Evening star., 1934-02-20
INSTALLMENT XVI.

~HE slight feeling OF embarraSS-
/ ment which at first had mill
tated against an easy flow of
| i conversation between Jane and
| Packy had not lasted long.
They we're now on excellent terms and
Senator Opal, listening to their care
free chatter, thought he had never
heard a more revolving sound.
| "Hey!" he called sharply. He re-
sented cheerfulness at such moment.
Their voices died away. The fact
that he was undergoing some up
heaval OF the soul was one which
nobody, at such close range, could
fail to observe.
Whatever is the matter, Father?"
The Senator glanced about him
| conspiratorially and lowered his voice
to hoarse whisper.
! Listen! We've got to watch out.
! Do you know what's just happened?"
And, still speaking in that low,
| bronchial voice. Senator Opal pro-
| ceeded to relate his story. He told
of the purposeful dash for the Vene-
tian suite, the successful discovery OF
the safe, the subsequent sensation of
triumph and exhilaration, the walk on
| the terrace with chest out and
chin up.
Then the recital passed into minor
key. He spoke of Medway and half
smoked cigars, of Midway and enig-
matte looks, of Midway and mystery
| novels, of Medway and parting words
which if they weren't sinister, well
what were they?
"It's where these criminals try to
| burgle a safe in country house, little
knowing that the blasted maid is a
detective in disguise Those were her
very words. If she had told me
straight out that she was a private
detective. she couldn't have made it
any palmer. I went all cold"
| 1T is quite possible, of course u
Packy conceded, that Mrs. Gedge
may have engaged a detective tor look
after her belongings. But what this
girl said was nothing but a coinci-
| dence. If, you ask me-"
Il don't ask you"
Packy frowned thoughtfully. II
| agree with you that it is thing
which we ought to know for certain
before starting operations" he said
This colleague of mine, Of whom !
have spoken, is tough boZo. but !
| suppose even tough bozos prefer not
to work in the dark. 1t would
! scarcely be fair to ask him to do his
stuff in state Of uncertainty as to
| whether or not a female dick was
likely to pop up out of a trap and
make flying tackle the moment he
| got into action on that safe. Crate
full though he is to me, it might pique
him If we let him in for anything
like that
"He means the man might find 1t
awkward II there was a detective In
the house." explained Jane
The Senator said he was aware that
that was what Packy had meant
Packy advanced a suggestion. Our
first move" he said, must be to find
| out about this girl. We must insti-
| tute a probe or quiz and make her
come clean"
The Senator asked how the devil
they were to do that.
THE problem" said Packy, ignor-
ing his slight brlsqueness, lis not SO
much 'how?' That part of it is SIM
pie. Obviously, somebody has got to
ingratiate himself with her-not to
mince matters, f1irt with her-make
love to her-worm his way into her
confidence and get the truth from
her. The question is-who?"
He looked at the Senator so mean
ingly that the latter asked if Packy
seriously intended to suggest that he.
a pillar Of the United States Govern
ment, should go about organizing pet
ting parties with ladies maids.
You wouldn't have to do much,''
urged Packy.