Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-03
HE CASE OF PAUL BECK, RULE OF Thumb DETECTIVE

Hslf an hour afterwsrd lF. Jerome
door locked. made pule map Of bits
Of pink paper on his dressing table,
and this Is what he read there:
Just discovered ehilds friends putting bill
through parliament to secure her in properly.
Hope to put spoke In tasir wheel yet. Must
-' W sHARKEY.
As he finished reading he saw with
the corner of his eye through the win
dow Miss Trixie on her bicycle riding
down the street in front Of the hotel.
In moment he was out and after
abreast about a quarter of a mile from
the post office.
ION for spin?" he said. as he crept
up to her side; she was going . good
twelve miles an hour.
when I've sent a wire. II was i'm
portant, and could not trust It to the
hotel folk"
why didn't you ask me?"
gone to bed. It's all right now. anyway"
She slipped of dexterously behind her
machine at the post office and stepped out
and up to the TELEGRAPH counter.
was one Of the old-fashioned Affairs that
conscientfously tap out their messages
Among his manifold accomplishments in
Bloodsmith had learned to interpret these
telegraph taps This is what they told
him now:
To Sharkey Snow. London
Send on deed 1t once. Old msn ha. csnssnted
to execute. MORDANT.
The innocent young man's face was full
only Of admiration when she came skip
ping out Of the Office her wire dispatched
look; her gay spirits quite came back to
her. and she made az though she would
kick the little straw hat from his head
a feat she could have accomplished with
great ease if SO minded.
back together
on their bicycles Mr.. Bloodsrnith sud-
denly remembered. by .Jove!" he said.
Il want to send a. wire. too, it you don't
mind"
give her my love, dear. and say I'm not
jealous
He flew back to the post ohice. whore he
scrubbed five words to Warminsten: Btn
Meanwhile the big game for $4,000
a year was being PLAYED out eagerly. yet
warily. in London "The voluntary con
veyances bilr' had slipped quietly through
set down amid a miscellaneous collection
of other unoppoaed bills on the order paper
of the house Of commons on the very
Monday that Mr.. Bloodsmitks wire drop
ped like a bombehen into Mr.. Warming
tons Office.
Order! Orderr' said the speaker. n
the minute hand and hour hand came
together at IL on the clock under
the gallery that marks the seat Of the
Prince OF Wales 1.-THE clerk will now
proceed to read the orders Of the day
The time had come for the considera.
ton Of unopposed business the mos'
interesting ana amusing Of all times
in the house of common& For now the
utterance Of the vague formula, II OBJ
ject," by any member can block any
business at any stage.
This night some champion blockers
were off guard, and several bills wen,
forward stage, to the delight of theil
chaperonS.
Then there was turn in the tide o.
fortune.
.'The religious opinions persecution
bill"
Il object"
THE fruit Identification bill"
st object
So the monetonous litany ran.
THE voluntary conveyances bill"
The speaker slipped back into his
chair. Close behind the sergeant-at.
arms, as he came up the floor to shift
the mace to the table, Mr.. Hardy, K. C.
walked hastily, with an open note il
his hand, and dropped into q seat al
most directly under Mr.. Ridley.
The speaker rose to put the final mo.
ton that would send the bill safe
that this bill be now read THIRD
time"
Il object" came short and sharp al
a pistol shot from Mr.. Hardy. K. c.
'If my honorable and learned friend
would only
Order, Orderr' broke in the speaker
1.-The bicycle suppression bill The
question is" etc. etc.
The voluntary conveyances bill wa.
effectively blocked for that night
What the devil did you do that for ?
said Mr.. Ridley to his friend, Mr.. Hardy
a few minutes afterward, as they walk.
. ed down the floor of the house to.
gether.
''Oh, Sharkey wrote to ask me, and
| couldn't well refuse, you know. L
gives me heaps Of business. Very neal