Williams news., 1918-01-03

with the cold assurance that Craven was now with his daughter. Whatever old Tad's shortcomings, Peter couldn't believe he would suffer a hair of Lydia's innocent head to be harmed. Only
 What the deuce was keeping the two of them there so long? Then abruptly a second taxicab swung round one of Park avenues scrubby little ovals of grass and shrub bery, slid into Seventy-sixth street, checked briefly in front of 9S, dis charged two passengers, and slipped away toward Madison avenue. Peter recognized something familiar in the association of long and slender figure with one short and stoutish, as the two lodged hastily into the basement area of number 9S and disappeared.
 Musical comedy rogues," unused the perturbed young man: "the tall thin scoundrel and the short fat sharper i; Messrs. Southpaw Smith and Gordon, of course. What in thunder Confound iti 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 taxicab shot round from the avenue, passed at sharp clip, and immediately slid to as smart a stop, while the door swung open and a man, jumping out, hailed sharply:
 "PeterI'
 "Quoin-thank heaven! How in the name of wonder"
 "Found Craven had left the Great Eastern, taxied back to the Margrave, got the address Miss Craven gave from the carriage porter. Luckily you made such a sensation bolting after her taxi that it had fixed the number in the fel- lows memory. Now what's up?"
 Briefly Peter detailed the inconclu sive and unsatisfactory circumstances of his vigil.
 "In through the basement, you say?' Quoin pondered this darkly. Looks like a move to trick somebody-Cra- ven, at a guess. Come along"
 Grasping Peters arm, the detective trotted him rapidly back toward num- Der 9S.
 "What are you going to do?''
 'Let developments guide us.''
 "You mean to try to get in?"
 'tNo: I mean to get in," Quoin cor rected grimly.
 How'll you make 'em admit you?"
 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 a row in this quiet neighborhood. Not only that, but I'm still pining for a chat with Ora 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 Quoin's face. She made an effort to speak, but evoked only dry, rasp- ing sound.
 "You're not i'll, I trust, Mrs. Ells- worthy?"
 There was a sardonic infection in Quoin's voice that seemed to Peter a trif1e unnecessary.
 -I thought she gasped, and gulped, 'I thought you were the doctor.''
 Otherwise you wouldn't have let me in, I presume? Is there anything really serious the matter?'
 "Craven-" the woman panted.
 Quoin started with horror. "CravenI" he iterated; then, controlling himself, 1sI was afraid-something of the sort. You've phoned for a doctor, you say? While we're waiting let me have a look at the poor devil"
 CHAPTER XVI.
 I