Omaha daily bee., 1915-07-04

TO pay the farmer.
mo. no. Miss" he demurred as h
olucked to his horses.
We waved to the old fellow. As n,
started to drive away. he reached dowr
into the basket and drew out some vel
low harvest apples. one at time h,
tossed them TO MS as he numbered off.
Truly rural" remarked voice be-
hind us.
II was Del Mar, all logged up and
carrying a magazine in bis hand
! We chatted a moment then Elaine
started TO go into the house with Aunt
Josephine. With Del Mar / followed.
| As she went Elaine took "a bite OF the
apple. To her surprise II separated neatly
into two hollow halves. She looked in
side. There was a note Carefully she
unfolded II and read. Like the others, Il
was not written, but printed in pencil.
BE careful to unpack all your trunks
yourself. Destroy this note. A Friend"
What did these mysterious warnings
mean. she asked herself In amazement
Somehow so far they had worked out all
right She tore up the note and threw
the pieces away.
Del Mar and stopped for moment to
talk. / did not notice that he was not
listening to me. but was surreptitiously
watching Elaine.
Elaine went into the house and we fol-
lowed. Del Mar. however. dropped just a
bit behind and, as he came TO the place
whore Elaine had thrown the pieces of
paper, dropped his magazine. He stopped
to pick It up and gathered the pieces. then
rejoined US.
II hope you'll excuse me-. said Elaine
brightly we've just arrived and
haven't thing unpacked."
Del Mar bowed and Elaine left us. Aunt
Josephine followed shortly. Del Mar and
sat down at table. As he talked he
placed the magazine in his lap beneath
the table, on his knees / could not see,
but he was In reality secretly putting
together the torn note which the farmer
had thrown to Elaine.
Finally he managed to FIT all the pieces.
A glance down was enough. But his face
betrayed nothing. still under the table,
he swept the pieces into his pocket and
roso.
'1'll drop In when you are more set
tied" he excused himself, strolling lels-
urely out again.
Up IN the bedroom Elaine's maid
Marie. had been unpacklng.
We'll, what do you know about that9"
she exclaimed as Jennings and Patrick
came dragging in the banged up trunk
Very queer" remarked jennings de-
failing tho little he had seen. while
Patrick left.
The entrance Of Elaine put an end to
the interesting gossip and Marie started
TO open the trunk.
mo. Marie" said Elaine. I'm unpack
them myself. You can put the things
away later You and jennings may go"
Quickly she took the things out OF the
battered trunk. Then she started on the
other trunk which was like Il but not
marked. She threw out a couple of gar
ments. then paused. startled.
There was tho lost torpedo-where Ber-
tholdi had stuck It in her hastei Elaine
picked II up ana looked at II in wonder as
II recalled all those last days before Ken
nedy was lost. For the moment she did
not know quite what TO make OF Il. What
should she dor
Finally she decided to lock Il up in tho
bureau drawer and tell me. Not only did
she look the drawer. but az she left her
room. she took the key OF the door from
the lock inside and looked IL outside.
Del Mar did not 20 far from the house.
however. He scarcely reached the edge
OF the grounds whore he was sure he was
not observed when he placed his fingers
TO his lips and whistled. An instant later
two of his men appeared from behind
A hedge
You must get into her room" no or
dered. That torpedo is In her luggage
somewhere. after all"
They bowed and disappeared again into
the shrubbery. while Del Mar turned and
retraoed his steps 10 the house.
In the rear OF the house the two ennis
saries OF Del Mar stole out OF the shelter
OF some bushes and stood for a moment
looking Elaine's windows were high
above them. too high 10 reach. There
seemed 20 be no way TO set 10 them and
! there was no ladder I'm sight.
Wen have to use the Dutch house
mans method" decided one.
! Together they went around the house
toward the laundry. II was only a few
minutes later that they returned No one
was about. Quickly one OF them took oti
I his coat. Around his waist he had wound
coil OF rope. Deftly he began to clint
q tree whose upper branches fell over
/ the roof. Cat-llke he made his way out
along a branch and managed to reach th'
roof. lie made his way along the ilds'
pole TO chimney which was directly
back OF and In line with Elaine's windows
Then he uncoiled the rope and made one
end fast to the chimney. Letting the
other end fall free down the roof, M
carefully lowered himself over tho edge
Thus II was not difficult to get int
Elaines room by stepping on the win
dow sin and going through the open win
dow.
The man began a rapid search OF TN
room. turning up and paving everything
that Elaine had unpacked. Then he be
gan on the little writing desk. the dresse
and the bureau drawers. A subtle sml'
flashed over his face as he came TO on
drawer that was locked. lie pulled
sectional jimmy from his coat and forces
Il open.
There lay the precious torpedo.
The man clutched at IL with a look O
lexultaiion. without another glance at th
room he rushed TO the window. seized tn