Evening star., 1921-05-08

! a considerable interval elapsed be
| fore the door was opened by mar
velous'E untidy servant girl. who had
apparently been interrupted in the
act OF biackleading her face. Partly
opening the door. she stared at us
agape. pushing back wisps Of hair
| from her eyes. and with every move
| nent daublng more of some mysteri-
| Gus black substance upon her coun-
tenance.
"Is Mr.. hampton in?" asked Harley
"fus. just come in. I'm coekin' his
| supper"
! Tell him that two friends of his
! ness"
"All right" said the black-faced
| one. What name is it"
his" = 'e nus u
Treating us to long vacant stare
! and leaving us standing on the step.
| the maid Tin whose hand I perceived
; greasy fork) shuffled along the pas
An unmistakable odor of frying sau-
! sages now reached my nostrils. Har-
! ley glanced at me quizzically. but
| said nothing until the Cinderella
GO up" she directed Second
i floor. front. Shut the door. one Of
yer"
| She disappeared into gloomy depths
below as Harley and l.. closing the
door behind us. proceeded to avail
! ourselves of the invitation. There
was very little light upon the stair
case. but we managed to find our way
| to poorly furnished bedroom. where
a small table was spread for a meal.
\ Beside the table. in a chintZ-covered
armchair. thick-set young man was
seated smoking a cigarette. a copy Of
the Daily Telegraph upon his knee.
! He was very typical lower mid
| dle-class nothing-in-pa particular young
man. but there was a certain trucu-
! lence indicated by his square jaw.
and that sort of self-possession which
| sometimes accompanies physica,
| strength was evidenced in his manner
as, tossing the paper aside. he stood
up.
Good evening. Mr.. hampton" said
! Harley genially. Il take it'-point-
ing to the newspaper-"that you are
i looking for a new job"
D AMPToN stared, with a suspicion
- of anger in his eyes, then. meet
| ing the amused glance of my friend,
he broke into smile very pleasing
and humorous. He was a fresh color
ed young fellow with Lair inclined to
| redness. and smiling he looked very
boyish indeed
Il have no idea who you are" he
said. speaking with a faint north
country accent. but you evidently
know who l am and what has hap
pened to me-"
Got the boot?' asked Harley, con-
hdentially.
hampton, tossing the end Of his
cigarette into the crate, nodded grim
ly. You haven't told me your name"
he said, but l think / can tell YOU
your business" He ceased smiling
Nov. look here. 1 don't want any
more publicity. II you think you are
going TO make a funny newspaper
story out OF me. change your mind
another job in London as it is. If
you drag me any farther into the
limelight. m never get another job
in England"
My dear fellow" replied Harley,
+, soothingly, at the same time extend
ing his cigarette case. you misappre-
hend the object Of my call. am not
reporter"
What" said hampton. pausing in
the act of taking a ciEarette-"then
! what the devil are you?'
My name is Paul Harley, and l am
! criminal investigator"
He spoke the words deliberately.
his eyes fixed upon the others face:
! but. although hampton was palpabiy
| startled. there was no trace OF fear
! in his s,raigntIorwa glance. He
| took a cigarette from the case.
Thanks, Mr.. Harley" he said Il
cannot imagine wha, business has
! brought you here"
! II nave come TO ask you two ques-
tions." Harley answered NO. !: Who
A1~s
white hat? No. 2: How much did he
pay you?"
| To these questions l listened in
| amazement, and my amazement was
| evidently shared by hampton He had
been in the act Of lighting his cigar
elite, but he allowed the match to
| burn down nearly to his fingers and
then dropped 1t. with muttered ex-
clamation, in the hre. Il don't know