The Elk Mountain pilot., 1918-08-08

| and saw the woman he hnd betrayed
and robbed Before he could move or
say word Pat shut the door and stood
with her back against it.
Phillips was now ready to listen to
! reason.
'Ill give you n check for the money"
he said, making move toward his
pocket.
"Cold cash is the requirement-and
the pearls are yours" said Pat. Bring
the money yourself or send it by Phil
Kelly. Do it today, or else you will
live to regret. And If you try any
tricks, 1t will be NIL the worse for you"
Promising to provide the cash forth
with, Phillips hurried away. Going
first to his bankers to get the money,
he then returned to the hotel in search
of the Sphinx.
When Kelly heard what Phillips mad
to say, he advised Immediate com.
pliance with Pats demand
"Will You take her the money, Mr..
Kelly?" said Phillips. I'm too
ashamed of myself to face her again"
And the Sphinx speedily agreed to go
with the cash and place it in Pats
hands.
Phillips still had the ordeal of facing
his wife, and was worried about what
he should say.
For some time Phillips walked the
streets, trying to conjure way to sat
isfy his wife.
Finally, although still undecided, he
went to his apartments. His wife was
not at home. The maid told him she
hnd gone to hire detectives to trace the
missing pearls. The very thing Phil
lips dreaded had happened.
Hurrying to the telephone, he called
Pats number and got the girl on the
phone. Then he explained what his
wife had done, md begged Pat not to
publish the facts.
you may be sure 1 will keep still
about your despicable actions-but not
for your sake, believe me. I think more
Of the poor woman you have wronged
than to let her story be known through
any hasty action of mine The girl
was radiant in the happiness her tri-
umph afforded her.
Within few moments after Phillips
had telephone, Kelly arrived with the
money and was ushered into the draw
ing room where Pat awaited him.
"You win again. Miss Pat" WIS Kel-
ly's Introductory remark. "If you keep
this up in America, my reputation rs n
detective will not reach very far, I
am afraid"
perhaps you will have n case in
which l am not concerned" said the
girl with smiling assurance.
''The business in hand is the pearls," !"
Kelly finally managed to say. Here
is the money-ten thousand was the
price. I believer"
Going to her dressing table, Pat
opened q drawer and produced the
string Of pearls. She handed them to
Kelly and received the money In ex-
change. When she Ind counted 1t she
separated q few of the bills and ex-
planned:
This money I advanced on ship
board 10 the woman this cad betrayed
and robbed. I told her then 1t was
only part payment"
A knock at the door iuterrupte,i
Pats remark. Kelly hastily slowed th-,
pearls away In his pocket md Pns
showed the money into her bodice. IL
was Kelly's assistant who had come tv
the door.
Three men, VITO ciaiM they are de-
tectises, sent By some woman, arr
downstairs" said Kelly's man.
"'I'll run down and give them a little
conversation" said the Sphinx. ad.
dressing himself TO Pat. Noticing
signs Of cOnsternatisn in the girls
face. he continued reassuringly:
Don't be worried about these men.
/ will be here to see that you are not
molested.'
On his way downstairs, Kelly trans
ferred the string of pearls to his as
sistant. hurricdly instructing him 10
take them to the hotel and there await
kelly's arrival. And SO the pearls
were. eventually, safely restored to
their owner
When the Sphinx left Pat alone the
girl made some quick moves. She told
the woman To leave the house, with
her baby, by side entrance assuring
her that her troubles over funds were
at an end. Pat gave the woman some
of the money she had received and
told her when to return for the bal
nnce.
Then Pat made hurried transfer
nation. She had been underdressed
in her Apache costume. and the work
of slipping of her outer clothing was
accomplished in q jifry. She dcnnes1
her Apache cap, locked the drawer
in her dressing table where she had
kept the pearls. and then stepped to
the fireplace.
She put her foot upon one of the
tiles. The mantle iegnn moving slow
ly alorE the wall. taking the fireplace
with 1t. In moment a door was dis
closed, and touching button, Pat
swung 1t open and disappeared from
the room. Then the firenlnce md man.