BELOVED IMPOSTOR -
THE door banged after Leila and Pat
She could hear the click of Leila’s
gold sandals on the stairs and Pat Han
lon’s deep, rumbling laugh.
"I hope you trip! I hope your taxi
twines around an 'L‘ post! I hope you
get a big run In your stocking !” and she
threw Leilas discarded mules at the
closed door. For it was not the first
time that Leila had walked off with
Trudie Porter's latest young man;
Trudie with her red-brown curls and a
mouth made for kisses that never came
Kisses might have come if it had not
been for Leila, her roommate. Leila s
glamour hypnotised most men before
Trudie could do much about it Even
Pat Hanlon, who had seemed so devoted
at first. But it had lasted such a short
time, only until Leila had gone to work
in her slow, sure way. And now it was
Leila who went dancing with Pat.
The telephone interrupted her gloomy
thoughts. Trudie answered it grudg
ingly.
“No, Mr. Atherton, I’m so sorry, she
cooed. "She’s ill. . . Yes. a cold. . .
No, she couldn't possibly see you to
night. . . Yes, indeed. I’ll tell her.”
She dropped the receiver savagely.
Baht She was sick of doing Leila s dirty
work. Here was Leila breaking her
date, off with Pat. and tomorrow a box
of flowers would come with sympathy
from Clark Atherton.
THE phone rang again. "AH right, all
right," she grumbled. Maybe this
time she would tell the truth. She felt
reckless.
"Hello! Is that you, Leila?"
The man s voice was a strange one. a
full, deep voice that sent shivers down
Trudies spine. It excited her She
hesitated, trying to place it.
"Hello, hello! Am I speaking to Miss
Leila Graham?"
A daring thought flashed through
Trudie s mind. With heart hammering,
ahe made her voice low, intimate and
Inviting, as Leila would have done
"Who is it?"
"Three guesses! I'll give you one
hint—Juneau."
"Oh! Juno the goddess or Juneau.
Alaska?"
* Bright girl. You know your geogra
phy Can I come right up? I've just
got into town."
"Certainly. But don’t be too quick
about it." she dared, breathlessly. •
"It can’t be quick enough. Lee’ We
have a good many years to make up.
I’ll give you half an hour."
Half an hour! Not much time for %
K: evemru: like this -l
old-home -1••wo swcethrtm she couldn't
remember hi* name Hie engineer
_ _ . r.>
Blue Dresses Seem
By ANNE KILBORN COLE ■
Illustrated by Kemp Starrett SB
“No, I’m an office manager at L. K.
Havemyer's.”
“Then where did you get that dress?"
"I—l borrowed it from my roommate’s
closet.”
“Humph! Pretty good story. That
dress was stolen. Better change the rec
ord, girlie.”
“Stolen! But ”
“Yeah, stolen, and not the first one,
either. You’ve been smart enough until
this time not to wear them too soon. ”
• But 1 didn’t steal those dresses, I tell
you. I’m not Lelia Graham.”
“You were dancing with Pat Hanlon,
and she's been seen with him frequently.
No, no, sister, try again.’’
“But I had just asked him to get me
a cab to take me home. You see the
man I came with ”
BKUCK stepped lorward. “Let me ex
plain. 1 was with Miss —er —Porter
the wnoie evening. We had been danc
mg. 1 had to leave her lor a lew min
utes to make a phone call. 1 suppose
sne got nervous waiting alone—and asked
tins man to taxe her home.”
The detective grunted. “Pretty long
phone call.”
“it was. The booth was occupied and
I had to lind a phone outside. I waa
talking to Mr. Henry Jamison, who was
to sau with me at 1 A. M. I wanted to
catch him beiore he left his home to ask
him to 'bring Mrs. Jamison with him.
You see I was hoping—er—expecting an
other guest, a lady, Miss Porter, to be
exact. Mr. Jamison's in the cabin now',
you can question him.”
Again the man grunted. “Miss Porter,
will you stand up there under that light?
Now, let’s see. What color would you cali
your hair?”
Bruce answ'ered. “The color of Au
tumn leases —velvet ones.”
The man passed a big hand over hia
face. “That isn’t platinum?”
“I should say not.”
“Well, we’ve been told to trail a plat
inum blonde named Leila Graham who
worked as a model for Anderson s, wear
ing a blue satin evening dress which sha
lilted from them just yesterday. They
have had spotters out for her for aoma
time. But we’ve still got to find Leila
Graham.”
“Oh, but Leila couldn’t hava taken
these things. She always said she got
them cheap,” Trudie cried.
“If you know what’s good for you, Mlaa
Porter, you'll And another roommate—
and don't borrow any more dresses.”
Then he turned to Bruce. “I don’t
know where you're heading, but if Mlsa
Porter is going with you, you better stick
aroundeunt.il this thing clears ”
• ■ ‘tfv. as planning a little trip to the West
Indifc' but I’ll wait until Miss # Porter 1 •
fully exonerated.”