Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-05
AND HERE TT CONTINUES
A Voice on the Wire

TT SO happened that Harry Archer
i and his wife were standing to-
rether at the top Of the veranda steps.
and that Julius-Natherine s black sorv-
ant and trusted chauffeur. VINO hau
been with her since her childhood-ap-
pearcd at that moment in the door
way, so she seized upon the double op-
portunity.
"Julius." she called calmly. and
when the black came nearer added !:
"Mr. Belknap will want you to take
him to the 1O:4 train Then. with
barely a pause in her speech. and this
time addressing the Archers: 'Such
unpleasant news. Belle. Mr.. Belknap
has Just told me that he must leave
us tonight. Isn't it too bad:
There were expressions of surprise
from every direction. for the entire
company had heard the announcement.
Those who were seated bent forward
in their chairs as if to utter word
or two of protest. Tom Clancy and
Danford Demming. who were standing
moved nearer to the group on the steps
and Belknap, at the bottom of them,
smiling. unperturbed. shrugged his
shoulders and drawled with deliberate
distinctiveness
"Really. | had no idea that | was
so popular. You know. | felt rather
like an outsider-being such stranger
among you--and probably | put too
much emphasis upon the summons that
l received to go to the city tonight.
'But-er-now that both Mr.. and
Mrs. Harvard have urged me 10 stay.
nnd-well, I have changed my mind.
won't go. | couldn't think of it under
the circumstances. Julius, I won't need
you after all you need not bring the
car around. Harvard, if ! may. ! will
use your telephone.
He nodded genially, and without
awaiting permission. ascended the steps
and went into the house.
While the others were variOusly ex-
pressing their approvals of Belknap
change of mind. Katherine turned her
back to them. pinching her under lip
between her teeth and tapping one foot
impatiently upon the concrete walk;
then, with quickly spoken word of ex-
cuse she turned away and passed from
sight around one corner Of the house.
r She was suddenly convinced that it
might be important to know to whom
J Conrad Belknap desired to talk by tele-
.oh>pe-if, indeed, he intended to make
tHE of the wire at all for. of course.
she knew that there was no necessity
for him to do so in order to stay on at
Myuuest. Still. if there was somebody
who was available to him by telephone
II n
10 know who the person might hr-and
because the man was a card sharper,
swindier, and-she hal 10 doubt at
ala crook, any method that She might
employ in contesting his effrontery and
insclence would be fair.
Katherine's former experiences as u
police HEADQUARTERS detective stood for
her Just then: she had not been called
Lady Kate of the Police" in the days
Of "Alias the Night Wind for moth
ing.
She Judged from Belknap's manner
that he really did intend to telephone to
New York to somebody and for her to
know who that somebody might be
would supply one item, at least, in dis
covering his identity-for she was
Thoroughly convinced that he was not
what he had made himself appear to
be. at inquest.
There were several telephones in the
house, and Katherine assumed that Bel
knap would seek the one in her huS-
bands den, because of its seclusion. She
certainly hoped that he would do so,
because that instrument happened to be
on the same wire that communicated
with her own private sitting room.
When at inquest Katherine was in
the habit of making as much use OF
Bing's den, and the little room on from
it where the card playing had been in
dulred in, as of her own boudoir, and
for the sake of convenience the two
telephones had been connected as one,
the instrument 10 the den being the ex-
tension.
The instant she turned the corner OF
the house she quickened her pace, ran
nm the steps at side entrance, ascend :
ed the servants stairway to the second
Aoor. and entered her own suite. where
she closed and locked the door after
her.
Very gently. so that there might be
no warning click upon the wire, she
lifted the receiver from the hook and
pressed it against her ear. Then she
smiled, breathlessly, for she had hur-
rieS greatly, and she was there In time
Le.r voice saw :" three
two-o." She listened in at just the
moment when the operator was repeat
ins the last of the number asked for
fHaryard entertained so many guests at
Myouest who quite frequently made such
constant use of the telephones that CON
r.cted through the two-trunk switch
hoard in the buffers room that, for his
own convenience, he had long ago put
Il nm extra direct wire from the ex-
change for his own and Katherine s
uses.
sbe heard the unmistakable voice Of
Conrad Belknap reply: Right y
There was a short wait after that.
rhen the voice of a woman-a voice,
foe. of unusual melody and sweetness
sailed. Eyes? Who is it, pleaseT
80. B. is talking" Belknap replied,
.peakiug in low tone. mo names
please. Do you get meT'
YES" came the monosyllabic re-
sponxe--and it was remarkable how the
voice Of the woman had altered in that
brief interval to one that was coldly
formal and which somehow suggested
harduess and defiance, as well as dis
like and repugnance.
syery good. Pay attention new |
am not az Ledgewood. My present ad-
drszs Il 1t Myeuest. as ] told you Il