Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-10-31

~ d huAlS CAP dnU
learned her letters off a fever-chart.''
The slight pallor of excitement
showed through Charles dark skin,
He reached for the carafe, and filled
the Princess glass.
"A tall, blond woman ?" He tried
the ruse he had used on the garage
keeper.
mo; medium-sized and dark. At
tr~active. She wanted to exchange II
for a prim, little toque. Well. the
long and short of it was that 1 agreed
to have a duvetyn toque made up
for her and send it to her at the
hospital
Charlie lowered his yoice conf
dentially.
Mrs. Ranger has not been we'll.
But don't tell any one that she's in
a hospital"
oh, that's it? Then I did get It
right" She showed a natural pride
In having her surmises confirmed,
You say the woman left her ad-
dress?' He looked q little worried.
we nave to be so careful about
anything getting out"
Yes, she wrote it down for me:
tarlum, Barcelona, Long Island.
! Wait a minute! I've got the name.
Bris.ow. Doctor Bristow's Santa
RUM"
Charlie felt an insane impulse 20
get up and wave his arms and shout.
The Princess vas a mascot.
lie called the waiter, and begged
his companion to order something
more, pressing her to think of some
am brosial delicacy not on the card.
There was nothing too much he
could do for the Princess.
Then, with the waiter suggesting
this and that costly bonne-bouche,
he mad an excuse and fastened to
the telephone to call up Ranger, at
his country house In Westchester.
CHAPTER XVII
"Lorry, they got away with it,
Charlie broke the news without pre-
amble as soon as he had Ranger
on the wire. He believed it better
to get his bad tidings over first, be-
fore he gave a hint of the wonder
full new lead which he had stumbled.
81 know that" Ranger returned
with biting brevity. THE other side
has already furnished the informa-
tion.S
You've heard from them again ?"
Yes. A stick was thrown in the
dining room window with a note on
it, while we were at dinner. Wait a
minute, and I'll read it to you"
There was a pause, and then Ran
gers voice resumed: There is no
address; simply three lines o. type
writing and the usual circle and *
signature. 1t runs:
"'You have tried to double-cross
uss contrary to our explicit instruc-
tions; but we will give you another
chance. Deposit two hundred thou
sand dollars in bonds on Friday af-
ternoon, same place, same time.
Failure to comply or any further du-
plicity on your part will mean your
daughters DEATH"
Two hundred thousand? Char
lies voice supplied the exclamation
point. 'fThat's raising the ante with
a vengeance. Still, what else-?"
II won't do it. l can't raise that
amount of money on a moments no.
tice." Ranger went up in the air.
i've got to talk to you tonight, at
nee We can't get anywhere over
the wire. You'd better come out here
to the house."
To Charles quick ear it seemed
as If there were a slight shift in the
telephone connection. He imagined
he could detect through their con-
~versation the sound of some one else
breathing.
Hold on just a second, Lorry.
Have you heard anything new from
Philadelphia? ?"
The question was a code warning
arranged between them to indicate
that some one was listening in.
An interval of about two minutes
passed, and then Ranger spoke
again.
You were mistaken. 1 looked up
all the extensions. and the only per-
son who could have done any caves
dropping was Fitch, the footman.
who was down in the hall, and he
was twenty feet away from the in
strument and half-asleep. Anyhow,
it's all right now. I've shot off all
the switches except this one, and put
Mary Lou on guard. Besides, there's
nothing to say that the whole world
couldn't hear"
isn't there 2" Charlie couldn't
keep the elated ring out Of his voice.
well, let me tell you, Lorry, that
Nv dug up a great new clue, the
most promising yet. II fact, 1 don't
think it's too much to say that I ex-
pect to have Hope definitely located
by tomorrow"
NO." as Ranger stormed him
with excited questions; I'm not
going to say a word more over the
telephone"
But, Charlie; listen!" Ranger en-
treated. you're not going to play
a lone hand again, are you? For
heavens sake, remembe4 what hap
pened today. Show a little reason;
at least come here to the house and
talk 1t over with me-"
Charles mobile face hardened as
he listened. Sorry, Lorry," he an
swered crisply. But this requires
quick action"
And deaf to Rangers expostula-
tons, he hung up the receiver.
With his old confident swagger, he
made his way back to the Princess.
ITS been lovely, MI. Juarez." she
said; "but I'm afraid l ought to go
now. They'll be waiting for me, you
know"
With everything she did. she In
creased Charles good opinion of
her. Itching to be off on his quest,
he had been wondering how long
courtesy would compel him to sit
there before he could suggest leav-
ing. Charlie felt that he had more
than got his moneys worth. In his
large and generous mood, he gave
the waiter a princely tip. Also, he
remembered literally the hat-boy.