene y. \ While r* sheriff- / ' V*- "* ai /• ilk THt PftRK CoNTiNT JP '' , . _ = . ~~ ~ --- BERLINGUETTE (By Joseph Valle.) While we were sitting In our, favor ite case smoking our pipes and drink ing our beer, Adhemar told us this story: "We called her Berlinguette though her real name was Ixjulse Trlmard. She was an orphan, pretty and gay an a lark. I had made her acquaintance one morning while I was on my way to my studio. We became engaged and arranged to marry as soon as I had finished my imilitary service. “While I was with my regiment In Paris I waited for her every night out side the establishment where she was employed as a modiste and every Sun day when I was off duty and the, weather permitted, we made short ex cursions Into the county. Several com rades, art students or Boldlers like my self, generally went along and we al ways had a very merry time. The others all treated Berlinguette like a comrade but at the same time with the greatest respect. "On a Sunday In July seven of u* had gone to St. Cloud, walking through the Boia de Boulogne. We were unusually hard up that day, pos sessing only six sous between us but this did not Interfere with our pleas ure a*id we had a very Jolly time. “Care free and merry as you nfn only when you are twenty, wp danced along the walks, scaring the numer ous couples who were sitting on the benches In quiet spots, eating their ham sandwiches and drinking their vln ordinaire. “Pharamond, the Paganini of the company, had brought along his violin and we took turns dancing with Ber linguette who had the time of her life. Having quenched our thirst In lemon ade which we bought from an old woman we did not. have a penny left, so w* had to hoof It bock as we had come, very hungry but cheerful In the knowledge that In a certain little res taurant on the left hank of the Seine In Paris, we could get a good meal on trust. “We had come close to the bridge. It was the aperitif hour and the pide walk outside the cases wore crowded with people surrounded by beggars. Among these latter we noticed a man of about fifty with a big beard and so thin that you could almost see the bones through the, miserable clothes he wore. “Too timid to beg openely he was at a disadvantage among this crowd of professionals, and there was not a single sou in his old hat which he held out with a mute appeal. “Instinctively we searched our pock ets quite forg-Hlng they were quite hs empty as his and we felt very much ashamed at our inability to help him. Then Berlinguette’s face suddenly cleared up and she whispered some thing into Pharamond's ear. “The latter smiled, uncovered his Btradivarlus and struck up a tune while Berlinguette Jumping up on a vacant chair sang an old ballad In her baeutlful young voice, Pharatnond ac companying her. "A storm of applause followed and people called for another song. Hhe smiled and sang another and then an other. When she had finished this she snatched the beggar’s old hat, took him by the hand and went from one ta ble to another reaping a harvest of copper and sliver which she smiling ly turned over to her companion, whose eyes filled with tears of Joy and who thanked her in a strange mix ture of French and Hpanlsh. Then ho bought her a bouquet of wild flowers from a little boy and chivalrously handed it to her, applauded by the crowd when he bent his gray head and kissed her hand. “We made our escape from the ova tion which followed and returned to Paris as happy as If we had won a fortune at the laces and more proud of Berlinguette than ever. "Eighteen months had passed since this little incident, which we had quite forgotten. X had served my term and had married Berlinguette. X had taken up rny work as a painter but orders were scarce and we were generally more than hard up, when one even ing, as we were taking our modest meal In a little dairy shop, an old man entered, his fingers all covered with rings and addressed u*v wife; ”1 am the beggar from St. Cloud. y ou don’t know me, 1 see, but I know you and 1 have not forgotten you, The money your beautiful voice made for me brought me luck. I nave Just Came bock from Buenos Ayres, where I have made a fortune, and I have come here to settle my debt of gratitude.” “He dug his hand Into the Inside pocket of his coat and produced a big wallet stuffed with bills of which he placed several piles on the table and said: "Do me the pleasure to accept this small sum In memory of a man you have made happy and may It bring you as much happiness as your money brought me. I return to Argentina In a month, but you may be sure you shall hear from me later on.” When he had gone we went horn to the studio and counted our fortune, which amounted to M.OOO. Berlln guette danced around mad with Joy and I don’t think I behaved much more sensibly. The beggar from Ht. Cloud proved as good as his word and through hlru 1 got a number of or ders for portraits, which rupidJy made THE BARGAIN SALE A very short lady was In the very center of the pushing. Impatient crowd tn the store. Her fair hair was already falling Into disorder under ins' velvet toque and she felt us If she were standing at 'he bot tom of a deep narrow shaft. The only free space around her wan that above her head and she lined It to hold up her hands, waving her purse and the bill. When her turn to puy would come she did not know, for the living wall in IVont of her prevented her from seeing the cashier's desk. From rar ar.iy came the voices of the nervou i cashiers, “Please don't throw the hills about.” Hlowly, almost Imprceptlbly tin crowd moved forward. There was silli a hu man circle all around the shirt lady, groaning and sighing. The short lady (Moil close behind Mox and Annie Claus. II was really they. Ho that capricious woman had even be* n able to persuade hsr giant of a husnond, who was very much In love whh her, to come with her to a bargain sale. A man can give no greater proof of nl-i iovo. Admiringly the short lady s eyes ros - ed on Anne's beautiful face and wonder ful complexion, that so strongly con trasted with (he pale or sal lev color of the faces 'Wound her. The fasclna’ing expression which ordinarily made the young wife’s eyes so dangerous to Hie hearts of men seemed to have disappear ed. The snort lady even thought she saw an expression of anxiety In them and her color came and went quickly. Max Blaus stood apparently unmoved next to his wife, hilt Ids face looked like a inask that concealed something. Suddenly the Inquisitive eyes of the Short lady opened wide. Hhe had dis covered the cause of Anne's nervousness and anxiety Louise Helsen, fair and tall find srlstocretlc looking ns always, stood right next to Anne. Her expression did not hoirsy thnt she lm*l discovered tlm Irony of fate In placing her next to thi young couple. T.verypody Including Anno of course, knew that Max Claus had been madly mhJ hopelessly In love with lyrulse and that even now he admired her as mu n ax ever. The short Indy forgot all her Impati ence and misery In her enjoyment of this silent drama. Hut what was Anne fingering Inside her rnuff so nervously all the time? And why hud her blush become permanent? The short lady kept her eyis glued on her, she felt some thing was going to happen. Yes, now It did happen. For with nimble fingers Anne suddenly put a blue silk remnant Into the pocket of Louise's ulster so that merely a corner of It was visible. Pushed from every Side Louise felt nothing. As If she had been hypnotized the short Indy staved at the bright blue cor ner of the silk peeping from the pocket. Hhe shuddered n t. the thought that Hhe might have to testify In court ns to what she had Just seen, Hhe noticed an expression of relief In Anne’s face and suddenly realized why she had been so nervous before. She had stolen the silk herself. It was now the short Indy's turn to rny name known. Since then We have done well.” “It Is 2 o'clock, gentlemen,” an nounced Mme Hymptone, the proprie tress of Case Ciunbrlnus, suppressing a yawn An*f we understood the hint and broke up. IN REAL LIFE pay but the cashier hud to remind her twice. For u Mhm*t moment Hhe lost Night of the Claus'*. Then Hhe Haw them ngiiln. They were ready to leave Mtficn an excited female voice chopped them short. Max Claus shuddered and elbowed bis way through the crowd. Anne followed close behind him. Hhe whh ghastly pale. In front of a coldly polite afore offi cial Htood Louise Helsen, her arlytorratlc face flashing with anger. Indignantly Hhe stared at the blue hIIU remnant, the man held In h<H hand. "You deny thit you stole this," he fluid unicast Irally. "Perhaps you will explain how it happened to get Into youv pocket?" The young lady wrung ner hands. "I have not the slightest idea," she declared. "Oh the wind Just blew It Into her pocket," said t coarse voice from the crowd. An outburst of laughter fol lowed. The man took hold of JyOulsVs arm. "Please come along," he Maid, but suddenly he felt hhnself flung aside. "You dare touch me, sir!" Louise's eyes shot fire. "What an actress," cried a thin lit tle man in the front row The -office** made another attempt to lay hlfl hands on the "thief." The short lady trembled. She de clared her throat and tried to speak, but before she succeeded she suddenly felt Hi open spue* at her side Into which she quickly moved. It was Mux Claus, who had pushed the crowd a Hide and now protecttngly placed himself In front of Louise. "You lire mistaken," he said and his face wuh hh white i in a sheet. "This young Indy Is Innocent," lircathleMH silence followed. The of flHi.l bowed politely to Claus. "Mny I risk you to step Into the of fice, sir," he said. Max Claus off*A*ed Louise his arm. A piercing cry rang out behind him. He turned around and loked Into the terri fied face of his wife. "Do you know who did it. Max?" she asked. ile had not known It until this mo ment, but Anne's face told him every thing He fought a dreadful struggle with himself. ills face seemed to turn into stone. Without letting go of Louise’s arm he followed the official Into the office. Sympathetic women looked after Anne, who had fainted. The short lady waited outside the door until Louise came out again alone*, with a singular expression of happiness in her eyes. She did not care to discover how Claus settled the affair and she made up her mind never to play the part of a private detective. — ; * — 1 • HELPING THE CAUSE. A minister was horrified one Stjnd&t to see a hoy In the gallery pletlng the hearers In the pews with horse chest nuts. As the good man looked up. the boy cried: "You tend to your pleach ing, mister; I’ll keep them awake."— Ht. Louis Post Dispatch. Every Little Helps. i —— Tlqfore we reslKn Mr. Castlll*. to Mr. Villa, we roust be sure to jknakt bun t»ay his tnoama lax.s- FIVE