Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-16
AND HERE 1T CONTINUES
In the Senorita's Room

AND HERE 1T CONTINUES
In the Srnorita's Room
TF CONRAD BELKNAP had taken
i lone more step he must have seen
hG.
He DID not take it. There was a
sharp click against the knob at the door,
and at the sound Of it he turned.
Relknap had wheeled around 30 that
Mis- back was toward her, and he stood
. little to the right of her line OF vision
tousrd the door which fell open quickly
after that click at the knob.
The senorita entered. turned. closed
mo door silently md locked 1t. Then
-ritb an mir that bespoke detection. she
looned her back against it. and with
ho,ved head and her gaze evidently upon
the Hoor at her feet, she stood there
relaxed and painting, as If she were Dau
" frightened or had been running ,
Thus she did not see Belknap unui
h,s voice startled her so that she
"Syhere have you been?" Belknap
demanded without preface. His voice
was sharp, cold, and authoritative and
Roberta Jumped as you have seen KIT
tens spring into the air when one
foot is scraped sharply upon the hoor
behind them.
1T found your letter. have II mere
have opened it and read it.
Rear in mind the fact that there was
no light in the room save the very am
Glow that escaped from beneath the
Troan shade where Bclknap had turned
on the desk light.
Katherines terrors of moment aso
had left her.
She became on the instant once more
the Lady Kate of the Police-the QUICK >
witted, far seeing, inscrutable Lazy OIL
4he Night Wind---the indomitable per
sono1itv that had made of her n force
ond mower to be reckoned with during
the davs Of the great frame-up whlcn
had made an outlaw of Bingham Har-
ward and which. but for her enorts'
would have kept him an outlaw tor the
rest of his days. ,,
She forgot that she was In negllgee
and bed slippers, and was the hostess
of house party who had penetrated
surreptitiously to the room OF one OF
ber rnests-for although SenOrita Ger
vantez was hired entertainer, she
was nevertheless a guest.
Roherta-we must call her that, save
when requirement renders necessary the
name she assumed for use as an enter
tainer-seemed In the half light OF the
room to straighten and stlten where
she stood, as if her attitude had become
one Of defiance.
She did not reply to Belknap's ques-
ton at all, and there was a perceptible
nause before she answered his remark
about having opened and read her letter
Even then she uttered only one word.
II was:
''Wen?" The enunciation Of that
one word was as clear and distinct as
the tone Of a bell, and the voice was the
same melodious one that had so charmed
Katherine upon the wires of the teIe-
phone.
Where were you? Where did you go
after you wrote this letter AMI left 1t
to be found on your desk IN case you
should not return? Where have you
been?'
Roberta did not answer; but Kath-
crime could see that she shrugged her
shoulders In a disdainful gesture that
was almost as Indifferent to conse-
Quences as the manner and attitude of
Belknap always was.
ANSWER me-" the man commanded
sharply.
Katherine thought that Roberta actu
ally smiled at him then; she could see
the flash of her perfect teeth
II
Instead-she was still near to the
desk with its shaded light, although her
back was toward it-she moved back
ward and reached out one arm until
her hand covered button that was
against the wall beside the desk.
Holding her hand thus, she spoke
again, and with an element Of cool
daring In her voice-voice, remember,
coming from one who was supposed to
be peechless-that was rather amaz-
ing under the circumstances and it
seemed to be her turn to make demand.
"Leave the room, c. B." she said.
Belknap's answer was entirely char
acteristic-and without words.
He took one step forward and to the
right, reached out for one Of those
small bedroom chairs that are more for
ornament than for use, swung 1t around
between his legs so that the back of it
was toward Roberta, and sat down
astraddle of it.
go ahead and ring" he said then.
coolly. "it is getting along toward .
In the morning. Who would hear the
bell? The butler, possibly. Who would
respond to 1t? Again, the butler-or
one of the servants. What would he
find when he arrived?" Katherine
could see the expressive shrug of Bel
knap's shoulders then he added "Ask
yourself that question, BERTRAND an
swer II for yourself. You ought to
know me well enough by this time to
know the answer to it. You won't ring.
! don't think Now, who is outside, in
the grounds Of Myquest-or, who did
you expect to find out there waiting for
you? For ! very strongly suspect that
yon were disappointed.
He hsn' farther forward across the