The Washington times., 1913-09-17

spoke in fairly loud tone, the word
which had brought, me so abruptly out
of my preoccupation.
glanced behind me. There was no.
body there. A dozen feet back Of me
the white marble statue Of Ethan Allen
stood In heroic mold. At his left, az
Allen stood In heroic mold. At his left, az
Ii to emphasize the all-inclusive scope
Of our national character, was the stone
enigy Of Calhoun, grave. stern, thought
full Between myself and the line of
cold images Of which these two formed
the center there was not a single iv-
ing being.
And then I glanced down at my feet
and understood was standing on one
Of the "whispef4ng stones of Statuary
Hall Often I had Idly watched some
venerable Capitol guide huddle his
charges into q small group on one side
Of the circular hall. then step over to
the very spot where now stood, bow
his head and mumble unintelligible
thingD-always unintelligible to me. yet
apparently wholly satisfying to his
patrons 50 looked across toward the
spot where I had seen the guides sta
tion their customers
Thirty or forty feet from me stood a
The profiles of their faces were close to-
gether, he looking down upon her, al
though she was by no means short In
stature. - The very height Of his figure
would have served to arrest my atten-
tion. There was no undue bulk in t.
but evident power. As he spoke he was
forced to bend his shoulders in order to
bring his head close to that OF his
companion. --
I saw q rather sharply cut face, DOM
II
about forty years old, I Judged. and
bore himself like 9 man in the physical
condition which comes from clean nv-
As watched him for a few ,conds,
he turned q quick glance In my direc.
dropping my eyes abruptly to the
pamphlet I had been reading. like q
guilty eayesdropper. Instead, for an
instant I met his gaze casually; then I
knot Of visitors who had just come In
from the rotunda; and finally came
back to the Government report.
But was not reading now; instead
was listening intently. No man. I take
IL, is guilty OF eavesdrepping when he
fashion by one stranger to another.
Guilty or not, was curious.
He was speaking again, but I caught
only part of it.
Anu Hc yOuT
But, tell you, cannotr'
The w0mans voice was low-pitched,
Yet il came clearly to my ears through
one of the mysterious acoustic chan
Ieis Of the hall
He was speaking again. Pretending
10 read and not raising my eyes, could
nevertheless see he was again looking
at me, and even indicating me with
q slight gesture. Clearly the name
Mansfield" had been no coincidence: I
was the subject of a conversation be-
tween two strangers. and was some
body's man"
DISSEMINATION has never been in my
line, but at that moment 1 summoned
every power / possessed to make me ap-
pear unconscious OF their words. Slow
Iy ! turned a page and began an ap-
parent study of the next
Now she said something that could
not distinguish at all. Evidently ii was
in the nature of a protest, for his next
words We're slightly louder.
IT'S your business to find out where
II is. I've got to know-quickly"'
Il don't even know him." she faltered
And don't see why it's my business"
] could hear him laugh.
HIS easy TO know him-for you,' he
answered. ''i5e won't prove difficult.
what are your looks for?"
] bad paid little or no attention to the