The Washington times., 1916-11-11
Cast for Photoplay

SuCh car as the rescued tiansafu ndu
been noticed by anyone; and at last,
! little wiser than when he had fret
seen the squat shape rising from a
welter Of surf. Race drove off to
London.
age. he went to his club and picked
up the last edition OF his favorite
paper.
His eyes ran down column after
news might be displayed. and finally
caught at paragraph headed Mystery
Here we are!" Christopher muttered.
to his disappointment, the paragraph
had nothing to do with the affair at
Tilton-on-Sea.
Yesterday morning." he read. AN
oxford road. party Of laborers going
to work saw a new-looking, blue-pajnt-
ed car Of moderate size standing by the
roadside. with no one In IT.. They
owner to arrive. but when no one came
they ransacked the woods in the neigh
borhood. suspecting foul play. The
search proving vain. however, the la
borers gave information to the police
Of Needleham. the nearest town. and a
horse was sent out to tow the automo-
bile to the police station. There IL was
recognized during the morning as the
pIODtTty Oh u VINO naQ ar
rived at a hotel the evening before. UNI
accompanied by chauffeur. This
gentleman had already left town, but
as he had gone by rail he was traced
to Oxford. about ten miles distant. In
,erviewed there on the subject of the
lost car he changed color. and appeared
at first somewhat agitated at learning
where II had been found. But he ex-
pressed himself delighted to hear Of its
recovery, offered reward to the men
who had given the information. and re-
turned by the next train TO Needleham,
where ne once more took charge OF his
property. The gentleman's name as II
Bell and Bush Hotel of Needleham was
John Smith. London. He refused to
lodge q complaint against any person
Lor the theft OF his motor. though he
knew who had taken It."
1t was while Christopher was reading
the column under a somewhat sensa-
tional heading. which the Daily Re-
Sea. that the maid who brought his
breakfast brought with 1t a visiting
card The name was an unfamiliar one,
but the magic words. Daily Recorder"
Open Sesame" to closed doors.
Tell the gentleman to come up"
said he to the little servant who had
brought him so many queer messages
and visitors of late.
u
young man appeared-not an ordinary
reporter. It seemed. but a representa-
tive deputed to ask Mr.. Races help in
solving the mystery OF the blue-motor
car: The matter was to be taken
up" by the journal, and a reward was
to be offered for information. Mr..
Races name had been popular with the
public since he was instrumental in
placing the young King and Queen of
Dalvania on their disputed throne. Be-
IN fAR
world. and altogether. II he would lend
himself to the scheme. II would be con-
sidered an advantage to the paper.
Christopher reflected. and soon reach
ed practical conclusion. He had no
engagement for Scarlet Runner. hav-
ing been Obliged to sacrifice one OF
two on the altar of the new improve
ments.
He agreed to the proposal. and prom
ised to begin Investigations at ONCE. the
blanche as to his proceedings, and ask
nag only for a telegraphic report of
progress each evening, in time to go
to press with his news-or lack of news.
The. first thing that Christopher did
was to proceed In Scarlet Runner to
Needleham. pretty little town which
had just outgrown villagehood. At the
best hotel he obtained a description OF
John Smith. OF London. and was fav-
ored by a glimpse of signature in
parently gentleman, well dressed, so
far as the landlord and the servants
OF. the inn had noticed. He was tall,
rather fair. but sunburned. and wore
q beard. cut like that OF naval Of;
ficer: indeed, now one came to recall
him. he had somewhat the air OF a
sailor. He might have been anywhere
between the ages of thirty and thirty
five. No further information concern
inP Mr.. Smith could be obtained.
So far ChriqtOnhar had not oncor,-
plished much, and his pride was at
stake. He determined to travel from
Needleham to Tilton-on-Sea by short
stages, making researches here and
there Starting at the time he calcu-
lated Mr.. Smith must have started, he
paused to put questions at TOWNS where
a motorist might have stopped for re-
pairs and to buy oil and petrol He
could learn nothing Of the blue motor
or its driver however, until at about
6 o'clock in the evening he reached
Helmsford.
Between Helmsford and TiIton-on-Sea
Christopher could learn nothing, The
journey had been made by the blue
found who had seen It. even though
Christopher refrained from continuing
his own journey till daylight. for fear
of missing the trail
At last he arrived once more at Til
ton-on-Sea, three days after leaving It.
The Hansard was still In charge of the
police at the little seaside town. which
was now stirred to It's depths by the
sensational surmises of the London
press. Christopher went to pay the
car visit and in looking over It
carefully, lest some detail might have
escaped his attention, an Idea suddenly
occurred to him.
AS he had stated at first. 'careIessIy,
the automobile had been newly painted
Now he asked himself IL the change of
paint were not In itself an attempt at
disguise calculated to entangle the
complicated.
He scraped off bit OF the brightly
vanished paint ON the back of the
seat and brought to light a patch OF
color red as blood.
No other tint could have been more
conspicuous than this crimson which
had been lately covered with blue. It
was OF a shade even moro noticea HE