The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-07-23

You're so good to me, MT. shelly!" she told him, in wide-eyed innocence. T must be fright ful nuisancev'
 ''Nuisance-not bit of it, Miss Burnett" !" he assured her, gallantly T know how strange it must seem the first time you cross Just you leave everything to me-I1l that you have such comfortable trip that you'll never cross on any other boat. You'll understand, won't you if have to run away and leave you constantly? There all sorts of things that have to at- tend to-people who don't like their cabins, and cranks of all sorts."
 "Of course-you mustn't let me bother you!"
 "You could never do that Once we're off I'll have much time-you must let me show you the ship then"
 Jones, secret service naturally would be, an amused witness of Marys deal ings with the purser. And that night, when they were at sea- he contrived opportunity to see the two girls.
 five found out few things" he said. Our man, just as expected, has taken the state cabin, as they call it-a regular sute really-two state rooms, brass bed private bath-all that sort of luxury. No wonder-his government has to pay! He's planning to keep to himself pretty we'll, we'll fnd."
 "A man travelling with such dangerous bag gage would fancy" said Mona.
 Right! I'm almost he has suspicion that he has been followed. He looked over all the passengers pretty carefuly-he of the first aboard, you know. I made myself conspicu- as could, you notced!"
 "You certainly did !" said Mary, with laugh. "While was trying to find things out from the
 
 tions! I couldn't have the to myself for five minutes. He's thoroughly convinced that you're very important newspaper correspondent and he's going to see that you give good report of the line'
 q saw what you were doing!" laughed Jones. "Well, you simply anticipated my suggestion. It's going to be very important for one of you to be good terms with the purser. think he'd do good deal for me, but won't take chances by asking too much He didn't offer to show you the state suite, did he?"
 "No," said Mary, regretfully. q never thought to ask"
 T managed that" said Jones, complacently. "He showed me over the whole ship Awful bore it was, tool crossed in her half dozen times before he got his berth, and I imagine I know things about her he hasn't even suspected yet! But I wanted look at Mir. Ks cabin-and I got it. There's small safe in there-and Shelly plained to me that he and the passenger occupy ing the suite the only ones who have the combination. It's changed for every voyage-and the captain doesn't know it 1"
 He'll keep his papers there, of course2" said Mona.
 "We don't have to worry much about where he's hidden those valuable papers. Unless all signs fail we know that what we've got to do is to get that safe opened, by of the two men who do it. If he'd turned his stuff to the purser for safe keeping I'd be lot more dubious because pursers strong-room is the real thing. And Shelley is rather stupid-and very faithful and conscientious. couldn't have done anything with him."
 "Just what do you expect to do as it is?' asked Mona.
 "One of you-and Miss Mary has started, so that she'd better be the one-will have to make friends with Shelly The other will have to if there's human side to X. There must be, you now-he must be susceptible in some way!s
 T don't like his looks," said Mona. And I doubt very much whether he'll see anything in me-"