Evening star., 1912-09-29
NO OTHER WAY

the quick exercise OF MS W1lS, answered
readily.
aOuite true he said II had so much
time at my disposal that failed to note how
| it was passing, and found myself absurdly
hurried when 1 went to buy ticket. Do
YOU smoke? Will you join me in a cigar?'
"Willingly," said Waverton, taking the
proffered case Then he glanced at the big
man with pleasant smile. "You don't look
like nervous subject" he said. "You will
not be alarmed, l hope, if l effect some
marked changes in my personal appear
ance?'
Few sentences in the English language
could have astonished Steingall SO greatly
as those simple words 1t certainly needed
no effort to simulate the wonder that crept
| into his voice. "By all MEANS" he said;
though l hardly understand
ooh, I'll soon show you. l have worn
these beastly things all day, and am sick of
then!"
Throwing aside the felt hat, Waverton
took off the close-fitting wig. Then he tried
to remove the mustaches; but they were
stuck to his upper lip, and could not be shed
so expeditiously. He laughed at the blank
amazement depicted in Steingall's face;
though he was far from comprehending its
true explanation.
"The fellow who made me up gave me
some composition to rub into this con-
founded encumbrance," he said. Il think l
shall have a wash. You will meet quite
different person when | emerge. III not
light up until am myself again" And with
| that he took the parcel and vanished.
WIELL!" muttered Steingall, blowing
w rings of smoke as was his way when
profoundly stirred, II have met some re-
frigerators in my time, and have seen some
strange things; but this beats any cold
storage proposition I've ever come across!'
| Within five minutes Waverton was back
in his place, an alert, soldierly- looking man
whose care-lned brow and iron-gray hair
gave him an appearance of more years than
the thirty three with which he was credited
in the police record. He had washed the
color off his face, and was now wearing his
ordinary coat and straw hat. Obviously,
the parcel had changed contents.
| But during that short respite Steingall had
been thinking furiously: and if Clancy was
Talleyrand in divining other mems mo-
tives, Steingall was Bismarck in unmask
ing them. AS Waverton was lighting the
cigar the detective brought out his cardcase.
at will put matters on the square if | tell
YOU who am" he said. will you look at
this card?"
| Waverton did look He looked long and
earnestly; but Steingall could not see any
sign of disturbance in his face. Not an eye
lid quivered; though man who had just
shed disguise under such peculiar con-
ditions might well feel disconnected when he
found himself in the presence of the chief of
the New York Detective Bureau. But
Waverton puffed steadily at the cigar, and
there was a CLINT of humor in the eyes he
raised at last to Steingall's.
"You carry an excellent brand of cigars
he said. @Will you tell me where you get
them, and I will jot down the address on
your card"
aAllow me to write it for you," said Stein
gall, with equal nonchalance, and, after
scribbling the name of a firm beneath his
own, he wrote on the upper space, ITO in
troduce Mr.. Claude G. Waverton."
II fancy you will be able to read this
scrawl,' he went on; though writing in a
train is an art do not excel in"
The other took the card again. at is
quite legble," he said, after slight pause
| 81 am very much obliged to you. l shall
order some of these cigars tomorrow"
Steingall felt as a master at arms might
feel when his deadliest stroke had been deity
turned aside by a strangers rapier. He al
most sighed in his disappointment, because
now he was compelled to adopt cruder