The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1920-03-11
CHAPTER xv-continued.

effort to shield the girl and minimize
her part in the affair. And in that ]
was right; Billy looked at it differ
emily. Connected cuss!" he later con-
fided. 'Wanted to take the whole
credit to himself"
"Oui, madame" monsieur went on,
and all the while / felt him searching
my face for a sign of what / had ac-
complished with Mrs. DelariO. "Nos-
sing can be safer--I argue-zan a
fancy slipper. 1t is not worn on re
steamer In re cold Of winter, and mad
anne have so assure me Eat her bag
gage, because of her SO good cousin,
Is pass wisout difficulty. And who
would accuse madame of'-he gave
me knowing look and finished ambig-
uOuSly-"Of to smuggle zoze valuable
papers Eat do not concern her? All.
not would be incredible wisout to
see zem-and we have take care Eat
zey are not seen! And to accomplish
zis we have put zem where zey are al
most but not quite seen. have ex-
plain all zis TO Claire and she have
understand parfaitement. Oui."
The smugness with which he deliv-
cred himself of this was really anus
ing, and couldn't help smile, which
encouraged him to add-at the same
time looking piercingly at me-with a
deprecating shrug:
"And just at re moment of beautiful
completion madame carries off one Of
zoze slippers-we know not which,"
All of us laughed and the tension
that had been quite plainly felt in our
little company broke.
Claire went on to tell us how, in
Antwerp, she had occupied room
communicating with Mrs. Delarios the
day before they sailed, and how papa
had taken Mrs. Delario out to see the
great Rubens in the cathedral and
She Claire pleading a headache, had
remained behind and had gone through
Mrs. Delario's things so she could tell
her father what there was they could
use; had discovered the slippers and
had taken them to her room and shown
them to her father that night and he
said they ''would do admirably" and
she had got them back while Mrs. Del
ario, was asleep.
But it wasn't easy TO put the box
into the slipper when it came 70 the
point. Mrs. Delario keenly felt the
obligations of her charge and proved
a far too devoted chaperon. At last
the chance arrived and the box was
slowed. What, then, was the poor
child's CONSERVATION to hear me twit-
ting Mrs. Delario into wearing the
slippers!
"She nearly had me Them Claire
confided with noticeable glee at her
own ability to cope with the situation.
II got the box out just one minute be-
fore she, came into our StaterOOm.
But this fright made me so i'll i
couldn't stay at table that night"
II should think So" said Billy, and
gave a sly glance in my direction that
said. 81 take back all said about her
last night-she wasn't really in it at
ALL 1t was all the old scoundrel of a
'mOSSoo.'"
Claire seemed ready TO end here, but
I wasn't ready to have her. What was
l to tell monsieur? My turn was COM
ing in minute, and what was [ to
say? kept on with Claire. "Then so
far as you know, the box came through
the customs house in one of those Slip
pers? And what were you to do after
that?'
The words were hardly out of nv
mouth when the front bell rang and
George handed in a telegram addressed
to monsieur.
Monsieur tore open the yellow enye-
lop and rapidly scanned the message;
frowned hesitated; started to speak
and stopped: looked at me inquir-
ingly; asked if there was telegraph
office near and when told him where
1t was excused himself from our COM
pany to "send an immediate and ur-
gent reply and instructed Claire to
answer every question l might care to
put and with that he hurried off with
the curt ceremony of one who expects
to be back on the quarter-hour stroke.
There was however, but little more
/ needed to discover from Claire; still
there was one thing. and / asked her
bluntly, your father came over ahead
of US on a faster steamer? He was on
the wharf in disguise when we ar
riyed?'
She blushed furiously and stam-
mered, "Y-yes-he was there and
added hastily: "But didn't know he
was there. He told me there would be
someone--t0 take charge-when I gave
the signal that everything was all
right"
"Oh, there was a signalw
"Of course. | had to let the other
one know who had the box
"You mean you had to let your fa-
Their known
1T was papa-but l didn't see him."
what did you have to let him
known?
Whether it was you or Mrs. Della.
RIO"
How did you manage that?s
II set my little handbag on top Of
the suitcase-that said the box was
there. Then | drew off my glove
that said. in slipper II wasn't
very hard to remember"
"And you had given the signal when
picked UP the sIipperY'
"Yes-and / was so frightened. II
didn't know but papa would be
killed"