The Huttig news., 1915-07-24

A new interest seemed suddenly to have crept into Hardaway's manner.
 Let me sec" he said, If she left Clifford's hotel about two, she would have 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 taxi and drove off westwards.
 MT Quest, he went on, for two months we have been on the track of man and woman whom we strong ly suspect of having decoyed half a dozen perfectly respectable young women, and shipped them out to South America"
 eThe white slave traffcl" 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 watched and it seems that they were sitting in a tea place about three o'clock yesterday afternoon when { | young woman entered who was ob viously stranger to London. Yor see. the time fits in exactly, if your as sistant decided to stop on her way te | Kensington and get some tea She asked the woman at the desk the best means of getting to West Kensington without taking a 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 l will just be in time.''
 He stopped the cab and they got out. A man who seemed to be stroll ing aimlessly along reading a 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 It's impossible for anyone to leave the place.
 Hardaway paused to consider a 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 a stranger Let me go. I'll get in all right
 All right" he assented We shall follow you up pretty closely. though" 1" Quest stepped back into the taxi and gave the driver a direction. When he emerged in front of the handsome gray
  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 consulted slip of paper. He had scarcely rung the bell before slightly parted curtain in the front room fell together and moment later the door was opened by a man in the livery of a butler, but with the face and phy- sique of d 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 dc not know what you mean" the woman replied coldly; but if you will come inside 1 will talk with you in the drawing room"
 Guest, as though stumbling against the front door, had 1t now wide open, and in moment the hall seemed full