The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-08-20
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(CopvrssAs. 1870. bv sAs wAeeier
Syndicate. fscJ
In gilt letterx on the ground glass
of the door Of room No. -: were
The words: Robbins q Hartley.
Brokers'" The clerks had gona II
was past five. and with the solid
tramp OF . drove Of prize Perch
erons. scrubwomen were invading
The cloud-cappesi co-story office build
Ing. A puff Of red hot air favored
With lemon pcelings. soft-coai smoke
and train oil came In through the
haifopcn windowa
Robbins. 50. something Of an over
weight beau. and addicted to first
nights and hotel palm.rcoma pre-
0ded to be cnvious Of his partners
commuters Joys
Going to BE- something doing In
the humidity line tonight he said.
~You out -os. town chaps viii be the
people. with your katydids and moon
light and long drtnks and things out
on the front porch"
Hartley. 20. serious. thin. good
looking. nervous. sighed and frowned
. little.
Yea said he. we always have
cool nights in f1oraIhurst especially
(, In the winter
a man with an air OF mystery
me thru tho door and went up
b Hartley
" 1--WE found where she iives.- no
announced In the portentous half
whteper that makes tho detective
\ g work . marked being 70 his feiIow
Oen
Hartley srowied him into . state
- dramatic silence and quietudc.
But By that time Robbins had got
his cane and set his tie pin to his
nking. and with n debonalr nod went
out to his metropolitan amusements.
Here is the address," said the de-
sective In a natural tone. being de-
prived Of an audience to foil
Hartley took the leaf torn out Of
the sIeuth's dingy. memorandum
book. On IL were pcncilied the words
-vfvienne Arlington. No. 3H East
--th Street. caro- Of Mrs. Nc
1pr,uS-
Moved there . week ago. said
the detective. Nov. IL you want
any shadowing done. Mr.. Hartley. i
can do you as fine job in that line
rs anybody In the city. II will be
only seven dollars a day and ex-
penses. Can send in a daily type.
written report covering"
you needn't go on" interrupted
the broker. 1T isn't a case Of that
kind I merely wanted the address.
How much shall pay your
-one days work." said the sicuth.
"A tenner viii cover IT.
Hartley paid the man and dis
missed him. Then he left the office
and boarded Broadway car. At the
first large crosstown artery of travel
he took an eastbound car that de
posted him in a decaying avenue.
! whose ancient structures once shell.
tered the pride and glory OF the
town.
Walking q few squares. he came TO
the building that he sought 1t was
q new nathouse. bearing carved upon
It's cheap stone portal It's sonorous
name, The vailambrosa." Fire
escapes zigzagged down It's front
these laden with household goods.
drying clothes. and sQuaIling chill
dren evfcted by the midsummer
heat. Here and there a pale rubber
plant peeped from the miscellaneous
mass, as II wondering to what king
! dom II belonged-vegetable, animal
or artificial.
Hartley pressed the "McComus''
>butfon. The door latch clicked spas.
podically--now Hospitality, now
!ooubtfuIly, as though In anxiety
! whether II might be admitting
friends or duns. Hartley entered and
q began to climb the stairs after the
manner of those who seek their
friends In city flat.houses-which is
1 the manner OF a boy who climbs an
apple tree, stopping when he comes
upon what he wants.
On the fourth floor he saw Vivi-
enne standing In an open door. She
invited him inside, with a nod and a
bright. genuine smile. She placed a
chair for him near window, and
poised herself gracefully upon the
edge OF one Of those Jekylland-Hyd
II pieces OF furniture that are masked
ana fnJbtfflobSiy DDc1fU, uUgUeSB-
able bulks by day and inquisitorial
racks OF torture by night.
Hartley cast a quick, critical, ap.
preciative glance at her before speak.
ing and told himself that his taste
in choosing had been flawless.
yivienne was about 2l. She was
of the purest Saxon type. Her hair
was a ruddy~golden, each filament
Of the neatly gathered mass shining
with it's own lustre and delicate
graduation Of color. In perfect har.
Inony were her ivory-clear complex
ION and deep sea.blue eyes that
looked upon the world with the In.
genuous cslmness Of mermaid or
the pixie OF an undiscovered noun.
4 tain stream. Her frame was strong
Id yet possessed the grace OF abso
yute naturalness. And yet with all
her Northern clearness and frankness
Of line and colorIng. there seemed TO