The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-01-04

n
Domino? Ha! l had it! Old Friard
had accidentally done up the ticket
with my mask. A Blue Domino evi-
IDENTIFY l wasn't the only person who
WAS going to a masquerade. Without
doubt this fair domoiselle was about
to join the festivities of some shop
girls masquerade, where money and
pedigree are inconsequent things. and
where everybody is either "loidy" or
gent" Persons who went to my
kind of masquerade did not rent their
! costumes; they laid out extravagant
sums to the fashionable modiste and
tailor, and had them made to order.
A Blue Domino humph.
1t was too late to take the ticket
back to Friard's; SO l determined to
mail it to him in the morning
It was now high time for me to be
of. ] got into my coat and took down
my opera hat. Outside the storm was
still active; but the snow had a prom
Using softness, and there were patches
of stars to be seen here and there in
the sky. BY midnight there would
be full moon. | got to Jersey City
without mishap: and when | took my
seat in the smoker, l found had ten
minutes to spare. ] bought a news
paper and settled down to read the
days news. 1t was fully half an hour
between Jersey City and Blankshire;
in that time could begin and finish
the paper.
There never was a newspaper those
days that hadn't war map in some
one of It's columns; and when / had
digested the latest phases of the war
in the far east | quite naturally
turned to the sporting page to learn
what was going on among the other
professional fighters. (Have l men
toned TO you the fact that l was all
through the Spanish war, the mix-up
in China, and that | had resigned my
commission to accept the post of trav-
cling salesman for famous motor car
company? If | have not, pardon me.
You will now readily accept my reck-
lessness Of spirit as matter of
course.) | turned over another page;
from this ! learned that the fair sex
was going back to puff-sleeves again.
Many an old sleeve was going to be
turned upside down.
Fudge. The train was rattling
through tSe yards Another page
cracked. Iia. Here was that un-
known gentleman.thief again, up to
his old tricks. 1t is remarkable how
difficult it is TO catch thief who has
good looks and shrewd brains. I had
already written him down as quasi
swell For months the police had
been finding clues, but they had never
laid eyes on the rascal Tie famous
Haggerty Of the New York detective
force,-a man whom not a dozen New
York policemen knew by sight and no
criminals save these behind bars,
earthly and eternal.-was now giving
his whole attention to the affair.
Some gaily dressed lady at ball
would suddenly find she had lost some
valuable gems; and that would be the
end of the affair for none ever re-
covered her gems.
The gentleman-thief was still at
count a comfortable fortune: that is.
II he we're not already rich and simply
a kleptomaniac No doubt he owned
one of my racing cars, and was clear
of the delinquent lists at his clubs.
dismissed all thought OF him, threw
out my commissions on sales during
the past month It was handsome
figure. large enough for two. This
pastime, too soon failed TO interest
me | gazed out of the window and
watched the dark shapes as they sped
past,
/ saw the girls face from time to
time What fool | had been not to
ask her name, She could easily have
refused. and yet ss easily have grant
ed the request At any rate. l had
permitted the chance to slip out of
my reach, which was exceedingly
carehss on my part. Perhaps they
she and her uncle-frequently dined
at Mouquin's; | determined to haunt
the place and learn. 1t would be
easy enough to address her the next
time we met. Besides, she would be
curious to know all about the ten of
hearts and the desperate adventure
upon which | told her I was atout to
embark. Many fine friendship has
grown out of smaller things.
Next, turning from the window, l
fell to examining my fellow passen-
gers, in the hope of seeing some one
| knew. Conversation on trains makes
short journeys sat up
stiff1y in my seat. Diagonally across
the aisle sat the very chap had met
In the curio-shop! He was quietly
reading a popular magazine. and oc-
casionally a smile lightened his sar-
donic mouth. Funny that 1 should
run across him twice in the same
evening! Men who are contemplating
suicide never smile in that fashion.
He was smoking small, well-colored
meerschaum pipe with evident relish.
Somehow, when q man clenches his
teeth upon the mouthpiece Of re-
spectacle pipe, 1t seems impossible to
associate that man with crime. But
the fact that had seen him selecting
pistol In pawnshop rather neutral
lied the good opinion I was willing to
form. have already expressed my
views upon the subject The sight of
him rather worried me, though I
could not reason why. Whittier was
he bound? Had he finally taken one