Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-26

last he pulled himself together and ordered
a cab. John, the hall man, handed him
The Hat Bancrofts penchant for new
mats hats was Wen known. and he did not resent
Johns quiet, Another new one, sir?' but
slipped crisp note into the serving man s
hand.
Helen Bancroft laughed at her brother
over the edge Of her chocolate cup. 1t was
nearly noon of the next day, and Harry
had been waiting impatiently for an hour
or more for word with his sister.
mo, you need not give mo the marquise
merely promise that I shall be the maid
OF, honor. 1t has been the he ght of my am
oiion to be maid OF honor at church
vedding-in a picture hat and carrying q
I bis ermine nun. Give me the name and
address and l will wager a new scarfpin
against the marquise ring that I meet
Miss Divinity before l have finished my
round of teas this afternoon"
Harry patted her shoulder approvingly
and darted out of the room. It had been a
happy thcught-that hat.
He came back with the hat in his hand,
and led Helen trtumphantly to the window.
This is where your little brother was
wise for once" he said. He did not trust
to his poor memory"
But suddenly the look of triumph died
from his face He uttered a groan and
Helen clutched his arm.
What's the matter?'
Matter? Matter? Everything's the mat
Then he told her the whole story.
THAT is all right" she said mockingly.
IAN you have to do is to go to the club and
find out which man has a hat with girl s
name written on the lining"
Her mischievous words brought comfort
to the perturbed Bancroft.
mot bad idea. Pm off to the club
And Eat the club he found John in the
accustomed place 1t was club tradition
that John never slept. Yes, john remem-
bered the hat (also the tip which he did
not mention, howeyer). 1t was a new hat.
He remembered having made free to mem
didn't think he could have made a mistake.
He had been tending the rack for years
and never made mistakes. Yes, there was
one other gentleman who had worn a new
hat the night before. Come to think, it
was the same make as Mr.. Bancrofts. 1t
had been gentleman with Mr.. Hanson
a western gentleman. White hair, spare
figure, about the same height as Mr.. Ban
croft. That was why the two hats were on
the same rack. He could remember every
hat, of course, but it helped some to have
the tall mems hats on the top rack and the
short men 8 hats underneath. That was
how he always got them so easily. STILL
with the two hats side by side, he could
not understand how he could make the m g.
take. Yes. Mr. Hanson was in the club
house this morning. John thought he had
gone into the billiard room.
But Hanson was in the cafe. He could
not understand why Bancroft should be SO
interested In the 1r1enQ ne naQ entertained
the night before. 1t was western friend,
man by the name of Stroud who had
made millions In copper and was on his
way to Europe Had sailed that morning
at six on the City of Chicago. Hanson had
been giving him little send-off the night
before.
"Did-er-his hat fit fim?''
Hanson laughed.
Il can't answer for this morning, but !
know it was all right last night I was
Ii -
afternoon.
Bancroft made a dash for the writing
room. Now that he had located his man,
1t was a simple thing to send a Marconi:
gram asking Stroud to cable back the name
and address in the hat. He had the mes
sage written, when 1t suddenly struck him
that 1t would not do to rouse Stroud's cur
iosity. For If luck were with him and he
married Miss Divinity, Stroud might give
the story to some of those inquisitive fell
lows on the papers, and then. He shud-
dered to think of the glaring headlines
which would adorn the tale.
Better a trip across the Atlantic than
that!
He tore up the message and wrote an
other. This time 1t read:
"Sparhawk, London:
Meet City Chicago, Southampton. Do
not lose sight John D. Stroud.
"BANsoN."
Sparhawk was the cable address of Swim
tons, a noted London detective agency.
Banson represented the firm of James r.
Bancroft & Son.
freely. Come what might, at least he was