Evening star., 1919-03-02
DooR rrEw WHITE "

good and as national as people say,
and also you can tell me-"
They moved away. and West lost
the conclusion of the sentence: and in
the music room he could not get close
enough to overhear their converse
tion. He had to be content with
watching them from a distance.
The orchestra was small, but excel
lent. playing Russian music almost
exclusively, perhaps on Lady Han
sons instructions, or perhaps be-
cause the leader, the first violin, had
noted that the honored guest of the
evening was compatriot. 1t was in
the generals direction that he bowed
when acknowledging applause.
Ihe music room was the center of
suite OF rooms containing many treas
nfes OF art, pictures, china, statuary
ana rare furniture; treasures which
would have come to the hammer, IL
was Whispered. had not Lord Hanson
ceased the guests broke up into
groups. some moving in one direction
some in another. The hostess had
been called away for a moment, and
the general was alone.
whether it was accidental or whe tn
er ne Intentionally kept on the edge
or the moving crowd. West could not
determine, but as If he had been
watching for his opportunity the first
violin was suddenly at the generals
side.
Monsieur, the lady who has lust
left dropped this" and he held out a
Iong, white glove. which the general
TOOK almost mechanically. The mu-
siclan gave him no opportunity to ask
questions; as quickly as he had come
ne was gone. and was lost among
,he guests, Conscious. apparently, that
ne looked rather foolish holding the
long glove as If it were something he
ala nto understand, the general
doubled IT UP and thrust it into his
pocket when Lady Hanson returned
she was wearing gloves; she had not
dropped one. yet she must be the lady
referred to as having just left him.
The general had been with no other
Valentine West, looking exceedingly
bored, because keenly alert Not for a
moment must he lose sight of Rash
loft. The general may have been sur
prised to get the glove from the vio-
to receive it, and knew its Significance
Just at hrst West had not been GER
tain of this, but he was the moment
he saw the general thrust 1t into his
pocket. The glove was a Sign; action
OF some kind. probably would follow
quickly, and wide issues might hang
on the generals behavior during the
next two or three hours.
The first move came sooner than
West expected. Making some excuse
TO his hostess, the general went hur-
riedly into the hall as If in pursuit
of some one he had caught sight of,
and as he went he took the glove from
his pocket, feeling it carefully.
He turned 1t SO as to get at the
fingers. and from one Of them he took
something. This was accomplished as
he went among the guests, unnoticed
by any one except West, who followed
close behind him. Under a light in
the corner of the hall he casually un-
folded tiny piece of paper, as a man
does who finds scrap in his pocket
and wonders what IL is; as casually he
screwed it up in his fingers and tossed
ii aside. much to Vests astonishment
1t could not be of much Importance,
Then he turned back toward the room
he had left and seeing servant gave
him the glove.
II picked this up. Some one may
inquire about It,"
The moment he had gone West let
his handkerchief fall. and In picking
1t UP picked the paper pellet as well
On 1T was written in ink:
Tonight. After 1. No. az Grove
road, Kensington,
He did not throw 1t away again,
but slipped 1T into his waistcoat
pocket Then he followed the serv-
ant.