Omaha daily bee., 1915-05-16


Didn't l hear the telephone ring7"
she asked.
Inez was quick. Yes" she replied,
my former mistress teIephoned that she
is sending my trunk today"
"Oh, very WE'LL" smiled claire, passing
on through the library with an encourage
ing nod TO the girl
Inez had killed two birds with one
stone Not only had she disarmed sus-
picion about the interrupted call, but
she had laid the foundation for the de-
livery OF trunk which at that moment
she know WI and Long Sin were pre-
pairing and packing.
IL was n large trunk and in Il the two
willy Cinnamon we're packing q chair. as
well as the phosphorus machine.
"Onco Mistress Inez induces Elaine to
sit in this chair" observed WI tapping
Il Significantly as he closed the trunk.
half our work is completed"
Uptown Inez, always on guard. was
watching for the safe arrival of the
trunk. when she saw a messenger boy
coming up the steps OF the house.
Perhaps, It flashed over her. II was
some message from Kennedy. She must
get H.. whatever Il was.
NiNuOhN hHHiNAAhib n ihohAChAr ohS
slipped back into the library while the
boy was still at the door and wrote a
note of her own at the desk She had
thought ont beforehand just what plan
she was to adopt and the note read:
Dear Miss Dodge:
The ladies of the First Baptist church
will send n collector for our rummRge
sale this afternoon. We thank you for
whatever you can give him:
Yours truly, MISS ELLA BURNS,
Secretary. Woman's Guild.
Inez read over the note she had written
herself as tho messenger boy continued
ringing tho bell impatlently. Then she
hurried into the hall to open the door.
Tho boy came In and Inez took the
note he had brought. signing Elalnes
name for II an his book. She had acted
not n moment too soon, for Elaine had
heard the bell and was now coming
downstairs herself.
Was It anything for me. Inez?" she
asked.
1nez deftly palmed the letter and sub
stituted the note she had written. Yes
ma'am." she replied. handing Elaine the
faxed note.
Elaine read It. II didn't know about
the rummage gale before" che COM
mented. as she went into the library. but
guess I'll have to give them some-
thing"
She sat down for a moment to look
over the new fashion magazine Outside
In the hallway Inez was reading the
note which the messenger boy had
brought with the warning postscript by
Kennedy underneath. She knew. as che
destroyed It. that 1t was only a part of
Wu's subtle plan to alarm Kennedy and
start him on a false scent.
II was not many minutes later that the
bell rang again and this time Jennings
answered the door. disclosing the ex-
piessmen with n heavy trunk.
"oh. guess that's my trunk" Inez
exclaimed. May have II taken up 20
the attic out OF the way9'
The men carried the big trunk upstairs
into the attic. a large room fun of
trunks, some old furniture and a great
many old dresses hanging up. AS they
set It down, she signed the receipt for II
and the exprossmen dumped downstairs.
First she took out the chair which wu
had devised and placed 1t near the clothes
hanging up Next she removed the phos-
phorus mechanism and placed II in tho
shadow back OF the chair. pillng up some
excelsior and other dry stuff over and
around u.
Having completed her work, she looked
around. There was one old chair in the
attic already. To prevent any chance of
mistake. she hid It behind the hanging
clothes so that the new chair was the
only apparent seat In the room.
lnez had scarcely completed her ar
rangements when II occurred 10 Elaine.
down In the library, that she had done
nothing yet about the letter from the
Women's Guild.
II wonder what there is upstairs that
l can give them" she thought as she re-
read the letter. II think I'll See"
She started up pist as Inez was leaving.
The adventures In the attic heard
Elaine coming and quickly slipped be-
hind door, letting Elaine pass her,
without being seen.
In the attic. Elaine started 20 take
down and examine several dresses for
the rurnmage sale. laying them aside one
by one. While Elaine was engrossed in
gathering together what she thought
had been asked for charity, Inez softly
stole back e. the door and peered through
the keyhole
An attic is always a place that calls up
memories OF the past and Elaine soon be-
gan 60 think OF things that were sug-
gested by one after another OF the dis
oarded dresses. Besides. some OF them
were scarcely worth sending anyway.
She sat down, absently. In the eair to
think Il over.
Suddenly a secret spring released a set
OF bands than automatically and swiftly
clamped over Elalne's arms Nand about
her body and neck, holding her in a grin
OF steel Al the same time vapor bulb
in the back OF the chair shot out ia
smothering fumes rendering he uncon-
scious.
Elaine was caught In a trap.
Ines In silent exultation opened the
attic door Just a trifle. Then her slender
hand reached In and took the key from
the inside, shut the door and locked q
from the outside.
stealthily IneE crept downstairs from
the attic and into Eisine's rOom There
taking care that neither Marie nor Aun
Josephine were about. she opened tn,
closet and took out the dress. coat ant
hat which Elaine had worn when shl
vas kidnapped by WI. and stuffed then
into suitcase. Inca closed the SUITCASE
quickly, threw on her own hat and Goa
and left the house. unobssrved.
Half an hour later she entered IN
opium joint on Mott street. where tn,
usual number OF smokers were dreaming
under the influence Of their favorite ne