Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1914-09-10
"Our wedding presents" said l,oo-

Get back there. quick. Jack, Some
one is coming!!"
"All right. Watch the bundle, Nell"
replied Doogan as he boIted into the
closet and shut the door.
Nell was busy at the table putting
things straight that had never been
otherwise when the door was pushed
open. and in came Il fat man in a
brown business suit. He had a red
face and white eyelashes.
At first glance Nell recognized him
as the detective who had stepped on
her pet dog in the Grand Central sta
ticn.
What are you looking att
Nothing, sir" replied Nell.
ID you generally leave the front
door open, Sc that anybody can walk
in?" he demanded.
"Sometimes, sir"
"SometimeS?" He paused impres-
sively, the mutual staring never a
ing. Then he growled abruptly, "NNhu
are you:'
I'm the lady's maid, sir"
"Lady's maid? HIM. | want to see
Mr.. Quincy"
He's out. sir"
OUT
His tone indicated that he did not be
lieve her, and he continued to stare.
Yes. sir said Nell. Hes out"
"All right. Then I'll wait for him.
announced the detective. seating him
Golf IN fhn n1rn of :, ,.h,i. l,. 49,,
taking his eyes off the girl.
"Shall l tell the family YOU wish to
see
NO interrupted the detective. 81
don't want to see the family-iust
Cluney, that's all. You slip him one of
these cards when he comes in and tell
him I'm waiting in here for him.
He handed a card to Nell. and Jack
Doogan, who had been trying to hear
the conversation from the slightly
opened closet door, leaned forward as
if he wanted to see what was on the
card.
Yes, sir" said Nell to the detective
Then reading from the card. "polic,
Headquarters"
Doogan Sprang back and closed the
closet door with a much louder bang
than he had intended. The detective
jumped from his chair ana looked
around suspiciously.
whats that?" he demanded.
whats What?" came from NelTs
trembling lips.
THAT noise.'
(Which noise, SIR"
Chat
The detective made Il peculiar sound
in his throat by which he tried to imi
tate the rafting of Il door. 1t was not
Il bit like it, but Nell knew what he
meant and she answered demurely:
st was the wind. l guess, sir
The wind. eh?" He walked com
pletely around the girl. his eyes fixed
on her all the time and then jerked
out, whats that door?"
(Which door?' she asked.
He pointed to the door of the closet
where Doogan was hidden.
''That door," he said. The one You
are looking at
VII, IL CAlllll1Su NIL, WIN Il
little smile of comprehension, as if she
hadn't noticed the door before. "Oh,
that's just a door. sir"
ANY Il in there?" he asked.
Nell hesitated and a flush covered
her pretty face as she stammercd,
"What did YOU say. SIR"
"Say, what's the matter with you:'
he howled, turning on her savagely.
Nothing, sir"
Without deigning to waste further
time in Il colloquy which promised to
get him nowhere, Joseph Thompson,
the famous detective, after giving Nell
Il look of whitening suspicion, strobe
over to the closet and flung it wide
open. Inside he found Jack Doogan.
with his back to the door, but the
young man swung around when it
opened.
"Hello!!' said Doogan.
Hello retorted the detective.
what are you doing in that closet?'
81 was hanging up my coat ra
piled Doogan easily.
Hanging up your coat, eh? Who
are you?'
"Huh!' grunted Doogan inquiringiy.
"Who are you? repeated the deter,
tive in a slightly louder tone.
Nell ran forward eagerly, swapping
her fingers at Doogan behind Thomp
sons back, rs she said in n rather
%breathless voice:
ooh, this is Mr.. Quincy, sir-the gen
tleman you asked to see"
Are you Mr.. Cluney?" asked Thomp
son, trying to bore down to Doogan'S
soul with his google eyes, but certain
ly not succeeding.
"Huh?"
Nell was trying to tell Doogan In
pantomime behind Thompson's back
that the man was a detective, but Doc
gan did not know what she meant. lie
did know who Thompson was, how
ever, and all he was praying for was
that the detective would not recognize
him as the man he had tria1 to orroct