Americus times-recorder., 1923-03-05

II
ii in his grounds near Woking thae
a murder was committed police
man was found shot there!"
nodded Il was playing with Mr..
Stanield at the time" told her.
"And the murderer was never dis-
coyered7"
"Neverr'
u wonder you didn't take an In
terest in the case yourself" she re-
marked.
Il did" told her.
She made a little grimace-
My fears for my necklace are re-
awakened. A." she declared Surely It
ought to have been an easy task for
clever man like you. one who used
20 be called really great detective,
TO discover the murderer
1t IS beyond my powers to bring
him 10 Justice, az any rate" re-
piled There are many criminals
walking about today. OF whose guilt
the police are perfectly well aware.
They cannot be arrested. however.
for lack Of evidence"
How thrillingr' she murmure6
"Win you ask me to dine with you
some night and tell me some Of your
adveptures?"
Il shall be happy to do So" 1 re-
Piled Meanwhile"
She accepted my departure a little
tuwillingly. ! am not a vain man,
and | felt inclined to wonder at a
certain Eraciousness of attitude on
her part which more than once dur
ing our interview had forced itself
upon my notice.
Later, about seven O'Clock, a note
was brought into my room.
Dear Sir Norman,
A lady and her husband who were
dining. have disappointed me. Can
you, by any chance, be my guest? II
so. let us meet at eight o'clock in
the lounge. Hopefully yours,
Blanche de Mendoza.
/ scribbled a line OF acceptance. l
felt, as ! descended into the lounge
that evening, premonition that life
for the next few hours was going to
be very interesting indeed
At eight o'clock, precisely. Mrs.
De Mendoza came into the lounge.
She was wearing a white lace eve
ming dress. with an ermine wrap
which hung loosely around her. dis
closing the pearls underneath. Her
entrance made a mild sensation. MIR.
Stanfield, who was seated in his ac-
customed corner. drinking his cock
tail. watched our meeting and de-
parture into the restaurant with OBJ
yious surprise
THE little man was there again
who stares at me so much-Mr. Stan.
field, l think you called him?" she
remarked as we took our places.
! nodded.
II dare say he was surprised to see
us together" l said. u asked him
who you were. on the night of my
arrival here"
'Why2"
For the same reason that a great
many other people ask the same
question" 1 replied.
She made a little grimace.
you are determined to pay me no
compliments this evening. and am
wearing my favorite gown"
II admire your taste" / assured
her
Anything else?"
You are the best-dressed and the
st-lookins woman in the room"
Toe impersonal," she complained.
I turned the conversation 10 the
subject of the necklace. The pearls
were collected for her, she told me.
by her husband. some in India, some
in the Malay states, some in Paris,
some in Rio. She spoke Of him quite
frankly--a prosperous truit-hroker
who had achieved sudden opuIence.
1T was quite as much a change
for me as for him" she remarked. II
was a typist in Buenos Aires before
we were married, have known
what il is to be poor"
She answered an my questions
without reserve. displaying later on
much interest in the recounting OF
such of my adventures as were pub
lie property. began to feel that
had been mistaken with regard to
her. that she was really exactly what
she semed--a very wealthy woman
OF adventurous type. suddenly re-
leased from matrimonial obligations
and a little uncertain what to make
OF her life, We took our coffee in
the lounge afterward. In the back,
ground my golflng friend, Mr.. Stan
field, was seated. smoking a cigaret
In a retired corner, and having the
air OF studying everyone who passed
Continued in Our Next IssueI
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