The Ordway new era., 1917-11-16

>AAs AAAPSAASN ~ uA ICuoOHluk
fear. she flew down the stairs and
into the dressing room, but the man
was close behind.
Pushing ahead, he spoke to the maid
In voluble French. Then In brutal Eng
lish, "Give her her things-and see
that she takes nothing else"
The girl, staring insolently,
brought Helen's wraps, which the
fiunky examined, running his hand in
the inner white satin pocket of her
coat.
"What does all this mean?" hysteri-
cally.
"Oh, come now, none of that! If
you've pinched anything you got it
down here, for was wise to you the
minute you came up"
"Send Mr.. Gardner to me at once !"
Helen almost screamed. 'I'N know
from him If stupid servants can insult
his guests"
"Mr. Gardner" leeringly. $50 that's
your game? Going to pretend you're
in the wrong houseT
"Wrong house! !" breathed Helen.
"Coue ppw.- -oughly throwing her
wrap about her. "That's too old You're
lucky you're getting off SO easy, but
Mrs. Van Klein dopt want any news
paper publicity. You came near fool
ing her, because you didn't look the
part. Now you make quick getaway.
Want n taxi?"
With so0bing cry Helen broke
away. and dashed down the wide hall
toward the bronze doors, her wrap fall
ing from her shoulders.
Let me outl Oh, you must let
me out!" wildly, for footman, alertly
suspicious, had placed himself obstruct-
ingly before the door.
'It's all right, Hopkins, let her out, !"
called the man who had followed from
the dressing room.
The door opened, and Helen found
herself stumbling down the steps un-
der the wind-fapped awning.
AS she gave one fearful backward
glance, for an instant the gilt number
"21" on the outer glass door held her
petrified. The cabman had mistaken
the slanted-top lone" for ''seven."
The lounging chauffeurs sat up in
wondering attention rs Helen flew by,
her bare head, flowing wrap and white
satin slippers, an incongruous figure in
the chill, mist-driven night.
Turning the first corner to more
quickly escape, she sped down two
long blocks before she stopped breath
less, painting and still half-dazed.
Must she go back to "27?" That
would be within few doors Of the
other house. The thought made her
sick with fear and revulsion.
It was the quiet dinner hour, and
the streets were mostly deserted, but
the occasional passerby stared at her
curiously.
Pausing at crossing, desperately
she signaled an approaching taxi. She
was too unstrung-she would go back
home. But the cab drawing nearer,
through the glass door she caught
the gleam of white shirt front and a
high silk hat.
AS the driver slowed up for the
crossing, the door was flung open and
the passenger sprang out. He was
coming toward her. Terrified, she
started to run-then stopped with a
piercing: "Warren! Warren!"
The next moment he had her in the
cab, where her raut nerves gave way.
Striving vainly to calm her, Warren or
dered the man to drive around the
block.
With broken incoherence Helen
finally sobbed out her story.
swell, that was some adventure,
Kitten" smoothing her hair with un-
accustomed solicitude. ~Too upset for
the dinner? Want me to take you
homer"
But with throbbIng lurch, the cab
now drew up before "27," a modest
brownstone house, very unlike the os-
tentatious mansion few doors be-
yond.
"Come on" urged Warren. "You'll be
better off here than brooding over it
Mt home. We're pretty late. but I'll do
the explaining"
"Oh, I'm all to pieces" tremulous-
ly. II left my gloves-and look"
thrusting out foot, Its slender white
ness splashed with mud.
"Now, never mind about the slip
pers. And don't 60 Sticking down your
hair-leave 1t loose like that. Come
onI" He had sprung to the curb and
was lifting her out.
'.That's the house-the one with the
awning r. with terrified glance at the
pretentious entrance just ahead.
Looks like Van Kein's new place.
BY George, that's what It Isl"
Evan Nein" excitedly. "That's
the namei You know ,themw
'Lunched with him Saturday. Guess
I can hx this mp" srimly. ivan Klein
and his crowd want to keepsin with me
till they 1T their new franchlse. You'll
hav1 ! lettsr of Hpplogy frc1h MrA van
K1sin wilntx = ysGk b m naiss my