The Ordway new era., 1915-09-24
conversation until at last we came

conversation until at last we came
near the La Coste. -5-, 49,.
Charmed to have met you, Mr..
Jameson" he said, pausing. I'VE
shall see a great deal Of each other
hope.'
had not yet had time to say good.
by myself when a slight exclamation
at my side startled me-. Turning sud
denly, 1 saw very brisk, fussy old
gentleman who had evidently been hur.
rying through the crowd. He had
slipped on something on the Sidewalk
and lost his balance. falling near us.
We bent over and assisted him to
his feet. AS I took hold Of his hand
l felt peculiar pressure from him,
He had placed something In my hand.
My mind worked quickly. l checked
my first impulse to speak. and. more
from curiosity than anything else,
kept the thing he had passed to me
surreptitiously.
Thank you, gentlemen he puffed,
Strengthening himself out. "One OF the
infirnities of age. Thank you. thank
you"
In moment he had hustled off quite
comically.
Again Del Mar said good-by. and
did not urge him to stay. He had
scarcely gone when | looked at the
thing the old man had placed in my
hand. 1t was a little folded piece OF
paper. l opened it slowly. Inside was
printed in pencil, disguised:
Be Careful. Watch Him.
read it in amazement. What did il
mean?
At the La Coste, Del Mar was met
by two of his men in the lobby and
they rode up to his room.
Imagine their surprise when they
opened the door and found the valet
lying bound on the floor.
"Who the deuce did this?" demand
ed Del Mar as they loosened him.
The valet rose weakly to his feet
"A little old man with gray whiskers,
he managed to gasp.
Del Mar looked at him in surprise
Instantly his active mind recalled the
little old man who had fallen before us
on the street
w HC-WDat was ue
Come" he said quickly. beckoning
his two companions, who had come in
with him.
Some time later, Del Mars car
stopped just below the Dodge house.
You men go around back of the
house and watch" ordered Del Mar.
As they disappeared he turned and
went 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 the library,
Rusty, released from the chain on
which Jennings kept him, bounded
with rush into the library.
Good old fellow" encouraged
Elaine, patting him.
Just then Jennings entered, and a
moment later was followed by Del
Mar, who bowed as we welcomed him.
.Do you know" he began, 81 be-
lieve that the lost torpedo model is
somewhere in this house, and | have
reason to anticipate another attempt
of foreign agents to find 1t. If you'll
pardon me. I've taken the liberty OF
surrounding the place with some men
we can trust"
While Del Mar was speaking Elaine
picked up a ribbon from the table and
started to tie it about Rusty's neck.
AS Del Mar proceeded she paused. still
holding the ribbon. Rusty, who hated
ribbons, saw his chance and quietly
sided out, seeking refuge in the con-
servatory.
Alone in the conservatory. Rusty
quickly forgot about the ribbon and
began nosing about the palms. At last
he came to the pot In which the tor
pedo model had been buried in the
soft earth by the thief the night 1t had
been stolen from the fountain.
Quickly Elaine recalled herself, and.
seeing the ribbon in her hand and
Rusty gone, called him. There was no
answer, and she excused herself. for
it was against the rules for Rusty to
wander about.
In his haste the thief had left just
corner of the handkerchief sticking
out of the dirt. What none OF US had
noticed, Rusty's keen eyes and nose
discovered, and his instinct told him
to dig for it. In q moment he uncov-
cred the torpedo and handkerchief and
smiled.
Just then he heard his mistress call
ing him. Rusty had been whipped for
digging in the conservatory, and now.
with his tail between his legs. he
seized. the torpedo in his mouth and
bolted for the door Of the drawing
room, for he had heard voices in the
library. As he did so he dropped the
handkerchief and the little propeller,
loosened by his teeth. fell of.