Evening star., 1918-05-19
BY THOMAS w. HANSHEW

working blouse Cleek looked at the
huge. unnatural thing. ont of drawing.
anatomically wrong In many particu-
lars. and felt like quoting Angeles ia
nous remark anent his master Lorenzo's
faun: What a pity TO have spoiled so
much expensive material and Van
Nant. observing. waved his hand to-
ward IL.
"a slumbering nymph," he explained.
''Only the head and shoulders finished
as yet. you see. ] began II the day be-
fore yesterday. but my hand seems
somehow to have lost Its cunning. Here
are the keys Of all the rooms. Mr.. Head
land. Carboys' was the one directly ct
the head of the stairs, In the front.
Won't you and Mr.. Narkom go up and
search without me? ] couldn't bear TO
look into the place and see the things
that belonged to him and he not there.
II would cut me to the heart IL did.
Or. maybe. you would sooner go alone.
and leave Mr. Narkom to search round
this room. We used to make a general
sitting room of IL at nights when we
were alone together. and some clue may
have been dropped
mented Cleek. as he took the keys.
Look srannd and see what you can
find. while | poke about upstairs.
Then he walked out Of the studio. And
a few moments later, Narkom going
round and searching every nook and
corner. while Van Nant. for the want OF
something to occupy his mind and
hands. worked on the nymph. could hear
him moving about overhead in quest OF
possible clues.
For perhaps twenty minutes Clcek was
away; then he came down and walked
into the room looking the very picture
OF hopeless bewildermcnt
Mr.. Narkom." he said. this case
stumps me. ] believe there's magic in
It. II you ask me; and as the only way
to fight magic is with magic. I'm going
to consult a clairvoyant. and IL one OF
those parties can't give me a clue !
don't believe the mystery ever will be
solved. | know OF ripping good one.
but she is over in Ireland and. as it's a
dickens of way to go. shan't be able
to get back before the day after tomor-
row at the earliest. Bullock here. sir.
I'll tell you what! This is Tuesday even
ing. isn't II? Now IL YOU and Mr.. Var
Nant will be at Capt. Morrison's house
on Thursday evening at O'Clock and
will wait there until come I'll tell YOU
what that clairvoyant says. and whether
there's any chance OF this thing being
solvel or not. Is that agreeable. Mr..
Van Nart2''
Quite. Mr.. Headiand. I'll be there
promptly"
And stop until YOU hear from me."
''And stop until hear from YOU"
Fright you are. sir. Now then. Mr..
Narkom. il you'll let the chauffeur
whisk me over to the station I'll get
back to London and on to the earliest
possible train for Liverpool. so as to be
morrow. And while you're looking for
your hat. sir-good evening. Mr.. Van
Nant-I'n Step outside and tell Leonard
to crank up."
With that he passed out Of the studio.
walked down the hall and went out of
the house. And half a minute later.
when the superintendent Joined him. he
found him sitting in the Limousine and
staring fixedly at his toes.
MY dear Cleek. did YOU find any
thing" he oueried as he took a seat be-
side him and the motor swung out into
the road and whizzed away. "Of course.
I know you've no more idea Of going to
LiverDool than YOU have Of taking
not shot at the moon: but there's some
thing on YOUR mind. I know the signs.
Cleek What IS .t?''
The response to this was rather start
ling.
Mr. Narkom" said Cleek. answering
one question with another. what's the
best thing to make powdered bismuth
stick-lard. cold cream or cocoa butter?'
II punctuality is a virtue. then Mr..
Maurice Van Nant deserved to go on
record as one of the most virtuous
men in existence. For the little Dutch
clock in Capt. Morrison's drawing
room had barely begun to strike
on the following Thursday evening
when he put in an appearance there
and found the captain and his daugh-
ter anxiously awaiting him. But, as
virtue is. on most excellent authority.
its own reward. he had to be salts
fed with the possession of it. since
neither Narkom nor Cleek was there
to meet him.
But the reason for this detection
vas made manifest when Miss Nor
rison placed before him a telegram
earlier. and read as follows: I'm
avoidably delayed. Be with you at
$3.50. Ask Mr.. Van Nant to wait.
Great and welcome piece of news for
him. Narkom."
Van Nant smiled.
Great and welcome news" he re-
peated. Then Mr.. Headland must
have found something in the nature
what he could find there can't
imagine. Frankly. I thought him
stupid sort of fellow. but il he has
managed to find a clue to poor
he must be sharper than I believe.
Well. we shall know about that at
half-past 9. when Mr.. Narkom comes.
I hope nothing will happen to make
him dtsappofnt us again..
Nothing did. Promptly at the hour
appointed the red limousine whizzed
up to the door. and Mr.. Narkom made
his appearance But, contrary to the
expectations of the three occupants
of the little draSing room, he was
quite alone.
$50 sorry I couldn't come earlier"
he said. as he came in, looking and
acting like the bearer of great good
news: but you will appreciate the de-
lay when I tell you what caused 1t.
What's that, Mr.. Van Nant? Head
land? No. he's not with me. AS a
matter of fact. I've dispensed with
his services in this particular case.
back from Ireland this evening, said
the clairvoyant he consulted went
into a trance, and told him that the
key to the mystery could only be dis
covered In Germany, and he wanted
me to sanction his going over there
on no better evidence than that. OF
course. i wouldn't; so I took him of
the case forthwith. and set out to get
another and q better man to handle
1T. That's what delayed me. And
now. Mr.. Van Nant"-fairly beaming,
and rubbing his palms together de-
nghtedly-"here's where the great
remembered how your heart is wrap
ped up in the solving of this great
puzzle and what you said about 1t be-
ing a question of money alone; and
SO, what do you think I did? went
to that great man. Cleek. / laid the
matter before him. told him there was
no reward. that it was just a matter
of sheer humanity-the consciousness
Of doing his duty and helping another