The Monticellonian., 1915-11-04

1 wondered what they were talking about and, suppressing a yawn. walked toward them As l approached I l heard scattered remarks about styles and dress fabrics. Elaine had completely forgotten ten his and me. She took a couple of steps away from the court with the woman as I came up.
 Aren't you going to play?" I asked.
 T know you'll excuse me, Walter. smiled Elaine. My froeks are all so frightfully out of date And here's chance to get new ones, very reasona- bly,, too"
 They walked off, and I could not help seowling at the visitor On to- ward the house Elaine and Madame Larenz proceeded. and around it to the front porch, where Aunt Josephine was standing.
 Just think, auntie," cried Elaine, real Paris gowns down here without the trouble of going to the city-and cheaply, too"
 Aunt Josephine was only mildly in- terested, but that did not seem to worry Madame Barenz.
 T shall be glad to see you at three, Miss Dodge" she said. as she got into her car again and drove off
 When l came down l found Aunt Josephine still on the veranda. Tn ad- dition to my horse, which I had tele- phoned for. Elaine's little runabout had been driven to the door While I was talking to Aunt Josephine, Elaine came downstairs and walked over to the car.
 May I go with you?" I pleaded
 No. Walter she replied, laughing merrily You can't go. I want to try them on.'
 Properly squelched. I retreated. Elaine drove away, and a moment later I mounted and cantered off leis- urely.
 Near Del Mars bungalow might have been seen again the mysterious naturalist, walking along the road with butterfly net in his hand, and what appeared to be leather specimen case. perhaps six inches long, under his other arm
 AS Madame LarenZ whizzed past in her car. he looked up keenly, in spite of his seeming near-sightedness and huge smoked glasses. He watched her closely. noting the number of the car. then turned and followed it.
 Madam Larenz drew up. a second time, before Del Mars As she got out and entered, the naturalist, having quiekened his pace, came up and watched her go in. Then, after taking in the situation for moment, he made his way around the side of the bunga- low.
 "Is MT Del Mar at home?" inquired Madam Larenz, as the valet ushered her into the library
 No. madam he returned. "Mr. Del Mar is out. But he left word that if you came before he got back you were to leave word"
 The woman sat down at the desk and wrote hastily. When she had fin ished the short note she read it over and folded it up
 Tell Mir. Del Mar I've left a note here on his desk" she said to the valet
 A moment later she left the library. followed by the valet, who accom- panied her to her car, and assisted her in
 The hotel,a she directed to her driver. as he started off, while the valet returned to the bungalow.
 Outside, the naturalist had come through the shrubbery and had been looking in at the library window, watching every move of Madame Lar eng as she wrote. As she went out he paused just a second to look about Then he drew long knife from his pocket. forced the window catch. and quickly climbed into the room.
 Directly to the desk he went and hurriedly ran over the papers to it. There was the note. He picked it up and read it eagerly.
 My apartmeHt-St Germain-3 D. m.-Larenz."
 For a moment he seemed to con- sider what to do Then he replaced the note. Suddenly he heard the sound of footsteps. It was the valet returning. Quickly the naturalist ran to the window and jumped out
 A moment later the valet entered the library again That's strange he exclaimed. under his breath: T don't recall opening that window over there today
 He looked puzzled But as no one was about he went over and shut it
 Some distance down the road the naturalist quietly emerged in safety from the bushes. With scarcely moments hesitation, his mind thor oughly made up to his course, he hur- ried along the road.
 Meanwhile, at the St. Germain, Madame Larenz entered and passed through the rotunda of the hotel, fol lowed by many admiring glances of the men.
 Up in her room stood several large trunks, open. From them she had taken number of gowns which were scattered about or hung up for exhi- bition.