Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-17
INSTALLMENT XIV

INSTALLMENT XIV.
II UPON his return to his office,
Mcnamara found in his mail
a photograph of Lanny, in
~ dorsed: ITO dear old Dan
from his partner in crime
| Lanny" While he was gazing upon 1t
and telling himself how little justice the
portrait did the beloved subject, Stephen
telephoned, demanding that he come to
the Office.
Lanny was in tears. 1--WE just had
another visit from Mrs. Merton, DAN"
Stephen began. 1T seems that after
| two years of inactivity, during which
time she had elected to believe Pene-
lope Gatlin dead, she has developed
crazy notion to prove 1t. She wants to
get Penelope's fortune
You questioned her about her
daughter"
yes, but she doesn't know it," said
| Stephen. IT hypnotized her first and
spent an hour questioning her, and it
appears that this morning she visited
your captain of detectives and asked
him to throw out drag net to locate
Penelope Gatlin. She brought him
some snapshots of the girl-told him
her real name-all about her money
the girls habits and peculiarities-
everything. When I'd discovered
enough to put LAnny in tears, awak-
ened Mrs. Merton and sent her away
happy, but with this command firmly
] planted in her subconscious mind: she
must not think of the name Penelope
Gatlin. When awakened her, asked
her If she had an adopted daughter.
She replied, surprised, that she had. I
then asked her the name Of this adopted
daughter-and a look of terror came
| over her face. For the life of her. she
| couldn't think Of the name and begged
me not to mention it If knew 1t.
"It's a pity you didn't think OF doing
that before she went to the detective
! bureau with her information, Nc
| Namara cried, and called up the Sc
| curity Trust Co.
"The captain of detectives has put
Flynn and Angelloti on the case, he
announced drearily when he had hung
up, land Flynn has already been TO the
bank making inquiries. When he pre-
sented his credentials the cashier
showed him everything. They'll ioen-
tify her as Nance Belden, trace her TO
Paris as readily as did and the french
government will be notified that Pene-
| iope is an escaped convict. They will
| Immediately deport her and Flynn VIII
meet her at Hoboken."
| But can't you do anything about 1t,
DAM" Lanny pleaded.
Nothing. Flynn and Angelloti are
on the trail off1cially now" He stared
at Lanny tragically. I'm out OF the
picture now and can do nothing but adj
wise you. Send two cables, one to Nance
| Belden in Paris and the other to Pene-
! lope Gatlin at the same address. Say:
Come at once-Lanny dying-cable
name vessel on which leaving, and sign
it, Steve
"I'l meet her at the dock" Stephen
decided. I'm due in New York next
week"
you'll do nothing of the sort" said
! Dan. iii send that convict at my
house" He shuddered and grimaceo In
| his distress, II could handle the Wop
with money, but Flynn has sworn an
oath. and. because I've made a monkey
out of him he'll keep it. He'd rather
make a monkey out of me now than
acquire great Yiches-and If I'm broke,
most likely the captain of detectives
will step into my shoes and Flynn VIII
stand a good chance OF becoming cap
tain of detectives Oh, murderation,
Lanny darling, have you little whisky
in the house? I'm faint, so 1 am"
You're suffering from heart trouble,
| YOU egg" Lanny cried savagely. Yes,
a weak heart, soft heart, human
heart!"
Eyes, get busy, Lanny'% STEPHEN
little atseo; way to fiutt ute the Wretched
fowl Is on the the way" -
After Dan Mcnamara had left his
office DR.. Stephen Burt gazed
with mild diSapproval upon Lanny.
Unlike you and Dan McNamara," he
said, II dislike having the peaceful
tenor of my life disturbed"
This intrigue Is myrrh and incense
to me, Stevie."
IT know it. You and Dan love .
fight for its own sweet sake, but do
not. I have a particular aversion to
grand jury indictments and it is pos
Sibility that you and your boy friend
have let me in for"
"Fiddlesticksl"
"Lanny, I'll be angry with you in a
minute. Now listen to me, and what
ever you do do not talk back. Dan Nc
Namara has run out on u.s. mean you.
He's through. Dams ratified. If he
hadn't been he'd never have ordered the
sending of such fool cablegram."
Dan Mcnamara knows his way
about" Lanny defended. Hes more
than years old"
so do I. Lanny, it will be highly
dangerous to send that cablegram. How
is she to know 1t isn't message to de-
coy her back to the penitentiary? If
she receives it while she's Penelope Cat
lin, she is extremely liable to cable for
confirmation before acting on it. That
would mean delay Of not less than "a
hours. On the other hand, If she is
Nance Belden when she receives it, she
will leave Paris openly and walk right
into the hands of the New York police.
I'm not much of a detective, but to-
night I'm better one than that Nc
Namara idiot"
Hes not an idiot. He's one of the
finest men have ever known"
Keep quiet" he ordered severely.
You ditch my train of thought"
He drew sheet Of paper toward him
and commenced writing, while Lanny
glowered at him. Presently he sat up