Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-03-09
n He BLUE BUCKLE
BATTLING MYSTERY AND BREATELESS OF ADVENTURES
BY WILLIAM HAMILTON
o louise Running Fight" "CsApaw
Running Fight" "Catspaw,o Etc.

emerged slammed, cutting in two the
/ volley Of German oaths which had at.
tended the election
Craig pulled himself together. fairly
sizzling with indignation. and laid hold OF
the man who had bumped into him sc
uhceremoniously. II was the stock
student, the secret-service man. The man
recognized him no less Quickly and with
one Oh his quick lodges was off again
uoWn the passage. Rutherford's anger
Oh moment before was as nothing to
the rage that now possessed him. with
quick leap he seized the thick shoulder
ana swung the man around.
Not so fast, my fine fellowl" ex-
claimed Craig. You might at least stop
long enough TO apologize. Besides I have
been looking for you for some time"
The man shifted uneasily but was
silent.
Talk, you sncakv said Craig shaking
him. Government officer or not 1 don't
believe you have any license to search
rooms or attack young women in the
halls' And Craig punctuated his re-
marks by shaking such as n terrier
would give a rat
Curiously enough, the man made no at
No'''fN " hbihtf Jul at liAt MbluS NrONtiH IL
ment officer he glanced furtlvely at his
assailant.
Let upr' he growled
Not till you tell me what want to
know. What do you mean by sneallng
into my room, trying to get into Mrs. Tai
colts, and nosing around in Helderman's? !?
He served you just about right And II
I had caught you down my way you
have come out Just about the way he
sent you!"
The fellow flashed another quick glance
at Rutherford.
you rich guys think you ought to be
left alone" he muttered, but we've got
to stick to our job 'Talnt no use huntin'
for diamonds In the steerage. so just
took look In the royal suite"
In spite of himself Rutherford chuCked
at the idea of Hederman-the blatant
self-appreciative Helderman, who believed
that his money could do anythlng-being
subjected to surveillance like the others.
1T seems like a mighty bad way to go
about It," observed Craig, momentarily
relaxing his grasp. II suppose you want
to prove us all. Do you suspect any one
in particular"
His concern for Mrs. Talcott had taken
the place of his anger. The detectives
were searching every one, and the fact
that they had tried to enter her room
might not mean anything in particular
Don't |, thought the man exclaimed
with wink: then proflting by the others
absorption, he turned quickly and made
off down the hall.
The young man made no attempt to fol-
low him. He was again busy with his
own thoughts. What did the man mean
by his wink? Did he actually suspect
Helderman of smuggling? The idea had
a rtnfY 10 I,
wink mean that the man had fixed his
suspicious where the passengers had
placed theirs? Surely the espionage in the
library, the attack in the corridor, the
attempt at the door opposite his own,
could have but one meaning.
A thought more disquietng than all the
uncomfortable ones which had thus far
assalled him now presented itself and
would not down. Helderman was inter-
ested in Mrs. Talcott He had made 10
secret of It. II he were seeking to get
her into his power what n rare opportu-
nifty circumstances were offering the willy
financler He had been watching the net
closing in about the girl Perhaps he had
summoned the secret service man to his
rooms in order to brbe him to let the girl
go free. and in this way obtain a hold
upon her gratitude. IT was altogether
likely that he had offered the man bribe.
Craig recalled the ease with which he
had tempted the wireless operator.
The stormy ejectment might just as we'll
mean that the man had refused TO serve
two masters and paid the price for his
fidelity by getting kicked out That, too
would explain the German oaths. This
was a much more reasonable theory than
that of intrusion, Indeed, intrusion in the
royal suite. where several servants were
in attendance, would have been
next to impossible. The secret service
man must have been asked to the royal
apartment.
At this point Craig's Imagination ran
wild He saw the astute financier allow
Ing the elderly husband to become en-
oroiled with the Government He pictured
him, with his remarkable mental re-
sources and his smooth ways, slowly maxi
Ing himself Indispensable to the young
woman. He would relieve her of every
anxiety. He would even assist her hus-
band, while with his brilliant intellect and
Of the world he slowly weak
sned her faith in him. She would be made
carefully to see her husbands duplicity
and Helderman's unbounded generosity,
until, until
Full of the madness his own imagina-
Ion had conjured up Craig turned sharply
back toward the royal suite. He must
.iIt TINS HldHs ne must hIOW WHAT lay
back of Helderman's interest I'm the wom-
an he himself loved with a self-sacrificial
passion He had dedicated the best of his
manhood to her service without hope of
'eward. He suspected that Helderman's
interest would not be so unselish.
He reached the private hall again The
ioor stood slightly open, giving a glimpse
II the reception room. luXuriously fur
lished. A long mirror was set in the pam
ling directly opposite the door. Ruther-
ord saw reflected therein the entire room.
Helderman, straight, cold, an expression
II contempt on his face, was I'm the CEN
re. He stood looking down upon a woman
whose arms were casped about his neck,
whose attitude expressed love and en-
reaty.
The woman wore a gray coat and
,lue veil Hers was the same slender
orm that had fitted ahead OF Craig from
he door of the stateroom opposite his
wn.