Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-24

speak, she herself was innocent. Her lips
were sealed by word Of honor.
The message l sent requested her to meet
me at my rooms at half-paSt in the after
noon, for it being Saturday Sir Bernard
was absent according to habit. Saturday
was always light day, for my chief de-
clined to see patients. He liked to remain
at home always from Friday night until
Monday.
According to appointment Jevons met me
when had finished my mornings work at
Guys, and we took glass of sherry to-
gether In neighboring bar. Then, at his
Invitation, / accompanied him along the
Borough High street and Newington cause
way to the London road, until we came to
row of costermongers' barrows drawn up
beside the pavement. Before one of these,
piled with vegetables ready for the Satur-
day night market, he stopped and was i'm
mediately recognized by the owner-a tall,
consumptive-looking man, whose face
struck me somehow as being familiar.
well, Lane?' my companion said. Busy,
eh?"
mot very, SIR" was the answer, with the
true Cockney twang. Trade amt very
brisk. There's too bloomin' many Of us ere
nowadays"
Leaving my side my companion advanced
toward the man and whispered some con-
fidential words that 1 could not catch at
the same time pulling something from his
breast pocket and showing 1t to him
"Oh, yes, SIR No doubt abawt It'll" I
Then. in reply to further question from
JevonS, he said:
AIRY 'Arding used to work at Curtis
So fancy that 'ud be the place to find out
somethnk. I'm keepin' my ears open. Won
bet" and he winked knowingly.
Where l had seen the man before 7 could
not remember. But his face was certainly
familiar.
When we left him and continued along
the busy thoroughfare Of open shops and
itinerant vendors l asked my friend who he
was, to which he merely replied:
well, he's man who knows something
Of the affair. I'll explain later. In the
meantime come with me to Gray's Inn road
have to make a call there" and he hailed
hanson, into which we mounted
Twenty minutes later we alighted before
dfngy-looking BARRIERS shop and incurred
for Mr.. Hardlng-an assistant who was at
that moment shaving a customer of the
working class. 1t was a house where one
could be shaved for a penny, but where the
toilet accessories appeared to be somewhat
primitive.
Jevons asked the BARRIERS assistant # he
had ever worked at Curtis, and If while
there he knew man whose PHOTOGRAPH he
showed him.
Yes. sir" answered the barber, without
moments hesitation. That's Mr., Slade.
He was very good customer and Mr. Cur
tbs used always to attend on him himself -
"Slade, you say. is his name?'' repeated
lily IfieIlu
Yes, SIR
Then thanking him, we re-entered the
cab and drove to an address in a street off
Shaftesbury avenue.
| Shade! Slade!' repeated Amber Jevons
| to himself as we drove along. That's the
name I've been in search of for weeks. IF
l am successful believe the Seven Secrets
| will resolve themselves into one of the most
remarkable conspiracies of modern times
| l must however, make this call alone
Ralph. The presence of a second person
| may possibly prevent the man Tn going
| to see from making a full and straiehtfor-
ward statement. We must not risk failure
in this inquiry. for 1 anticipate that it NAV
| give us the key to the whole situation
There's a bar opposite the Palace Theater.
III set you down there. and you can wait
for me. You don't mind. do your"
Not at all. If you'll promise to exnIain
the result Of your Investigations. after
ward"
You shall know everything later" he
| assured me. and a few minutes afterward
l alighted at the saloon bar he had indi-
Gated, long lounge that Is patronized a
| good deal by theatrical people.
He was absent nearly half an hour. and
| when he returned l saw from his face that
| he had obtained some information that was
| eminently satisfactory.