The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-07-06

an idea flashed into his head.
is Mary Lanahan in the
house?" he inquired of Stapleton.
Mr.. Stapleton pressed a button.
In a few moments, the nurse had
been brought to the room. She was
haggard with grief and fear.
Duvall began to ask her a num-
Der Of apparently unimportant
questions.
She answered them frankly
enough, although 1t was clear
that she was very i'll at ease.
Presently Duvall got up, and,
calling Mr.. Stapleton to one side,
asked him to detain the nurse in
the library for few moments. He
wished to search her room.
The room was on the third
floor. Duvall found it, and went
at once to the mantel, took from
1t the two small bottle-shaped
vases which stool upon it and
shook them vigorously. A faint
rafting sound came from the
second. He turned 1t upside
down, and there tumbled out a
quantity of ashes and the butts
of several partly smoked cigarets.
He replaced them in the vase and
returned to the library.
When the woman was gone, he
turned to Mr.. Stapleton.
by the way, where is your
man. Francois. tonight?"
He is visiting his people, in
the suburbs"
"Ah! Then | would like to
search his room, as we'll"
Come along; I'll go with YOU"
The room was at the very top
OF the house, with two windows
opening through the slanting
mansard roof. One of these, Du-
vail noted, commanded a view to-
ward the north, beyond which
could be seen the Avenue du Bots
de Boulogne. A second window,
toward the south, commanded an
extensive view toward Passy.
One of the first objects which
attracted his attention was an or
binary electric searchlisht, of the
pocket variety, lying on the mans
dresser. He picked it up and OK
amined it carefully.
He was about to put the thing
down when his attention was at
tracted by two objects, made of
thin glass, which hung from the
dresser by two bits of ribbon.
They seemed at first glance
merely souvenirs of some party.
which the chauffeur had preserv-
ed as mementos. Duvall had seen
such ornaments often ut Christ
mas time. He had almost pass
ed them by, when something in
their color caused him TO pause.
One was deep blue, the other
an equally dsep red.
He took down the little blue
basket and placed it over the end
OF the searchlight. 1t fitted per-
fectly, the paper collar holding
the glass hemisphere snugly in
place. Duvall pointed the search
light toward his companion and
pressed the button. Mr.. Staple
ton started back, as his face was
flooded with a beam of brilliant
blue light.
Francois evidently Is In the
habit OF making signals" the de-
tective said.
For the next half hour, Duvall
went over the contents of the
chauffeur's room with the utmost
care. Nothing further rewarded
his efforts. Still he seemed dis
satisfied.
Suddenly he strobe to the man.
tel, upon which stood small
alarm clock. He picked up the
clock ard tried to wind it; but
the handle resisted his efforts.
In an instant he took out his
knife and began removing the
screws which held the back in
place.
In few moments he lifted ont
the rear plate of the clock. AS
he did so a small pasteDoard box
fell ont.
What is it," asked s,tapIeton.
The box of cigarettes" re-
marked Duvall, as he opened IL.
There are three missing. / shall
take fourth"
He selected one of the paper
covered tubes, placed it within
his pocketbook, then thrust the
box back into the clock and rap
idly replaced the metal plate.
Il don't think there Is any
thing further to be done here.
Mr.. Stapleton," he remarked. II
think I'll be getting along"
Duvall left the house, and went
| at once to his hotel. Here he
seated himself in an easychair.
and placing the cigarette ne had
secured in the chauffeur's room
between his lips, carefully lit It.
He drew the smoke into his
lungs inhaling it deeply. Once
twice-three times he repeated
the operation, then closed his eyes
and sat buried in thought. In his
preoccupation he allowed the end
of the cigarette to fall unheeded
to the floor.
After many minutes he opened
his eyes and started up. "I've got
it," he cried, and, picking mp the
half-burned cigarette from the
floor, threw 1t carelessly into the
fireplace.
CHAPTER XII