Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-10-15
CHAPTER XXI.



Xxi young woman who in her time
HTE had played many parts. She
tsEdD began her career along with
HHrd as a private detective, but when
her brother Joined the official service
Miss Hurd thought she would better
her position by appearing on the stage
and therefore took the rather queer
name of Aurora Dian. In her detective
capacity she had often disguised her.
self when employed in obtaining evil
dence and was remarkably talented in
changing her face and figure. This art
she used with great success in her new
profession and speedily made her mark
as an impersonator of various charac-
tiers out of novels. AS Becky Sharp, as
Little Dorrit, she was said to be inim-
table, and after playing under several
arrangements she started. in the phrase
of the profession, "a show of her own"
and rapidly made money.
But her great faults, among others,
were vanity and extravaganza, 50 she
was always in need of money, and
when chance offered, through her
brother. to make any she was not
ayerse to returning to the spy busi-
ness Thus it came about that she
watched Mr.. GreXon Hay for many q
long day and night, and he never sus-
pected the pretty. fluffy, kittenish Miss
Dian was in reality an emissary of the
law Consequently when Aurora ask
ed him to a card party at her rooms
Hay accepted readily enough, although
he was not in need of money at the
time.
Miss Dian occupied a tiny fiat on the
top of a huge pile of buildings in Ken
sington, and it was furnished i'll gim-
crack way, with more show than real
value and with more color than taste.
Like the Becky Sharp whom she i'm
personated with such success, Miss
Qiah possessed n ch3peron, not because
she needed one, being very well able 10
look after herself but because II
sounded and looked respectable. Miss
Stably, who filled this necessary office
was dull old lady who dressed ex'
cessively badly and devoted her life to
knitting shawls She talked very little
This sort of person exactly suited
Miss Dian, who wanted sheep doe
who could neither bark nor bite and
who could be silent. These qUalitica
tons were possessed by the old lady
and for some years she had traileC
through a rather giddy world at Au
rora's heels. In her own dull way
she was fond of the young woman
but was far from suspecting that Au
rora was connected in an underhan(
manner with the law.
This was the old lady who sat il
the pink drawing room TO play pro
priety for Miss Dian. Lord George
Sandal was present. looking rathe
washed out, but as gentlemanly a.
ever Hay, with his fiXe6 eyeglaS
and eternally cold smile, was there
and a third young man, who adore'
Miss Dian. thinking her TO be mere!,
an actress, simpered across the car
table at his goddess. The four wer
playing a game which involved ID
gaining and losing OF much none!
and they had been engaged for abOC
an hour. Miss Stably, having cate
q good dinner and commenced a neN
shawl, was half dosing In the corne
and paying absolutely no attention
the players.
ITS a good thing we're hanging o
our own hooks in this game" sal
Miss Dian. Were your partner, Sal
dal"-she always addressed her friend
fn this free and easy fashion-"Td b
losing money. What luck you have
81 never do seem to win," lamente
Lord George. whenever l think w
got a good hand, the thing pans OF
wrong"
HAY has got all the money" sal
the simpering admirer who answere
to the name of Tempest. "He an
you, Miss Dian, are the winners"
eve made very little" she replie
Hays raking in the dollars haI
over fist"
Lucky in love, unlucky at cards
said Hay, who did not like his GOO
fortune to be commented upon f
reasons which Miss Dian knew. at
the reverse with me-I'm lucky
cards.
''And lucky in love, too interruptt
Aurora, with grimace, ''seeii
you're going to garry that Krill he
ess-if she is an heiress.''
what do you mean?' asked Ha
who was dealing new round.
go on with the game and don't a
questions" said Miss Dian in Il sau
manner. Sandal, don't stare rom
butkeep your eye on the cards." Al
SHE winEed stealthily at the young 10
while Hay was exchanging wo
a q fT~LINc