Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-03

<IAHY wife must have gone
|" There was something If
Tappitts tone that sent {
cold shiver down Johr
wade's spine. All the mans sudden
panic had communicated itself to MN
and he knew that, if there was one
thing the police sergeant did not Pc
lieYe it was that his wife had lett Unt
house Of her own free will. -,
IN Just look in her room," said
Tappitt. -,
He turned the knob, but the door
did not open.
Put on the hall light, somebody
he called sharply, while he raped on
the door. Elk pressed the button and
suddenly John Wade called out:
The keys on sthe outside, Tappitt. ,
In another instant Tappitt had
snapped back the lock, thrown open
the door and entered the room.
Lying on the bed was a woman, APP
parently asleep. Wade recognized her
instantly as .Lila's custodian. She lay
on her side, so still that at first he
thought she was dead. Tappitt took
her hand.
Mary" His voice was shrill with
fear She's
shes all right-shes breathing, "
SAID WAGE.
He turned the woman on to her back
and lifted her eyelids gently. The
glare of the light made her face
witch painfully.
open the window and get some
water
An hour later she was sitting on the
edge of the bed, still dazed. looking
wonderingly from one to the other.
Whats the matter?". she said, at
last I've been asleep. Is Lila all
right?"
She recognized John Wade and smiled
family.
why did I go to sleep?" she MUIR
INJURED. Il can't remember--
They took her into the kitchen and
made her some tea.
Don't empty that cup!" said Wade
sharply. as the sergeant was on the
point of throwing the cup of cold tea
into the sink. Il may want that"
Tappitt looked from the cup to his
superior.
as he set it carefully aside.
DO you know where Lila Went?"
Wade asked Mrs. Tappitt. She's not
here"
Not here" said the woman. in
credulously. But left her here few
minutes ago-what time is it?"
The told her it was half-paSt 3.
She stared at them in amazement.
But it can't be. 1t was S o'clock
when I was in the High street,
went out to buy her pair of slippers.
I left Mrs. Elford, the woman who
lives opposite, to look after her; then
came back and made myself cup Of
tea :.
She paused.
DO you remember anything after
that?" asked John Wade.
She shook her head slowly.
mo. I DON'T
Mrs. Elford. the neighbor, offered q
solution to the mystery. She had been
called in to stay with Lila while Mrs.
Tappitt went out to get the slippers.
and she had been there a little more
than 10 minutes Soon after Mrs. Tap
pitt left a man had called with a note
for Lila. She did not remember what
he looked like, except that he seemed
a seafaring man. He said he would
wait for an answer. and she had left
him at the door and gone into Lila's
room.
"And during this interval. q second
man slipped into the fiat and hid him
self in the kitchen" said Wade.
Where could he hide?"
In the kitchen was door leading
though Mrs Tappitt was certain it
had been shut and bolted
This is the place" said Wade do
you remember making your tea, Mrs.
Tappitt?"
She nodded.
After it was poured out, did you
leave it for any time?"
She considered.
Yes, I did go out Of the room for
second or two. I went to ask how
the slippers fitted"
And then you came back and drank
your tea? That is all you remember?
They gave you enough stuff to knock
you out. carried you into the bedroom
and locked the door on you"
The three men made . careful search
Of Lila's bedroom, but the kidnapers
had left no clues. Behind an arm
chair lay p>S~ of Lila's slippers.
"She was wearing the red ones when
last / saw her." said Mrs. Tappitt
Leaving the woman in the care of
her husband, the two inspectors hurried
from the fiat and began their in
Quiries. In this neighborhood, where
children play in the streets till late at
night and women make their doorways
centerS of gossip, it was almost certain