Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-02-21

Hof standing behind her. his hat and
stick in hand. Panic-stricken, she
hung up the receiver abruptly Had
he been standing there listening? HOW
much had hs ao,, he beard beard : .t,. He len T Ssaa
on the second shelf" signified. Had
her carelessness betrayed to him the
fact that he and hts uncle were being
CLOSELY watched? A~nxiously she stud
led his face for some intimation of his
thoughts. He was standing there
smiling at her. and to her agitated
brain it seemed that in his smile
there was something sardonic, DEFY
ing. challenging.
IT cannot tell you, Miss Strong,
how much I have enjoyed your hos
pitality. You made the time s in
teresting that I had no idea it was SO
late. You will excuse me II / tear
myself away at once. I have some
important business that demands my
immediate attention"
Il hope you'll come again,"\ she
managed to stammer, and you, too,
Mr.. Kramer"
White-faced and terrified she es-
corted them out. leaving tho tele-
phone bell iangling angrily. AS the
doc closed behind them, h sank
weak and faint into a chair. not dar-
ing yet to go again to the phone until
h was sure they were out OF hear
ing.
What was the Immediate business"
that was calling them away so sud
denly? She was more than afraid
hat her. incautious use of the phrase
"the fifth book on the second Shelf
had betrayed her. What else could 1t
mean? Whv else would they have de-
parted so abruptly?
mastering up her strength and
courage she went once more to the
phone.
Hello. hello. is hat you. Miss
Strong? Some one cut us off," Car
ter's voice was 'impatiently saying.
this is Jane Strong speaking. Where
can I see you at once? It's most i'm
portant."
"1'l be sitting on a bench along the
Drive two blocks north of your house
inside of ten minutes"
"IW meet you there" she answered
quickly. with a feeling of relief.
The situation was becoming far too
complicated. she felt, for her to han
die alone. Carter would know what
to do. If HOff and Kramer had learn.
ed from her about the trailing of old,
Hon. the sooner it was reported to
more experienced operatives than she
was the better.
Don't speak to me when you see
me sitting on the BENCH" warned Car
ter Just sit down there beside me
and wait till 1 make sure no n is
watching us. I'll speak to you when
it's safe"
II understand" she answered,
As she fastened to don her hat and
coat h was almost overwhelmed by
a revulsion of feeling. Two days ago
the world about her had seemed q
carefree, pleasant, even if sometimes
boresome place. Now she shudder-
ingly saw 1t stripped of its mask and
revealed for the first time In all it's
h~ideousness. a place of murders and
spying and secret Vaccinations. Peo-
less interesting puppets in a play
world. They were vivid actualities.
scheming and planning to thwart and
overcome each other. Almost che
wished that her dream had been un-
disturbed and that h had not been
walked up to the realities. Almost she
was tempted to abandon her new
found occupation.
Then. once more. a feeling Of
patriotic fervor swept over her. She
thought of her brother fighting some
where in the trenches. She pictured
to herself the other brave soldiers in
the great ships in the Hudson. She
remembered the evil plotters with,
their death-dealing bombs, striving to
bring about a CHASTITY end. for them
all before they might strengthen the
lines of the Allies. She thought, too,
of those humanity-defying U-boats,
forever at eheir devilish work, guided
to their prey by crafty. sping crea-
lures right here in New York, more
than likely by the yery people next
door.
With her pretty lips set in a reso-
Lutte line she left the house and walk
ed rapidly north. Come what may she
would 20 on with it. Her country
needed her, and hat was all-sufficient.
CHAPTER vi.
The Missing Message.
After Jane left Carter at the drug
store. he did not cross Immediately to
the bookshop opposite. His detective