The Washington times., 1918-04-08


got to talk about
When the valet had gone cut
} Adeau turned to hts fRiends 1An
excellent Joke" he said. This fsl-
lows an Italian organ grinder, or
something OF the kind. and he has
an idea that he can blaclSmail me.
He seems to be acting for q little
woman whom ! met IN society
years ago. but who has the reputa-
tion now Of being a bad lot. Spun
me,a yarn the other day about this
lady being held for ransom By
brigandsLbrIgands here in New
York, mark you Now she writes
me herself eaying she must have
$4,000 and propoundlng . eonun-
drum for me to answer
"A whatf You're joking"
True I assure you. Merei1 the
riddle: what became OF the key
Of your room when you were lock-
ed out OF itf'" ~
"And DO you know"
Invited 10 Breakfast.
The conversation was interrupted
BY the appearance sof Rietro. Ths
italian looked avkwsrdly abost
him. This was the kind Of rscsp-
tion TO which he objected. II indi-
was not being taken seriously.
'Sit down, Mr.. - What's your
name?-oh, Eenni." Adean looked
up easily from his teaeup. Have
some breakfast"
II thank you; no, wish--"
= -Oh, but you must ! thought you
Te.1faaa
could GET,
"I want no breakfast. I wish 70
see you alone, 1Ir. Adean.S
sWAiLsyou- can't do that. I'm not
going 70 ssnd nay Hlsnds way lfor
your sake. Nor am. I AFRAID % theh
hearing anything you may have q
say to me. They are waiting fer
IL with much interest, In fact
Adean finished his large cup Of
tea with evident relish. and pushed
his chair back from the table.
Let's come straight to the point
he continued you want an an
swer TO the conundrum you set ma.
I suppose7"
"The conuadrum!" asked the IiAI-
ian, puzzled -srs
"Yes-ths riddIe-what Mrs. WI
ioughby wrote In this letter.
That's q conundrum, you know.
She wants to know what became Of
the key OF my room when was
locked out OF It"
The Blaekmail S0try.
''welr-Pietro tried to assume his
knowing -smile- you. can you
answer that question:
mot i. II it's q riddle, give u
up. What on earth did become sf
the key?"
The three young men burst intS
laughter. They had taken to smok-
ing cigarettes. and, as IL with one
accord, Trey pulled great clouds In
the direction OF the discounted ItAk
ian TheF lounged easily in thef
chairs; he ndgeted uneagily a. hiA.
SYou will like me to repeat the
story-here-before your .frfends?"
Pistro snarled viciously as he spokA
Yes. do. We are longing to b
amused"
Then I will speak. You, sIEnsF
Adean. you were staying at . eoun-
try house-it was that OF = lady Of
wealth."
81 20 to lots. weIlr"
You remember this one. esrta.
yes. It was--the house Of Mrs
Clever, Three years ago
To Pietro.s astonishment Mr..
Adean burst into ht of laughter.
what. that old yarnTr he sput-
tered a. soon as he was able to
speak. "why. my good fellow,
did think you had something more
original than that to tell Both Of
my friends here know all about
that. The story went round the
country It get into the society
newspapers and must have been
godsend to them. You don't think
and Mrs. Willoughby to keep . n-
lence about that. do your"
surely, he doesn't mean that
story about little Mrs. Caruthorr
drawled one OF Adean's friendR
He shot q rapid glance At Adean.
which was answered by \ look Of
comprehension.
sPublish IT, Said AdeaR
Yes. he does. i see you rsnaD-
Der all about It." He turned -
Pistro. ~You win DO me . ssFvlss
II you publish that yarn aBAA-
Ny name hasn't been before ths
public lately"
you do not mfn6-khGa -
compronlss . -IadSf' Pietre's jaw
fell, and he showed himssh Oh
Viously I'll at ease. $40
''Not q serapt Nor does sha.s
"why, my good fellow" said the
young man with the drawi, q pity
ing smile playing on his hps, ~thS
lady in question told me the story
herself. She showed me Q cutti1E
from O newspaper about n, toe. Epr
joyed the joke. a. much e. o1R
friend. Willie Adean, here
what ideas about society. ehlS
chap must have got" said the man
who had not yet Joined In the con
versation.
Pietro Falls; II Thrown Out
Pietro looked from one to -
other. He was defeated. Certainly
It was no good threatening . man
with the revelation Of . secret whioA
was no secret. He felt inclined -
curse Lillian. As It was, he nut
tered Italian oaths beneath his
breath.
cant you 70 one better thaa
that? II not, there's no more fun
TO be got out OF you, and you may
as well take your departure. You've
made fool Of yourself, Mr.. RennLs
Adesn reached out his hand and
touched. the. bell. Pietro rose huF-
riedly from his seat.
Put this fellow outside the dooR.
Morton, will your" continued Adean.
as soon as the valet appeared You
needn't be too gentle with him.
either. Just drop him over the mat.
and IL you help him with your foot
7 ahantf hlaune vOt1 -