Evening star., 1919-04-13

lighted. but he sensed that he was
in the drawing room. Peering out,
he saw the brief scene between Nina
and Loveman. That little scene con-
WINGED him that he had been correct
IN his conclusion of q few minutes
before as to the significance of this
affair In this house that told no se-
crets.
For a minute clifford thought he
had solved the mystery-that he had
Ing for his arrests. Then Loveman
entered the telephone booth beneath
the stairway. That was new ele-
ment. What could Loveman be about?
ba sansa not ons Sns word soa sf0Ys ef ove to
soundproof door.
Loveman left the booth and rejoined
the company. Clifford had noted a slit
Of light at one side of the darkened
now noiselessly made his way The
slit proved to be a parting in the
heavy curtains between the drawing
room and dining room. Motionless
Clifford watched the group OF six
and all the while he wondered what
about. There was drinking. and BAN
ter and reassertions of Jacks deter
mination to prove himself a free
spirit. and two stumbling attempts by
Jack to dance with Nina to the music
of his own singing-and thus half an
hour passed.
Presently there was a ring. At
word from Loveman, the eviliy hand
some young man-"Slim" Harrison,
Clifford knew him to be crack
driver of racing cars and a proficient
in all the evils of Broadway--rose and
left the drawing room and passed for
ward through the hallway. Clifford
heard him open the front door, and
remark courteously: Come right in
MIR. Clifford is waiting for YOU"
Footsteps-two pairs of them-re-
CLIFFORD saw Slim Harrison swing
apart the other pair of tapestries.
saying: They're waiting for you in
here" And then stepping into the
brilliant light of the great dining
room he saw Mary Regan.
Two PAGES within the doorway she
suddenly halted. where's Mr.. Cliff
ford and Lieut.. Kelly?" she exclaimed.
Clifford saw her stiffen and sharply
eye the group at the table. Then her
gaze fixed upon Jack. and she said
quietly enough: "Jack-Ive come to
take you home"
Jack swayed uncertainty to his feet,
his face sagging amazement. why
--why-Mary-"
But Clifford heard nothing of the
next few sentences. That instant he
uNueTBtOOO II dll-Or thOu8nt ne QtQ.
He knew now the substance Of Love-
mans telephone message. He saw
now the magnitude Of this present
situation just before him. Loveman's
great. scheme-the whole Of it-had
been planned and drawn together,
and timed to take place within that
hour. Clifford did not yet provision
the exact character Of the further de-
velopments-but what better place
for 1T than lie Bain's house. from
which no sound issued, which kept
secret all 1T saw and heard?
Swiftly. silently, clifford slipped out
into the hallway, into the telephone
closet, and closed the sound-prOof
door. He got the Knickerbocker
Hotel on the wire, and a few minutes
later he was swapping out sentences
to Uncle George.
What, Jimmie hasn't showed up
yet! - For Gods sake, get hold Of
him somehow-tell him to come right
over to lie Bains house-you know
the number--with three or four of his
men. Something big Is going to
break .-big!-you get me? And tell
him to round up Mr.. Morton on the
way and see that he comes here after
his son. I'll put the key under the
doormat. so he can get in without
disturbing any one ] want the thing
Noiselessly Clifford crept out and
hid the key. Then. noiselessly he
slipped back to his post at the cur
tains in the drawing-room.
~~-~