The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1915-09-09

conversation until at last We came
near the La COstc.
charmed to have met YOU ait
Jameson he said, pausins, we
shall see a great deal Of cach other !
hope.
had not yet had time to say soou'
by myself when a slight exclamation
at ms side startled me. Turning SUD.
denly. I saw a very brisk, iussy ola
gentleman who had evidently been hur.
rying through the crowd. III" hdd
slipped on something on the sidewalk
and lost his balance, falling near US
We bent over and assisted him TO
his feet. As | took hold of his hahd'
| ielt n peculiar press2!e from MN.
lie had placed something in my hand,
NIy mind worked quickly. | checked
my first impulse to speak, ana, more
from curiosity than anything else
kept the thing he had passed to me
surreptitiously.
Thank you, gentlemen he pulled,
strengthening himself out one OF the
inhrmities of age. Thank you, thank
you"
In a moment he had hustled OF quite
c%omically.
Again Del Mar said good.by, and !
did not urge him to stay. He had
scarcely gone when | looked ut the
thing the old man had placed In my
hand. It was Il little folded piece OF
paper. | opened 1t slowly. Inside was
printed in pencil, disguised:
Be Careful. Watch Him.
/ read II in amazcmout. What did 1t
mean?
At the La Costc. Dal Mar was met
By two Of his men IN the lobby and
they rode up 10 his room.
Imagine their surpris" when they
opened the door and found the valet
lying bound Oh the floor.
who the deuce did this?" demand.
ed Del Mar as they loosened him.
The valet rose weakly 10 his feet.
"A little old man with gray whiskers,
he managed to gasp.
Del Mar looked 1t MIN In surprise.
Instantly his active mind recalled the
little old man who had fallen before US
on the street.
"Whc-what was he?"
Come" he said quickly, b~eckonlng
his two companions, who had come in
with him.
Some time later, Del Mars car
stopped just below the Dodge house.
You men 90 around back Of the
house and watch" ordered Del Mar.
AS they disappeared he turned and
vel up the Dodge steps.
walked back after my strange eX.
perience with the fussy little old gen.
tleman, feeling more than ever. now
that Craig was gone, that both Elaine
and Aunt Josephine needed me.
As we sat talking in tho library.
Rusty, released from the chain on
which jennings kept him, bounded
with a rush into the library.
Good old fellow" encouraged
Elaine, patting him.
Just then Jennings entered, and n
moment later was followed hy Del
Mar, who bowed as we welcomed him.
DO YOU know" he began. Il be.
llevc that the lost torpedo model Is
somewhere in this house, and / have
reason to anticipate another ATTEMPT
Of foreign agents to lind 1t. If youll
pardon me, I've taken the liberty OF
surrounding the place with some men
we can trust"
While Del Mar was speaking Elaine
picked NJ "A ribbon from the table and
started to tie it about Kus,y's neck.
As Del Mar proceeded she paused, still.
holding the ribbon, Rusty, who hated
ribbons, saw his chance and quietly
sided out, seeding refuge iu the con.
servatory.
Alone In the conservatory. Rusty
quickly forgot about the ribbon and
began nosing about the palms ~ last,
he came to the pot IN which the tor.
pcdo model had boon buried in the
soft earth by the thief the uiglt II had
been stolen from the fountain.
Quickly Elaine recalled herself. and.
the ribbon IN her hand and
gone, called him. There Was no
answer. and she excused herself. for
was against the rules for Rusty 10
wander about.