Evening star., 1925-10-08

| " " QO0r!' she wondered,
uneasily. The detec.
tive had a businesslike
air. as if he were making for some
She had not seen him like that be-
fore, in any search he made. when
she had quietly watched. not appear
| ing to watch.
What can he have found out?" she
asked herself. Nothing. surely. 1t
Is not possible And yet she knew
that Fanny feared his getting upon
did it matter? Nothing mattered in
this world. But Fanny-Fanny was
so mad about Kennedy Haste. She
would do anything to keep him from
his wife. And If the detective should
get on the right track" before all
the plans had been carried out, Mrs.
Gillett actually feared her daughter.
The whole affair was CHASTITY.
Heaven knows how she loathed 1t.
If she could. But she had been forced
into the tangle for Fanny's sake.
She had hoped at first when she
heard Fanny's dopr creak lightly that
the girl had gone to look again for
those letters which obsessed her.
Several times she had sought them in
different places. BY day, in Rawdon
Wells own room, when she was sure
he was not there. and her mother was
on guard. BY night. after he'd gone
to bed in his study. But she was
not in the study tonight. Mrs. Gillett
had looked. She had not dared try
to follow TO that other place she sus-
pected. Now. even IL she had dared.
1t was too late. The detective was
on his way to the cellar. with that
air Of meaning to do something def
mite!
If he should accomplish a miracle.
and-if Fanny should be caught!
What can I do?" Mrs. Gillett won
dered, miserably Shall l tell him."
Presently, after some nervous flut.
tering and indeciSion, she answered
her own question by returning up
stairs and knocking at a certain door.
1t was not quite an ordinary knock
that she gave. There were three taps,
an interval, and again three, as II
a preconcerted warning were intend
ed. "It Is the one you know; don't
be alarmed the discreet signal
seemed to say.
Soon the door was opened a few
inches. No one looked out. and the
only light was that Of the moon
streaming through a large incur
tained window at the end of the cor
ridor. But Mrs. Gillett had no doubt
as to who 1t was silently awaiting
her words:
"I'm frightened" she whispered.
THE detective has gone down to the
cellar"
What Of that?" a voice answered
with a note of irritation. He has
been there many times. He'll have
no more luck than others. He likes
to prowl at night. It makes him feel
! his Importance. poor wretch. Need
you have disturbed me for that? 1
get little enough rest"
IT am sorry" faltered Mrs. Gillett.
'I hardly knew whether to wake you
or not Only--I think Fanny Is there.
Did you give her a key?"
NO" said the voice. But there's
no key to the room she's interested
! in. There are two bolts. She has no
right to go there without me. Why
| should she go? The girls illness Is
| past She is not needed as a nurse.
And there's, no other excuse for
II told you, I was frightened" Mrs
Gillett repeated. "And Dagon looked
different tonight: saw him. He
thinks that he has found out some
thing"
He may think So do not" tho
voice replied. But your daughter
should not be there. l am angry with
her"
What can you do?"
u will go down.
"But-if you meet Dagon?"
81 shall have an excuse. I will get
him away. You can trust me to do
that. When he's got rid of I'll deal
with your daughter. Get back to your
own room now. 1 must make myself
ready to be seen."