Evening Star Newspaper, July 12, 1931, Page 72

JULY 12, 193t THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, Very Private Detective A New Story By Ellis Parker Butler The Amusing Experiences of Young Fenderton Roper,Who Decided That HeWould Make Sleuthing His Life Work. Pictures by I:thel Hays. S the big limousine with the uni. formed chauffeur drew up in frons of the modest house in the unime poriant side street in Westcote, May Middleton, whose hat was already on ber preity head, looked out of the window and saw Fenderton Roper in the car. “Why, mother!” she exclaimed. “There fis Fenderton! 1 do belicve he has been kicked out of Princeton!” In this she was wrong because it was not Princeton that Fenderton had been kicked out of, but her thought was justified for Fenderton had been kicked out of seven prep schools in succession. Her only error was in thinking it was Princeton he had been kicked out of. He had, indeed, spoken rather grandly of going to Princeton, but when put to the test the cnly college Fenderton could get into was Colwell. try anything once, had accepted Fenderton reluctantly. The tutor who groomed Fender- ton for the exams did manage to squeeze him into Colwell, but fell a victim to nervous prostration immediately thereafter. “Remember, I need that butter for din- ner,” May's mother said in the tone of a wom- an who had little hope of having the butter for dinner. “Butter?” said May vaguely. “Oh, yes! butter!” but she was already at the front door. “Hi-yo!” Fenderton hailed her. 11\/0O0-HOO, Fenderton!” May called, waving her handbag as she hurried down to the car. “Hello there, May!” Fenderton said as the chauffeur opened the car door. “Pile in. Where are you going? I'1l take you there.” “Why, I'm not going anywhere in particular, Fenderton,” May said. “Did you get kicked out again, Fenderton? You didn't stay long this time, did you, Fencerton?” “My! but you look good to me, May!” Fenderton said, ignoring her remark. “Pretty good to be back in the good old town again, I'll say.” “Yes, but what did they kick you out this time for, Fenderton?” May insisted. “Where to?” asked the chauffeur, who was now in his seat. “You may take me to the Daily Intelligencer office first, George,” Fenderton said as any man of the world would say it. “A little errand for mother,” he said to May. “You remember our dog Bruno——" “Were you just dumb this time, Fenderton,” May asked pleasantly, “or did you just put your foot into it?"” “I was just——" Fenderton began, but he remembered in time. “I think a man wastes too much time with this college stuff, May,” he said, frown- ing deeply. “Naturally, I gave it a lot of thought, May, when I was on the spot and could see how it was and everything. I think young men waste a lot of time in col- lege, because, after all, where does foot ball get you, and Latin, when a young man ought to get right out and begin his career, like that book—I don't remember the name of it—but after all, when a man has ablility. Saps!” “Well, of coursc——" May said vaguely. “What were you so dumb at that they kicked you out of—what did you say its name was, Fenderton?” “What do we care?” asked Fenderton. “You're here and I'm here. Gee, you're swell, May! Wait here—I'll be out in a minute.” Fenderton disappeared into the office of the Westcote Daily Intelligencer and May leaned back and redecorated her face with her com- pact, lipstick and other materials. She snapped her bag shut as Fenderton got into the car again. He was a glass of fashion, even to spats and a cane, and May dimpled at him sweetly. He was her best and she was glad he was home again, no matter what he had been kicked out of or for. Although he had been gone but three weeks she had missed him much. “I was just attending to a bit of business for mother,” Fenderton said as he got back into the car. “She depends on me for the im- portant things. And, now, 263 Main -street, George.” The car moved forward, backed and swung sround, and May moved closer to Fenderton. “What are you using this car for, Fender- ton?” May asked. “Why aren’t you using your own—did your dad take it away from you when got kicked out?” “I'm off that sort of thing, May. Of course, ® is all right for these flip young fellows to Bpeed around in a car and burn up the good old gas, but when a man gets a serious purpose in fife—I mean, when he decides to buckle right wn and take up his life work and start hie ”» “Why wouldn’t your father let you have it more, Fenderton?” asked May, who had uneapny; insight .indo dke unpleasant events Penderton’s life. Even Colwell, which was willing to, J Among the signs was one advising the public that the office of Robert Connerty, private investigator, was two flights up. “Well, Jor ;‘rying out loud!” May cried as she read this. “I bet Fenderton thinks he’s going to be a detestive.” “I told 1im what was what, all right!” de- clared Feaderton. “I said, ‘Father, it's time tkis nonsinse stopped and now's the time to stop it. ¥ I am going to college,’ I said, ‘I am mnt going to chase around in a car, banging up fonders aad—practically—junking the car every day or two. I consider it a waste of time and money, and you may as well know now as any time that from now on I am going to earn my livig or go without an automobile alto- gether.” “I told you he’d make you get a job if you got kicked out of school again, Fenderton,” May szid. “Didn't I tell you so, Fenderton?" BU’I‘ the car now stopped before a grimy three-s'ory building. A butcher's shop oc- cupied the street floor, the window plastered thick with notice of remarkable bargains in chops and steaks. The second-floor windows were equaly well placarded—"Westcote Credit Outfitters —Pay While You Wear—Cloaks and Suits--Gown:"—and it did not seem reason- able %o think that Mrs. Roper had sent Fender- ton with the limousine to visit any of these places. “fL have to run in here, babe,” Fenderton said, looking up at the building, “and my busi- ness may take a little time. Do you want to wait here for me?” “I have some shopping to do for mother,” * May said, remembering the butter, “and I'll do it while you're gone, Fenderton, and come back here. You've got a funny lot of errands today, I think.” . “I don’t know!” Fenderton said haughtily. “I stopped at the Intelligencer to rush in an important advertisement. Bruno is gone.” “Fleas and all, Fenderton?” May asked, re- membering that the big dog spent most of his time sitting with an anxious expression, scratch- ing with vigor but without much apparent suc- eess. “I should think you folks would be glad.” He tied Bruno to a small grape arbor. “Good old Bruno,” he said. tawit here and I'll bring you a good dinner.” his own bome. EXTRA 5P SHUSHGE — | “Mother is very fond of him,” FPenderton said. “She is offering a $25 reward for him.” “WellpI'd rather have 25 cents than that big ugly brute,” May said. “I should think the house would be full of fleas.” “It's not what you'd call full of them,” Ferderton said. “Well, I've got to leave you. I suppose you're wondering what I had George stop here for, aren’t you?” “I was sort of wondering,” May said with a sketchy little laugh, looking up at the building and then at Fenderton's face. “Are you going to tell me, Fenderton, or do you want me to ask you?” They were out of the car now and Fenderton swung his cane gracefully. “Well,” he said with dignity, “I haven't time to explain just now. I'll tell you later.” And he said to George: “Wait here, pleare. If Miss Middleton desires to be taken home, come back.” With that he opened and entered the small door at the side of the butcher’s window. The panel of this door was well decorated with signs, that of the Westcote Credit Outfitters occupying most of the space, but among the other smaller signs was one advising the public that the office of Robert Connerty, private in- vestigator, was two flights up. “Well, for crying out loud!” May cried as she read this. “What do you know now? I bet Fenderton thinks he's going to be a detective! What do you know about that?” Fenderton climbed the two flights of stairs, of which the first was dirty and the second dirtier, and turned to face a door that repeated the glad tidings that Robert Connerty was a private investigator. After an instant of hesi- tation Fenderton rapped on the door with the crook of his cane. “Yeah? Come in!"” a heavy voice called from inside the room, and Fenderton opened the door. Mr. Connerty, the detective, sat in a chair that was tilted back, his feet on his desk “You And he left Bruno and went inte INVESTIG 2 FLIGHTS — 1 #50.00 ?qu; and a newspaper in his hand. When he saw Fenderton he yawned and let his feet drop to the floor. “Cripes!”- he ejaculated. “Me leg’s asleep. Who you lookin’ for?"” MR. CONNERTY'S headquarters did not suge gest fabulous prosperity. In addition to the $2.49 varnished chair in which he sat, there were three other chairs—of the $1.49 unpainted variety—and beside the desk was a tin waste basket in which were cigar butts and burned matches. Against the far wall was a pine table on which was nothing but dust. “Mr. Connerty, is it not? Mr. Robert Cone nerty?” asked Fenderton, taking off his hat. “You said it, kid; you said it!” Westcote's most famous detective replied. “What comes next? Go right ahead—I'm him.” “Yes, sir,” said Fendertcn. “My name is Roper—Fenderton Roper—anda I have no doubt you will be surprised at the proposition I am going to make you, Mr. Connerty- i “Don't want no insurance,” said Mr. Cone nerty flatly. “I got some. Nope!” “No, sir; I'm not selling insurance, Mr. Cone nerty. I am making you a proposition,” Fenders" ton said, “and you may be surprised on account of my youth, because, after all, you don't know me——" “If it's stocks or bonds,” said Mr. Connerty, “I don't want no stocks or bonds. No stocks or bonds today, son. I got plenty.” “I am not selling anything,” Fenderton said. “I came up to see if there was a position open in your organization, Mr. Connerty, because I have just about decided to become a detective as my life work. I think that bringing crimi= nals to justice is one of the noblest works a man can do, and, with all these complicated mystery cases coming up, what this country seems to need just now is a man with what you would call detective intuition, and that is why I am going to make it my life work.” “Well, some do, the poor nuts,” said Mr. Con= nerty. “Let me get you right, kid—you mean you come up here looking fer a job? From me?” “Yes, sir,” admitted Fenderton. “In dee tective work. Because, you see, Mr. Connerty, there ought to be a chance for a new kind of detective—a gentleman detective—when most of the detectives at present are rough- necks——"" Mr. Connerty, who often had nothing to do for 10 hours a day but yawn, was finding Fenderton amusing, which was what few but May Middleton did, even his parents finding him more aggravating than amusing. “Well, I don't know,” he said. “I ain't in a position to pay you no salary right now, but—Ilisten, kid! Il tell you what I can do: I can let you hang around here and I can give you a split on the rewards?” “On the rewards?” “That’s right. Fifty-fifty, see? Like when there is a reward offered in one of these big mystery cases that come up. So I say to you, ‘Roper, you get onto this job and go and get your man,” and you go and get him. And we split the reward fifty-fifty; you get Malf and I get half.” “Well, that ought to be satisfactory to bee Continued on Fourtcenth Page