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EVENING PtJBlilO LEDGER-PHILADELPHIA, WEDNESDAY, JAWUABY 21, 1920
f. k.
W
THE MIDDLE TEMPLE MURDER
A Detective Story by J. S. Fletcher
CtpurltM, itto. frrdA. Knopf.
CttirlsMt 10 w " l'fillo Ltdatr Co.
HYNOPSIS
Prank Spargo, a young city editor
to a newspaper, on returning home
from his work late one night, is at'
traded by a couple of men peering
Into a dark corner1 In an alleyway.
Investigation showed that a man was
reclining against a wall and that he
uas dead, muideicd, it scented. In
his pocket there is found the name
and address "Ronald Iirpton, Bar
rister. King's lieneh Wall, Temple,
London." Detective Sergeant Bath
bury, who has been giicn charge of
tne imestigatlon, together with
Spargo, tisit Ronald lircton in hit
chambers and tlic thrcei men journey
to the mortuary tchefe the murdered
man i lying, but after looking
steadily and earnestly at him, he
drew back, shaking his head.
(AND HERB IT CONTINUES)
TO!" he said with decision. "Don't
IN Lnow him don't know liliu from
Adam. Never net eyes on him lu my
life, that I know of."
Hathbmy replaced the cloth.
"I dDIuH Mippoic you would," he
remarked. "Well, I expect uo must go
ea the usual lines. Somcbody'll Iden
tify him."
"l'ou pay he was murdered?" said
Breton. "Is that certain?"
IUthbury jerked his thumb nt the
corpse.
"The back of Tils skull Is wiiashed
in," he said lnconicallj, "The doctor
says he must hae been struck down
from behind nnd u fearful blow. too.
I'm much obliged to you, Mr. Bretou."
"Oh, all right 1" said Breton. "Well.
jou know where to find mc if you want
mo. I shall bo curious about this.
Good-by good-uy, Ir. Hpargo."
Tho young barrister huulcd nwnj,
and Rathbury turned to the journalist.
"I didn't expect anything from that,"
he remarked. "Howevei, It was n
thing to be done, You are goiug to
write about this for your paper?"
Spargo nodded.
"Well," continued Rathbury, "I've
sent a man to Tlskle't, tho hatter's,
where that cap camo from, jou know.
We may get a bit of information from
that quarter it's possible. If jou like
to mett me here nt 12 o'clock I'll tell
tou anything I've heard. .Tust now
I'm going to get some breakfast."
"I'll meet -ou here," said Hpargo,
"at 12 o'cloU."
Ho watched Hathburj go away round
one cornel : he himself suddenly set off
round another. Ho went to the Watch
man oflkc, wrote u few lines, which he
inclosed in an em elope for the daj
editor, and went out again. Somehow
or other, his feet led him up Fleet
street, nnd before ho quite realized what
he was doing he found himself turning
into the Law Courts.
CHAPTER III
The Clue of the Cap
HAVING no clear conception of what
had led him to tbese scenes of liti
gation, Spargo went wandering aim
lessly about in tho great hall nnd the
adjacent corridors until an official, who
took him to be lost, asked him if there
was any paiticular part of the building
he wanted. Tor a moment Spargo
etared at the man as if he did not com
prehend his question. Then his mental
powers reasserted themselves.
"Isn't Mr. Justice Borrow sitting in
one of the courts this morning?" lie
suddenly asked.
"Number seven," replied the official.
"What's your case when's it down?"
"I haven't got a case," said Spargo.
"I'm a pressman reporter, you know."
The official stuck out a finger.
"Round the corner first to your
right second on the left," he t-aid au
tomatically. "You'll find plenty of
room nothing much doing there this
morning."
He turned nway, and Spargo lecom
menced his apparently aimless pcram
nulntion of the dreary, depressing cor
ridors. "I'pon my honor!" he muttered.
"Cpon my honor, I really don't know
what I'm route up here for. I've no
business here."
Just then lie turned a corner and
came face to face with Ronald Breton.
The joung barrister was now in his wig
and gown and carried a bundle of
papers tied up with pink tape'; he was
escorting two joung ladies, who were
laughing and chattering ns they tripped
along at his side. And Spargo. glanc
ing at them meditatively, instinctively
told himself which of them it was that
he and Rathburj hnd overheard as she
made her burlesque speech; it was not
the cider one, who walked by Ronald
Breton with something of nu nir of
proprietorship, but the younger, the girl
with the laughing cjfs and vivacious
smile, and It suddenly dawned "Pon him
that somewhere, deep within him, there
had been a notion, a hope of Boeing this
girl again why, he could not then
think.
Spargo, thus coming face to face with
these three, mechanically lifted his hat,
Breton stopped, half inquisitive. Ills
eyes seemed to ask a question,
"Yes." said Spargo. "I the fact
', I remembered that ou said ou were
coming up here, and I came after you.
T want when you've tjmc to have u
talk, to ask jou a few questions. About
this Hffnlr of the dead man, you
know."
Breton nodded. He tapped Spargo on
the arm,
"Look here," he taid. "When this
fise of mine is over. I can give you as
much time as you like. Can you wait
a bit? Yes? Well, I say, do mc a
favor, I was taking these ladles round
to the gallerv round there, aud up the
stnirs and I'm ti bit pressed for time
I've a solicitor waiting for inc. You
take them there's n good fellow; then,
when the case is over, bring them down
here, aud jou and I will talk. Here
I'll Introduce jou all no ceremony.
Miss Ajlmore Miss Jessie Aylmore.
Mr. Spargo of the Watchman. Now,
I'm off!" Breton turned on the iu
stant; his gown whisked round a cor
ner, and Spargo found himself staring
at two smiling girls. He saw then that
both were pretty nnd attractive, and
that one seemed to be the elder by some
three or four years.
"That is very cool of Ronald." ob
served the elder joung lady. "Perhaps
his scheme dpesn't fit in with jours,
Mr. Spargo? Pray don't "
"Oh, it's all right;' taid Spargo,
feeling himself uncommonly stupid.
I've nothing to do. But where did
Mr. Breton say jou wished to be
taken?"
"Into the gallery of No. 7 court,"
said the younger girl, promptly.
'Round this corner I think I know
tho waj."
Spargo, still marveling at the rapid
ity with which affairs were moving that
morning, bestirred himself to act as
cicerone, and presently led the two
louiig ladles to the very front of one
of those public galleries from which
idlers and specially interested specta
tors mnv see nnd hear the proceedings
which obtain in the badly ventilated,
ill-lighted tanks wherein justice is dhv
"onsed at the law courts. There was
no one else in that gallerj ; the attendant-
in the corridor outside seemed
to be vnstly amazed that any one should
wish to enter it, nnd he picsently opened
the door, beckoned to Spargo, and came
'"ilf-wav down the stairs to meet him.
'Nothine much colntt nn in. Mi.
morning, e whispered behind a raised
hand. "But there' a nice breach case
ill -0. O get OU tlireo irnnil sintu
mere it you like."
Spargo declined this tempting offer,
aud went back to his charges. He had
decided by that time that Miss Ajlmore
was about twenty-three, and her sister
about eighteen; he also thought thnt
juuug jjreion wub a lucKj dog to be in
possession of such n charming future
wife nnd an equally charming sister-in-law.
And he dronned mtn n knt nt
Miss Jessie Ajlmorc's side, aud looked
uruuuu mm ns it uc were much awed b
his surroundings.
T KUnnnin Sinn rnt, tnll. .....lil 1. -
udge enters?" he whispered. "Is this
reuuy mr, ureton's llrst case?"
"His very first all on his own re
sponsibility, anv way," leplicd Spargo's
companion, smiling. "And he's crj
nervous and bo's my sister. Aren't
you, now, Evelyn?"
Eveljn Ajlmore looked at Spargo, and
smiled quietly.
"I suppose one's nlwajs nervous
about first appearances," she said.
"However, I think Ronald's got plenty
of confidence, and, us he says, it's not
much of a case ; it isn't even a jury cane.
I'm afraid you'll find it dull, Mr.
fjpaigo it's only something about a
promissory note."
"Oh. I'm all right, thank you," re
plied Spargo, unconsciously falling back
on a favorite formula. "I alwaja like
to heur lawyers they manage to saj
such a lot about about "
"About nothing," said Jessie Ayl
more. "But there so do gentlemen who
write for the papers, don't thej ?"
Spargo was about to admit that there
was a good deal to be said on that point
when Miss Aylmore suddenly drew her
sister s attention to a man who had just
entered the well of the court.
"Look, Jessie!" she observed.
"There's Mr. Elphick !"
THE GUMPS Help!
Copyright. 1020, by Th Trlbuna Co.
VLL- fEEL FN THIS KOftNlfaG -
WAD A GOOD NICjHTS SLEEP LA5V NIQMY
ANb TOOK LITTLE- PEEP IN YKAT GRIpOF
UNCLE- BIYvS ANt I SAW TTrvAT SlCt
ROLL WAT'S CftONtWNG VW& LITTLE- ON&S
SO BA&LY AND I TUftNEb IT OV?R AND ON THE
fikOYVOfA' Op YWAT ROLL WAS A LITTLE CARb
ftu uiuipu AA1 VWOIVVPN-
JROAA UNCIE-8IA YoANDY
SOrAt&OIH YRVYO MAKE- ME BLUE- TODAY.
XI
OH ANiWi
A LETTER FROrA
fAOYHEfc
rt.A.t CV4IILDR.E-M- AS, SOON A I
NfcA.r rWAY ONCLE- B.1AA WAS.
VIIYlNtrMOU- I MAbEUPMY NVlNb
YWAY MUSY COME ANb SEE YOO AY
ONCE.-" I wouuo Nt-NCKi t-wKiM
MYiEUF IF I fAI"eb UNCV.& Blfv-
I WAo A U? TTJ.E, OHoppiricr ioto
SOITflOUfcJIHT IWUUI.U
KILL TWO BIRD
WITH ONE
STONE-ETC
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By Sidney SmHty
VMEU- IY'& OOMlNCt YOfwe- 1
ANH GtlW YWAY STARTS Yo BftAr J
ABOOY PEELWCr So CrOOft I
FLIRTING VWIYH F-AYE.
Caesar had ni& Brutus.
NAPOUEON VH WATER UOOr,
ANb
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(CONTINUED TOMORUOW)
DREAMLAND ADVENTURES
MR. MOON LOSES HIS HEAD
By DADDY
(Peggy it caHed to tho Moon to
Jf'p (Ac .Van in the Moon find his
Jma. She learns he has thirteen
htads, and is astonished when the one
he u wearing is accidentally knocked
nS.)
CHAPTER III
The Head Rolls Away
pEGGY was shocked when the head of
the Man in the Moon went flying off
his shoulders. It was tho strangest
tMng she had seen in many nnd many
a day. She thought it was surely tho
end of the Man in tho Moon. She
knew it would have been the end of her
bad a cannon ball come along and car
ried away her own head in a like man
ner. But it was far from being the end of
'no Man in the Moon. His headless
noay danced and pranced about in n
T that showed he was very much
we. He couldn't talk because his
uth was gone with his head, but his
wildly waving hands said just as plainly
words: "Bring back my bead; bring
It back this instant."
..."'tet it for you," cried Teggy,
u she dashed Into the passageway
?wn which the bead had rolled. But
nough she ran fast bIio couldn't catch
P with the head. It had vanished,
if forever, into this gloomy hole
ihaft n ani1 dTOn like a mlne
i,,P.i8tJsed at the thought that the
for ,theT,Mnn ln tb Mon wa Bone
And i VB' vituiui'u Hiowiy uuck
Xas she (limbed she heard a pus
to,?B?Knd from the dcl'ths below a
fi llke animal laughter a happy
c kbg, a joyous bleating.
Hull . i ,.A. " t,iat can be Johnny
to ,? BI ? Goat'" Ve? tll0UKht
h th.H f' ... x y01"1" ,f tey urc lost
JohnnrW J the Moon.' But if
the .Kuy 8Dd Bil,y Goat were lost,
kouJd, we ",t ,w Paying a bit. for tho
JolHty. 1,lalDly B0Unds of mirth aDd
berVU- rogRY Knt ba;k t0 tho blgcham
Inr'in nOU,?d tho Mon scatter
Iatnll d'ret'tions. They wero try-
"4 Sri? ni,tbo,?Ian Jn tlle Moon. He
lay fnrVn,.imi1Mient because of the do-
MsreiBH8 1iU head and "as ak'nS
tttX ,?a out P." whomever he could
Mau'J iiwas,.Mko.' Same of Blind
ery niH' ,Ut stinging thumps for
PorS a. who was caught,
lu therrnUiSt' wUbout a head, the Man
i.j i 110on was exceedlnirl lmrnn.
ad danr, aB edlngly vigorous
Bdi; f.?,a?r Jo'JsIng-evory one except
'lo WwaS .aD1 Balky Sam. These
Kb " bu' wt!w the bli lounaj
t
disks they had earned with Balky Sam's
kicking game. That is. they were busy
until the Man in the Moon in groping
around liappened to stumble into Balky
Sam's legs. The Mun in the Moon
felt of the legs ns a blind man would
ant he happened to tickle Balky Sam.
j 'JLthtTe.is aching tt mule
doesn't like, it is for some one to tickle
his hind legs. Blam ! Both of Balky
Sam's heels kicked out, catching the
Man in the Moon in the stomach. Zip!
the Man in the Moon flew across tlie
chamber right into the arms of Peggy.
Thud! Peggy sat down with tho Man
in the Moon on her lap. Ho seemed
furiously angry and struggled like a
snualllng baby. Pcggv clung tightly to
him for fear he would do harm.
"Help me hold him," she cried to the
scurrying Moon Folks. "We must keep
him quiet until we find his head."
The answer of the Moon Folks was
a loud shout: "A head! A fresh head
for the Man in the Moon!"
Iu response to the shout, a door in
the glittering wall of the chamber
swung quickly back and in trotted thlr
teen attendants, each carrying what
seemed to be a large, hat box. They
lined up in front of the Man in the
Moon, and sang out as if calling a roll:
"Here we are prompt nnd soon
Skating Moon, Stormv Moon,
Sugar Moou. Wnking Moon,
Flower Moon, Honey Moon,
Growing Moon, Summer Moon,
Harvest Moon, Pumpkin Moon,
Nuttiug Moon, Hunting Moon,
Christmas Moon, all in tunc,
Pick us quick, Man in the Moon."
The Man in the Moon wriggled out of
Peggy's lap aud groped toward the
boxes, each of which had a different
uamo upon it. It chanced that he first
touched that marked "Stormy Moon,"
and the crowd of Moon Folks groaned ln
dread. Kagcrly he tore the cover off,
only to find the box empty. At ouce
tho headless Mun in the Moon flew
into a rage that caused the attendants
to dodge in trembling fear.
Again the Man in the Moon groped
among the boxes and this time the
Moon Folks shouted in joy as he lifted
the cover of the one marked "Honey
Moon." Inside was a shining, round
moon bead. The Mun In the Moon
placed the bead on his shoulders, and
there he was, as sound as ever, and
beaming around on every one with a
happy smile.
"My, It's lucky for all of us be picked
out a mild moon," whispered an at
tendant in Peggy's ear.
f7t tomorrow's chanter Peggy sees
mora of ihe Moon'i heads and dis
cgvers their mytteriout powers.)
The Young Lady Across the Way
te&U
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(Mlk
THE TERRIBLE-TEMPERED MR. BANG
By FONTAINE FOX
The young lady across the waj
sajj her brother sajs the clcau-up
man usually is the highest sularicd
member of the team aud she's glud
they pay so much attention to keep
ing everj thing spick and span
around the grounds.
REACHED HOME JUST IN TIME
TO INTERCEPT A CUP OF SUGAR
WrilCH THE WOMAN NEXT DOOR
HAD JUST BORROWED FROM
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SCHOOL DAYS
By DWia-
SOMEBODY'S STENOGThis Chap's Stuck Up
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GOOD AAORAJIAlG
CUTIE, HOW DO
YOU LIKE TOOR
OOBBYAJOW?
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BE A UTTLE. LESS
FAMILIAR N UR SPEECH ,
TO -ER- TOUR
SUPEF?IORS !
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I WHOLE WEEKS
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DOROTHY DARNIT Walter Was Carried Away by His Art
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Copyright. lo:o. by the nsl Syndicate, Inc
By Chas. McManus
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