The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-06-19
CHAPTER III.
Trained.

MlSb Val LIB III W % - taAh,
strikingly pretty woman of 27,
who looked at the deputy-survey-
or with perfect self-possession. IT
was plain she regarded him mere
ly as some official whom she was
bound to see regarding a matter
of business. sn.5.
Sorry If kept you waiting,
Miss Cartwright" Taylor said.
briskly. my name is Taylor"
you wanted to see me about a
ring, / think, didn't your"
Yes" he answered. THE in
tention evidently was to smuggle
it through the customs" ife.Ni
do you really think so?" she
demanded, interested. 81 haven't
the faintest idea who could have
sent 1t to me-"
"Of course you haven't" he
said, in his blandest, most reas-
surfing manner. Its a mistake
he continued, but the record will
probably shed some light on the
matter"
And he sent Duncan from the
room, presumably in search OF
the papers.
do you know" she asserted.
81 feel quite excited at being
here and sitting in a chair in
which you probably often examine
smugglers. One reads about it
constantly"
Its being done all the time,
he responded, among all sorts
of people. Now, Miss Cartwright,
since we are talking of smuggling.
I'd like to have a little business
chat with you If l may"
The girl looked at him aston
ished. with me?" she demand
ed.
~ mean it," Taylor asserted.
you said you've read about all
this smuggling and SO on. Believe
me, you've not read a thou
sandth part of what's going on
all the time, despite our efforts
to check 1t. The difficult part
is that many of the women are so
socially prominent that it isn't
easy to detect them. They move
in the sort of world you move in. y
He leaned forward and spoke i'm
pressively. 'But it's a world
where neither l nor my men could
pass muster for a moment. Do
you follow me?"
Il hear what you say" she
said, but
He interrupted her, Miss
Cartwright, we are looking for
some one who belongs in society
by right. Some one who is clever
enough to provide us with infor-
and yet never be suspect
cd. We want some one, for in
stance, like you"
Really, Mr.. Taylor" she cried,
you probably mean well, but"
Again he cut her short.
I'm sorry you don't care to
my proposition, but ,it's
your business, after all. Blythe
way" he added, after a moments
pause, there's another little mat
ter I'd like to take up with you.
Do you recall a George Bronson,
the claim agent of the New York
Burglar Insurance company, Sthe
company which insured the jewels
that were stolen from you?'a q
II think I do" she returned
but" - 81.
well, that company has had a
great deal of trouble with society
who have got money by
their jewels and then
putting in a claim that they were
stolen and so recovering from the
on the alleged loss.p
The girl looked at him, frown-
Ing. Are you trying to insinuate
that"
Certainly not" Taylor purred
amiabiy. But there were some
things Bronson could not under
stand"
Really" Miss Cartwright re-
turned. II don't quite under
stand how this concerns the GUS
toms."
at doesn't" he agreed readily.
Il am acting only as Bronson's
friend, and II you'll answer my
questions may be able to recover
he jewels for you"
The girls fnce cleared.
That will ~ Splendid" she en-
,laimed. "Of ooufpo. IN toll yu3I