Evening star., 1922-05-28

skeeter stepped down and out of
the car without a moments hesits-
ton. Then he crossed the sidewalk.
stepped to the door and rang the bell
Creegan was doing no worrying.
But he let nothing escape his notice.
He watched Skeeter ring. He waited.
with his right hand still gripping
something concealed in his coat pock
ct. to see If that ring would be an
swered. 1t startled him 4 little 10
see the door swung open by a servant
in livery. He watched a word or two
pass between Skeeter and the ser
want And then, strangely enough.
he saw the little yesg pass into the
house.
But still Creegan did no worrying.
He was sure OF his ground. He looked
over the car, smoked his second pale
colored cheroot. and patiently waited
Minute after minute dragged away.
Then he shifted in his seat a little
restlessly. AS he did SO. his eye quite
accidentally caught the glitter of
something on the car floor beside the
foot-brake. He saw, as he bent closer
over it, that it was bright and bur
nished gold coin. Beside il, closer
under the seat. lay two other coins.
THE sight Of those three disks of
gold strangely and suddenly sta
tied the man from the central once
1t brought him to his feet with
jerk. like a slap on the face. In hve
seconds he had crossed the sidewalk
and was at the house door. A mo
ment later he had rung the bell IL
seemed an age before the servant in
livery answered his ring.
where's that man who went in
here Ave minutes ago." Creegan de-
manded
The servant in livery surveyed MIN
from head to foot There was some
thing both reproachfully admonishing
and unspeakably exasperating in that
calm and leisurely scrutiny. 1t was
plain to see that the stout man in
livery was not used to being so
brusquely addressed. 1t was equally
plain to see that Creegan and his
questioning were not accustomed to
such criticism.
Wake up. you cow" cride the auto
crat of the law, for he was losing
precious time. Where's that man.?
The calm and dignified parsonage in
livery started as though he had been
stung. He would surely have slammed
the door in his insulter's face had an
outthrust foot not intervened and had
his eye not fallen on the glitter OF
the badge Creegan flashed at him.
do you mean the thin young gen
tleman as was sent to inspect the
wire service, sir?"
Wire service? What wire service?'
He said, sir, s he was sent TO in
spect the house wires. He's out back,
sir. to follow up what he called some
wire trouble leading through TO West
End avenue. At least so he expressed
himself. sir
Creegan didn't even start after the
man who was tracing up wire trou-
Bile. He didn't even enter the house.
Who lives here" he asked, as he
disgustedly turned away.
Mr.. Colbron. sir"
Creegan waited no longer. His man
had got away
He walked thoughtfully back TO the
touring car; there was no longer any
necessity for hurry.
For a moment or two he stood con-
templating the empty-seated auto
mobile in front of him. Then, pull
ing aside the lap-robe that covered
the well-filled tonneau, he broke open
one of the carefully wrapped and
corded and sealed packages that lay
there. This act he repeated several
times. Then he caught at a door TO
steady himself
Money he gasped. in awe. It's
nothing but money, There must be
twenty million there"
Copyright, 1922. All rights reservedD