Evening journal., 1917-12-19
By I. w. HANSHEW

'iine casting suspicion IN q quar-
seI "nere 1t Will he most likely 10 lead
tu''e away from themselves. That. Dos
y' 10 the case in the present instance.
anu 70 return TO my first question: Who
uld nave the entree 10 Miss vultee's
house yesterday"
Il for oner'
And ! for anotherrp supplen.nt.a
Mr. Collingwood.
Exactly But It will he sh.o- ,nssr
ily 70 suggest that you. capta,n would
De ukely to take any steps toward de
pieting the exchequer Of the Iadv Won ar.
10 marry. even if your affections vsra
not concerned in the task of sh,eidlng
her IN every way. II would be No less
insane TO suppose that Mr. collnewood
mere would dream for a moment ~ driy-
ing 10 insanity the lady whose ponuIar-
ity as fast making his fortune. and IL
would be maddest Of all to infer that her
brother would set about blowing HIM
sell up with a bomb would IL not?
Whom then docs that leave outside Of
Miss Vultee herself and Mile. Marco
line here? And ara we to suppose that
Miss Nultec would try to filch herself
of her own money? And are we to credit
for a moment that Marceline would try
to destroy young Alexis with a bomb
when she knew that he was not In the
house and would not be that night at
.all2 The mere suggestion is absurdity.'
Then In the name Of reason. who did
put the bomb there?"
"Ah, that's where I'm going To uir-
prise you-or at least, my boy Dollops
is for I've put the young beggar on the
job, and he's not only found a clue TO
the individual in question, but he has
promised that he will have the rascal
walk into the prettiest little trap in the
world at a quarter 70 ten o'clock 10
night. II Miss Vultee will assist US in
spreading the snare"
~ monsieur? Dear heaven, what can
do?"
Merely remain passive until. say. a
quarter to o'clock. That. believe. will
be something like half an hour before
you are to do your famous dance, will It
not?"
Yes. monsieur-exactly quarter past
. Is the time for that"
Just so. And you will Of course. be
all dressed and ready. Very well then
at q quarter to come to the little door
IN the rear Of the box you saw US an
occupying at the matinee You will find
as there again and awaiting YOU Mr.
Collingwood will have the thousand
pounds advanced yesterday with him
You viii knock at that door and he wit
open It and pass the money out to you.
You Will keep il on your person there
after and at exactly 10 o'clock-nfnd. not
n second earlier or VIC shall not be on
hand TO execute our little part of the
proceedings-at exactly 10 o clock you will
go out by the stage door into the dark
passage behind the theater holding that
money in your hand and before YOU have
taken ten steps the man VIC are after
will be there and we three will be on
him like shot, and all your troubles
Sd %ll pc, ne over ior good and all You Will
viii"
Thanks very much. That's all FOR the
present. Gentlemen, my best respects. /
will meet you all in the box at half-past
8. Until then, good afternoon"
And here spectacular as usual at such
times as these, he swept them a theatri-
cal bow and-left them.
At half past eight he had said he
boX-and at half past eight he was
there But, contrary to the expecta-
tions of those who were there await
ing him, he did not come in alone; for
brave in evening clothes-and after
them walked Dollops, soft-stepping az
Little "io door open open. 'Ni Nir. coliingwooGi i
Thanks very much. Nip in with you,
Dollops, and get out of sight until it's
time. The room is at the back of the
stago-frst door on the right after you
pass that big bunch Light up there.
Look sharp, Cut alongl"
T. had noTn no more than reached bts ths
when there came gentle tapping
sound on the stage side Cf the little
door, and Immediately they that were
waiting for the coming Of that signal
saw a startling thing happen. For
Cleek was up and at that door with
one Of his quick, eounndless cat leaps;
there in the light beyond stood the
figure of the Russian dancer-hare-
armed, auburn -tressed, a thing or
floating, flmy draperies and flashing
FIRE spangles, with one shaking hand
outstretched for the promised thousand
For Just one instant Cleek stood and
looked at that figure and at that hand
in utter silence; then OF sudden;
Come, comel but there's q devils
design of an arm TO expect man to
believe ever grew on any Woman!' he
raped out, but was suffered TO say no
more; for just there and then the hg,
ure before him wheeled about and
bolted and hard on the heels OF that
came the voice of Dollops screaming
down from the back of the stage.
done 1T She's here--and SOS the 9TH
er one And now ere q comes. too
Ese 9hts MP n ge9tS manage n ln tSe
pair of 'em I'm a bally little pill box
like this Nip in. Yard-nip in--do yer
The Yard did and It answered the
call instantly But not the Yard alone,
for all that were within earshot OF
THE cry few in the direction of IL like
so many boiling hares. And when,
an instant later, all these came pound
ing into La Sylphine's dressing rooms
there In a huddled heap on the hoor-
drugged into unconsciousness, poor
creature-lay La Sylphine,s self, and
hard by was Dollops, with one hand
gripping the collar of screaming,
scratching, splitting fury OF French
it's clutch on a shape that wore the
clothing and the wig of the nymph OF
Vesuvius, yet screamed and fought
and howled with the voice and hands
Look to her first. captain-to herl"
cried out Cleok, waving his hand toward
the huddled figure on the floor, as Ken
nedv and COllingwood came pounding In
at his heels. Look to her. and leave
this precious pair TO me. Here's the
Observation-Disclosures the bloodless little
and sold her for the sake Of the flesh
pots and the smiles Of a wretched little
cocotte with the sign OF Montmarte as
thick as paint upon her. ! rather thought
they'd rise to the bait OF that thousand
pounds and the chance 10 make safe
getaway. for they could see how the
clews were beginning to point, and that
sooner or later they'd be landed high
and dry. And all the while that poor
creature there loving and trusting the
little beast and ready 10 Law down her
very life to protect him. All. well. she
knows him now. ! dare say. or she
wouldn't be lying there like that. They
simply had to lay down their cards and
make a plav for that money and the
chance OF getting out OF the country as
soon as they could, so-she knows them
What's that, captain Showing signs or
coming round, eh2 Well, get her out as