Evening star., 1927-09-24
BY Isabel OStrANder
Continued from Yesterdays starr

Pardon me. but are you sure 1t Is
seven ocloCk?"
TO ears other than hers the ques-
ton would have sounded ludicrous in
the extreme, with the sun standing
directly overhead and the midday
pandemonium of sea going craft all
about them. but Janet glanced covert
y at the man on her left. He APP
peared unconscious of her presence,
staring landward with n wholly alb
sorbed expression. but there was
something vaguely familiar about
him. OF course! He was the blond,
distinguished-look middle-aged pas
senger who had caught her glance
impersonally the morning before:
Janet gaZed again out over the ran
and murmured softly the old ritual:
What hour do you wish it was"'
Firmly and without hesitation the
answer came.
It's always seven!"
A little pause followed and the
stranger waited. He was to be trust
ed; Daddy had said so, and Daddy
knew, or he would not have spoken.
Janet glanced at him once more, then
turned and strolled around to the port
deck, semi.deserted in the rush for the
halted at the rail again and, almost
as the doubt formed itself in her MIND,
his voice came to her.
"Trouble?" he asked quickly.
No one was near and she turned to
him.
I'm Janet" she said simply. DO
you know my father, Richard Dane|'
Thought son' He nodded. Radio
reached him and | guess he's been in
touch with every liner coming in.
Tapped in on every wave myself ara
caught it. I'm Frederick Afford,
though l guess you never heard 'of
me-
How did you know who was, Mr..
Alford?" she asked, her eyes widen
ing. MY name on the passenger
list . E"
She stopped, remembering what
Philip Marriott had said about her
alais not being clever enough, and
the man at her side laughed shortly.
Near enough to be guessed, Miss
Janet. I'm not Afford either on
board. only to your fathers daughter.
I'd have dropped to who you were,
though, even without the name, when
| saw the two who were trying to get
in with you-Mariott and the woman
who calls herself 'Carlin.' y
"Oh, do you know them?" Janet
exclaimed, but softly. They've
caused my trouble, each of them
warning me that 1 was in danger and
trying to make me give them some
thing / haven't got-I don't even
know what it is The woman broke
into my stateroom last night and
threatened to shoot me, and it was
then l remembered the little watch
and what my father told me about
using it to find a friend if-if l ever
needed one badly. What is it, Mr..
Afford? A lodge, or something's"
Rather like one" He had listened
attentively, his keenly intelligent face
alive with interest and now he smiled,
showing a CLEAN of even, white teeth
beneath the small, clipped, blond
mustache. "At any rate I'll see you
in safe hands! Now, tell me every
thing you can recall about these two
people. They thought they recognized
you, but were they sure?"
Yes, and that's the strangest part
Of it! Knowing my name, how could
they think! :" Janet paused, for a
strange look had passed over her com
panion's face. The next moment she
had plunged into her story and he
heard her through without comment,
but when she had finished he said with
instant decision:
"You told the Carlin woman you
had a friend on board and you really
have, Miss Janet! She mustn't
suspect that I'm your friend, though,
or I won't be able to be of much serv-
ice to you. l can't explain now, but
listen carefully; your luggage will be
under letter D. on the dock for GUS
toms inspection, mine under X Go
below and repack your things, put
ting the most valuable-never mind
mere necessities-into one small bag
that you can easily carry yourself II
you have to. When your inspector
comes to you on the dock tip him
privately to hurry you through
you've nothing dutiable?"
Janet shook her head. This wasn't
at all the sort of help she had antici-
pated, The talisman had worked with
amazingly quick results, it was true,
but imagination had led her to expect
immediate and open championship.
the end of this hateful mystery!
Here she seemed to be plunging deep
er into it than ever; had this voyage
been only the beginning?
AS though reading her thoughts
Afford went on hurriedly:
"We ought to get through with the
red tape about the same time, but
lust take the little bag / told you to
carry, checking all the rest, and hurry
out to a big maroon-colored limousine
you'll find waiting. If I'm not in 1t
already I'll be along in a minute or
two, but tell the chauffeur I'm coming
to take you to Mr.. Dane. He knows
that your father and 1 are-old
friends. You can't mistake Nat, for
he's a hunchback. but wizard be
hind the wheel. I'll explain what 1
can of this affair then, Miss Janet,
but you'll just have to trust me now,
for we can't stop here, talking. Re-
member, your father knew what he
was about when he gave you that
Inncn'f onf'