Omaha daily bee., 1916-05-14

| II while I'm looking on. you sec. He Of
forsd 10 help me With my copy today.'
Let him-tomorrow." said Mary II
think It's time I'm pretty sure I know
what they've got up their sleeves now"
TOO bad about Harry" said Mona.
I lie could have made good as an artist. V
= suppose II "a the old story" said
Mary. bitterly Just az II was with Us.
n we'd had a chance to make a llving
without the schemes we've had 70 resort
to. we'd have been right, too"
20 The next day Mona gladly accepted
Harry's offer 10 help her with tho finish.
ing touches her copy required. She
thanked him, when It was done, and went
away. but she fingered and saw him
come out, and then she returned and
took up the watch from nook size had
/ discovered IN her wanderinEs IN tho
museum. II seemed however, that shc
was doomed TO be disappointed, for Harry
\ dld not return, as sho had supposed he
would
\ Mary however. saw him come into
I Melnottes and she was able 10 hear him
tell the dealer that he was going 10
turn the trick" about noon, when there
would be few visitors when he went
out with the copy OF tho Mona Wanna
I that she had found In tho storeroom hid
den under his coat. she telephonod 10
Mona who had agreed 70 be In e certain
pay station near the museum. And Mona
AZ once hurried back 70 her hiding place,
1 Just IN time 70 DO out Of sight when Harry
resumed his copying
She saw him take tho spurious Mona
I Wanna from undor bis coat; saw him, too,
cover the back Of the copy with paste.
Then, very swiftly and deKterously, he
cut the real painting from rs frame and
4 substituting tho copy, smoothed Il down,
/ And, after he had hidden the Mona
Wanna. he calmly sat down and resumed
! his copying An attendant passed soon
afterward but saw nothing wrong. and
Mona wanted 10 applaud Harry's GOODNESS
and nerve. Ito gave absolutely no sign,
Az tho man passed him. OF being nervous.
/ And not until he had boon at work for
Soma time did he actually take his de-
I psrturo
He passed out of Mona's kon then, Of
course. but passed into Mays ms soon as
he reached Melnotto's. Neither man was
et all suspicious Of Mary. sho had
rendered herself thoroughly unobtruavo
ever since rho had come to work. and
I they took her pretty much for grontad
Tint suited her very well. because II in
creased her opportunities for observation
tremendously
shs managed 10 SEQ Harry take tho
stolen picture and show II 20 Mslnotts.
And lhon sho saw something that sur
pflsad her, and upset Nil hor cnleula-
tons. Thoy took the real art troasure.
the picture Harry had stolen, and put II
carefully Into tho frame from which tho
copy that Harry had substituted for II
had boon taken
That was the one thing Mary had not
expected them 10 do. 30 had been GER
tain. somehow, that still another copy.
perhaps tho ono Harry had been making,
WIS going into that frame, and her whole
plan had been based upon that certainty.
She knew that Melnotto had been IN com
municnti0n with famous collector a
rival Of Crogan, tho lender Of the Norma
Wanna to the Columbian Museum. named
Wellington Watson. And she had been
sure too, that she had seen through tho
plan they had made 10 hoodwink Wat
SON Now she was completely baffled,
and she realized that shs would, at tho
eleventh hour, have to make an entirely
new plan. unless she wanted all the work
she and Mona had already done so for
nothing
Her only grain OF comfort was that
aho heard Meinotts. speaking over tho
telephone. mako an appointment with
Watson, for the following afternoon,
They we're to meet at tho museum,
Mary was afraid to Jump at conclusion
again, but sho did feel that there was a
chance now to save the day
We're like people working In the
dark" she told Mona. that night, whom
the two compared notes so far there's
been altogether too much guess work TO
suit me-and from now on Id like to
have some facts to work with"
We've got to have them" said Mona
And the one essential thing is 10 over
hear the conversation tomorrow when
Melnotte meets Watson at the museum.
4 Mary nodded her agreement,
Youth have To ba tho one 10 get these
! faets," she said. And / don't see how
you're going to do III, They're sure to be
suspicious II there's anyone within ear.
shot
Leave that 70 me- said Mona, conf
7 IDENTITY rvs made one or two dlsoov-
cries about that museum since I've heon
working thoro with Harry Did you aver
hear Of the whispering galleryf'
Yes" said Mary, hrghtcning $40
! you mean To say there's something OF
1 tho sort In tho museum
aThe acoustics arc very peculiar" said
I Mona ~ won't make any promises AZ
| an, but / have hopes very high hopes e"
And tho next day she took up her
watch IN a certain spot IN tho gallery
From whore She waited she could not
sea the despoilsd frame q the "Monna
Wanna AZ ai. but that ana not trouble
her Ana sure enough, after little
tnme. She heard the voice n Meinotte
= told you sou vould b surprised.
Nc Watson said The dealer "t
needn't point ons % 5 real goilseleF IKE
yuafaplf that lbm IA slnHalaFly lms
padent feeY of The famous Mouna
Wanna
ig tetef ssN Feifs that vas
STRANGE ~ Mut me ata IA Watson
taats ushi Uani VIA, s.Apasl
lbe fsUHAtd NJ asap sac rem
lalnlg gcolst ,ha rpllla ihh time sait
Waipafle
on sita re man 81 taa hs's teei
nat sFVak aAi4 Wassam I've nj
taatl 81 ih fN hs faA ne fsal thns
ant Z haFRsn O. k68w that 30 said
stlfi rlisa taF ies faFstgf 70 hsl He'll