The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1915-08-27


A new interest seemed suddenly to
have crept into Hardaway's manner.
Let me see," he said, III 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 1t 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. Wen 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 a
dozen perfectly respectable young
women, and shipped them out to South
America"
"The white slave traffic!" Quest
gasped
Something of the Sort" Hardaway
admitted. We'll, 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 then
watched and it seems that they wer'
sitting in a tea place about three
o'clock yesterday afternoon when |
young woman entered who was oh
viousiy stranger to London, Yol
see, the time fits in exactly, If your as
sistant decided to stop on her way t,
Kensington and get some tea. Sh
asked the woman at the desk the bes
means Of getting to West Kensingtol
without taking a taxicab. Her de
scription tallies exactly with the pho
tograph you have shown me. The won
an whom my men were watching &C
dressed her and offered to show he
the way. They left the place together
My men followed them. The hous
has been watched ever since and W
are raiding it this afternoon. You an
will just be in time"
He stopped the cab and they go
out. A man who seemed to be stroll
ing aimlessly along reading newspf
per suddenly Joined them.
| well, Dixon?" his chief exclaimed
The man glanced around.
i've got three men round at tn
back. Mr.. Hardaway," he said. 1T
impossible for anyone to leave tn
place."
Hardaway paused to consider m,
ment.
Look here" Quest suggested, "the
know all of you, of course, and they
never let you in until they're force
to. I'm stranger. Let me go. I
get in all right"
"All right" he assented. 1--WE sha
( follow you up pretty closely, though
Quest stepped back into the taxi an
gave the driver direction. When /
emerged in front of the handsome gra
stone house he seemed to have b
come completely transformed. The
was a fatuous smile upon his lips. +
! crossed the pavement with difficult
, stumbling up the steps, and held {
!, the knocker with one hand while
, consulted slip of paper. He hs
scarcely rung the bell before slight
: parted curtain in the front room fe
together and moment later the do
was opened by man in the livery
butler, but with the face and phi
! sique of a prize-ighter.
! Lady of the house." Quest deman
! ed. want to see the lady of Il
4 house."
1 Almost Immediately he was co
!, scious of woman standing in the hs
|. before him.
a you had better come in," she
| yited. please do not stand in t
. doorway"
r Quest. however. who had heard Z
footsteps OF the others behind him, /
/ tered there for moment.
You're the lady whose name is
Il this piece of paper?" he demande
a This place Is all right, eh?"
|. 81 really do not know what y
!. mean" the woman replied coldly;"b
d IL you will come inside will talk wi
Il you in the drawing room"
Il Quest, as though stumbling agair
t the front door, had 1t now wide ops
and in q moment the hall seemed II