Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1915-06-24

A new interest seemed suddenly to
have crept into Hardaway's manner.
Let me see." he said. 'if she left
Clifford's hotel about two. she would
have been at Hampstead about half
past two. She would waste a few min
utes In making inquiries, then she
probably left Hampstead for West
Kensington, say, at a 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"
1.-THE white slave trafic!" 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 them
watched and 1t seems that they were
sitting In a tea place about three
o'clock yesterday afternoon when q
young woman entered who was OBJ
viously stranger to London. You
see. the time fits In exactly, II your as
sistant decided to stop on her way to
kensington and get some tea. She
asked the woman at the desk the best
means of getting to West Kensington
without taking taxicab. Her de-
scription tallies exactly with the pho
tograph you have shown me. The wom-
an whom my men were watching ad-
dressed her and offered to show her
the way. They left tho place together.
My men followed them. The house
has been watched ever since and we
are raiding 1t this afternoon. You and
/ vii! just be In time"
He stopped the cab and they got
out. A man who seemed to be stroll
ing aimlessly along reading a newspa-
nar srf1denly fninnd them
We'll. Dixon7' his chief exclaimed.
The man glanced around.
I've got three men round at the
back. Mr.. Hardaway," he said "It's
impossible for anyone to leave the
place."
Hardaway paused to consider mo-
ment.
Look here" Quest suggested, they
know all Of you, Of course, and they'll
never let you In until they're forced
to. I'm stranger. Let me 60. I'll
get In all right" "..
"Atl right" he assented. ave shall
follow you up pretty closely. though"
Quest stepped back into the taxi and
gave the driver direction. When he
emerged In front of the handsome gray
stone house he seemed to have be-
come completely transformed. There
was fatuous smile upon his lips He
crossed the pavement with difficulty.
stumbling up the steps. and held on
the knocker with one hand while he
consulted slip OF paper. He had
scarcely rung the bell before q slightly
parted curtain In the front room fell
together and a moment later the door
was opened by a man In the livery of
a butler, but with the face and ply.
siQue OF prize-aghter. ~
Lady OF the house, Quest demand
ed. Want to see the lady of the
| house."
Almost Immediately he was con-
scious OF a woman standing in the hall
before him.
You had better come In" she in.
yited. please do not stand In the
doorway" .."...-.
Quest. however. who had heard the
footsteps of the others behind him, loi.
| tered there for a moment.
You're the lady whose name is on
this piece Of papers" he demanded.
| This place is all right. eh?'
II really do not know what you
mean" the woman replied coldly: but
II you win come inside Will talk with
you In the drawing rocm."
| Quest. as though stumbling against
the front door, had it now wide open,
| and In . moment the hall seemed full