The Washington herald., 1914-03-10

ment later and anxiously inquired what
she could do.
Il believe forgot my fan. Its in my
room" Groaned Grace weakly. Please
fetch it. dear.
10. suspcctinG nothing. hurried away
| In an instant Grace had recovered from
her sudden Illness. She plunged into the
whirl Of the masquerade. her practiced
eye seeking easy prey. \ string of da-
monds around the cleaning throat Of a
gOssiping matron proved Irresistible. A
deft welding OF tiny nippers an agile
retreat into the throng. and the necklace
| WAS hidden in the folds of the thief $
dress. Then scream. and confusion.
The woman. discovering her loss. had
1 tainted.
The disorder gave Grace her opror-
tunity for escape. But first she must
| exchange the coed costume for her own
clothes. She ran back to Nells room
and was about to make hasty change
when Phil Kelly. followed by the two
| sisters. burst into the room. Nell had
| succeeded liz removing all traces Of her
visit to the opium den.
"lt WAS clever of you. Grace" said the
| great detective. but ! have you this
| time. There is no escape for you.
"You-"
pressed the button AMI switched off the
light. Guided by the instinct of thief.
she hastened down a corridor. descended
a fire escape. and eludCd her puTsuers in
dark alley. Then she remembered the
necklace. She tossed IL into a corner OF
NeIl's room as the detective entered.
She decided to return for IL: Il was dan
gerous, but she enjoyed dangerous pur-
suits, and II she Were successful her
daring would further humiliate the great
detective. She retraced her steps and
found Nelrs room dark. She recovered
the necklace and was about to make her
escape when the door flung open and a
maid sprang upon her with a shrek.
Grace strangled the scream with a
clutch at the girls throat There was n
struggle. but the girl was no match for
the fighting strength of the thief. Grace
showed the maid into a chair and gagged
her. But the great Kelly was not yet
sufficiently Inundated. She scribbled a
note:
Thanks for the costume My compliments to the
greatest detective earth. Grsce Ward"
She pinned the note to the maids
dress. slipped from the building. and half
an hour later. flushed with excitement
and triumph, she was seated at a table
in Yeen KEGS. She was contemplating
gleefully the master detectives chagrin
when a door opened noiselessly and the
man who had occupied her thoughts en-
tered. He seemed surprised at finding
her there. Grace glanced about the room
for a chance OF escape. but saw no op-
pOrtunity. She was trapped.
But Phil Kelly did not seem anxious to
arrest her.
It's queer" he mumbled. seating him.
self opposite the thief. Il had expected
to find some one else
Some one you thought you were in love
with. suggested Grace. well, you'll
probably find her here. She's been spend
ing most of her time here lately" Her
mind was busy seeking an avenue of es-
cape. Kelly was not listening. per-
picked frown had crept into his face.
i don't see what can have happened
to Nell Cunard," he said. Il was trying
to trace you after you wrigged out of
our grasp tonight. / happened to see !
Miss Cunard's automobile. and on the |
seat was her pet dog. I released him. |
and he led me straight to this place. 1
can't understand
Grace smiled tauntingly. Its simple |
enough. That baby-faced sweetheart of
yours has been hittin' the dope pretty |
steady lately. She was here this after |
noon-that's how / happened to be at
the ball-and / guess as soon as the ball |
was over she sneaked back again.
You lier' blazed Phil.
Grace shrugged Sec for yourself"
she opened a door and pointed to a woman
wing on a bed. 1t was Nell. She was
In the depths of fevered. delirious sleep |
ana there was a rapt expression In her