The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-12-21
FOUR

terms"
"Snce We are going to be perfectly candid
and frank with each other" she said, won't
you please tell me exactly what you think it
is l came here for?"
1--WE think-ahem-in fact, we know, Miss
Trent, that you came here to claim the five
thousand dollars reward offered by us for
the return of the record upon which, by mis-
take, a scientific formula caught"
Scientific formula Amelie was now in
tensely amused. She felt sure there mad
been some mistake. Some very grave mis-
take.
'.Gentlemen," she said rising, there has
evidently been some mistake. l am sorry If
l have caused you unnecessary worry and
have taken up your valuable time. There is
positively not one word on my Record No. 33
of scientific nature, and did not come to
claim any reward. In fact, | did not know
of a reward l was in New York and, as Mr..
Lawrence had written me pleasant letter
about the record asking me to return mine
and all that, l thought l would drop in to
ask him if he had found the stray record.
didn't understand what it was all about and
if have misled you, l am truly sorry. You
may be sure that if l did have the scientific
record, | would willingly have accepted your
offer of five thousand dollars, which seems
large fortune to me-" The two men had
risen before she had finished, and she no.
ticed that Miss Warren was also standing.
The dead silence that followed, though
it lasted only for moment, Amelie never
forgot. The two men and Miss Warren were
regarding her in amazement, as if in doubt
as to her sanity. Mr.. Chalmers was the
first to recover.
Great Scott!' was all he said, as he
mopped the great drops of sweat from his
face and dropped into the chair from which
he had just risen.
Mr.. Lawrence seemed at first too dunn
founded to speak. When he found his voice,
he said, as if to reassure himself:
$50 there is really nothing whatever of
purely scientific nature on your Record No.
49,; it is just as it should have been?" and he
spoke as if he wanted to be perfectly sure
that he had heard Alright
at is just as it should have been," Amelie
returned quite. positively, in an incisive
voice, which almost surprised herself, she
was so unused to it. Gust as 1 wrote you, it
was and is perfectly satisfactory"
miss Warren, kindly let me have my cor
respondence with Miss Trent" said Mr..
Lawrence.
When Miss Warren returned with the let
tiers both men read them attentively. Miss
Warren kept her gaze fixed on Amele as if
she feared she might escape, and occasion
ally she shot swift chances at the men. All.
traces of merriment had now died out Of
her face.
Mr.. Lawrence was apparently not quite
satisfied. He picked up the little yellow
slip from the floor where Mr.. Chalmers had
thrown it a moment before, tried to smooth
out the wrinkles and read it again very
carefully. A slight shade of suspicion still
fingered in his face.
why did you write me that you wished
to speak to me concerning Record No. 33?"
he asked as a lawyer might cross-question a
witness. Amelie was indignant. She could
see no reason or being kept on the grill like
this.
Because, as told you, was interested in
perfectly friendly way"
Have you been in New York long, Miss
Trent?" asked Mr.. Chalmers, decidedly more
calm now, but evidently still suspicious. AS
he spoke he nodded to Miss. Warren, who re-
sumed her seat and got busy with her note
book again.
mo, she answered, 81 came only yester-
day."
,"Do you expect to remain long?" he
asked.
II do not know" was all she replied.
What is your New York address,"
When she had given it, he gave mean
ing nod toward Mr.. Lawrence
Miss Warren" said Mr.. Lawrence stiffly.
SHOW Miss Trent out, please" and he ex-
tended "a his hand to Amelie quite formally
Mr.. Chalmers snapped out, "Goodby," very
choppily as he Imply took Amelie's hand in
parting, and once more she found herself
following Miss Warren
CHAPTER lV-Inside information
HIN AVING reached at last the LITTLE outer