Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-07-22

in with the air Of n chairman at a
board meeting. 81 shall be very pleas
ed to do anything l can. As j. p.
of course / have had great experience
of human nature. and l may De aple
to throw a little light on anything
that is puzzIing you. What Is IL all
about"
Mrs. sanderson leaned forward con-
.hdentially-
she said The fact rs. ape IN a
very awkward predcament.
Indeed. you don't say so. Tn very
sorry to hear It. I'm sure
TT is this way" began Charles. lean
ing forward in his tarn. SO that Mr..
Pollock was fairly hemmed in by
Snndersons. when came down from
london last night J brought with mo
certain important papers--government
secrets Those papers have disap-
Feared
Mr.. Pollock stared al, him. mouth and
eyes open. You Sn't say so. ne
.ous What do you suppose happened
ITO Them"
stolen" replied Charles briefly.
Good God" said Mr.. Pollock. This
is really terrible. Do you suspect any
I'VE suspect that one Of our number
ME-. Pollock. almost bounded IN his
chair. 1t Is one thing to talk slfbiy
about Spies plans. maps and all the
r.st OF the. bag of tricks. just as one
may discuss n terrible railway aces-
dent the other side OF the globe.
1t is a very different thing. however.
ITO have 1t made real to one by some
intimate connection.
so 1t really is true" he said. as
though half to himself.
what is,true?" asked Mrs Sanderson
quickly.
pose there really is such thing.
-But. my dear Mr.. Pollock" replied
Mrs. Sanderson. you read US para
graphs about spies out loud from the
papers every day: you. above every one,
have always been thinking and talking
about spies. Why. then, should you be
SO surprised?"
TT seems so different In the papers"
said poor Mr.. Pollock weakly. What
a terrible thing! In this house. You
say, Sanderson? Surely you must be
mistaken"
I'm afraid not" replied Charles
quietly. He had kept his eyes fixed on
Mr.. Pollock's telltale face ever since
that gentleman had entered the room.
"Of course it's either Fritz frau
lein," said Mr.. Pollock.
TITS neither. I'm afraid. Fraulein' s
position. OF course, IL too obvious for
her to indulge In such a thing even II
she wanted to. AS for Fritz, have all
his movements accounted for, and
have searched his room; besides, his
Dutch papers are perfectly in order"
Mr. Pollock began to count Off the re-
naming guests on his short, podgy
fingers.
We'll, then. there's only my daughter;
that is out of the question. of course
Miss Myrtle"-and involuntary
smile of contempt broke from him
why. the mere idea is absurd. Then
there's Brent; he is too much of n fool
and Mrs. Leland myself" Here he
came to an abrupt pause and slowly his
Fona SrtfTtr yKrtff
stronger roslness than usual Good
heavens" he went You don't
mean to say you have got the imperti-
hence to suggest that If you brought
me in here to insult me-that accounts
for why that little foreign devil Of a
Fritz has been dogging my Footsteps
all way-by heavens,-Ill-
Dear Mr.. Pollock" interrupted Mrs
Sanderson. do pray keep calm; it isn't
you we suspect at all. How could we:
In fact. it is in your official capacity
as justice Of the peace that we have
called you In.
Mr.. Pollock very slowly subsided
again. rather like one of those penny
toys blown out with air which diminish
and collapse in front of the hawkers
on the London pavements.
The San1ersouS waited until ca I'm
was restored. Then Charles spoke
I'VE suspect Mr.. Brent" he said. and
very likely, Mrs. Lee.
Brent Pooh: Eonsense-too much
of fool"
I'VE have grave doubts" replied
Charles. not without certain dry
hunf,r. "as to his lack of intelligence"
md Mrs. Lee, you say" went or
ma Pollock. Mrs. Lee and Brent? By
J',ye, that explains a lot-why Brent
wouldn't enlist and why he and Mrs
zee have been sitting in each others
pockets. My girls had a lucky escape
and so I shall tell her"
That was another reason" replied
Mrs. Sanderson, why l thought you
ought to be told
Very right. Mrs. Sandcrson; very
right indeed, but even in my private