The Washington times., 1913-09-17
By E. J. RATH

fairs Committee, and I was clearly un.
der no obligation to prolong my vigil
Even had / felt any such obligations,
should have dismissed 1t as a triviality
The new situation had completely alb
| sorbed me.
Thrusting the document I had beer
pretending to read into my pocket,
| much as a glance at her. and strolled
off in the direction Of the House Of Rep
resentatives. Passing into the short cor
ridor that leads to the main entrance
Of the deep window embrasures oppo.
site the telegraph booths, and leaned
negHgently against the wall.
She was not many feet behind me. OuI
! eyes met for an instant as she sighted
me then she passed on slowly, and
waiting at the House entrance to see
various members. Thus ] obtained my
first fair look at my lady Of the pursuit
1t confirmed my previoasf impresoion
average She stood very straight and
slender in her brown corduroy velvet,
a small velvet hat with a little feather
surmounting a coil Of dark hair. She
was young-not more than twenty-five.
I judged. ...
AIso-and 1t may as well be said now.
for it is the truth-she was uncommonly
pretty cannot say that she was beau
tiful, for to my mind that Is an ad-
jective which implies at least to an ap-
proximate adherence to certain classic
standards She was not classic, either
in face or figure.
There was something of distinction in
her manner, however, that did not COM
fort at all with the nature Of her mis-
sion. Perhaps 1t was faint sugges.
ton of aristocracy. / was not at all
displeas sed with my survey Of her; IL
had to be trailed, II was better, perhaps,
to have q purSuer OF decided attrac-
tions, rather than one of vulgar mold.
Out of the corner Of her eye she stood
watching me, swinging a little chate-
laine bag to and fro in her hand.
was beginning to enjoy the situation.
Evidently, though, II was not to her
liking for she seemed restless and un-
decided, rather curiously bereft OF pur-
pose or method for a woman who had a
very definite task. / could only con-
clude that she was trying to hit upon a
plan for handling her ''subject"-for
that, / believe, is a proper technical
term for a sleuth's prey.
Her apparent reluctance to approach
the issue puzzled me somewhat. 1t was
easy for her to speak to me, II she
wished. People talk to strangers every
day in the Capitol. She could ask me
how to find a certain member Of the
House, which way II was to the Senate.
whether 1 could tell her If the Supreme
were a hundred casual inquiries which
a lady might make with perfect pro-
priety. even Of a stranger.
Occasionally she tapped a brown suede
shoe on the tiled floor as II impatient
at my conduct. Perhaps I was not
playing the game according to regula-
tions.
I tried another move. Swinging my
cane jauntily, / stepped out into the
corridor again and approached her at
a leisurely walk. Apparently she
thought I was about to speak to her.
for was gazing at her steadily as /
neared her, and she drew back against
the wall with an instructive movement
Without pausing, I passed within a
yard Of her, turned on to the right, and
went down the corridor leading to the
west side Of the House chamber. At
the marble staircase l paused for an
instant to make sure that she was fol-
lowing me, then ascended to the gal
lery floor and, leaning over the rail-
to study the mammoth painting. West
ward Ho!" She sighted me as she came
up the stairs. and stopped on the land
ing. pretending to be interested in some
detail of the picture.
I resumed my walk again, not hurry
ing. for I did not wish to put q lady to
the Inconvenience Of haste. Crossing
over to the east side Of the House. I
descended again to the main floor and
strolled back toward Statuary Hail. She
was never very far behind me. lott
the marble figures. and then passed on
into the Rotunda.
Just to the right of the entrance, as
you approach the Rotunda from the
south end of the Capitol, is q historical
painting that always interested me, not
from the standpoint OF art, but because
one OF the Indians in the foreground is
represented with six toes on one foot.
/ stopped for another glance at my six
toed friend, and this forced her to pass
me, for she could not well loiter In the
narrow doorway.
She took up a position on the other
side of the big circular space; and now
j could observe her at some distance
without appearing to stare at her. The
woman's indecision was becoming more
of an enigma to me at every moment
II her duty had been merely to follow
me and obtain record of my move
ments. / could easily have understood
her conduct: but her instructions, which
very plainly heard, were to make his
acquaintance" and to find out where
IL is.'
AS yet she had not taken the least
step toward performing this part of her
assignment. True. she had evidently
received her orders reluctantly. but a
detective was a detective, even If a
woman. and that she had accepted the
task was evidenced by her painstaking
pursuit.
l started across the Rotunda in the
direo tion of the Senate, and was halted
under the big dome by a COMMITTEES
clerk VINO Happened to be friend of
mine. We talked for "A few minutes. the
woman in brown meanwhile pacing
back and forth along the wall. watching
me warily, and at the same time ap-
parently cndeavOrinG TO make herself
thi?k ! was obliyious of her scrutiny.
Chose time 10 leave my friend so
that the steady pacing Of her beat
would bring her close to me - ] Es.