Evening star., 1934-03-01
INSTALLMENT XIV.

Qer, MIS-. 1eoScS Social ScS
retary had always been sort
i of agreeable wrath. Your
senses told you that she was
there. but the fact made no real i'm
preston on you. You caught the
CLEAN of flashing spectacles, saw a
mild. deferential smile floating In
midair, and said to yourself, "Ah,
Miss Putnam" Then you went about
your business.
The woman who now took the chair
opposite Mrs. Gedge was quite diff
ferent Miss Putnam. Her eye was
Keen, her manner masterful. The
normal Miss Putnam would never
lave laughed sardonically in her en-
ployer's presence.
You didn't swallow all that apple
sauce, I hope, Mrs. G.?2 she asked,
solicitously.
The others silent and wholly un-
expected entry had caused Mrs. Gedge
to jump She spoke with a sense Of
grievance. Il didn't know you were
there" she said.
'I was" said Miss Putnam briskly.
II wanted to hear what sort OF a
story that bird would spill. I've been
onto him all the time. Believe it or
not" said Miss Putnam, when you
engaged me to keep an eye on your
jewels, you handed me one swell job.
The way it looks to me, I'm going to
be as busy as a cross-eyed man with
the jimjams trying to turn in fire
alarm on the dial phone" She shook
her head reproachfully. When 1t
comes to house guests, Mrs. G.. you
certainly are a great picker. First
this bird, and then that duke of
yours!"
Mrs. Gedge started. THE Due de
Pont-Andemer? You don't mean. ?"
-Only Oily Carlisle, one of the best
bunco artists in the business, that's
all I recognized him the moment
saw him. How did you come to get
mixed up with him?"
'I met him on the boat"
Miss Putnam clicked her tongue.
She did not seem angry, only panied.
Didn't your mother ever teach you
the facts of life, Mrs G.? Because
one Of them is never to be too friend
ly to people you meet on boats. AS
for this fellow that says he's a
vicomte and then says he's a de-
tective -"
But are you sure hes not?"
Then you did swallow his story?"
said Miss Putnam with quiet censure.
But how do you know he is not?"
Because I'm a dick myself, and I
can recognize one a mile off"
But he is a friend of the Vicomte
de Blissac."
He says he is"
"He knew the vicomte's first name !"
"And how long do you think it
would take him to find out that? And
the smooth talk and had to start
pulling that stuff about Ice and helSt-
guys? tell you he's a crook, all
right. And he's getting set for quick
action, too. All that about wanting
you to change rooms with Mr.. Gedge.
There isn't a real safe blower I ever
heard of that likes to work in a room
where there's a woman. Women
scream, and they can't get rough
with them like they can a man."
Mrs. Gedge looked thoughtful. ut
seemed good suggestion" she said.
Il think I will change my room"
Sure, change your room. I'd have
suggested it myself What we want
is to give these birds chance to
think they're sitting pretty. SOS they
can 60 ahead and we can get them
in the act"
do you think they are working
together"
Miss Putnam shook her head. No.
How figure it out is like this: The
one that was in here just now is play
ing a lone hand :"
Mrs. Gedge uttered an exclamation.
"The SENATOR"
mo, he's all right" said Miss Put
nam. "I've seen Senator Opal IN
Washington. This is him right
enough. And I don't take any stock
in what that fellow said about the
Senator's valet being a crook. That
was just eyewash."
What I meant" said Mrs. Gedge,
was that I have letter which Sen
ator Opal would give anything to get
back. Do you think this man can
be somebody he has employed to steal
tt?"
"It straightens out the whole
thing" said Miss Putnam with graft
fication. You've hit it. That ac-
counts for everybody nicely. This fel-
low is working with the Senator and
Oily Is after the ice But Oily Is a
bunco-steerer. He doesn't blow safes.
That means there's somebody on the
outside he's teamed up with, and I
think I know who it is Did you ever
hear of fellow named Slattery? Soup
Elattery?"
There was a pause. Mrs. Gedge
seemed to be searching in her men,
ory.
mo" she said at length. mo"
she said slowly. Soup Slattery?
What q very odd name. Why Soup"
Soups what they blow safes with.
Dynamite?"
"Oh, really?"
"And when I was down to t.:
town the other day could have sworn
I saw this Slattery. And now this
has happened, Oily getting in here
and all. Oily's got himself into the
house, and he's planning to let Soup
in when he's ready That's the way
it's always done. It's what's known
as the inside stand"
THE inside stand?" murmured Mrs.
0edge. "Really?" She spoke quietly,