The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1934-02-23

Lucy find chance of sharing her SuS-
picions.
"You don't for moment think 1t
can be Sniff"
sim afraid do" Laura returned.
isn't 1t just the sort of thing she
talked of at luncheon that day?"
"If this Is what she's doing she
must be stopped. 1t would simply en-
rage Cyril. I mean he is so particular
about his professional standing 1t
would simply kill him."
Were probably agitating ourselves
needlessly." Laura patted her sister
on her shoulder to reassure her. "Any-
way. say nothing about it-especially to
Louise. I'll see Smif tomorrow and
find out what she's doing with herself
You'll see her tomorrow without
fail?" Lucy implored. 81 shan't have
a happy moment until I know. you
know"
Without fall" Laura promised.
But by the time she was up and had
telephoned the Badminton Miss Lovely
had gone for the day.
Did they know where Miss Lovely
could be reached?
With deep regret, the clerk assured
her that he did not.
Laura hung up. She wished she
could find Sniff. There was nothing
more annoying than to be kept in sus-
pense. And then the way to end that
suspense occurred to her. She took
up the telephone again and ordered
her car. She would go to see Madame
Saitou.
On the way to make her call, Laura
had time to reflect and to suffer many
qualms. Should Madame Saitou prove
not to be Smif, what could she say to
her? There was nothing she wanted
to consult her about. She finally de-
cided to ask to have her horoscope
drawn. 1t might be amusing, and II
Madame Saitou were not horoscop-
list it would provide an easy escape.
The motor drew up as near to the
number she had given as the crowd of
cars parked at the curb would permit.
She descended, and locating the num-
Der she was searching for on tall
narrow building, she walked past 1t
twice before she entered the vestibule
leading to the elevators.
She had recognized Madame Georg-
cites shop, and its proximity reas-
sured her. The elevator slid into
sight to discharge it's freight: girl,
pretty in spite Of the cheap makeup
which hid her fresh young skin; a mes
senger boy, chewing gum as If his job
depended on It; and a worried-looking
man with a large horseshoe pin Of
emeralds adjoining his expensive neck
tie.
Laura was sure the emeralds were
real, and Immediately, while noting no
more of him than the pin, cast him in
the role of gunman. When the ele-
vator boy asked, "What floor, please?"
she said Madame Saitou" reluctantly,
as though she were disclosing COM
promising secret. And she was no
cheerily Second floor" and ushered
her out of the car before she had time
to resist.
She thought peevishly that he was
in a great hurry to be rid of her. Di-
rectly in front was door across which
was bar on which was printed for
all the world to read: "Oblige by using
the entrance at the front" No name
was attached.
Highly mysterious !" Laura told
herself.
A few faltering steps brought her to
another door, uncompromisingly la
beled MADAME SAITOU." Nothing
more.
Here she paused to quiet her nerves.
OF course it was Sniff. Why was she
hesitating? Yet she opened the door
with hint of violent haste. so fearful
was she that her courage might evap-
crate.
At once she found herself In the most
cheerful and modernistic of foyers,
done in emerald green and citron yell
low. A boy in livery, with red curls
bushing out below his natty cap.
sprang to attention.
Would Madame be seated while he
inquired If it would be possible for
Madame Saitou to see her? Madame
Saitou's time was heavily taxed.
"Tell Madame Saitou 1t is Mrs.
James Hammersley. She will see me-"
She said it haughtily, placing the
slightest shade Of emphasis upon the
last word; and the next moment re-
GREETED the impulse that had led her
to give her name. If the woman were
things.
The boy returned. Madame Saitou
would be able to give her few min
utes shortly. At the moment she was
engaged.
If Laura was nervous, Smif at the
back of the establishment was hardly
less so. Plainly the tug of war with
her family could be postponed no
longer.
The upshot of much meditation was
that she used Madame Georgette's pri-
vate elevator to summon that kindly
woman.
"My sister, Mrs. Hammersley, is
here" she announced without reserve,
since Madame Georgette already knew
that her family were in ignorance of
her occupation. ri
"And what do you care, dearie-"
she at once began truculently.
Sniff stopped her. "In one way.
not at all. In another find care a
surprising lot" she said succinctly.
"This is why wanted to speak to you,
Madame. There's just a chance that
even yet she has no idea who Madame