The Washington herald., 1916-10-15

AFh in casually for q chat with
u A Harold Stanley at the lat
aeA@&x ter's private ONCE in the Ex-
aminer Building a few days
later he found Stanley triumphantIy
inspecting something that seemed, at
first glance, to be a photograph of an
ancient and badly cracked mosaic.
Look" exclaimed Harold, pointing
to the photograph. Not so bad, Is 1t
considering had to At eleven pieces
together"
Good boyi" approved Clayton ut
will help identify your man And
that's Vanya Tosca's eye, is it?''
He frowned a little, involuntarily,
as he asked the question
YES" replied Harold, noting the
frown. "And, by the way, sheu be
here in a few minutes. So II you
want chat with her"
Il don't" retorted Clayton. IT don't
want anything more to do with her"
We'll, you'll have to treat her civ
lily If you meet her here" exhorted
Harold. I've sent for her to ask
her to tell me more about this man
Pierre La Rue she started to speak
Of when she fell into the trance. By
the way, I suppose your mother got
my acceptance?"
ITO the mask-baIl tonight?" asked
Bob.p "Oh, suppose so. I'm glad
you're coming. We"
rs it to be a mask ball?' asked
Stanley in mild interest; II had for
gotten that. thought it was just
TO be an ordinary dance, like"
Did you ever know my mother
to do anything 'ordinary?'?" laughed
Clayton. Not she. This Is to be
a sort Of variation on the usual mask
ball. The guests are not only to
wear masks at the dance itself, but
they are to come to the house in
masks, so that even in the dressing
rooms nobody can suspect who is
who. It's silly idea. But mothers
awfully keen on it. So don't forget
10 put on your mask before you get
to the house"
Il won't forget" promised Stanley,
adding, "but won't that give thieves
q good chance to slip in as guests ?''
An Office boy tapped at the door
bearing Vanya Tosca's card. At a.
nod from Stanley the boy departed to
return a second later usherinE the
visitor into the Office. Clayton nodded
stitiy In response to Vanya's beam
ing smile, and. with a word Of good
by to Harold, he stalked out.
Harold picked up the mosaic photo
graph and handed it to her.
What's this?" she asked, uncon-
cernedly. looking at the picture and
then at Harold.
With the same outward inditrer-
ence she handed the photograph back
to him. AS she did so she let her
nnsers rest for moment, as II by
chance, on his. The touch was cling
ing and warm. Instinctively Harold's
eyes sought hers in inquiry. She was
gazing up at him with a look akin to
alteration.
Startled, yet fattered, at such q
look from so beautiful a woman, he
opened his lips to speak.
The spell was broken by the fling
ing open Of the door leading to the
outer corridor. Dayton Parrish
stamped unannounced into the office.
Vanya wheeled about to face the in
truder. He glanced at her face.
whose expression Harold could not
see.
I'll call some other time when
you're less busy, Mr.. Stanley" she
said. '-Good-by."
She was gone before Harold could
protest. He turned angrily on the
detective.
Look here, Mr.. PARRISH" he said,
vexed. When I gave you the prfvf-
lege Of coming into my ONCE at any
time by that rear door to consult
with me about the Crimson Stain
care, didn't mean that you should
come in without knocking. l."
There's enough knocking dons