The Elbert County tribune., 1915-08-06

the car forward to overtake the one
ahead.
Such was the entrance of the strang-
er-Marcius Del Mar-into America
How l managed to pass the time
during the first few days after the
strange disappearance of Kennedy
don't know. 1t was all like a dream
the apartment empty. the laboratory
empty, my own work on the Star
uninteresting. Elaine brokenhearted.
life itself a burden.
Hoping against hope, the next day
l decided to drop around at the Dodge
house. AS l entered the library un-
announced l saw that Elaine, with
faith for which l envied her, was sit
ting at a table, her back toward the
door. She was gazing sadly at pho
tograph. Though l could not see it,
I needed not to be told whose it was.
She did not hear me come in, SO en-
crossed was she in her thoughts. Nor
did she notice me at first as | stood
Just behind her. Finally l put my
hand on her shoulder as If / had been
an elder brother
She looked up into my face. Have
anxiously.
1 could only shake my head sadly.
She sighed. Involuntarily she roae
and together we moved toward the
garden, the last place we had seen him
about the house.
We had been pacing up and down
the garden, talking earnestly, only a
short time when a man made his way
in from the Fifth avenue gate.
'Is this Miss Dodge?" he asked.
Neither Elaine nor / knew him at
the time. though ] think she thought
he might be the bearer of some mes
sage from Craig. AS a matter of fact,
he was the emissary to whom the ste
nographer had thrown the torpedo
model from the Navy building in
Washington.
His visit was only part of a deep
laid scheme. Only few minutes be-
fore three crooks-among them our
yisitor-had stopped just below the
house on a side street To him the
others had given final instructions and
a note, and he had gone on, leaving
the two standing there.
bowling and handing an envelope to
Elaine, which she tore open and read
Washington, D. C.
Miss Elaine Dodge,
Fifth avenue, New York.
My Dear Miss Dodge:-The bearer,
Mr.. Bailey of the Secret Service,
would like to question you regarding
the disappearance of Mr.. Kennedy and
the model Of his torpedo.
Morgan Bertrand,
United States Secret Service.
two crooks had already moved up and
had made their way around back of
the stone wall that cut off the Dodge
garden back of the house. There they
stood. whispering eagerly and gaz-
ing furtively over the wall as their
man talked to Elaine
After a moment / stepped aside.
while Elaine read the note, and as he
asked her few questions | could not
help feeling that the affair had a very
suspicious look The more / thought
of it, the less / liked it. Finally
could stand it no longer.
Il beg your pardon" / excused my
self to the alleged Mr. Bailey, but
may l speak to Miss Dodge alone just
minute?"
He bowed, rather ungracefully /
thought, and Elaine followed me aside
while told her my fears
81 don't like the looks of 1t my
SELF" she agreed. "Yes, I'll be very
careful what l say"
While we were talking / could see
out of the corner of my eye that the
fellow was looking at us askance and
frowning. But II l had had an X-ray
eye / might have seen his two com
panions on the other side of the wall,
peering over as they had done before
and showing every evidence of annoy
ance at my interference.
The man resumed his questioning of
Elaine regarding the torpedo, and she
replied guardedly, as, in fact, she could
not do otherwise.
Suddenly we heard shouts on tho
other side of the wall, as though some
one were attacking someone else.
There seemed to be several of them,
for man quickly flung himself over
the wall and ran to us.
They're after u.s." he shouted to
Bailey.
Instantly our visitor drew gun and
followed the newcomer as he ran to
get out of the garden in the opposite
direction.
Just then a tall. well-dressed, strik-
ing man came over the wall. accom-
panied by another dressed as police
man, and rushed toward us.
The car bearing the mysterious
stranger, Del Mar, kept on until it