Evening star., 1923-02-01
BY J. AUBREY TYSON
Copyright. 1872. b. the Macn,ilaa Company


| stances. the mere fact that these
| sheets are in your possession tonight
| might make you the object OF at
| tention OF q hangmap and his assist
ants, The person who concealed the
sheets In the cane must be identified
surely, Rennison. you do not sus-
| pect that /"
Frankly. Storrow. I believe you
to be as loyal to your country as ]
am" Rennison interrupted, rsassur.
about to be put to test. As you have
said. you have not been made the
victim OF a practical Joke. At 3
o'clock this afternoon those sheets
OF paper were in the possession of Q
| man who was on his way to deliver
them 0 a certain high official Of the
Navy Department. At 4 o'clock this
afternoon the body of this man, the
victim OF murder. was found in q
, room In a Washington hotel The
, sheets OF paper then were missing
o'clock in the evening. I found them
In a walking stick which you always
carry with you. How did they get
there?'
Storrow, bewildered and horrifled
shook his head helplessIy.
II cannot tell you, Rennison," he
answered. 81 do not know
Perspiration was streaming down
his face, as. with his hands In the
nervously tol and fro. Suddenly he
stopped and looked again at Rennison
who was eyeing him speculativeiy.
You say, Rem, this murder occurred
oetween and o,ei9ck?" he asked
1T was about that time / arrived at
your rooms to say goodbye to you.
was with YOU until after A."
True" Rennison assented, thought
fully But where did YOU go after
Il called on a. friend in the Column
bia Heights section" Storrow an
swsred. abstractedly.
storrow. hesitating. looked at his
companion sharply; then he replied.
1T was Miss WaPburton"
What time did you reach there
About 6, l think. l left a little
Where did you have dinner?'
With Miss Warburton--in her
room. 1t was served by a waiter, who
brought It up from the restaurant on
the nrst moor OF the building"
Was any one present besides Miss
Warburton, the waiter and yourself?
Miss Warburton's maid was in the
apartment"
rs a dinner with Miss warbur;on.
IN her apartment. usual thing with
you. Storrow?"
mo. We usually dine elsewhere. TO-
night, however. Miss Warburton was
lila violent headache She declined
my invitation TO dine with me down
town before ! was to go to the Gull
fords reception, and suggested that
we have something sent Up from the
restaurant"
What time was it you were with
MISS Warburton at Henneshaw's?'
why ask me that, REM" storrow
said, frritably. Did you not tell me
that you saw US there?"
NO. Rennison replied. Though i
had reason TO believe that you and a
shaw's today, did not see you there. +"
Storrow regarded his friend quixzi-
cally.
You described rather accurately
the costume she wore. Rem he pro-
Perhaps" Rennison answered short
iy. But you are not replying to my
question. What time were you and
Miss Warburten at Henneshaw's?"
Between noon and 1 o'clock"
pio you Leave her alone in the
For only four or FIVE minutes. She
asked me to telephone TO cancel an
appointment she had with her dentist
In the afternoon"
Did you take your cane with you to
tho telephone BOOTH"
mo. But-Rennison-sure you
no-not that-it Is impossible"'
Storrow's face was gray. His hands.
clutching the arms of hfs chair, were
trembling. His eyes were duIf with
fear and wonder. Rennison saw his
temples throbbing.
DO you mean, Rennison-' Stor-
row began. and stopped.
The gray eyes OF Rennison were
stern. but on his face there was an
expression that was indicative of
sympathy and pity, as he said, quiet
iy.
'1 mean, Storrow. that the murder
in the Weymouthshire this afternoon
was committed by Miriam Warburton
the Scarlet Tanager'-who took
from the body of her victim the
sheets Of paper ! found In your
swordcane. The theft Of those sheets
constituted a crime far more serious
than mere murder. 1t was treason
The evidence has Fbeen found in your
possession. You may clear yourself
by making your choice between
woman and your loyalty to your
country. Now, make IT. Is that choice
Miriam Warburton or the United
Sthtes?'
CHAPTER MI.