The Washington times., 1916-01-29
Continued from Yesterday

doesn't It? why should it startle
you so?" asked Lamar quietly.
=. My fault" said the chief, a
twinkle in his eye. Must have pushed
! the wrong button. Sorry"
"Yes you arev' Alma leaned forward
you're putting me through the third de-
gree. don't you? why. you're bunch
of amateurs. Make me break down?
| Lord! You haven't even got my goat, >,
Lamar remarked with aggravating
calm. Now, I'm going to tell you few
| things. We've had you trailed for forty-
eight hours. Yes, that gets under the
why you take the trouble to paint red
circles on your hand when you oper-
ate so cleverly without them. What 3
the use Of doing things that'll help spot
| you-eh?'
Alma looked at him with an amused
smile.
You may be talking sense she re-
marked contemptuously. But to me
| II sounds like they'd just let you out
You don't know anything about Red
Circles?"
Il do not"
The door opened suddenly. Two men.
one in uniform. entered and placed a
suitcase on the chiefs desk. Alma
started forward in her chair:
Yes. it's yours soothed Lamar.
We just want to take look. They've
/ Just brought 1t from your rooms"
Anything happen while you were
searching, the hat?" the chief asked the
| plain-clothes man.
Nothing much. The phone rang.
When ] answkered 1t mans voice
asked whether this was J-12S. I said
It was. I heard him grunt like he was
| surprised, maybe scared. Then he
hung up. couldn't get him back on
| Of IN chief
| | know that mans voice-only l couldn't
sound to IT,
During this recital Lamar kept a
| sharp watch on Alma. He saw her grip
the arms of her chair until the man
said he could not place the voice. Then
she smiled, half In anger. half in tri-
umph.
That voice Is her boss" he said to
himself. Then he opened the suitcase.
he pulled out soft piles Of silk lingerie
and tossed them on the desk.
Say. have heart the way you
handle those things" Alma said sharp
~. They cost money
You bet they do" Lamar answered
the command. Those first mortgages
are certainly good to you
HIS hand closed on something sm Doth
and cold. He dragged IT out from be-
tween the folds of an embroidered XII
mono. 1T was a paint-boX! He fumbled
as he opened It, because he did not want
TO take his eyes Off Alma's face. He
was surprised to find that there was not
a culver of an eyelash.
Once open, he he'd up the box so the
light hit the surface of the little tabs
OF paint.
Just as | thought" he exclaimed
clever little Rafflns after all. Alma! You
see. chief, only the red paint has been
Used. Wait a minute. I'll md the
sponge" .,
He plunged his hand into the sui
case gain and held up the tiny sponge
then bent over Alma solicitously
You see. II you'd been really smart.
he told her. you'd nave smeared W
the other paints. too. Then you coult
say that you were just an amateur art
st who went to Surfton to do sea
scapes."
Say. You think S you're ma v~% %ondsr .Ea,
don't YOU" she scored, oi1ei. D,d ,na you eve
Surely" he answered blandly, "hu
not with water color paints. I should
imagine It would be rather inconven
lent especially II one were given t.
washing ones face
Il use that way OF making up m,
nostrils and the lobes OF my ears sh'
sad calmly. ITS more artistic anc
delicate than grease paint. especially
In the daylight"
well" approved Lamar. that's
pretty good one-tell me some more
u The chief sgnaled the other two men
They left the office.
We've got you. Alma" he sale
firmly.
Cot me-nothing," she fired back
Il tel, you that's part Of my makeup.
, Lamar pulled at the chiefs sleeve
and led him to corner of the office
where they conversed in low tones
Alma twisted restlessly in her chair.
| Suddenly the door burst open an
slammed back against the wall so tina
the whole room shook. The sergeant
, two old shoes swinging from his ief
t hand, rushed in. his face scarlet witt
excitement
u Look at the swag. Look at tn
swag," he shouted.
Tnclosng his right hand. he dron