Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-07-27
WOMAN IN BLACK
By EDMUND CLERIHEW BENTLEY
Copyright. 1919 by the Century Company -

He threw away his cigar-end and
looked at me questioningly.
Il didn't like it much, but | liked
failing Henderson at pinch still
less. | spoke lightly. | said sup
posed | should have to conceal my
identity, and | would do my best.
told him | used to be pretty good
at makeup.
He nodded in approval. He said:
That's good l judged you would
not let me down Then he gave me
my instructions-'You take the car
right now and start for Southampton
there's no train that will fit in.
You'll be driving all night. Barring
accidents, you ought to get there by
in the morning, But whenever
you arrive, drive straight to the
Grand hotel and ask for George Har-
ris. If he's there, tell him you are
to go over instead of him, and ask
him to telephone me here. 1t is
very important he should know that
at the earliest moment possible. But
if he isn't there. that means he has
got the instructions | wired today,
and hasn't gone to Southampton, In
that case you don't want to trouble
about him any more, but just wait
for the boat. You can leave the car
at a garage under a fancy name
mine must not be given. See about
changing your appearance-1 don't
care how, so you do it well. Travel
by the boat as George Harris. Let
on to be anything you like, but be
careful. and don't talk much to any
body. When you arrive, take room
at the Hotel St. Petersburg. You
will receive note or message there,
addressed to George Harris, telling
you where to take the wallet | shall
give you. The wallet is locked, and
you want to take good care of it.
have you got all that clear?
Il repeated the instructions. |
asked if | should return from Paris
after handing over the wallet. AS
soon as you like he said. And
mind this-wLatever happens, don't
communicate with me at any stage
of the journey. If you don't get the
message in Paris at once, just wait
until you do-days, if necessary. But
not line of any sort to ME. I'm
derstand? Now get ready as quick
as you can. I'll go with you in the
car little way. Hurry!
THAT is SO far as | can remember,
the exact substance of what Mander-
son said to me that night. / went
to my room, changed into day
clothes, and hastily threw a few
necessaries into kit-bag. My mind
was in a whirl, not so much at the
nature of the business as at the sud-
denness of it. | think | remember
telling you the last time we met
he turned to Trent-"that Mander-
son had rather a fondness for doing
things in a story book style. Other
things being equal, he delighted in
bit of mystlhcation and melodrama,
and told myself that this was Man
derson all over. | hurried down.
stairs with my bag and rejoined him
in the library. He handed me stout
leather letter-case, about eight inches
by six, fastened with strap with
lock on it, | could just squeeze it
into my side pocket. Then l went
to get out the car from the garage
behind the house.
AS | was bringing it round to the
front disconcerting thought struck,
me. | remembered that | had only
few shillings in my pocket.
For some time past / had been
keeping myself very short of cash,
and for this reason-which | tell you
because it is vital point, as you will
see in minute. | was living tenn
porarily on borrowed money. had
always been careless about money
while ] was with Henderson, and be-
ing gregarlous animal | had made
many friends, most of them belong
ing to New York set that had little
to do but get rid of the large in
comes given them by their parents.
Still, was very we'll paid, and | was
too busy even to attempt to go very
far with them in that amusing occu-
patton. | was still we'll on the right
side of the ledger until | began,
merely out of curiosity, to play at
speculation. It's very old story
particularly in Wall street. II
thought it was easy; | was lucky at
first; ] would always be prudent
and so on. Then came the day when
l went out of my depth. In one
week | was separated from my ROLL
as Bunner expressed it when | told
him; and l owed money, too. |
had had my lesson. Now in this
pass | went to Henderson and told
him what / had done and how
stood. He heard me with a very
grim smile, and then, with the near
est approach to sympathy l had
ever found in him, he advanced me
a sum on account of my salary that
would clear me. Don't play the
markets any more, was all he said
Continued Tomorrow