The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-01-24
CHAPTER XII.
A STRANGE CONVERSATION
. LENEN-TEIRTI-

A STRANGE CONVERSATION
LEVEN-THIRTI
left the lobby, FASTENED 10
the next floor and took my stand
at the end OF che corridor
whence I could command a fun view OF
SignoTina Ferris suite.
None could approach or leave her re-
CeptiOn room without coming at once
within my range of vision
The corridor was empty, save Tor 4
hotel maid doing in her straight chair
az the far end OF IL I could scarce
have picked a better place OF time LcE
] decided 10 stop him on his way to
not Erom-the prIma dOunaS apart
mcnts Otherwise might he not perhaps
tby some prearrauEed plan or started
AT the sight of me- transfer the bonds 20
her keeping for the time and thus wreck
my planSy
Eleven rorty-fivs. Twelve. Twelve
fifteen
Outside Washington was growing ST.
lent save for che rare sound of some
far OF automobile horn, the ciau6 OF a
trolley gong OF the clatter OF cab
horses hOOfs-
nv heart sank Had the singer be-
come for some reason suspicious Al
seeing me that afternoon and sent word
TO Brock canoeing OF delaying the ap-
walked TO the door Of her reception
room \ light showed through the tran
som. but no sound Of voices came 70
me I knocked No reply
Twelve thirty -Ly vigil Was uure-
WaTded. once again had / drawn my
blank in Fa-e's lottery
7 turned from my post with a sigh
OF resignation The opportunity that
had been by sheer luck thrown into
my wa had 10y an equally odd turn
OF EGge- luck been SUaLChgd from me
The elevator stopped once more, \
dozen times before my nerves had
been keyed I'D by the sound Of its
slidlr < door Now, as that noise was
sccOEpaT led by the froufTou of sIllten
skirts instead OF the tramp Of maSCu-
line footsteps, I paid less heed TO II
than usual.
Thus II vas that my nerves JumpNS
of a sudden into active amaze as I
saw SiEuOTina Teresa FeTTi walk
down the hall from the elevator 10
her apartments.
save for her maid size was uuat-
tended Before 7 could speak or move
forward the suite door had closed be
hind them
Where was Brock Not with her
certainly And ne as certainly could
not call now al this UnearIhly hour
OF the night
I wheeled and started for the single
flight Of stairs leading toward the lob
by a EallbO stationed by the bell
indicator at the stair head looked up
and Erinned as passed
Kind o played hide and seek with
you, didn't they ne remarked, IA
stopped and looked at him. un-
compreheuGiuEl He seemed Co Ia ke
my glance for one Of highly interested
attention Tor lie went on uDctuouslE-
There you sat with you back O.
the stairs. an your face 10 The ele-
vator- An Ions about quarter To T.
Up the stairs they comes Elevator was
at the top, an 4 guess they didn't want
20 Ualt for IT, Up they comes An
right near the top they catches sight
Of you An she taps him on the Sloul-
she whispers an then down they 20 an
mas their CalkfeSt IN one of the pari9rS.
They 7 queried. though T was sure
l kn.~- only too well Who are
The singer dame an the lean IauEv
geeZer- OF course he replied There
You sat with YOUR back 10 EN- An
about ten minutes ago they comes out
Of the pariOr an looks over the register
IoEeJheE-- An then he ChaSeS out. an
she gets In the ervatOr an
waited 10 hear no more OF the
suicker-puuctuated narrative with a
Srunt OF utter self-dISsust tramped of
10 NY room
hat { fool. what an arrant Ounce !
was had sat looking wisely al one
door. forgetting that every other point
should ne equally guarded
Brock had doubtless called for Sig
norma FerT at the tbeater- Together
they had crossed 10 the Arlington.
There seeing me on the stupid watch.
they had calmly finished their business
talk III one Of the public parIOrs-
4 sweet mess had made Of my
s4-it"u Ieltttite NCIH- threw myself
on my bed and spent most of rre night
thinking up names DDpT8brigUS enough
10 fit my dOItiSr character
Brock had slipped through my fin
gers Heaven alone knew when or how
might again set eyes on him. More
over. IL was quite on the books that ne
would warn the police Of my where
abouJs.
At the earliest OF early hours next
morning ] went 10 the desk. bag iu
hand, 70 pay my BILL preparatory 10
RECOMMENDING BY hopeless quest As
the clerk was restoring my KEY to its
box ne picked Up a letter from the
pigeon hole and handed il across TO ms,
t2oS me prohered missive in dunn
founded silence Who could b.. wit
tnE TO me, under my alias, at the Ar
uuEton1
The envelope smeIled Of heIiotroDr
saChet II was tinted, and athvart its
uustaU1cd surface in a sprawIinE hand
MARK HAYWARD. ESQ
I opened II and drew forth stisr
more strongly scented sheet of note
paper
Dear M HAYWARD 7 read. "wH
YOU please cali at my reception room
as early as possible i'm the morning. 7:
Is important that 7 see you before YOU
leave town may have something %
your own advantage-and somebody
eiSe's-JO say
Yours.
TERESA FERRIT
How did the siEuorina know OF ms
aliaE2 What did she want Of me- The
first question was as easy to answer
as the second was impossible For
recalled the hallboy'S story Of her bend
ing over the register with Brock
The latter. OF course, knew my hand
writing as he did that Of everyone IT
the Office
Wondering. but still resolved to lose
PoEo7-[c