The Washington times., 1906-03-25
Coz .sh.. 1905. Tn. Bobbs-MerrIn Company,


scop .sht. 1905. The Bobbs-Merrin Company
s. VoPsIs OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS
TIE author. who has been AL through
the spanish war and the mix-up In China, -
and who has resigned his commission TO ac-
cept the post OF travelling salesman for a IA
nous motor car company. being exceedingly
bored ono evening, chances to read a notice In
the society column OF afternoon paper
thar the Blankshire Hunt Club is to hold n
charity masquerade dance. Two packs Of
playing cards have been sent out as invi-
door. together with $40 The scheme ap-
peals to him, and he decides to attend While
at dinner In a downtown restaurant ne SENDS
out for pack of cards and chooses at ran
dom the ten of hearts decidedly pretty
girl dining opposite him. the companion or
m elderly gentleman, becomes interested IN
his card shunling. and short, uncohNeh-
tonal conversation results While purchas-
Ing domino after dinner our hero drops
the ten OF hearts. which seems 70 unauiy
interest another shopper in the little curio
store He takes the train for Blankshire
where he again meets the man whom ne
had startled with the ten of hearts. His
zen of hearts is accepted at the club. where
he Joins the revelers. one OF whom, dressed
as Caesar. he playfully halls with the Ques-
ton, Shall I beware the Ides OF March
He is somewhat startled when the pseudo
hearts" AS relief from the gloomy Caesar
he meets a charming masked gIrI with whom
he firts violently until his pleasant evening
is suddenly msrred by overhearng a state
ment that the management has sent ior
their cards OF invitation. as II has been dis
covered that a thief is among the guests
and SO 900 worth OF jewery stolen. Tho
man and the girl escape to the cellar, where,
after wandering about searching for an avenue
20 liberty, they are confronted by DuIs'aF
IN the same predicament as themselves
Caught, Here we were, the Blue
Domino and myself. the Grey Capuchin,
both of us in a fine fix. Discovery and
election I could have stood with forti-
tude and equanimity; but there was
bad business afoot. There wasn't any
doubt in my mind what was going TO
happen. AS the girl said, there would
be faring headlines and horrid pic
lures We were like TO be the news
paper sensation of the day. Arrested
and LODGED IN Jail, What would my
rich. doting old uncle say to that. who
had threatened 10 disinherit le for
lesser things! felt terribly sorTy for
the girl, but il HSs now utterly i'm
possible to help her, for 1 couldn't help
myself.
And behold The mysterious stranger
/ had met in the curiO-shOp. the fellow
who had virtually haunted me for six
hours, the fellow who had masqueraded
as Caesar, suddenly loomed up before
me, still wearing his sardonic smile. At
his side were two more policemen. He
had thrown aside his toga and was in
evening dress His keen glance rested
on me.
Here he is. Mr. Haggertyl" cried
the policeman cheerfully. swinging me
around.
A detective. And Heaven help me,
he believed me to be the thief! Oh,
for Aladdins lamp,
Tn the first place, what do you and
your police want of me7" I returned
cooIly.
He exhibited his star Of authority
II am Haggerty, Of the Central Of
fee. want you for several things"
Several things? I stared at him
stupidity. Several things? Then It
came to me, with jar like an earth
quake. The story in the newspaper
returned to my vision Oh, this was
too much, altogether too much, He
took me to be the fashionable thief
for whom half the New York police
force were hunting. My sight swan
for a moment In a blur.
What is it you think have done?'
1 demanded.
You have. or have had. several
thousand dollars worth of gems on
your person tonight"
shrugged. The accusation was so
impossible that my confidence re
turned.
Mr.. Haggerty, you are making a
stupid mistake. You are losing time.
besides. 1 am not the man for whom
you are hunting My name is Richard
Comstalk."
"One name or another, it does not
matter"
Plenty of gall" murmured one OF
the miniOns of the law. whom l after
ward learned was the chief Of the vii
lage police.
The card by which you gained ad-
mittance here" demanded the great
Haggerty truculently.
surrendered it. a crowd had by
this time collected curiously about
US 1 could see the musicians on the
stage peering over the plants.
The thief you are looking for has
gone" said l. He escaped by the
coal window" BY this statement my
feet sank deeper still.
What did 1 tell you?" cried Hag-
gerty. turning to his men. They had
an accomplice hidden in the cellars"
'I beg to inform you that you are
making a mistake that will presently
cost you dear."-thinking of the polt-
ical pull my uncle had in New York.
II am the nephew of Daniel Wither-
spoon"
x *
Worse and worser said the chief
OF police.
I'VE shall discuss the mistake later
and at length. OF course you can
explain how you came to impose upon
these people, BAH the
game is up. When you dropped that
card in Friard's and said you were
going to masquerade. / knew your
game In a minute, and laid eyes upon
you for the first time since / began
the chase I've been after you for
weeks. Your society dodge has worked
out. and I'll land you behind the bars
for some time 10 come. my gay boy.
Come, roughly.
'T request Mr.. Hamilton TO be
called. he will prove to you that you
are greatly mistaken" Everything
looked pretty black. 1 can tell you.
YOU will see whom you please. but
only after you are safely landed in
the lookup. Now, Madame" turning
swiftly upon the Blue Domino. what
fa vO,,r mart in this fine hrlSiueSs