Omaha daily bee., 1916-07-16

, displeasure at the result. In fact, she
was about to express her appreciation
, when suddenly the entrance of the
: maid interrupted. -.g
"Mr. Had Rulu is in the library,
, she announced.
Again Mrs. Wallace stiffencd. and
Mary saw her hand clench, as though
in an effort to control her nervous
ness. Then, as before, she rose alb
!, ruptly from her chair and left the
room. Mary was following when the
street door opened, and there stepped
into the hall man, whose every
movement cried out that he was a
plain clothes detective. The girl
paused, watching breathlessiy as he
also made his way to the library.
Would the presence Of the Hindoo be
discovered, and, if so, what would be
the RESULT 1t was quite evident that
Hadj Rulu did not care to have his
presence advertised.
The reason for the detectives pres
cnce was explained by his first words.
"Mr Wallace reports that he has
been robbed, and that so far as he
knows no person in this house
knew Of the combination of his safe,
where the money was placed, except
himself. 1t looks like an inside job.
Mrs. Wallace. What do you think"
81 am sure the servants are inno-
cent?! said Mrs. Wallace quickly. II
would stake my life on them"
That is generally the kind who will
bear watching" said the detective
cynically. who is the girl who has
charge of the cleaning and busting Of
this roomf"
THAT is Hattie, one of our younger
maids, who has been with US all her
life" answered Mrs. Wallace.
The detective surveyed the maid au-
thoritatiyely and literally barked his
questions at her, as though priding
himself on the fear and repulsion
which the girl exhibited.
What did you do with the combi-
nation of that safe" he demanded.
1--WE know you took tive know you
took it from the red book there on
the top of the shelf, where you watch
ed Mr.. Wallace hide it! Now, give US
the truth! No lies"
! The smaid covered back, ready to
burst into tears, and Mrs. Wallace
laid a hand encouragingly on her
shoulder. The detective scowled at
the gesture, and renewed his cross-ex-
animation.
! And then suddenly Mary saw a
hand steal out from the curtains of
the opposite DOORWAY !S.his1 which
III. I.,a tt.., Il.n4Ao -Ne~A,1nl
lean, brown hand, and in its fingers
was the paper which Mrs. Wallace
obediently had delivered to her mas
ter in the trance. The next instant
the paper was dropped into an apron
pocket of the weeping Hattie, with
| the action unseen except by the
! watching girl in the hall.
1 II the detective insisted now on
search, what would be the result? Evil
IDENTIFY the officer had been disappoint-
ed in the result Of his fusillade OF
questions, for suddenly he dismissed
the girl, with TO attempt to search
her. Mary had just time to dart to
the stairs when Hattie appeared in
the hall, weeping, and followed to the
upper floor behind her.
Mary thought swiftly. If the Hindoo
/ had succeeded in slipping the COM
bination into the girls pocket, why
should she not succeed in slipping it
out of the pocket On the sudden
thought, she called the maid TO her,
and under the pretense Of asking her
some questions as to the best hour
to call on Mrs. Wallace in future, she
managed to reach her pocket, and
fasten her fingers on the tell-tale
paper.
A few minutes later she saw the de-
tective depart and hardly waiting I'M
til he was out OF the yard, the Hindoo
hurried down the hall, and to the
street. The coast was now clear, and
| descending to the lower corridor,
Mary nodded brightly to the butler,
and followed serenely to the walk.
The Hindoo had vanished, but the
girl was not concerned with him for
the present. She realized that she
now held the trump card, that Fate
had suddenly and Unexpectedly given
her lever over the man, which even
the others adroitness could not es-
cape. How could she use il to the
best advantage, and with the most
telling results?
At the Royalton she received her
answer. To explain the situation
which greeted her on her return,
however, it is necessary to go back
to the morning, and trace the move
ments of Mona when the other left
to keep her appointment with Mrs.
Wallace.
Mona had watched Hadj Rulu de-
part on his way to the Wallace home,
although the girl of course did not
know his destination at the time. She
knew only that the Hindoo was gone
that his apartment was apparently
unguarded, and that the coast was
clear for an intimate investigation Of
the mysterious premises. Should she
undertake itl Her question was
answered by the appearance Of Cas-
per Carson, grinning broadly.
II passed that Hindoo chap down.
stairs" he announced, "and he stared
at me as though he were making a
mental photograph Of my handsome
features Do you suppose that he
knows mei"
Mona laughed. "He thinks he
knows you. He thinks that you are
Wallace, the banker
Carson started. Where in the !
world did he get that absurd idea"
From me-" said the girl sweetly.
you don't object, do you, When !
saw him and told him my troubles,
he asked me to describe the appear
ance Of the guardian who had victim
lied me. | suspected that he had
never seen the real Wallace. and that