Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-12-21
CHAPTER v.
The Red Cloak.

ne REQ SlOdks
what results? Speak up, Sweet
water
None. Every Han, woman and boy
connected with the hotel has been
questioned. but not one of them pick
ed up anything from the floor OF the
lobby, or knows OF any one who did"
A bulletin was put up.
Some hours later, Sweetwater re-
entered the room. and, approaching
Mr.. Gryce with a smile, blurted out:
The bulletin is a great go. I've
watched every one who stopped to
read IT, Many showed interest and
many emotion; she seems to have a
troop OF friends. But embarrass-
ment! only one showed that"
Embarrassment? Humph! a man?"
NO. a woman; a lady, sir; one Of
the transients.'
"A woman! Where is she? Still
in the lobby"
no. sir She took the elevator
while / was talking with the clerk"
You mistook her expression"
Il don't thing So ] had noticed her
when she first came into the lobby.
She was talking to her daughter who
was with her, and looked natural and
happy. But no sooner had she seen
and read that bulletin, than the blood
shot UP into her face and her manner
became furtive and hasty. Almost be.
fore / could point her out, she had
seized her daughter by the arm and
hurried her towards the elevator. HeI
room is on the seventh floor, number
712, and her name is Watkins. Mrs
Horace Watkins OF Nashville"
Call the desk Say that I'm to BE-
told if Mrs. Watkins OF Nashville
rings up during the next ten min
utes Wen give her that long to take
some action
Sweetwater did as he was bid
Their went back to his place in th'
lobby.
But he returned almost instantly.
Mrs Watkins has just telephoneC
down that she is going TOTO leave
sir"
'1'ofleave?"
The old man struggled to his feet
NO 712. do you say? Seven stories,
he sighed But as he turned with
hobble. he stopped. There are diff
ficulties in the way OF this interview,
he remarked. "A blush is not mucl
20 go upon. I'm afraid we shall hav
20 resort TO the shadow business ant
that is your work. not mine"
hut here the door opened and
boy brought in line which had bee
left at the desk. II related to tn
very matter then engaging them, an,
ran thus
Il see that information is desired a
20 whether any person was seen Il
-stoop 10 the lobby floor last night a
or shortly after the critical momen
OF Miss Challoner's fall in the hal
story above. / can give such infor
nation. was in the lobby at the time
and in the height OF the confusion fo
lowing this alarming incident. l re
member seeing a lady-one OF tn
new arrivals There we're several con
ing In at the time)-stoop quickl
down and pick up something from tn
floor. ! thought nothing OF il at tn
time. and so paid little attention I
her appearance. ean only reca
the suddenness with which sh
stopped and the color OF the cloak sh
wore. II was red. and the whole ga
ment was voluminous n you wish fu
Their partiCulnrs-though in truth.
have no more to give. you can find IN
in room 356.
HENRY A. M'ELROY."
"Humph! This should simplify OF
task" was Mr.. Gryees comment, q
he handed the note over to Sweetwj
ter You can easily End out II th
lady. now on the point Of departur
can be Identified with the one d
scribed by Mr. McElroy. II she can,
am ready TO meet her anywhere"
And so It happened that just as Mr.
Watkins was watching the wheelir
out OF her trunks. there appeared
the doorway before her, an elder
gentlemen whose expression. alwa!
benevole' save ~ moments whS
benevoleuC, would be quite out