New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-08-09

Sit down. on hearl me say "dH1C4 u
talk TO yOu;'
81 did," The man obediently deposited
a lankv figure in L. Carteret's deck chair
next the dragons And with surprised de-
light. One so seldom gets a chance 70 talk
TO a sensible woman.
you've been sedulously unconscious OF
a heap OF opportunities since SATURDAY
night, them Mrs. Beggarstat retorted
with aSperity. "One seldom gets chance
to talk TO a sensible manor never. I'm
not so sure YOU re half as sensible as you try
10 make out, young man. Three mortal
DAYS I've been moping round the saloons
with my tongue hanging out, parched tor a
bit OF sCandal-and you never came near
me'
But | hate to disappoint: I'd nothing on
tap high enough for your seasoned palate.
Don't be impudent, Quon. What are
YOU doing on this boat? II you answer
Crossing the Atlantic I'll forget I'm
lady
Ouoin chucklcd. I'm combining bust
ness with pleasure, II you must know.
Nothing pleases me more than to be cooped
up for a few days with an unSuSpiclous sub
ject. In such circumstances your humble
sleuth learns a lot about human nature.
men you r. oltulIIllS' hH'" H. D"'
on whose trall?'
afraid dassent tell, Mrs. Bcggarstait.
"What if | know
THAT wouldn't surprise me: you GER
tainlv do COntrive 20 know a surprising num-
Der Of things that don't concern you.
I'm not sure whether that's tlattery or
impcrtinence.'
"The man who could hatter your ON
niscence, Madam, wouldn't hesitate to
ah-tackle the job Of teaching a New York
head waiter the gentle art of being insolent.
Mrs. Bcggarstaff laughed aloud. But
suppose do know what game you're stalk
ing and can lend a helping hand?'
charmed TO humor your whim. Con-
slider me docile little supposer. And then''
The Dowager Dragon glanced fore and
aft; but there were no other passengers
within carShot, and the ports behind them,
though alight, were shut and Sound-tisht.
Betty Acrrilcss, she SAID. "What causes
that gucss?'
CTRETCH NC his long limbs ENORMOUSLY,
- Quoin knitted thin, flexible fingers and,
regarded them studiously If with a faint
smile Il refuse 20 commit myself 70 any
thing that might tend 20 inCuminatc or
degrade.
"Oh, Then I'm on the right track?'
"You're warm-as the children say IN
hidc-and-scck'
AHA" the lady cried in triumph. well
then, Betty doesn't mean % try 20 beat the
customs She told me so herself The row
that man Loeb has kicked up about SNUG
Cling has scared her so that she's made up
her mind to declare every blessed trinkct.
You know what they did 10 that poor Mrs.
Whatshcrnamc last spring? -Four months
hard labor, wasn't it,"
81 believe So
$50 YOU see, Quoin, the Dowagcr Dragon
summed up, you're simply wasting time
trailing Betty Mcrrilcss.
Quoin smiled vaguely at his interesting
fngcrtips ~No, I'm not, he contradictcd
Mrs Beggarstaf smiled suspiciously
"Not what"
Not wasting time trailing Betty Mcrri-
less
I've guessed wrong,"
For once IN a way. The truth Is, | don't
care whether Mrs. Alerrlccs dctrauds the
government or not. It's over year since
| left the Secret Service. | didn't ike the
work, too tame. and having learned all
1t could teach me- quietly dropped out and
returned % my old field
private investigation, eh?'
% Nrr..r