Evening star., 1921-09-25

1T was a night in June. The Chief
of Criminal Investigation De-
partment was pensive. did you
ever want to marry, Fortune?" he
murmured.
Often: but never one at q time"
Reggie Fortune looked curiously at
his host. The dinner had been good.
tho claret very good. the cigars were
of the most benignant. But still
why this touch of sentiment, Lo-
mass" said he.
Some students say women have no
minds" Lomas murmured drowsily.
But that's partiality. The trouble
is, women aren't human beings. Con-
slider the parallel case Of the dog. He
is Intelligent. But he sets oinereht
values on things from S1nk our IF BONES pones
cats, boots. 1t is SO also with
women"
hest pumps. Lomas. my good child
are you merely drivelinE or snail we
come to something soon?"
IT am much exposed to women saio
tion Department pathetically. and
reused himself But this is
family skeleton. have sister, For
tune. She is intelligent She ls al
most as omniscient as you, my deaI
fellow, and much more practlcaI: 6ut
she can be quite maddenIng. ee:.,nnt.,S Sne
maddening me now. unrortunateiy
she has no husband. She had 700
much intelligence. She owns prince
ly school at Tormouth. l beifeVe "
makes her as rich as Rockefeller: She
certainly does herself very well. a
month ago she wrote 70 me !na :. q
strange thing had happened. In tne
night one of the mistress rooms had
been turned upside down..
do they rag much az eir,s,
schools?' Reggie yawned. 1t might
be picturesque"
my wonderful sister wanted me TO
tell her what 1t meant. I'm not
tions. / did not see myself in girls
school. Especially as an official.
Now she has been writing to me that
there are extraordinary Developments.
The room of another mistress mas
been upset"
"They do rag in girls schools! An.
other advance of women. Oh, they'll
have the vote soon.
you show levity. Fortune. My sis
ter would not like it. This Is crime.
A number of photographs were taken
photographs of girls at the school.
And there is no clue to the criminal"
"The great Tormouth mystery.
leader in the Daily Scream-'Bratns
for Scotland Yard But the inde-
pendent expert found pink hairpin
in the mouth of the dachshund rex
door but two and brought the loui
deed home to the Junior curate."
IT envv your spirits. Fortune. Lo-
man sighed "You have no sister
no maiden sister"
**
ND the desultory conversation
turned feebly to something else
in fact, both men were feeling the
strain of that tangled and saualid
crime. the Pim1ico murder. They had
at last contrived to hang (you remem-
her ft) the reluctant borough coun-
cilor. hut only Reggie Fortune couln
take a holiday AS he was going. ne
said that he thought OF motoring IN
Devonshire.
investigate her case" Lomas smiled
sourIy. 'Tf IL Is a case sometimes
I thing it's dream"
Dragging In Girls Schools. BY our
Speciai Commission. 'Orrfble Revela-
tions"
NV sister won't take to you. Sne's not
f1inpant." a..
Dant head-mistress! 7 blush"
A few davs later Reggie Fortune
drove into Tormouth. liked ". hked tts
hotel and called on the Hon. EVeiyn
J,oroas. Miss Lomas was her brotner
sister in face and shape. correctiv
handsome. slight. dapper. not the least
like her brother In manner. She was
frankly noiddle-sged. brisk and direct.
$50 glad YOU could spare time. MT
he
ing table, "My brother tells me
can have every confidence in your
discretion. -,
$50 good of him" Reggie murrnured:
TIE was annoyed with Lomas he nad
meant only to make friends with the
rood lady. It appeared that he was
to be an official Investigator OF tne
silly girls school mystery: An emnar-
rassinr position. And Miss Lomas
was visiblv without humor.
You will understand that oscre-
tion is essential in this case. MI FOR
tune. Anything in the nature OF pup
licity would be objectionable. YOU
look very young.
II trv to be-" Reggie said modestly.
Miss Lomas coushed. These are the
facts Mr.. Fortune. - sat,
with minute and tiresome detaii
Reggie heard it all over again ana
learnt nothing new. One mistress
room turned upside down IN the
night, nothing spoiled or taken-
an intervai-apother mistress Iooa
photographs of girls taken. Only that
and nothing more. Reggie was bored,
and let his eyes wander from the IN
tef,sity Of Miss Lomas. When AZ iass
she stopped, frowning at his lack o.
attention. and waited In angry
majesty for him to say sonlethine-,,
care you interested In Archaeology!
was what he said. ,r.
I,omas, in an awful voice.
gle murmured. and took up from her
table a little yeIlowish thing model.
ed into something like the shape OF
a woman. "Fascinatin'. isn't she!
ut seems to me childish or dis
gusting, Mr.. Fortune. Miss Tomas
snapped at him. 1T has nothing 70
do with the case. But I am AFRAID
my affairs merely amuse you, Mr..
Fortune"
tested. 'You see, you're so lucfd. MISS
J,omas. These odd affairs are hardly
do with anything. Just consider.
You tell me that in your school there
has been happening something un-
usual"
disturbing" Miss Lomas cried.
"And then I find this lyin' about
Hottentot Venus in girls school
that's very highly unusual"
'The thing is just little ivory
idol" said Miss Lomas. and took 1t
from him and looked at 1t with ais
gust. 1t was crudely and oddiy
shaped. like a childss ,d modelling; nrahaS,v II
wasn't an idol" Reggie snapped His
excellent temper found Miss Lomas
irving. Its horses tooth. and was