Evening star., 1934-02-24

II you don't want to do that, find the
combination. Where Is this pete?"
IN the Venetian suite on the floor
below"
Anybody there?"
Mot at the moment"
Then let's 60 down take a look at
IT," said Mr.. Slattery. "Now's a good
time to find out II it's one of those
easy ones
There is something about milady's
bed room, even when unoccupied,
which tends TO cast q certain awe upon
the intruder. So Packy, at least,
found. The Venetian room was q
large, ornate apartment on the first
floor OF the chateau, with French
windows which opened on a balcony
looking down upon the drive. Packy,
as he accompanied Mr.. Slattery across
the threshold, was strongly conscious
of desire to be elsewhere. He had
never met Mrs. Gedge, but the picture
he had formed of her in his mind
was that Of a tough baby.
Fortunately, great woman though
she was, Mrs.. Gedge could not be
simultaneously at the Carlton Hotel
in London and in the Venetian suite
of the Chateau Blissac. No sudden
roar, as of a tigress defending her
cubs. came to break the stiffness. Mr..
Slattery was enabled to conduct his
investigations undisturbed
The result of these evidently grati-
fled him. The safe was, it appeared,
one of the easier, more likable types
OF safe. He also spoke with cordial
approval of the French windows and
the balcony, which might have been
placed there expressly to afford the
cracksman a nice smooth getaway.
And 1t was at this point, just when
everything was going SO capitally and
the whole atmosphere was so redolent
OF quiet contentment, that the jarring
note intruded itself. For some mo-
ments Mr.. Slattery had been glanc-
ing idly about the room, and now, alb
ruptly, something in its aspect seemed
to wipe the genial satisfaction from
his face. He stiffened, and his eyes
grew wider. 1t was as If he had seen
serpent in the way
But this is a woman's room!''
He spoke in a hoarse, agitated whis-
per, which sounded like gas escaping
from leaky pipe But neither this
peculiar mode of address nor his care
stricken aspect for the moment con-
veyed to Packy sense of anything
untoward. He replied calmly, paying
no attention to these portents:
That's right. Mrs Gedge,s."
Mr.. Slattery shivered. Brother" T"
ne said, much moved. Il hate to break
it to you. but If that's so the PROPOSE
tion's cold"
Packy stared. "Cold?"
Its of" said Mr.. Slattery. apollo
getically, but with the utmost firm
ness. Il just can't do it. You don't
get me busting no woman's room"
Why not?"
Because" said Mr.. Slattery, "you
bust in womans room and what
happens? She wakes up and gets set
to scream. And what happens then?
You either have to do Brodie out
OF the window and probly break
your neck, or else you've got to go and
choke her. 1 never choked no woman
yet. boy. and don't aim to Begin
The sentiment was one which would
have caused Sir Gallahad or the
Chevalier Bayard to shake hands
warmly with Mr. Slattery. SO instinct
was it with the best spirit of chivalry
One dislikes to have to state, there
fore, that it awoke in Packy only a
disguised evaporation.
But. good Lord. you must have had
to burgle a womans room occasion
ally In the course Of your distin-
guished career"
No" said Mr.. Slattery. you see
brother, up till a few years back I've
always worked with partner. The
best inside worker a safe blower ever
had. Julia, her name was, and she's
quit me now. but in the old days
we we're team"
Il don't see what Julia has to dc
with it,
she used to get herself invited to
these swell homes" explained Mr.
Slattery. Having class. And If the
pete was in a danes room she'd slir
in before I got there and put a sponge
Of chloroform under her nose, so that
by the time I arrived everything was
hotsy -totsy. Boy. you don't know
how I've missed Julia since she walked
out on me. I've felt like a little child
without its mother"
He was plainly suffering from the