United labor bulletin., 1914-01-24

sence of expression). or the few ques-
tons he asked when Tom had finished
These interrogations were aimed sole
ly at aiding Tom to remember the mo-
torboats occupants; but excepting the
suppositious servant and the sandy
complexioned man-now identified as
John Callis-Tom's description was
exceedingly vague
Before leaving, Mr.. Flint said to Van
] vechten:
J am liable to be looking you up al
most any minute of the day or night
expect to be pretty busy, but it is i'm
possible to foretell precisely in what
way my efforts will be directed May
count on you spending as much of
your time here as you cam
The young man nodded IF / am
not here shall leave word SO you
may know where to find me-"
Tom, after the detective was gone,
reverted 10 topic which he had
broached earlier in the day.
Are you going to use the motor for
a while, Ruddy? want to take a run
down TO Maiden Lane If you're not"
The other reused sufficiently from
his puzzling reflections to give the
speaker a questioning look Maiden
Lane? he repeated.
Tom amplified.
Chap down there-wealthy dla-
mond importer-was wanting a skip
per for his steam yacht Brownlow's
his name-met him at the Payne
French's last week la was asking
me about it: suppose he heard that
was Interested in yachting. / have a
master's certificate. you know; that's
one job can hold down"
Tom was moody, and for the time
being Van Vechten laid aside his own
perple1ities.
so" he said. you are still deter
mined to go to work."
Tom nodded. Most Of the time you
chaps were talking l was thinking the
whole thing over. It's really not like
ly / shall ever meet that girl. Ruddy:
it's toe deuced improbable to hope
such a thing. Just the same. l mean
TO get busy. / want to get away. /
want TO feel that / am doing something
worth while. can run old Brown
lows yacht just as well as anybody l
might recommend. II not better, and
I'm going after the berth myself. Can
! refer him to you?"'
Certainly" eaid Van vechten.
Take the car for as long as you want
it; II have to go anywhere I'll use a
taxi. Send Mr.. Brownlow to me If he
wants any recommendations of your
qualifications to handle yacht. steam
or sail And you would be safe in men.
tioning Fred Carteret. too. Good luck
Tom
And Mr Tom Phinney departed to
call on the wealthy diamond importer
Left thus to himself. Van vechten
took from his pocket the key which
Mr.. Flint had given him. and sat con
templating 1t for some minutes BY
and by he returned II to his pocket
then pushing back his chair, rose and
fell to pacing to and fro the width ot
the lounging-room. AS he passed eacf
of the big plate glass windows-the,
were screened however. at this sea
Eou-he would glance across the stree
at the silent house. At last he halteC
and. hands in pockets, stood staring a
the dingy facade. his mien pensive.
Why not." his thoughts presently
crystallized- Now IS as good as auy
time. It's too late in the day TO under
take anything else: besides. there 4.
nothing to do but wait Lord-waitl
IL would be relief TO have the uni
verse come tumbling around one:
ears. After Flint's yarn. 1t will be in
tercsting to have a squint inside
Queer. queer"
Now perhaps he forgot his promise
TO Flint to leave word respecting hi:
movements. or else he did not consid
er brief absence merely across ths
street of sufficient consequence to be
mentioned: however that may be, ht
, left the club without word to any
body.
A minute or two later he stood III
the indescribably Uttered and filthy
backyard of Number 1913. In truth
the place WAS no more than a small
brick-paved court. 1t was walled al
about. and short flight OF stone steps
leading downward to a basement door
bore the only evidence OF recent use
Here. patiently. was the door to which
the key belonged.
He unhesitatingly went down the
halfdoren or so steps. and when he
stopped to insert the key In the locs
received the initial surprise OF his ad
venture.
Before he succeeded IN getting the
key into the keyhole. the door swuns
open at his touch. Besides being un
locked, the latch was not even caught
cTo BE CoNTINUEDO