The Connecticut labor press., 1920-05-15

By MEREDITH NICHOLSON


imposters, they were extraordinarily daring and clever.
 We were nearing a gateway where his car waited, and I saw several of the guard hanging about at a discreet distance. Look here, Singleton" he said angrily, "you don't seem to take this business very seriously. You don't want to make the mistake of letting a pretty girl pull the wool over your eyes," He lowered his voice and added tensely: 'Those women are under sus- picfon of something more serious than an attempt to rob an estate. An agent of the state department called OF me yesterday and asked embarrassing questions about Mrs. Bashford. Not secret service man, you understand, or anything of that kind, but an in.por- tant man in the state department" Of course you knew nothing to tell," I suggested.
 "I took a chance at lying to him about her expected arrival. I thought it only decent to have look at tile woman first. He told me nothing ex- cept that the British embassy had made inquiries and that the ms-ter was delicate and must be handled carefully
 "Was this inquirer lame-a small dark man with a black mustache?" I asked, suddenly interested. "Suoh Il person has been hanging about here. so the boys tell me?"
 "Not at alll I may as we'll tell you it was Raynor-you probably re-aem a ct n tional law, and they took him into the state department just after the Lus- tania business. He's a gentleman and a good feilow-Tve played golf with him good Geal-and I hated to lie 10 him, but thought I'd see this womaIi before telling him she had reached America"
 I confess that I was a trifie dis mayed by this. Raynor 1 knew slight ly. Professionally and socially he stood high, and even without the pres tige of his official position he was not a chap to sneeze at; but I didn't want Torrence to know had any doubts as to the perfect authenticity of my un- cle's widow.
 "Oh. every transcontinental pilgrim is probably scrutiniZed closely these days" I remarked carelessly. "Mrs. Bashford has lost a brother in the war, and I haven't heard anyone talk more bitterly against Germany. And her companion certainly has no illu Sions about the kaiser"
 T don't like the business,' he de clared stubbornly.
 Let's do nothing foolish," insisted. "If Raynor has reason to suspect either or both of these women, we'll hear further from him."
 i've put myself in a hole," he said. angrily. Of course I've got to advise him immediately that Mrs. Bashford is here.''
 "Just wait a few days; undertake to keep them under surveillance; you can put the whole responsibility on me. If they attempt to leave, I'll warn you and Raynor instantly, but they have settled themselves as though they expected to spend the rest of their lives here."
 I told him of Mrs. Bashford's adven- lures in reaching the house without convincing him that there was any, thing funny in her experiences, and ha left on my promise to report to him daily at a given hour and instantly if anything unusual occurred. I was on my way back through the grounds when Antoine arrested me.
 Pardon me, but I'd like to ask what you think of it, sir?" he asked hoarse- ly, falling into step.
 .If you mean what do I think of Mrs. Bashford," I replied sharply, '1 think she's quite charming and de lfghtful and all any one could ask in every way"