Evening star., 1921-06-19
! ARTH had spent an hour or SO
on an unimpressive case. and
1t was nearly midnight when

aware OF the landmarks OF the nelSh-
borhood, rehearsing thoughts which,
these last few weeks, had grown IA
miliar and unpalatable. Now. as al
ways. they failed to guide him to any
explanation of Nora's abrupt aoan-
donment of her routine. His recent
visits to the fiat Lad thrown him into
the hospitable hands of the inspector.
who, however had maintained an in
comprehensive silence as to his
daughters whereabouts. Garth could
read in this attitude no antagonism
to his own ambitions. He was conf
dent that the result of his campaign
for Nora's heart depended wholly on
the girl herself.
He realized 1t was growing late
Absent-mindedly he turned into side
street, intending to reach Sd avenue
and climb the steps Of the nearest
elevated station.
1t was the discreet murmurng OF
motor that routed finally his preoc-
cupation A limousine of a" sNtrafa-
giant type had halted C~ to the
curb at the end of the block. 1t point
ed a contrast which stirred the detec-
tives curiosity. The buildings, with
high stoops and sunksn s area~aSs' s;1Si"
larity - doubtless cheap boarding
houses or dreary converted apart
ments He saw that. while the chau1-
feur retained his seat: the door was was
opened from the inside ana 2 TAN
man. in a high hat and furi coat
which exposed an evening shlrt,
stepped with nervous haste TO the
sidewalk. W.
watched with increasing interest
while the man crossed the pavement
and, instead of climbing the steps.
stopped to place an object on the
Garth. speculating on this uncon-
ventional performance. stepped cas-
ually into an areaway. as II. indeed.
it was his destination. From this
shelter he observed the outcome.
After glancing quickly around the
man in evening clothes Strengthened:
returned to the Limousine and closed
the door, The car rolled almost ST.
lently up the street.
When the car was nearly opposite
him the man inside tapped on the
pane. On a subdued note the chaut-
feur exclaimed again. then pulled the
car to the curb and stopped II.
once more the we'll dressed man
~ left the Limousine and crossed the
sidewalk. For the second time ne
bent and placed something
on the ground.
As the driver set his gears and let
the clutch in. Garth reached throueh
the areaway railing and fumoled
about the sidewalk for the object.
His fingers found it-round. fiat. hard.
1t was a piece of money,
Garth slipped from the areaway.
lamp. The piece Of money was a
fve-dollar gold piece. He glanced
along the street. The automobile had
just swung from sight He started
quickly after 1t.
When he turned the corner he was
not surprised to find the limousine
halted again. to see the young man
returning from a third excursion to
the house line where. doubtless: ne
had with an extreme anxiety placeo
another piece OF money.
Garth broke into a run. the chauf-
feur glanced over his shoulder ana
muttered quickly to the man. who
sprang in. As soon as the door was
almost Affirmative of flight.
Garth hastened to read the license
number on its rear. AS he wrote 1t In
his pockstbook he watched 1is,nna.r tfe req o!
He walked over and picked up a
25-cent piece.
Almost certainly another coin lay
close to Lexington avenue, where the
learn the denomination Of that coin
AS soon as he turned the corner ne
saw that he would be too late.
Breathlessly. he slipped into an area
way and watched.
A singularly small figure of a man
shufied across Lexington avenue ana.
as II with an assured purpose, mace
for the corner stoop. The race was
q diminutive overcoat and by felt
hat. drawn low over the eyes
The man bent and picked up the
coin. Afterward he continued to-
ward Garth. not. however IN
Garth placed the ive-dollar gold
piece Just outside the railing. He
took his pocket lamp from his coat
and held it ready.
pailid cleaning Of the gold: Without
Increasing his pace he shuff1ed across
and stopped. stretching out his mana
Garth reached through the railing, IIns:
and. as the hand was about to close
over the money, grasped it with all
He had been prepared for fright
and for q struggle, but scarcely 1or tne
shrill animal cry that greeted MS
AZ last Garth managed to wrist the
small wrist so that practically ne con-
trolled the fellows movements. Ihen
ne pressed the button OF his lamp,
the USnC SHOuc AhcA SAAS1
TSe skin was yellow and tight, like
,.rchment. across the high cheek
bones. The tiny eyes lay far PACK
in rounded sockets S,.b But IT. II bst was had a
fallen. that Garth's glance fingered
with the most distaste. A queue was
clried about It.
-How did you know you'd hnd TINS
money on the sidewalk" he asked:
s.eyo talk-ee, eh? All right. little
eoa Then you'll have a nice free ride
downtown-just as suspicious char
acter." ..
him from which ne % shrank. s1aar St,i.
enough duty. He stepped from the
arsawsSi austie along. sonny" |
The Chinaman was on the point OF
collapse Garth practically carried
70 turn his man over at headquar-
ters. He saw him placed in an empty
detention cell.
morning he telephoned the bu-
reau Of licenses @ ana dsad apparen1,y emil ran ran
limousine. he found. belonged to
Thomas Black. Garth flushed uncom-
fortably. He began to suspect that
he had been guilty OF an 1ndlscre-
tion. for Black. some years ago, had
married the sister Of Rufus Manford,
whose recent selection as head Of the
society Of Social Justice had set in
motfon q cumbersome amount OF self
,atisfied and unusually ill-des1sned
activity against crime. Stili Gattn
knew that Manford was working with
the inspector now on some urgent
cases about which little was said at
headquarters. 1t was possible, then,
that the trail of coins had been ar