The Grenada sentinel., 1912-09-20
CHAPTER XXI.

A Message and q Warning.
TITS all right. MISS" Wilkes report |
ed: "at least. hope 30. Perkins Is
with him-we've been trying to per-
suade him to have q bath and lie
down. But don't know"
He shook his head gloomily. then
turned to me.
If you will come with me, sir"
Then he added, and 1t seemed q ques-
ton: you must have made a quick
run. sir. Seems like only few min
utes since we got Mr.. Jacks phone
message. His voice dropped: From
the station house, you know"
"Eh-what's thatf" paused with
my foot on the first tread Of the
stairway. Jacks phone message
from the station house?" I repeated
blankly. What are you talking
I about?"
Wilkes coughed reproachfully.
why. you know. sir, he told about
being arrested In front Of the Kahoka
Apartments. He mentioned that 1t
was about--h'm!" He stole furtive
backward glance at the trump, but
she was enjoying herself berating
fat girl she addressed as Flora" He
looked at me eloQuently and whis-
pered: About Notwithstanding
some black silk pajamas."
My monocle dropped. and l almost
did myself.
"By Jove!" gasped feebly.
"Yes, sir" Wilkes looked up At
the paneled ceiling and stroked his
chin. HE mentioned that they found
them-or thought they found them In
the bag he had with him."
But he's got, them on. and they are
his own" managed to get out.
Wilkes face lightened understand
ingly. "Oh-h. see. Sir" he said. nod
ding with his jolly chin hanging; sc
that's how you got him OIL was .
wondering!" He looked at me, hii
, fishy old eyes twinkling admiration
, Every neat, II l may say. sir-making
as 1t were, a sort Of alibi-very neat
indeed! OF course, when they putt
I 'em on him, they see for Themselves
) they are his'n, and not any lady
: what had been stolen Oh, see!"
|. Dash me, II did! The only thin
= saw was that 1t must have beel
o Jenkins that had telephoned and tn
message had been twisted. What b
= had said, OF course, was that Billing
n had almost been arrested. But tn
police finding the pajamas In his ba
n Il did not like that. Could 1t be tina
after all, Billings had found his si
n ter's pajamas in the guest-room an
d had quietly confiscated them!
r looked devilishly. ominously like II
Or perhaps he, himself, had reco
ID cred them from Foxy Grandpa. an
with more delicacy than thought hi
z capable Of, had kept the whole ma
II ter to himself. One thing only WI
q. certain: the sleuth hounds OF the la'
stimulated by the extravagant rewal
n I had offered over the telephone, nj
run down and recovered her pa5ama
a. It was a relief that they were out
2. his hands, anyhow could get the
= again. but he couldn't. BY Jove!
n. Alone in my room, stood befo
the mirror. hands in pockets al
n. rocking on my toes-kind OF smilin
er you know-and thinking what dal
or devil. reckless thing 1t had been
IA. clever. too. dash it-in getting the
away from old Jack. and right und
his nose. BY Jove. / felt bit pro
IN about it-sort Of exultation, don't y
,e know-and had just got OF wi
nt at myself, when Wilkes appear
ro- again.
- Pardon, sir, for disturbing you. I
It Mr.. Billings is acting SO queer,
n. ara afraid to cross him; and he ],
lat insisted take his message to you
zee once"
or "Message?" ] repeated. SOLDERING
,m "Yes, sir-something about so
pajamas-"
ak "Pajamas?" / faltered. and I ar
of ned into a chair. "Oh!"
nd wilkes looked grave. "Pajan
seem to be tho thing with him t
,he time. sir-it's the queerest go! Ths
red a new one, that isl" He shifted c
md templatively. The last time it v
md lizards and the time before b
,gs dachshunds, but his main standby.
ant to speak. is piebald rattlesnake
-he them we're used to; but this new tu
ind paiamas, gets mel" He shook
Mr.. head dubiously. "And he won't Il
) his off-you can't get him to; he
nd. gets kinder peevish and goes on
her the queerest streak of freak talk
,uf- ever heard. Perkins tried to coax
me to take a bath, but he said he ne
hey had taken a bath in his life-and
ave called Perkins something awft
some name about yard long.
ION. souelched Perkins SO that he-"
81 But the message?" I suggef
der nervously.
ont "T was Just a-coming to that.
ask He asks me II knew whether