Evening star., 1922-09-15

good chance to look about.
There was an air OF quiet and re-
finement about the apartment in the
Recherche. 1t was darkened to give
their silkenl shades q full chance to
simulate night. The deep velvety
carpets were noiseless to the foot,
and the draperies. the pictures, the
bronzes. all bespoke taste.
Bq. the chief objects jss, Of o interest t.so to
baize covered tables on one of
which lay neatly stacked a pile, of
gilt-edged cards and mahogany box
full of ivory chips of red. white and
blue.
It was none Of the old-time
with it's steel door which Craig had
once cut through with an oxyacety-
lene blowpipe in order to rescue a
young spendthrift from himself.
Kennedy seemed perfectly well
satisfied merely with a cursory view
ceiver and thanked the maid politely
| for allowing him to use 1t.
This is up-to-date gambling in
cleaned-up New York." he remarked
as he waited for the elevator to re-
turn for us. And the worst of 1t
as the men. Once they are caught in
the net they are the most powerful
lure to men that the gamblers have
| yet devised"
We rode down in silence, and as
we went down the steps to the
had seen watching the place lurk-
| ing down at the lower corner. Ken
| nedy quickened his pace and came
| up behind him.
Why. Winters" exclaimed Craig.
You here"
L
grinned the detective. not displeased
evidently that our trail had crossed
his. Il suppose you are looking for
Schloss, too. He's up in the Rech-
erche great deal. playing poker.
| understand he owns an interest in
the game MP there"
Kennedy nodded, but said nothing.
Il just saw one of the cappers for
the place go out before you went
in.
"Capper?" repeated Kennedy sur
prsed. "Antoinette Moulton a
steerer for a gambling joint? What
! can a rich society woman have to do
With a place like that or a man like
SchIoss?"
Winters smiled sardonically. So
ciety ladies today often get into
scrapes of which their husbands
didn't know before that Antoinette
Moulton, like many OF her friends in
the smart set. was cumberland
ioser-dd you?''
Craig shook his head He had
more of human than scientific inter
est in a case Of a woman of her cali
fer gone wrong.
But you must have read OF the
famous Moulton diamonds"
Yes said Craig. blandly. as if
il were all news to him.
'Schloss has them---ur at least had
them. The jewels she wore at the
! opera this winter were paste. | un-
derstand"
does Moulton play" he asked.
Il think so-but not here. natural
| ly. In a way. | suppose. it is his
fault, They all do it. The example
Of one drives on another
Instantly there flashed over my
mind host of possibilities. Per
maps, after all. Winters had been
light. Schloss had taken this way
to make sure Of the jewels SO that
she could rot redeem them. Sud
denly another explanation crowded
that out. Had Mrs. Moulton robbed
the safe herself. or hired some one
else to do il for her. and had that
person gone back on her?
Then a horrid possibility occurred
to me. Whatever Antoinette Moul-
ton may have been and done. some
one must have her in his power.
What situation for the woman,
My sympathy went out to her in
| her supreme struggle Even If it
j had been a real robbery. SGlloss
might easily recover from il. But
! for her every event spelled ruin and
. seemed only to he bringing that ruin
closer.
We left Winters. still watching on
the trail OF Schloss. and went on
uptown to the labratory.
Copyright. 1922