The Washington herald., 1915-10-10
tCopynGht, lal5.l
(copynsht, 1851
"WELpae;t peted d'' forth sT 3sSsred mF xarRom ilS%-

ana 1 leel like d pan VI 'Ichi' -'A4
Narkom." Cleek answered with one or
his rare. big-boy laughs. Telephone
to Dollops to bring me round a fresh
supply of clothing, will you. dear
friend? And if you have anything in
the wardrobe room guaranteed not TO
make me look more of guy than l
do already, trot il out, please, and III
put II on while I'm waiting. / think
l may have as much as one sock sup
porter that's stlll dry-but won I
swear to it"
How in the world did YOU come to
get yourself in such a state" queried
the superintendent, as he rang up
exchange and sat waiting for the con-
nection. When you saw the storm
coming on why or earth didn't you
hop into a taxi or something?"
My dear Mr.. Narkom. that's some
thing YOU ought no. to ask-knowinC
me as YOU do" he replied. Il found
the flowers in the Emhankment Gar
dens ailuring. and strolled over for the
purpose of having a look at them l
didn't. however Shall | confess that
for once when my time was my own
and there were blossoms all about
me- I never looked at "A solitary one.
hut. instead. gave my whole attention
70 a woman?
A woman"
Yes va 'l tUt.il. III ldN'- D''. 81
ravishingly lovely. bur each OF a wide
" different class One. the adora bly,
beautiful Lady Flavia Hampshire. who
once was so high in royal favor and
was such "A radiant vision at the isst
cnronation--
Which she won't he at this one"
supplemented Mr. Narkom, Crispiy. Il
hear il has been limited To her that
she will he wise to forego her privi-
n
enforced ahsence. And l hear. too. that
she is as vicIously savage over il as
riIed tigress and would show her
claws if she dared Though. 20 he
sure, y is all hearsay and there may
1ot he a word Of truth in it.
Quite so But nevertheless. the fact
remains that I saw her in the En-
aankrnenr Gardens this morning.
niace so out Of the way and so ut
.erIy scorned by what YOU might call
the elect. that II is fair to ina gine
she had a very decided reason for
visiting lt-and ! also saw her de-
Iiherately address the other woman.
What other woman"
The one I mentioned as being of
an utterly different class. don't
know her name. hut l do know her
walk in life One has only to have
emerged from ones salad days to
CnnSFSId Uu INA d q IA ~ A'iI' - "a
queen of her kind-and they are the
first steps on the roadway TO hell She
is costing somebody tons of money.
that woman Four times I've seen her
in the past month-twice alone and
twice with the fool who's running
himself for her-and her dresses are
the last word from Paris. her limousine
an Arabian Nights dream OF sumptu-
ous r1agnificence and her jewels
f,h
Lady Flavia Hampshire went to the
Embankment Gardens today 70 keep
an appointment or she was merely on
her wav TO visit an acoualntancs IN
one Of the grand hotels backing upon
them, the fact remains that she spoke
to that woman and that | saw her
do so They met just as ! arrived at
the place. and l had no more than
seen her ladyship walk up to the
came that fury of storm and set
me NvinE for shelter But. l say.
There's a fitted hathtuh in that ward
rohe room if remember correctly, so,
If you'll excuse me, I'll pop in and
etave off possible cold by having
plunge and a brisk rub down after
ward: and by that time. no doubt. DOL
lops will have turned up with some
drv clothes"
The expectation was 'S''
within the limits of the next half hour
polIops TAXED round TO Mr.. Narkom's
nfice with full supply of dry gar
m4nts and left his master TO array
himself with his customary celerity
while he himself TAXED back home
with the wet ones. That was how 1t
harpened that Cleek came TO he on
the spot at the very instant when
this traordinary case was brought
% the Yard
Il .an1e somewhat in the nature Of
shock to have Mr.. Narknm suddenly
roke his head into the room. and rip
,rIt re.thlessIv For the Lords sake.
hurry. will voU' You're wanted at
nee. The most internal case The
whole country will rock with it If It
-e-s ont Come as You are! Come at
prCe"
To he sure" said Cleek. jumping
II Instantly. then. with the metal
aes of his bootlaces tick-tacking on
he floor as he advanced. he made
hree sharp strides to the door. pass
d through IL and found himself IN the
PRESENCE Of an elderly gentlema
whose clothes bespoke hrst-claSs
,arIo- and whose perfectly hitting
Gloves suggested that snviahle con-
dftion IF lite which has its gloves
made 80 order and by an expert hand.
NV dear Clfek. said Mr.. Narhon'
rfunging into tho very Eist of the
hing az once allow me TO make YOU
Acquainted with Sir Furdor Mace,
.eninr member of the great firm or
l. r Mace & Son who wishes 10 Sc
.lra vour services in ferrsting out
most appalling robbery jewel rob-
hey. to be exact
Sir Purdon. who bore newlv-gran nted
kniChthood with none Of the snoh-
business Of the usual tItcd trades
man. acknowledged Cleek's bow fitly.
hut looked very. very grave indeed.
As YOU may possibly have heard,
he said that section Of the crown
Jewels intrusted to our charge was the
state ring worn by Charles the First
on the occasion of his coronation at
HnIvrood in 1e32-a superb jewel
OF one large rectangular
ruhv surrounded by eighteen glorious
diamonds Of the purest water and of
pr,Celess value II came to us TO be
cleaned and FURNISHED and TO have
the security of the setting of the
various stones carefully looked into
and rectifed II in any way defective.
There was, at best. not three hours
xork upon il. so that by today we
should have been in a position TO re-
turn il to the. custodian of the crown
Jewels IN perfect repair. We cannot
do so now-indeeo. God help me! II
may he that we cannot do so ever. IL
YOU. who are our last hope should fail
us-for yesterday il utterly and com
pletely vanished. Mr.. Cleek. from the
very hands of the man who was en-
uaged In polishing II at the time
aud there is no clue to its where