Those Lucky Pullens

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 223, 20 September 1929, Page 16

Those Lucky Pullens

-By MALCOLM DUART —

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THE STORY SO FAR. The characters are: Mrs. Elsie Pullen, romantic -and meddling; her daughter, Julia, pretty and dark; Fred Pullen, Elsie's husband, lately a clerk, but now manager of a real.estate'firm; Sam Carlile, neighbour youth who loves Julia; young Mr. Parks, a suave attorney who works for Mr. Murty, elderly lawyer who also employs Julia as stenographer. A huge diamond has mysteriously come to the Pullen home, following •word that 650.000 dollars reward is offered in China for the return of seven diamonds, concealed in a Chinese chest and shipped to America. The Pullens have purchased, and sold to two Chinamen, just such a chest. As the last chapter ends, . young Parks comes to Mrs. Pullen in her home, and tells her that he has discovered from Mrs. Hamilton (a neighbourhood gossip) the source of a houseful of furniture, a motor car and other things that have come to the Pullens as mysteriously as the diamond. Mrs. Pullen, who has been "cut" by her neighbours because of Mrs. Hamiltons gossip, faints at Parks' words. CHAPTER XLIX. When Mrs. Pullen opened her eyes she ,vas lying 1 ' on the couch. Parks, warm and a trifle dishevelled from the effort of lifting her, was bending over and chafing her wrists. "You'll be feeling well in a minute or so," he assured her. Sha blinked'at him, and made a feeble motion with her hand. "Please go away," she said faintly. He shook his head. After a long, beseeching look into his eyes Mrs. Pullen pushed herself upright upon the couch. Her hair was hanging in wisps about her face, and she brushed it back. "What's were', you saying?" she asked. Her lips trembled, and her voice was shaky. £l l feel so bad!"

He swung his foot as he replied. "We were speaking about Mrs. Hamilton, and a fat mail —-both friends of yours, I believe." He smiled faintly at this.

"Don't —please don't! I can't stand it .any more," pleaded Mrs. Pullen.

He went into the kitchen and returned with a glass of water. "I don't want to be unkind," he said, offering her the glass. "But it is necessary to be a little blunt sometimes."

She took the water and sipped it gratefully. He seated himself again and watched her, until she put the glass upon the couch.

When he resumed, his tone changed, a soothing note replacing his earlier harshness. ..»•

"The othe night I said I would try to prove lam a good friend. And now the chance "has come. I am offering to be your friend; madam."

Her chin was quivering, and her eyes were frightened. "Don't you hate me?" she asked, holding a plump hand toward him for a moment.

"Not at all. Indeed, I am offering to help you." He produced his nose-glasses, and swung them as he continued. ' "You have made enemies—many of them. I learn this from Mrs. Hamilton. And I surmise—ha, ha—that the fat man is not any too fond of you, now?"

He laughed briefly. "Perhaps it is not going too far to say that he is your enemy, too."

"1 guess so,-"' she answered, miserably. "Mr. Pullen hit him so hard."

"I hadn't heard of that," 6aid Parks, with interest; •"Was it necessary to use violence 1"

"We ran into his machine, and he was with his wife, and there was, a terrible scene," she told him.

"Ah." There was intense 6atisfaction in his voice. "A married man; an assault upon him; all the splendid presents in this house. Really,.Mrs. Pullen, you simply must employ me .• as your lawyer." It was evident that Mrs. Pullen did not understand. He read the question in her puzzled, troubled gaze, and explained more fully. 'Don't you see that you're playing a dangerous game? It may lead you into serious difficulties at any time. This whole is talking about your movements now. There is no telling when your wealthy friend—the fat man —may refuse to contribute , v any more costly gifts. What are you going to do then?" 0' '

"But," gasped Mrs. Pullen, "the stout gentleman didn't give us anything!" Parks smiled knowingly. "You're with a friend. Don't pretend, madam. Why, you told Mrs. Hamilton yourself that the fat man was giving presents to certain members of the household. We will forgive Miss Julia —I am sure she did not realise what was going on. An innocent, lovely girl, Mrs. Pullen. But it wasn't on account of your daughter that you received your fur coat, for instance!" He balanced his glasses on a forefinger, and smiled again; Her eyes were darting from side to side, as if she were seeking a means of escape. "The stout gentleman never gave us a thing!" she protested again. "Then," said he, waring his hand at the crowded furniture behind her, "where did this concert grand piano come from; this other furniture'; the coat you spoke about to Mrs. Hamilton; your husband's fine business, my dear madam?" ! She fluttered her hands, helplessly. "Why, I bought a chest," she said, "and there were some diamonds in it, and Chinamen broke in and we sold the chest to the Chinamen, and Sam Carlile chased them and got some of the diamonds •back. He bought these things for us!" Young Mr. Parks rose to his feet, lifted his head and laughed heartily. "Really, Mrs. Pullen, that's the funniest alibi I ever heard," said he. "You are referring to the absurd chap who works for your husband? Ha,. ha, ha!" He stepped forward and tapped her on the shoulder. "And Chinamen!"

"Please —" began Mrs. Pullen. "Oh, I dofi't blame you," he said. "But it was a mighty poor story. However, we'll get back to business. Placing aside the Chinamen and the diamond-chasing youth for the moment —I advise you, as an attorney, that you are in a dangerous situation. You will need a lawyer to deal, with the fat man—a discreet counsellor 1 -in these little secrets. What is the fat man's name?"

''Why," said Mrs. Pullen, "why—l did know, 'but I'm so confused now I can't'.think of a thing." She pressed her hand- to her forehead. "I wrote him a letter—"

"You did?" Parks shook his glasses at her, "reprovingly. "A very unwise thing to do- : in matters of this kind."

"Yes, I asked him to come in to see me.". Her voice was tired and her shoulders were bowed forward, but she still looked up at him appealingly. "A-.,direct invitation, eh? And he has the letter! Do you wish me to be your attorney V This last sentence was sharp and tbrisk. He-was planted before her with)' his feet outspread, his thumbs hooked in 'the pockets of hi's trousers.

"But why do I need a lawyer?—l haven't any money—"

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"So," he interrupted, "you refuse to give me your portly friend's name; you refuse my offer to be your legal adviser; j you try to tell me silly tales about diamonds and Chinamen—" "It was true," she wailed. "It was all true!" "I remember," he commented coldly, "that you yourself spoke to me about a 'fortune' that your husband was trying to get. I can guess the source of the fortune he hoped for, Mrs. Pullen." Picking up his hat and overcoat, he walked to the door. "I'll give you two days to think this over," he said, his hand on the knob, "and to talk to your husband, if you wish. I am sure he will agree that it will be better—much better, to employ me. If not, your stout friend has a letter of yours, and good ground for complaint. He may stand in need of legal help. Good day, Mrs. Pullen." It was a tremulous and frightened housewife who closed the door behind him. The sweeping, the scrubbing, the dish washing and rearranging of furniture that usually filled her days all were neglectf.d, while she sat in a dark corner of the hall and tried to remember what Parks had said.

Once she went to the telephone and stood uncertainly with her hand upon the receiver. At length she shook her head and turned aw'av.

When Pullen came home in the evening she was lying on the bed, plump arms circling her face.

"Fred, I want to move away! I want to leave San Francisco and go somewhere away off!" she said as he stepped into the room.

"What's wrong?" he asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Mr. Parks—he wants to "be our lawyer," she told him, moving so she could place her cheek against his knee.

The husband laughed. "Reason enough for leaving town—if he really gets the job. But why does that make you so blue?"

"He's heard all about my disgrace, and has talked to Mrs. Hamilton," she went on, taking his hand. "I can't stand people believing those awful things about me, Fred, dear! I can't!"

He patted her softly padded back, comfortingly. "Did Parks come here today?"

"Yes, this morning. ..And 1 he 6aid —" She went on to give, him, disconnectedly, an outline of her conversation with the young attorneys • At first, Pullen cocked his head in'surprised , interest. As she proceeded he showed signs of increasing agitation. - ■ '

"The hound pup!" he roared when she was through. "Do you.' realise what he was proposing to you I He was offering to help you collect money from the fat man! And he believes I'm in on th-j deal!" Leaping to his feet, he shook his clenched fists. "The miserable young scoundrel! I'll show him!" V He ran out of the room and thundered down the stair, Mrs. Pullen following and protecting. Before she was half-way <iown the flight he had seized his hat and overcoat and .was passing th/.ngb. the door. "Come back, Fred,", she cried. The-door slammed and he was gone. She sank to the steps and buried her face in her hands. At, midnight, when Julia returned to the house with Sam Carlile, her mother still was waiting in the hall alone. (To be continued daily.)