The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1918-04-13
read the riddle Of its staid, uncommuni-


cative walls.
Embittered, he walked on to Park
avenue, and found his chartered car al
the appointed place. Pausing beside It
and ignoring the chauffeur's well-meanl
advances stimulated by the romantic
notion that this swell young guy was
tryin' to beat it with the old buffers
daughter, and had stubbed his toe in
the getaway, Peter painfully excogi-
tated the inevitable conclusion that the
only thing he could do was wait and
watch. He cOmforted himself little
with the cold assurance that Craven
was now with his daughter. Whatever
old Tad's shortcomings, Peter couldn't
believe he would suffer hair OF
Lydia's innocent head to be harmed
Only
What the deuce was keeping the two
Of them there so long?
Then abruptly second taxicah
swung round one of Park avenues
scrubby little ovals of grass and shrub
berry. slid into Seventy-sixth street,
checked briefly in front Of 90. dis
charged two passengers, and slipped
away toward Madison avenue. Peter
recognized something familiar in the
association Of a long and slender figure
with one short and stOutish, as the
two lodged hastily into the basement
area Of number 90 and disappeared.
Musical comedy rogues." unused the
perturbed young man: 1.-THE tall thin
scoundrel and the short fat sharper ;
Messrs. Southpaw Smith and Gordon,
of course. What in thunder Confound
It'll she must be all right! Craven
would never let anything happen to
her."
He began to fume impotently. No
good trying the front door again.
Then he thought of consulting Quoin
by telephone, and had started back
through Seventy-sixth street toward
the corner drug store, when a taxicab
shot round from the avenue, passed ut
sharp clip. and Immediately slid to
as smart a stop, while the door swung
open and q man, jumping out. hailed
sharply:
"Peterw
"Quoin-thank heaven! How In the
name Of wonder"
"Found Craven had left the Great
Eastern, TAXED back to the Margrave.
got the address Miss Craven gave from
the carriage porter. Luckily you made
such a sensation boiling after her taxi
that It had fixed the number in the fell
lows memory. Now what's up?"
Briefly Peter detailed the inconclu-
sive and unsatisfactory circumstances
of his vigil.
I'm through the basement, you say7"
Quoin pondered this darkly. Looks
like move to trick somebody-Cra-
ven, at a guess. Come along"
Grasping Peters arm, the detective
trotted him rapidly back toward num-
Der SO.
"What are you going to dot"
LET developments guide. us"
"You mean to try to get int"
mo: l mean to get in," Quoin cor
rected grimly.
How'll you make 'em admit your
Don't know precisely, as yet. But
we're going to find out something
we're going to see Miss Craven and get
her personal assurance she's all right,
or raise the deuce Of row in this
quiet neighborhood. Not only that, but
I'm still pining for q chat with Cra-
ven."
They were ascending the brownstone
steps. Quoin rang imperatively.
"Stand back a moment" he suggest
ed. LET me do the talking"
Peter had barely time to withdraw
to one side when the woman of the
house came out through the vestibule
and hurriedly opened the outer door.
As it opened Quoin entered. Peter
heard him say pleasantly "Good eve
ming, Mrs. Ellsworthy," and after that
a sort Of strangled gasp from the wom-
an. A moment later. Quoin moving on,
Peter saw her clearly.
She had fallen back against the
closed door, blanched and trembling.
destitute now Of every shred Of her
amiable self-possession Of half an hour
earlier. Her eyes were fixed in terror
on Ouoin's face. She made an effort
to speak, but evoked only a dry, rasp-
ing sound.
you're not Ill, I trust, Mrs. Ellis
There was q sard0nic infection In
Ouoin's voice that seemed to Peter
trifie unnecessary.
II thought" she gasped, and gulped,
II thought you were the doctor"
"Otherwise you wouldn't have let me
In I nrosnma2 Ia there ANYTHING really