The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-09-10
A WOMAN'S ENcHANTMENT.
BY WILLIAM LB ouEux

tNF1A%A<A<AAA LIE <xCL1O<N Copyright. 1909. by William Le Queux
 oContinued from Page 14.) life and possessed my very soul-El- frida Maynard,
 Fully five minutes passed. Neither of us uttered a word. The crimson afterglow was fast fading over that wide eastern sea. where the naists were rising and the distant shore had turned from purple into gray.
 "A point which has greatly puzzled me. Cough" I remarked at last. ''is why that stranger who followed me to Worthing. and who gave his name as Winch. should have given you such timely warning? Tell me who and what he really is.''
 From Winch is friend of mine" Granny, answered quickly. He's a crook, it's true, but there's nothing of the 'four-fiush' about him. He's clever and has made. to my knowledge. pots of money in the last two or three years"
 "And yet he's assisting the police?"
 'So he says,'' and Cough laughed slightly. "I can't see why. He ought to avoid them."
 Then you don't, think he is!''
 "No. As events have already prov ed, he's assisted me-"
 What's his particular liner" I in auired.- for the crooked paths of life always interested me. My acquaint- ance with Granny in the past had brought me some very strange friend ships in continental cities.
 Well. his smart motor car is his chief stock in trade" Granny explain ed. "He's been all over Europe with it, and brought off lots of clever coups the bunco trick mostly. Nobody ever suspects that a man so stylishly dress ed. and possessing a sixty Napier. could be a tkief. His mode of pro- cedure is usually this. In Paris, Ber- lin. Brussels or Vienna. he will call in the morning at one of the principal hotels. and ask for a friend veal thy person whose arrival he expects, and incidentally. by distributing lib eral tips to the servants, obtain in formation concerning other rich trav- elers staying in the hotel. their habits and the places of amusement they fre- Quent. In this way he selects his vic tims. follows them to theaters or cafes. and after meeting them few times. strikes up an acquaintance which usually ends by his relieving them of we'll filled wallet"
 "How?'' I asked.
 The man seated at my side smiled.
 "Oh, quite simple. One of his usual tricks Is to pose as agent for an inn portant firm of manufacturers of leather articles" he replied. land among other things to show a beauti- fHl pocket book with a key, which he will offer as a. present. The stranger accepts, puts his money into, it. and sticks it into his pocket. When they part for the evening they propose to exchange cards. Then the man with the motor car says he has left his cards in the pocket book he has given tho stranger. and begs to have it for a few minutes. Instead of handing it back, Tom Winch. of course. gives the stranger another wallet exactly like the first. but filled with worthless paper. He's worked that. to my knowledge. quite fifty times. and made some very big hauls.'
 You appear to rather admire him, Granny"
 q do-for his smartness only. The bunco trick. however. is a. low-down one. But half a dozen other men are working the same game within 8 radius of kilometer from the Opera in Paris. The big hotels are a happy hunting ground for them."
 "But why is he such devoted friend to your" inquired earnestly. 'It was surely to him you owe your liberty"
 Because. perhaps. of a good turn I once did him in Rome. Who knows?"
 why, you yourself know. Granny" said dubiously. looking him straight in the face. "Tel1 me the truth straight out"
 'eWell. Phil-if you must know-Tom Winch. thief that he is. is the only man who can save me-"
 Save you!" I gasped. 'Then your life is in that mans hands,"
 "Yes.'' he cried hoarsely. cit is.''
 To be Continued)