The Washington times., 1919-04-26

she professed utter Ignorance con-
cerning it, assured him that no lady
in her section used that perfume,
and offered to show il to the stew
ardesses of other sections on the
chance Of their Identifying the per-
fume on the handkerchief.
'All right" said Neeland; take
il. But bring il back. And here's
a sovereign. And-one thing more.
If anybody pays you to deceive me,
come TO me and I'll outbid them.
Is that a bargain"
Yes, sir" she said unblushingly.
When she had gone away with
the handkerchief, Neeland closed
the door again and said to the
steward:
keep an eye on my door. am
positive that somebody has taken
a wax impression OF the keyhole
What said to that stewardess also
holds good with you. I'll outbid
anybody who bribes you
Very good, sir"
"Sure it's good! It's devilish
good. Here's a beautiful and newly
minted gold sovereign. Isn't it
artistic? It's your. steward"
''Thanky, sir"
"Not at all. And by the way,
what's that invalid gentleman's
name?"
"'Awks. sir"
Hawks"
"Yes. sir; IIr. 'Erbert, 'Awks."
American"
II don't know, sir"
British"
shall inquire, sir?H starting to
60.
Not Of him! Don't be a lunatic,
steward! Please try to understand
that want nothing said about this
matter or about any inquiries"
''Yes, sir"
Chance For Easy Money"
'"Very well, then. Find out, il
you can, who Mr.. Herbert Hawks
is. Find out all you can concerning
him. It's. easy money, isn't it?"
"Oh, yes, sir"
swat q moment. His he any
friends or relatives on board?"
Not that I know, sir"
Oh, no friends, Ell? No ladies
who wear white serge skirts and
white shoes and st6SkingsE'
No, sir. not -as-f~knows Of"
"Oh! Suppose you step across to
his door, knock. and ask him il he
rang. And, if the door is opened,
take a quick slant at the room"
VERY good, sir"
Neeland, his door at the crack,
watched the steward cross the cor
ridor and knock at the door of Mr..
Herbert Hawks.
Well, what is it," came a heavy
voice from within.
.Mr. 'Awlls. sir. did you ring?"
"No, did not"
ooh, beg pardon. sir"
The steward was starting to re-
turn to NeeIand, but that young
man motioned him violently away
from his door and closed ii. Then,
listening, his ear against the panel.
he presently heard a door in the
passage creak open a little way,
then close again, stealthily.
He possessed his soul in patience.
believing that Mr. Hawks or his
fair friend in the white skirt had
merely taken a preliminary survey
OF the passage and perhaps also OF
his closed door. But the vigil was
vain the door did not reopen; no
SOUND came from the stateroom
across the passageway.
WatchfuI Waiting.
OF the white shoes and stockings
did not leave that stateroon with
out his knowledge, he opened his
door with many precautions and
left II on the crack, stretching a
rubber band from knob 10 bolt, so
that the wind from the open mort
in the passage should not blow IL
shut. Then, drawing his curtain, he
sat down to wait.
He had a book, one Of those slob-
bering American novels which serve
up falsehood thickly bUttered with
righteousness, and are consumed by
the morally steriIized.
And. as he smoked he read: and.
as he read he listened. One eve al
ways remained on duty; one ear
was alert; he meant TO see who was
the owner Of the white shoes il il
took the remainder OF the voyage
TO find out.
The book aided him as a COM
monplace accompaniment aids a So
loist-alternstely boring and ex-
aspersting him.
II was an "Uplift" book. where
the heroine receives whacks with
patent smiles. Fate BOOTS her
from pillar TO post and she bIesses
-oeS aHu Is much obliged. That
most deadly reprosch to degenerate
human natuTe-the accidental fact
OF seN-had been so skillruIly cx-
urpated from those pages that, like
chaste amoebae. the Characters
merely multiplied by Immaculate
subdivision; and millions of IineaI
descendants Of the American dodo
were made gleeful for $3.50 net
II was hard WORK waiting bardcr
Work reading, but between the two
and cigarette now and then Nee
land managed 70 do his sentry 90
until dinner time approached ana
the corridors resounded With the
trample of the hungry.
steWardeHs Reports To NeeIand.
The stewardess reappeared a IT.
tie later and returned to him his
handkerchief and the following i'm.
formations:
Mr.. Hawks. it appeared. Travelled
with trained nurse, whose state
room was on another deck. That
nurse was not in her stateroon
but q cimiiar handkerchief was,
scented with similar perfume.