The Green Forest tribune., 1915-06-04


 A new interest seemed suddenly to have crept into Hardaway's manner
 Let me see," he said, "if she left Chf1ord's hotel about two, she would nave been at Hampstead about half past two. She would waste a few min utes in making inquiries, then she probably left Hampstead for West kensington, say, at quarter to three Give me at once a description of the young lady" he demanded. Quest drew photograph from his pocket and passed it silently over.
 MT. Quest" he said, it is just pos sible that your visit here has been an exceedingly opportune one" Come along with me- he con tinued Well talk as we go." They entered a taxi and drove off westwards.
 "Mr. Quest" he went on, flor two months we have been on the track of man and a woman whom we strong ly suspect of having decoyed half a dozen perfectly respectable young women, and shipped them out to South America
 "The white slave traffic." Quest gasped.
 Something of the sort" Hardaway admitted. Well, we've been closing the net around this interesting couple, and last night I had information brought to me upon which we are act ing this afternoon. We've had them s'grtehed and it seems that they were sitting in a tea place about three o'clock yesterday afternoon when a young woman entered who was ob- Eiously a stranger to London. You see, the time fits in exactly, if your as sistant decided to stop on her way to Kensington and get some tea. She asked the woman at the desk the best means of getting to West Kensington without taking taXicab. Her de scription tallies exactly with the pho tograph you have shown me. The wom- an whom my men were watching ad- dressed her and offered to show her the way. They left the place together My men followed them. The house has been watched ever since and we are raiding it this afternoon. You and will just be in time
 He stopped the cab and they got out. A man who seemed to be stroll ing aimlessly along reading newspa- per suddenly joined them.
 Well, Dixon?" his chief exclaimed,
 The man glanced around.
 I've got three men round at the back, MT Hardaway," he said. Its impossible for anyone to leave the place."
 Hardaway paused to consider mo- ment
 Look here,' Quest suggested, they know all of you, of course, and they'll never let you in until they're forced to. I'm stranger. Let me go. I'll get in all right"
 All right" he assented We shall follow you up pretty closely. though" ."
 Quest stepped back into the taxi and gave the driver direction. When he emerged in front of the handsome gray stone house he seemed to have be- come completely transformed. There was fatuous smile upon his lips. He crossed the pavement with difficulty, stumbling up the steps, and held on the knocker with one hand while he cI of Jn scarcely rung the bell before a slightly parted curtain in the front room fell together and a moment later the door was opened by a man in the livery of butler, but with the face and phy- sique of prize-fghter.
 Lady of the house." Quest demand ed. Want to see the lady of the house."
 Almost immediately he was con- scious of woman standing in the hall before him.
 You had better come in,' she in vited. Please do not stand in the doorway"
 Quest, however, who had heard the footsteps of the others behind him, loi- tered there for moment
 You're the lady whose name is on this piece of paper?" he demanded This place is all right, eh?"
 ''I really do not know what you mean,P the woman replied coldly; but if you will come inside I will talk with you in the drawing room
 Quest, as though stumbling against the, front door, had it now wide open, and in Q moment the hall seemed full,