Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-06-03

Then. bounding up with uncommon
resiliency he saw the street door OF tn
house close behind the fugitive ant
heard the heavy slam OF IT.
Above him on the stairs the lady OF
the house appeared.
Come backw she called in guardet
tone. Hes made n clean getaway
Got to hand him that No use trying
to follow. You wouldn't catch up I'm I
thousand years. Come back-d'yor
hear?-and give me my gum"
A triie dashed. p. Sybarite obeyed-
Now then"-she addressed the littlt
! man, with a brilliant smile-"now we
can powwow. Come into the den.' and
led the way toward. the rear of the
house. He trotted submissively in heI
wake.
! Turning into a dark doorway, the
| woman switched light into an electric
dome. illuminating an interior apart
ment transformed by a wildly original
| taste in eccentric decoration into a
/ lounglng room of such distressful
| uniquity that it would have bred un
| rest in the soul of a lotus eater.
Black, red and Gold-lusterless black
|
bright, glaring yellow of gold. new
minted-were the predominant notes In
a color scheme at once somber and
| violent
"Cozy little hole" P. Sybarite
couldn't forbear to comment with
shudder as he dropped into chair in
| compliance to the woman's gesture.
Offering cigarettes in a golden cas-
ket. she selected and lighted one for
herself. MY servants are all abed."
she said, ',or would offer you a drink"
You have servants in the house.
then?"
do I look like woman who does
her own housework?"
you do not" he affirmed politely
But can you blame me for wonderin;
where your servants we been through
all this racketY
They sleep on the top floor behind
sound proof DOORS" his hostess ex-
planned complacently. land have or
ders to answer only when ring. even
If they should happen to hear any
thing"
''But there was burglar" p. Syba-
rite commended brightly. "You saw
him yourself"
NO"
"But-but you did see him-iater on
the stairs"
Smiling the woman shook her head
Il saw no burglar. merely dear
friend. In short. if it interests you tn
know. saw my husband"
Madam T.. Sybarite sat up. with
n shocked expression.
"Oh" said the woman lightly. we're
good enough for one another-he and
/, He deserved what he got when he
married me. But that's not saying
I'm content to see him duck what's
coming to him for tonight's deviltry
In fact. / mean TO get him before he |
gets me. Are you game to lend me u |
hand:"
''Really-Fd rather be excused"
Really" she Knocked pleasantly. |
you won't be. I'm gentle creature.
but determined. Perhaps you've heard |
of me-AIrs. Jefferson Inche?"
Decidedly he had. and so had nine
tenths OF New York's newspaper read
Ing population heard of the most dan
gerous woman in town.
"But-ah-Mr. Inche. 1 understand,
Qieu some years a go
so he did,
Yet you speak of your husband"-
"Of my present husband. whose
name ! don't wear for reasons of real
estate. | took the rotter on because
he's rich and will be richer when his
father dies. Is our marriage comes
put prematurely he'll be disinherited.
so we've agreed to a sub rosa arrange
ment, which leaves him ostensibly a
bachelor.
Now. happen to know a marriage
has recently been offered him. through
which he would Immediately come into
control of big pot of money, and
naturally he's strong for it. But l re-
used his offer OF a cool $500. 900 TO
'lay the Reno circuit. and so he con
,luded to SIZE for n divorce with a re-
oliver. Maxim siIencer and a perfect
Ilibf- Do you follow me?"
"As far as the alibi."
''Oh. that's quite simplei We don't
I've together. and he's in sure enough
ociety. and I'm not. Tonight the an
ual Hadley-Owen post-Lenten mas
Iuerade's in full swing just around the
orner. and Friend Husbands there
With the rest OF the naughty bunch.
ant you see how easy it would be for
i'm to drop round here between
ances, murder his awful welded wife
nd beat it back without his absence
eng noticed? But l recognized him.
saw his mouth-his mask wouldn't
ide that-and knew him instantly"
+. Sybarite was silent. He. too. knew
nat mouth; its wearer had something
} do with Molly Leasing.
Now that you know the lay of the
md. how about helping me out?"
Now. the trail Of the man with the
visited mouth promised fair TO lead to
Jolly leasing p. Sybarite didn't
nger on his decision.
Short of trying prentice hand at
ton
Don't be an asst 1 only want to |
'otect myself. Besides. you can't re- |
Use. Consider how lenient I've been