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Show Ihe RETURN r : J RENT.. Mm ! tywYNDHAM J ' tOPYn.l6KT by BARJE t HOPKINi W.N U. SERVICE . CHAPTER VI Continued 14 "I must leave this house at once," she eiclalmed. "He recognized me He la here to rob, and If I tell Mrs. Grant he will revenge hlmselt You see I dare not remain." "But where was he taking you? Why did he chloroform you?" Bhe gripped his arm as though the fears which bad passed In their most vivid form were again taking possession posses-sion of her. dn rn.-i r.r... ).,. Itttlft Iffrttt tVIAV. iV JUU DCC UJai llLLiC lng gently? It Is n tramp steamer he has chartered. He was to carry me down to South America with him. I vas to have been held there until tomorrow to-morrow night Tomorrow he Is going go-ing to rob the house and make his escape. It is all planned. They fear the fine weather Is going to break up and If be delays later than tomorrow he cannot escape by water from here." He felt her shudder at the realization realiza-tion of her narrow escape. "I hope I've broker his d d neck," TrAnt mnrtprpil His nrm wns fibnut her waist and her head rested on his shoulder. She sighed a little bitterly. bitter-ly. She supposed that a woman such a:, she had no right to expect happiness. happi-ness. "I cannot tell you more now," she said, rising. "I am still half stupefied from the chloroform." "But where are you going?" he asked. "The first policeman you met would arrest you." "I dare not stay here." "Vie an excellent plan," he said cheerfully. "I have a secluded apartment apart-ment and a dear old housekeeper who Is absolutely reliable. I'll take you to her now. You can stay there for twenty years if you want to. You'll find another guest in Natiea Grant's former husband, whose money bought all this luxury. He's. hiding there till I can make the world safe for him." "You must not run Into danger on my account," she said. "It will be more dangerous for both of us If you aTe denounced by Ited-lich, Ited-lich, who will get free some time. The butler may feel he has to tell his employer that you and I know one another, and then I shall be Invited to say why you sent letters to me and I sent 'em to you. Our safety depends on your getting away Immediately." "But how? There are no trains or trolleys at this hour, and the men in the garage would hear you driving your car out." . . "Not with ordinary luck," he assured as-sured her. "1 can roll her down the grade to the street I sha'n't need to start the motor till then." Trent had a garage key and rolled out his car so noiselessly that none heard him. He wrapped Mademoiselle Mademoi-selle Dupin In a heavy fur coat and further disguised her with violet-colored violet-colored goggles. "I've got to make time," he said as the machine began to hum rhythmically, rhythmi-cally, "and I daren't be arrested for speeding. This cool night air will blow those fumes away pretty soon. When you can, tell me just what happened." hap-pened." She told lilm what had occurred since Redlich entered her room. "I hope 1 shall never smell that tabac Maryland again. . . . Never have 1 felt so alone and hopeless. How could I know that the cigarettes he was throwing from the window would save me? Once on board that ship and there would have been no more help for me In this world." He set himself to banish these terrible ter-rible memories. "You will forguet It In your new home," he reminded her. "You will be with two of my dear and faithful friends. Don't forget, by the way, to write a note to Mrs. Grant saying you were suddenly called away." From Jersey City he telephoned to Mrs. Kinney. "We shall be expected," he said. climbing back into the car, "and you will find yourself at home." During the quiet few minutes of the ferry trip he told hpr why she would find Sutton there. "He will think this trouble of mine has Interfered with what you were going to do for him," she said contritely. con-tritely. "Then hell be wrong I've plans all mapped out for Sutton." To a woman of Sirs. Kinney's type there was something not a little alarming In beln.tt called from her slumbers at such in hour. Rut during dur-ing the years she h'.id been with him she had come to repose Implicit faith In An'hony Trent. She wished she could see him happllly married If a '.vvman his equal might be found. She saw. ns the noor opened, a tall yomait with distinguished features smile Hf Trent Introduced oer. Womanlike. Wom-anlike. Mrs. Kinney disapproved of the unfashionable dress she wore. This was one who should be splendid-vj splendid-vj arrared Captain Sutton only knew ohe was beautiful and had rather the grand manner with her. "Miss Dupin," Trent declared, "is going to stay here until her affairs are more settled." "I owe my life to Mr. Trent," she said simply. "Tonight I was in very grave peril and he saved me." "It's a habit with him," Sutton said. "He's engaged In saving me right now." "Captain Sutton Is a profound ex-aggerator," ex-aggerator," Trent laughed. "Let us have some coffee." "Let me arrange my hair first," Mademoiselle Dupin said, looking In a mirror. "I am bedraggled." "While she's gone," Trent said, "you've got to copy these pleasing communications In your own handwriting." hand-writing." He passed a paper to the captain on which a half-dozen paragraphs para-graphs of a few lines each were penciled. pen-ciled. Sutton saw that they were rather melodramatic threats addressed to Payson Grant. "I don't understand," he said, be- wilciereiL "He will, when he gets them," Trent laughed. "These are necessary to the complete destruction of his morale." When Sutton had written each paragraph on a piece of plain paper, Trent put them In his pocket "Good," he exclaimed.. "1 can't tell, you much now, but I'll be back In a few days with everything outlined. Meanwhile, just a word about Miss Dupin. She's in just as much danger as you are. She must not be encouraged to do more than look out of the window." "You can't mean that girl haj been outside the law?" Sutton was astonished. aston-ished. "One of the cleverest and nerviest of them all," Trent said. "Sutton, she Is the only person I have met In my career who fooled me and got away with it. And she's as much through with that sort of life as I am." He shifted a little uneasily on his chair. "I wonder what sort of a d d fool you think me for talking like this? I suppose sup-pose you think my nerve has gone? Perhaps It has." Sutton touched the other's arm with a swift, sudden motion of affection. "Trent," he said, "you know we men never can say what's in our hearts because we feel ashamed of showing anything deeper than the ordinary. or-dinary. You haven't lost your nerve. You haven't lost anything. You've found something." Perhaps they were both glad when Mademoiselle Dupin came Into the room. She had arranged her hair In a manner so much more becoming that it seemed to Trent she had wrought a miracle. There was no mention of the graver events of the night It was Trent's aim to leave her In a brighter mood. "Before I go," he said, "and 1 haven't ten minutes left, write out your formal resignation." While Mademoiselle Dupin was at the escritoire be walked to the kitchen kitch-en where Mrs, Kinney had gone. "You told me one you had been 8 dressmaker," he began. "For three years," she said. He took out a roll of notes and put them In her hand. "Take Miss Dupin's measurements r.s well as you can without letting her know it, and go to a good store and buy something suitable for her to wear. For some reasons 1 can'i ex plain she's doing penance. She's done .enough of It. I can't bear to see her dressed as she Is now. I have known her a long time and I have never seen a women better turned out than she used to be. Destroy those things she has so she simply must wear better ones. After a time she'll get happier." Mrs. Kinney never asked for amplified am-plified Instructions. "I understand perfectly," she said. "She will probably want to help you In the house. Let her. It will do ber good. Don't let her alt alon and mope." When Trent returned to the big room Mademoiselle Dupin had written a note regretting her hurried departure, depar-ture, and informing Mrs. Grant that she could be addressed at the general delivery, San Diego, California. This pleasant city had the advantage of being only seventeen miles from the Mexican border. Trent left the two prisoners In a -uanner so light-hearted that they were assured of his ultimate triumph. Outside the door his face lost something some-thing of its confidence. So far as he knew he had brought the "Countess" to the city unseen and unsuspected. But he had no means of knowing that some prying eyes had not observed him. It was light when be came In sight of the big, white palace by the sea. He brought his car up the slight ascent as-cent almost without noise. He saw none about and no face peering t-om any. window. On the table In the hail he placed the letter Mademoiselle Dupin had written. Next be ascended with the utmost caution to the deserted top floor, which was shut off from the servants' quarters in the rear. It was well he had thought to make the room tidy. Furniture was upset and flowers flow-ers fallen from their vases were on the noor. .mere was sucn oovious evidence of a severe struggle that be wondered none bad heard. He gathered gath-ered up what of iier belongings be could see and stuffed them Into a grip. Mrs. Grant might be resentful at the sudden depaiture of her teacher, teach-er, but she need not now fear violence and call in officials. There was another thing to do before be-fore he took the rest he craved. ' Un-dei Un-dei the door of Payson Grant's room Trent thrust one of the letters Sutton had written blindly. He could prophesy prophe-sy without fear of error that the com-Ine com-Ine day would be an exciting one. " CHAPTER VII The Letter From Nowhere. Albert Thorpe, the butler, was the first In the house to awaken. Since Mrs. Grant had ordered him to obey Yeatman implicitly, he slept uncomfortably uncom-fortably on a camp-bed drawn across the door of the footmen's room and might not even rebuke them for snoring snor-ing since his errand was a secret one. At daylight he considered himself free to go downstairs and mix himself him-self a little stimulant. Nex he took a handful of sweet crackers from a silver box and opened a door leading to the terrace. Here, every morning, morn-ing, the airedales were wont to wait for the biscuits and hear the jovial sort of talk dogs love. They were in their accustomed place this morning; but not again would they prance about their friend and show their affection. The man saw Instantly that they had come to their end through poison. For all his stately airs and commanding presence, pres-ence, the butler had a soft heart where dogs were concerned. Tears filled his eyes and the desire for vengeance inflamed his heart After all, the detective had been right in his precaution If mistaken in his methods. Thorpe Immediately sought out Yeatman. Obviously a search of the premises must be made under the detective's leadership. Mr. Yeatman was not In bis room; his bed bad not been slept In. It was In nnother sort of bed he had passed a night full of alarms, cramps and the intrusion of Inquisitive rodents. When he came to consciousness, in the cold hour of dawn, he found himself so securely bound that movement was Impossible, and so well gagged that he could utter no sound. He did not doubt that his assailant assail-ant no amateur In violence was a confederate of the woman he had so nearly abducted. He had been Incredibly Incred-ibly stupid to be 30 rash. It had always al-ways been with him that a woman made him banish his caution. There was the male attitude to dazzle the woman which had been his ruin ere this. He saw before him only immitigable disaster. While he was lying amid cabbages, the house was being robbed which he had been engaged to protect. He would be blamed for being a bad detective when he had desired to be a successful thief. Thorpe called up Regan at the garage. ga-rage. "The two dogs have been poisoned," he announced, "and It's my belief burglars bur-glars did it. You''d better search the grounds while I go through the house." (TO BE CONTINUED.) |