The Washington times., 1916-09-10
The Adventure of
d The Forbidden Room
Copyright. 1915. by the star Company.

Copyright. 1915 by the star Company.
, there. the proprietor volunteered to
Back to the kitchen went Jimmy aga'n,
| guided this time by the still sleepy own.
er. who pointed to another open door
the woman must have vanished through
| this. Jimmy went out the door and
crossed around to the front OF the res
There vas no trace of the missing
There was a little bungalow across
the the road that seemed 70 come up and hit
~ noticeable about it-but II Just insist
ed on calling attention to itself. All of
a sudden the door few open. and a
sa around %th her lot faSa Ss s.ri.a S hai5 sG
come out. Before she could get through,
ttnSush. tssSsa "a, a hand "a seized her shoulder and
queer expression on her face. I'll not
sossn;t dSrset 1t tov in "a hurry Frightened,
70 's orss sns % s.r. she TsnsS @S
story. but II makes me feel as II Blue
Cove needed our very particular and
special attention. What do you think7''
terfeiter OF Forty second street and my
unknown deserted bridegroom" and the
pretty girl who had been dragged back
so suddenly into the BUNGALOW and the
sleepy proprietor of the little restaurant
were all parts Of a story. But could we
fit the parts together?
This promised to be a thrilling pic
Managing Editor-snd both Of these
things and more to me. II offered a
chance to help John Miles and the un-
known girl whose eyes had held the
glimpse Of Blue Boards chamber Of
horrors.
When the train pulled In at the dingy
little station which marked Blue Cove.
! was athrill with desire to solve our
the "depot" at Blue Cove was the
typical country station. A few loiterers
stood about, and there were one or two
drivers dozcd on the boxes.
We embarked in the one Of these
which appeared most liekly to hold to-
gether while IT. ratified us down the
country lane. Jimmy bade the driver
take us to the home Of John Miles. That
seemed a name to compel interest and
respectful attention.
A Prim Little Cottage.
4 short drive brought us to q prim
little cottage set woll back from the
road. II was a honey place. and one
felt instinctively that the owner would
be n likable young farmer.
A dear little old lady opened the door
for us and led us into a neat living
room where a good-looking young chap
met us with a welcoming smile.
The Mileses were simple country folk
who seemed greatly impressed by the
fact that they Were entertaining Bea-
rice Fairfax and James Bag on.
We explained to John Miles Just ex-
actly why we thought that there might
be a possibility of our helping him solve
the mystery OF the disappearance OF the
girl he loved. But II seemed as II he
were the one who could offer most aid
In solving the mystery. For moment
Jimmy told him how he had followed
the woman he suspected OF being a
counterfeiter to the restaurant John
Miles broke In with the utmost excite
ment.
Was there a little bungalow opposite
the restaurant"
Then Jimmy went on and told him of
the girl who had come to the door of
the bugalow and been dragged back so
John Miles could hardly restrain his
excitement. That's Jean" he cried
I'm sure it's Jean. We must start at
once. l" go out and hitch up my mare.
for don't dare waste a minute. I'm
sure 1t was Jean. and l think the woman
you saw was Madame Gaillard. Jean
has been her secretary for quite a while.
And now that / think about 1t, l never
did like her boss"
John Miles told us his story.
The afternoon before he had tele-
phoned to the bungalow where Jean
Moore was acting as stenographer to
rangements for their marriage. Jean
was an orphan-friendless and alone.
He had met her some weeks before,
when first she came to act as secretary
for the recluse who lived In the French
bungalow. He had fallen in love with
her almOat a once.
II wasn't very slow about telling her
SO, either. She was to get through at
Madam Gailard's yesterday afternoon,
and she promised to meet mother and
me at the parsonage at for a quiet lit
tie wedding-we were going to be SO
h.RPyi .!%si, 10, 70 tho n.r.o,.v.
but Jean wasn't there. telcphoned the
Madame Gaillard had gone to town and
might not be back till late. and that
Jean had gone without leaving word
where she was going.
II waited at the bungalow another
hour; then I left mother there and be-
a trace of her, though Ishunted all
night. But now I feel hopeful again.
You will help me nnd my Jean. won't
you?'
1--WE will try" said Jimmy Barton
quietly when John Miles had finished.
The men seemed to be the master
minds In our little expedition, and for
the. present thought 1t best to accept
their plans.
Young Miles drove to the edge of a
grove, led his horse in and tied her.
Then he bade us wait at the restaurant
| while he went to the bungalow for an
interview with Madame Gaillard.
Jimmy and walked slowly over to
the little inn and fingered long enough
to see Miles go up to the door OF the
bungalow and ring the bell: then we
| sauntered into the restaurant with an
air which we thought well calculated
to deceive. But there was no one to
| appreciate our histrionic powers. Jimmy
| decided to 20 on q little tour Of investi-
cation. He crossed over to the kitchen
and vanished for a second.
A New Delevopment.
Then I heard my name called with
gentle insistence and I ran to the
kicthen. I saw part OF the floor Jerk
Ing UP slowly. Evidently 1t was a trap
door and someone was sneaking up
| from the basement with intent to come
through It. Jimmy gave me a quick
order to 20 into the other room and
bring him a tablecloth which ne would
tear into strips and use to bind the
approaching enemy"
I felt my heart futtering rather
strangely. suppose the enemy over.
powered Jimmy! But a second later
my faith In the redoubtable Mr.. Barton
coupled with the knowledge that he had