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

The APARTMENT NEXT DOOR
s. BY WILLIAM JOHNSTON %
AUTHOR or "I1IE HOUSE OF WHISPERS, AND "IIsdPx~, ETC, ETC.
work va. not. Of that sort. He stroll

! work was not. Of that sort. He stroll
ed leisurely around the corner long
enough to give some directions to his
two aides waiting there and then,
moving across the street, paused in
front Of the window of books as II
something there had attracted his at
tention. All the while he wa keep
ing q sharp y for any person who
looked as II they might be connected
in any way with old Hof. Satisfied
that his entrance was unobserved he
strolled casually in and began look
ing I'VE the volumes in the lending
library. The lone clerk in the store
Ia young woman-at first volunteer
ed some suggestions. but as they went
unheeded she returned to her work OF
posting up the accounts.
AS loon as her attention was occu-
pied Carter moved at once to the end
of the shelf that Miss Strong had in
Dictated and removed the fifth book.
To his amazement he found nothing
whatever concealed between the
leaves. The books on either side on
the same shelf failed to yield up any,
the shelf below. Perhaps Miss Strong
had been mistaken in the directions.
He examined the books at the other
end. There was nothing there. He
recalled that the girl had said that no
one except two girls had entered the
store between the time she had dis
covered and copied the cipher and the
time of his arrival. If these girls had
not taken the message away there
the clerk In the bookstore must have
removed it and concealed it some
where.
(Which Of the war books do you
think the best?" he asked. for the pur-
pose of starting 8 conversation.
There's that many it is hard to say,
sir" the young woman answered.
Something in her infection made
him look sharply at her. Her accent
madam. A few judicious questions
quickly brought out the information
that she came from Liverpool and
that she had three brothers in the
British army. Carter decided that it
was preposterous to suspect her of be-
ing in league with German agents.
There was only one other thing that
could have happened. Some n else
some one who had eluded Miss
cipher message.
Promptly he had telephoned to hel
to meet him. He was glad that he
had lone so. for her evident perturba-
ton as she answered the phone both
interested and puzzled him. Pausing
Just long enough to report, to Chief
F1eck. he fastened to the rendezvous.
arriving there first. He selected a
bench apart from the others. where
and seating himself. idled there as II
merely watching the river. In obedi-
nee with his instructions Jane. when
she arrived, planted herself nom
chalantly on the same bench, and
paving no attention to him. pretended
to be reading a letter.
Presently Carter ose and stretching
himself lazily. as If about to leave,
turned to face the Drive. his keen
Apparently satisfied. he sat down alb
1uptlv and turned to speak to the girl
beside him.
"All right. K-1s." he said. "it's safe.
Now we can talk"
"I've got such a lot to TELL" cried
Jane.
First" said Carter, lust where did
YOU put that cipher message when
you put it back?"
what" cried the girl. her face
blanching.S wasn't it there? Didn't
YOU find it?"
Carter shook his head.
"It must be there" she insisted.
Are you sure you looked in the right
book-the fifth book from the end on
the second shelf on the uptown side
of the store"
TITS not there. ] examined every
book there. on the shelves above ana
below and at the other end. too"
9TH clerk in the store, that girl
must have hidden it," cried Jane with
conviction.
That's not likely. She's an Eng
lish girl-from Liverpool. She has
three brothers fighting on the Allies
side. We can leave her out of it,"
Who else could have taken it!"
There's only one answer" said
Carter slowly and impressively.
Some one went into hat store be-
tween the time you copied the mes
sage and the time I met you at the
drug store. You told me no one but
a couple Of girls had entered. Was