Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-02
SUNDAY MAGAZINE FOR AUGUST q 1908

glared at the speaker. who calmly seated himself
and resumed.
You may be surprised to learn, Mr. Girard. that
l officially connected with the Ang American
Detective Bureau whose headquarters at Wash
ington. But perhaps you have heard of me. Mo-
Oh, we'll, it doesn't matter. He paused modestly
but receiving response from his listeners he went
on, For two years and five months, Sir have been
the track of of the greatest criminals of the
century, and have. am happy to state. ensnared
him.
Is that the man." snorted Girard. with
complimentary gesture in the direction OF Tracy
We'll, he looks it
The man thus referred to uttered hoarse growl
of protest. while one hand slid toward his hip; but
Ormond kicked him cautiously and averted trouble
At the time the sound of discreet cough came
floating through the deck porthole giving assurance
that Captain Joe was dutifully standing by with a
capstan bar.
NO." said Ormond, indicating Tracy with an affec-
~ tionate nod this is not the criminal but my
highly esteemed assistant. The fugitive from justice
to whom refer is as your daughter already knows,
on board this yacht in the person OF George T.
Brown"
Valda flushed to the roots of her hair, but made
the slightest effort to refute the charge In the
circumstances it might have been expected that she
would bring previous facts to bear upon the subject
and brand the accuser as an unmltigated liar; put,
strangely she did nothing of the sort Instead. she
restrained her fathers attempted outburst by the
firm. strong pressure of her hands on his shoulders.
and turned to OrmOnd.
Go on, she said quietly; we are listening
He bowed his acknowledgment of her courtesy
and help then returned to his professional narrative.
though addressing Grard rather than his daughter:
I'VE had actually seen Our man, although
we had given him close thing OF it several times:
and finally received information that he was stop
ping at little hotel called the Tivol Arms. in Lon
don. For purely private reasons we did not wsh
to take him in England and therefore l contrved
rather pretty plan. in which three OF our agents
figured conspicuously. One of them posed as guest
in the hotel while the other two, 1mpersonatlng
masked burg lars, attacked him in the night robb1ng
him of a belt supposed to hold valuable gems. One
of these burglars escaped the other being left behind
fegnlng uncOnSc1ouSneSS as the result OF dow on
the point of his jaw and this man. under pressure
revealed the whereabouts of his confederate. Natu
rally the hotel guests in state OF excitement,
and among those who presented themselves, as we
correctly surmised would be the was Mr. George
c. Brown, who
Hold on" cut in Grard. THAT story may
sound all right for a newspaper. but what about
signing my to your Internal telegrams!
I'm coming to that. answered the imperturba-
BILE Ornond though possibly should have touched
upon it at first. l had called upon you at the Vic
toria with the intention of obtaining your assistance
don't excite yourself strand unfortunately found
you absent then took the next best step by inter-
viewing your faithful valet and prevailing upon
him to
STOP" thundered Girard swelling until he family
~ resembled toadfsh badly hooked. L don't
believe word of it! Torkins faithful. Ell: Why
why, confound your impudence the fellow is one of
your gang sir! Your gang! He's off-do you
understand rum off with many of my valua-
bles as he could carry! And he wasn't weakling.
either"
Ormond elevated his brows in polite astonish-
ment and looked on the old man with air of
genuine commiseration. Dear me-! he observed.
1T is too bad Mr. Girard. really. Your man spoke
to me at the time of the violence of your temper.
sir and dare say he weakened poor fellow and LETT
before your return 1t is deporable that you should