The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-12-15
10 TIME|
- LOCK |
By CHARLES EDMONDS WALK |
Author of "The Silver Blade"
"The Paternoster Ruby" etc.

ton Of detectives and police generally
has been the haziest, but l believe I
can trust you"-with stress upon the
you" Il am going to, at any rate"
And then he recounted the episode
Of the yelled lady in the taxicab, the
incident of the girl and the sandy
haired man in the crowd, and Of his
subsequent view Of the former at .
window In Number 1913.
my impulse toward reserve is so
dimcult to account for" he said in
conclusion, that had determined to
keep the matter to myself"
II am glad you didn't" was the low
voiced rejoinder.
Flint" said Van Vechten earnestly,
do you believe that I am qualified to
form q fairly accurate estimate Of q
persons character, from q study Of
that persons features?''
"You should be, Mr.. Van Vechten,"
was the reply. your habits Of life,
your daily associations, naturally
would develop a certain skill in that
direction. I would attach considerable
weight to your opinion in such a case"
"Then," with much positiveness.
nothing in the world could be more
absurd than to imagine the girl I
saw being engaged in anything crimi-
nal, or even entertaining a suspicion
that she is surrounded by a criminal
atmosphere. She is young, she Is
beautiful, she is refined and gentle;
the stamp of purity and adherence to
right ideals is unmistakable in her
face. Whatever comes Of your investt
cations, you will find to be unquali-
fiedly true all that l now assert re-
specting her"
II do not question your judgment
for it is more than probable that your
estimate is correct. But the fact is
of less Importance than the circum-
stance that the young lady seems to en-.
terrain very cordial dislike for you"
But" expostulated the other "she
doesn't know me, Flint. I never saw
her in my life before yesterday. Why
should she dislike me? God knows
never Intentionally harmed anybody In
my life"
"She unquestionably thinks she
knows you-which, as far as her con-
duct is concerned, amounts to the
same thing"
II have. racked my brain over It,"
Van Vechten announced. until l am
utterly befogged. I have heretofore
accredited myself with some slight de.
gree Of perspicacity, but her unmistak-
able animus completely mystifles me.
l am positive, Flint-absolutely posi-
tive-that our destinies have never
crossed before in any way"
Queer enough" was the others
comment. But the yelled lady; are
you certain she could not have been
Miss Carew?"
"Oh, no, she was not Paige. There
was no detail Of resemblance. l have
a fancy. based upon nothing, that she
and the girl at the window are the
same"
"But of whom did she remind your"
The detective fastened him with a
shrewd regard.
That" returned Van Vechten, lis
the one point concerning which feel
that l ought to know something def
mite, but which persistently eludes
me. In fact, the conviction never
crystallized.
Mr.. Flint fell into a brown study,
from which the other had no inclina.
ton to disturb him. During their con-
versation the afternoon had passed,
and now the detective sat motionless
and silent while the dusk gathered and
deepened.
Presently he reused himself with a
little shake. No one had intruded up
on their privacy; save for themselves
the lounging-room was now empty
He rose and went over to one of the
windows, taking his hat with him.
Van Vechten followed.
In the shadowy twilight the silent
house across the way doomed somber