Batman #23 - Story 3

April 12, 1944

"Borrowed Butler"

The story opens with Bruce awkwardly letting Alfred know that he is being loaned out for a weekend to Mrs. Van Upsitart whose own butler is out ill. She is having her nephew visiting and she wants everything perfect.

But the young man, Oswald, is not impressed with the city and even less impressed with Batman and lets those gathered know his feelings. This upsets Alfred who bumps into Oswald, causing the man to burn his fingers on a lit match he was holding. Oswald goes to put ointment on the burn as Alfred serves the rest of the meal.

That evening, he hears a scream as Van Upsitart discovers her safe has been broken into. Oswald believes it is an outside job as the wires to the alarm for the safe was cut. But Alfred finds a pair of shears with the faint smell of the ointment Oswald used for the burn. With this evidence, Alfred confides in one of the guests, Piper, his knowledge of who the thief is.

Except it turns out that Piper is the thief. He attacks Alfred, but Alfred uses the shears to grasp Piper's nose and subdue him. Alfred turns Piper and the shears over to Oswald. Oswald points out he used the shears to fix the wiring on a damaged lamp and left them behind. Alfred returns home and regales Bruce and Dick with his deductive skills even though he never really explains how he came to know Piper was the thief.

A cute story. And we're on to the last story of the anthology issue next, Citizens!