Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1915-07-01

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A new interest seemed suddenly to
have crept into Hardaway's manner.
Let me see." he said, "if she left
Clifford's hotel about two, she would
have been at Hampstead about half
past two. She would waste few min
utes in making inquiries, then she
probably left Hampstead for West
Kensington, say, at quarter to three
Give me at once description OF the
young lady" he demanded.
Quest drew a photograph from his
pocket and passed It silently over.
"Mr. Quest" he said, ut is just pos
sible that your visit here has been an
exceedingly opportune one"
Come along with me-" he con
tinued. "We'll talk as we CO."
They entered taxi and drove of
westwards.
"Mr. 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 q
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 ! 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 a
young woman entered who was OBJ.
viously a stranger to London. You
see, the time fits In exactly, II your as
sistant decided to stop on her way tc
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 WON.
Oh WhOll LILY lACu MGlC NdlChiA6 du
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 an6
| will just be in time"
He stopped the cab and they goi
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, Mr.. Hardaway," he said "It's
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. III
get in all right"
"All right" he assented. I'VE shall
follow you up pretty closely, though.
Quest stepped back into the taxi and
gave the driver a 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 or
the knocker with one hand while he
consulted slip of paper. He hat
scarcely rung the bell before slightly
parted curtain in the front room fell
together and moment later the door
was opened by man In the livery o.
butler, but with the face and ply
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 hal
before him.
"You had better come In" she in
vited. please do not stand in thu
doorway"
Quest, however, who had heard thu
footsteps Of the others behind him, loi
tered there for moment.
You're the lady whose name Is OF
this piece Of paper?" he demanded
This place is all right, eh?'
II really do not know what yol
mean" the woman replied coldly; "bu
II you will come inside will talk will
you in the drawing room"
Quest, as though stumbling agains
the front door, had 1t now wide open
and in q moment the hall seemed full