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diff --git a/44670-h/44670-h.htm b/44670-h/44670-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e02615a --- /dev/null +++ b/44670-h/44670-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,6894 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8" /> + <title>Dorothy Dixon and the Double Cousin, by Dorothy Wayne</title> + <link rel="coverpage" href="images/cover.jpg" /> + <meta content="images/cover.jpg" name="cover" /> + <meta name='DC.Title' content='Dorothy Dixon and the Double Cousin' /> + <meta name='DC.Creator' content='Dorothy Wayne' /> + <meta name='DC.Language' content='en' /> + <meta name='DC.Created' content='1933' /> + <style type="text/css"> + body { margin-left:8%;margin-right:10%; } + p { text-indent:0;margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;text-align:justify; } + .sc { font-variant:small-caps; } + .larger { font-size:larger; } + .xlarge { font-size:x-large; } + .covernote { visibility: hidden; display: none; } + @media handheld { .covernote { visibility: visible; display: block;} } + div.tnotes { padding-left:1em;padding-right:1em;text-align:left;background-color:#eeeeee;border:1px solid silver; margin:2em 10% 0 10%; } + table { margin:1em auto; } + td.tc1 { text-align:right;padding-right:0.5em; } + td.tc2 { text-align:left;font-variant:small-caps; } + td.tch { text-align:center; padding-bottom:0.5em; padding-top:1em; } + div.footnote>:first-child { margin-top:0; } + table.fntab { margin-left:0; } + h1 { text-align:center;font-weight:normal;font-size:1.4em; margin:0; } + h2 { text-align:center;font-weight:normal;font-size:1.2em; margin:0; } + h2.break { page-break-before: always; } + h2.nobreak { page-break-before: auto; } + .c000 { text-align:center; font-size:1.2em; } + .c001 { margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; } + .c002 { text-decoration:none } + .c003 { border:none;border-bottom:1px solid silver;width:10%;margin-left:0;margin-top:1em } + .c004 { width:2em } + .c005 { vertical-align:top } + .c006 { margin-top:3em; margin-bottom:0; } + .c007 { border:none;border-bottom:1px solid silver;margin-top:0.8em;margin-bottom:0.8em;margin-left:35%; width:30% } + .d000 { page-break-before:always;border:none;border-bottom:1px solid silver;margin:1em auto; } + @media handheld { .d000 { page-break-before:always;display:none; }} + .nf-center-c { text-align:center;margin:1em 0; } + .nf-center { text-align:center; } + .nf-block-c { text-align:center;margin:1em 0; } + .nf-block { display:inline-block;text-align:left; } + </style> + </head> + <body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44670 ***</div> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <span class='xlarge'>DOROTHY DIXON</span><br/> + <br/> + <span class='xlarge'>and the Double Cousin</span><br/> + <br/> + BY<br/> + <br/> + <span class='larger'><i>Dorothy Wayne</i></span><br/> + <br/> + Author of<br/> + <i>Dorothy Dixon Solves the Conway Case<br/> + Dorothy Dixon and The Mystery Plane<br/> + Dorothy Dixon Wins Her Wings</i><br/> + <br/> + THE GOLDSMITH PUBLISHING COMPANY<br/> + CHICAGO + </div> +</div> + +<hr class='d000' /> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <span class='sc'>Copyright, 1933</span><br/> + <br/> + <span class='sc'>The Goldsmith Publishing Company</span><br/> + MADE IN U.S.A. + </div> +</div> + +<hr class='d000' /> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <i>To</i><br/> + <span class='sc'>Dorothea Hetty Gutmann</span> + </div> +</div> + +<div class='nf-block-c'> + <div class='nf-block'> + <i>a New Canaan schoolgirl, who<br/> + loves our beautiful Ridge<br/> + Country, and whose fox terrier,<br/> + Professor, really ate the dictionary!</i> + </div> +</div> + +<hr class='d000' /> + +<p class='c000'>CONTENTS</p> + +<table summary='toc'> +<tr><td class='tc1'>I</td><td class='tc2'><a href='#ch01'>The Encounter</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tc1'>II</td><td class='tc2'><a href='#ch02'>“Family Affairs”</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tc1'>III</td><td class='tc2'><a href='#ch03'>The Sleepwalker</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tc1'>IV</td><td class='tc2'><a href='#ch04'>Meet Flash!</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tc1'>V</td><td class='tc2'><a href='#ch05'>On Secret Service</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tc1'>VI</td><td class='tc2'><a href='#ch06'>Who’s Who?</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tc1'>VII</td><td class='tc2'><a href='#ch07'>Playing a Part</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tc1'>VIII</td><td class='tc2'><a href='#ch08'>“Walk Into My Parlor”</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tc1'>IX</td><td class='tc2'><a href='#ch09'>In the Night</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tc1'>X</td><td class='tc2'><a href='#ch10'>Surprises</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tc1'>XI</td><td class='tc2'><a href='#ch11'>Gretchen</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tc1'>XII</td><td class='tc2'><a href='#ch12'>Tests</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tc1'>XIII</td><td class='tc2'><a href='#ch13'>Winnite</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tc1'>XIV</td><td class='tc2'><a href='#ch14'>Professor</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tc1'>XV</td><td class='tc2'><a href='#ch15'>Tea and Orders</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tc1'>XVI</td><td class='tc2'><a href='#ch16'>Caught in the Act</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tc1'>XVII</td><td class='tc2'><a href='#ch17'>Professor Makes Good</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tc1'>XVIII</td><td class='tc2'><a href='#ch18'>The Christmas Spirit</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<hr class='d000' /> + +<h1 class='nobreak'>DOROTHY DIXON AND THE DOUBLE COUSIN</h1> + +<h2 id='ch01' class='nobreak'>Chapter I<br /><br />THE ENCOUNTER</h2> +<p class='c001'> </p> + +<p>“Why—good heavens, girl! How in the +world did you escape?”</p> + +<p>Dorothy Dixon heard the low, eager +whisper at her elbow but disregarded it. +She was intent on selecting a tie from the +colorful rack on the counter before her. +She spoke to the clerk:</p> + +<p>“I’ll take this one, and that’ll make four. +I hope Daddy will approve my taste in +Christmas presents,” she smiled, and laid +a bill on her purchases.</p> + +<p>“But—please, dear, tell me! Don’t you +know I’m worried crazy? Who let you +out?”</p> + +<p>This time Dorothy felt a touch on her +arm. She wheeled quickly to face a tall, +slender young fellow of twenty-two or +three. As she stared at him, half indignant, +half wondering, she saw sincere distress +in his brown eyes, and in the lines of his +pleasant face. Hat in hand, he waited anxiously +for an answer to his question, while +the crowd of holiday shoppers poured +through the aisles about them.</p> + +<p>Dorothy’s eyes softened, then danced. +“It seems to me,” she said, “that you have +the wires twisted—it’s not I who’ve escaped, +but you! Run along now and find +your keeper. You’re evidently in need of +one!”</p> + +<p>“Your change and package, miss,” the +impersonal voice of the haberdashery clerk +intervened and Dorothy turned back to the +counter.</p> + +<p>“But why on earth are you acting this +way, Janet?” The strange young man was +at her elbow again.</p> + +<p>Once more Dorothy turned swiftly toward +him but when she spoke her eyes and +voice were serious. “Do you really mean +to say you think you’re speaking to Janet +Jordan? Because—”</p> + +<p>“My dear—what are you trying to tell +me?” He broke in impatiently. “I certainly +ought to know the girl I’m going to +marry!”</p> + +<p>Dorothy nodded slowly. “I agree with +you—you ought to—but then, you see, you +<em>don’t</em>!”</p> + +<p>The young man crushed his soft felt hat +in his hands and took a step nearer to her. +“Look here—what <em>is</em> the matter with you? +I know you’ve been through a lot, but—” +He broke off abruptly, a gleam of horror +and suspicion in his honest eyes. “Janet! +What have they done to you?”</p> + +<p>Dorothy laid a firm hand on his arm. +“Sh! Be quiet—listen to me.” Then she +added gently—“I am <em>not</em> Janet Jordan, +your fiancee.”</p> + +<p>“You’re not—!”</p> + +<p>“No. My name is Dorothy Dixon—and +I’m Janet’s first cousin.”</p> + +<p>The young man seemed flabbergasted +for a moment. Then he stammered—“Wh-why, it’s +astounding—the resemblance, I +mean! You’re alike as—as two peas. If +you were twins—”</p> + +<p>“But you see,” she smiled, “our mothers, +Janet’s and mine, <em>were</em> twins, and I guess +that accounts for it. I’ve never seen Janet, +but this is the third time, just recently, that +I’ve been taken for her by her friends, +Mr.—?”</p> + +<p>“My name is Bright,” he supplied. +“Howard Bright. Yes, now I can see a +slight difference, Miss Dixon. You’re a bit +taller and broader across the shoulders than +she is. But it’s your personalities, more +than anything else, that are altogether unlike. +I hope you’ll forgive me, Miss +Dixon, for making a nuisance of myself!”</p> + +<p>“No indeed—that is, of course I will!” +Dorothy laughed merrily. “You’re not a +nuisance, you know, but,” and her tone became +grave, “I can see that you’re in trouble. +Is there—” she hesitated.</p> + +<p>“Not I, Miss Dixon—that is, not directly. +But,” he lowered his voice, “Janet is—is +in very serious trouble. And for a +moment, when I saw you, I thought that in +some miraculous way she had escaped.”</p> + +<p>Howard Bright’s face suddenly became +almost haggard and Dorothy’s sympathy +and concern for her cousin deepened into +resolve.</p> + +<p>“Look here, Mr. Bright,” she said abruptly, +“we can’t talk here, in this shopping +crowd, it’s a regular football scrimmage. +Let’s go up to the mezzanine. A friend of +mine is waiting there for me now, I’m a little +late as it is, and—”</p> + +<p>“But I can’t bother <em>you</em> with this,” he +protested, “and especially—”</p> + +<p>“Oh, come along,” she urged, “Bill is a +grand guy when it comes to getting people +out of messes. I insist you tell us all about +it. After all, Janet’s my cousin, you know, +and you’ll soon be a member of the family, +won’t you?”</p> + +<p>“There doesn’t seem much hope of that +now.” Young Bright’s tone was despondent. +“But Janet certainly does need help, +and she needs it badly—so—”</p> + +<p>Dorothy caught his arm. “I’m going to +call you Howard,” she announced briskly. +“So please drop the Miss Dixon. And +come on—let’s push our way over to the +elevators.”</p> + +<p>The mezzanine floor of the department +store was arranged as a lounge or waiting +room for customers. Comfortable arm +chairs and divans invited tired shoppers to +rest. Writing desks and tables strewn with +current magazines gave the place a club-like +appearance.</p> + +<p>Dorothy and her newly found acquaintance +stepped out of the elevator and +looked about. The place seemed especially +quiet after the rush and bustle on other +floors, and was almost deserted, save for +two elderly ladies conversing in low tones +near a window, and a young man, who rose +at their approach.</p> + +<p>As the good looking youth moved toward +them with the lithe, easy grace of a +trained athlete, Howard Bright saw that +he had light brown hair, and blue eyes +snapping with vitality and cheerfulness.</p> + +<p>“Hello, Dorothy!” He greeted her +smilingly, “better late than never, if you +don’t mind my saying so. I’d just about +figured you were going to pass up our +date.”</p> + +<p>“Sorry, Colonel,” she mocked. “Explanations +are in order I guess, but they +can wait. This is Howard Bright, Bill—Howard, +Mr. Bolton!”</p> + +<p>The two young men shook hands.</p> + +<p>“Bolton—Dixon?” Howard’s tone was +thoughtful. “Why!” he exclaimed suddenly. +“You two are the flyers—the pair +who won the endurance test with the Conway +motor! I’m certainly glad to meet you +both. The papers have been full of your +doings. Well, this is a surprise! But you +know, I’d got the impression that you were +both older—”</p> + +<p>“I’m sixteen,” smiled Dorothy. “Bill +has me beat by a year.”</p> + +<p>“How about lunch?” suggested Bill. He +invariably changed the subject when his +exploits were mentioned. People always +enthused so, it embarrassed him. “You’ll +join us, of course, Mr. Bright?”</p> + +<p>“Thanks, Mr. Bolton. I really don’t +think I can butt in this way—”</p> + +<p>“There’s no butting in about it,” Dorothy +interrupted. “Howard is engaged to +my cousin, Janet Jordan, Bill. And Janet’s +in a lot of trouble. I’ve promised we’d do +everything we can to help.”</p> + +<p>Bill, after one look at Howard’s worried +face, sized up the situation instantly. +“Why, of course,” he said. “And we can’t +talk with any privacy in this place. I can +see that whatever the trouble is, it’s serious.”</p> + +<p>“Janet’s in desperate peril,” Howard +said huskily.</p> + +<p>“You said something about her escape +when we met,” Dorothy reminded him. +“Has somebody kidnapped her? Have you +any idea where she is?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, she’s a prisoner. A prisoner in the +Jordans’ apartment on West 93rd Street.”</p> + +<p>“Then her father is away?”</p> + +<p>“No. He leaves tonight, I believe.”</p> + +<p>“But, my goodness!—a girl can’t be kidnapped +and made a prisoner in her own +home. Especially if her father is there. It +doesn’t sound possible.”</p> + +<p>“I know it doesn’t,” admitted Howard +desperately, “it sounds crazy. But it’s the +truth, just the same. She’s in frightful danger.”</p> + +<p>Dorothy looked horrified. “You mean +that my uncle and Janet don’t get on together—that +they’ve had a row and you’re +afraid he will harm her?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, no, they’re very fond of each +other.”</p> + +<p>“Then Uncle Michael is a prisoner, +too!”</p> + +<p>“No, he is free enough himself, but he +can do nothing—it would only make matters +worse.”</p> + +<p>“Well!” declared Dorothy, “I don’t +think much of Uncle Michael if he can’t +protect his own daughter.”</p> + +<p>Bill stepped into the breach.</p> + +<p>“What about the police—can’t you call +them in?”</p> + +<p>Howard Bright shook his head. “They +would only bring this horrible business to +a climax,” he explained. “And that is exactly +what must not be done. It is more a +matter for Secret Service investigation—but +I don’t think that even they could be of +any real help.”</p> + +<p>Bill and Dorothy exchanged a quick +glance.</p> + +<p>“Have you ever heard of a man named +Ashton Sanborn, Mr. Bright?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, I have, Mr. Bolton. Wasn’t he +the detective who helped you unearth +that fiendish scheme of old Professor +Fanely?”<a id='r1'/><a href='#f1' class='c002'><sup>[1]</sup></a></p> + +<p>“Bull’s eye!” grinned Bill. “Only Ashton +Sanborn is quite a lot more than a mere +detective. And it so happens that he is over +at the Waldorf right now, waiting for +Dorothy and me to lunch with him. Let +me tell you, Bright, it’s a mighty lucky +thing for Janet Jordan that he is in town. +Come along. We’ll hop a taxi and be with +him in ten minutes.”</p> + +<p>Howard hung back. “But really—”</p> + +<p>Dorothy caught his arm. “Don’t be +silly, now,” she urged.</p> + +<p>“But I can’t call in a detective, Dorothy. +I know I’m rotten at explaining, but if these +devils who have Janet in their power are +interfered with they will kill her out of +hand!”</p> + +<p>“But you spoke of the Secret Service just +now. This is not for publication, but Mr. +Sanborn is the head of that branch of the +government. If anyone <em>can</em> help Janet, he +can do it.”</p> + +<p>“I doubt it. I admit I’m half crazy with +worry, but Janet is going to be removed +from the apartment tonight, and heaven +only knows what will happen then. It +takes days, generally weeks, to get the government +started on anything.”</p> + +<p>“Not Sanborn’s branch of it,” interrupted +Bill. “We’re talking in circles, +Bright. If Sanborn can’t help Janet, he’ll +tell you so. At least you can give him the +dope and find out. He’s an expert and +you’ll get expert advice.”</p> + +<p>“All right, I’ll go with you. But I’m +afraid it won’t do any good. Please don’t +think, though, that I’m not appreciating +the interest you’re taking. I don’t mean +to be a wet blanket.”</p> + +<p>“Of course you don’t, and you’re not.” +Dorothy led toward the staircase. “You’ll +feel a whole lot better when you get the +story off your chest.”</p> + +<p>“And when you’ve got outside a good +substantial lunch,” added Bill. “I know I +shall, anyway.”</p> + +<p>“That,” said Dorothy, “is just like a boy. +I believe you’d eat a good meal, Bill, an +hour before you were hung, if it were offered +to you.”</p> + +<p>“I’d be hanged if I didn’t,” he laughed +and followed her down the steps onto the +main floor.</p> + +<hr class='c003' /> +<table class='fntab' summary='footnote_1'> +<colgroup> +<col span='1' class='c004' /> +<col span='1'/> +</colgroup> +<tr><td class='c005'> +<div id='f1'><a href='#r1' class='c002'>[1]</a></div> +</td><td> +<div class='footnote'> +<p>See <i>Bill Bolton and The Winged Cartwheels.</i></p> + +</div> +</td></tr> +</table> + +<p class='c006'> </p> +<h2 id='ch02' class='break'>Chapter II<br /><br />“FAMILY AFFAIRS”</h2> +<p class='c001'> </p> + +<p>“Just—one—moment, please!” Ashton +Sanborn’s keen blue eyes twinkled as he +surveyed his young guests. His heavy-set +body moved with a muscular grace as he +placed a chair for Dorothy and motioned +the two boys to seats on a divan nearby. +“Now then, Dorothy and Bill—I want you +two chatterboxes to keep quiet while I ask +Mr. Bright some questions and get this +matter straight in my own head. Your turn +to talk will come later.” His quizzical +smile robbed the words of any +harshness, and the culprits grinned and +nodded their willingness to comply with +his request.</p> + +<p>“Mr. Bright,” he went on, “if you’ll just +answer my questions for the present, I’ll +get you to tell the story from the beginning +in a few minutes.”</p> + +<p>“It’s mighty decent of you to take all this +interest, Mr. Sanborn.”</p> + +<p>The Secret Service Man shook his prematurely +grey head—“It’s my business to +ferret things out. Now, as I understand it, +you mistook Dorothy for her cousin, Miss +Jordan, to whom you are engaged. The +likeness must be amazing?”</p> + +<p>“It is, sir.”</p> + +<p>“Yes—well, we’ll get back to the likeness +after a while. You say that Miss Jordan is +a prisoner in her father’s apartment, and +is in danger of her life?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, sir.” Howard, tense and taut as a +fiddle string, his hands gripping the edge +of the cushioned couch, gazed steadily +back at his questioner.</p> + +<p>“Do you know for certain that she is in +actual danger at the present moment, +Bright?” Ashton Sanborn’s quiet tone +and unhurried manner of speaking was +gradually gaining the young man’s confidence. +Bill and Dorothy noticed that +Howard’s strained look was beginning to +disappear, and he had started to relax.</p> + +<p>“She has been in great danger,” he replied, +“but now, they’ve decided to test her. +There isn’t a chance, though, that she will +pass the test, Mr. Sanborn. The poor girl +is so worn out and nervous she’s bound to +fail.”</p> + +<p>“Do you know what time she is to be +taken away from the apartment?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, sir. Lawson told her to pack her +clothes today, so as to be ready to leave at +midnight.”</p> + +<p>“Mmm!” Sanborn glanced at his watch. +“It is now one-thirty. That gives us exactly +eleven and a half hours in which to +get her out of their hands. Now just one +question more, Mr. Bright. What made +you say that this is a matter in which the so-called +Secret Service of the United States +should be called in, rather than the police?”</p> + +<p>“Well,” Howard’s brows knit in a puzzled +frown, “you see, Janet is being taken +to Dr. Tyson Winn’s house near Ridgefield, +Connecticut, tonight. As I understand +it, Dr. Winn has a big laboratory up +there where he is experimenting on high +explosives for the government. Lawson, +the man who told Janet she was to go there, +is Dr. Winn’s secretary. It all looks so +queer to me—I thought—”</p> + +<p>“That <em>is</em> interesting!” Ashton Sanborn’s +tone was serious and for a little while he +seemed lost in thought. Then abruptly he +looked up from an inspection of his finger +tips, and rose from his chair. “I ordered +lunch for three before you young people +arrived,” he said with a return of his cheerful, +hearty way of speaking. “Now I’ll +phone down and have lunch for four served +up here instead.” He looked at Dorothy. +“By the way, the menu calls for oyster +cocktails, sweetbreads on grilled mushrooms, +O’Brien potatoes, alligator pear +salad, and cafe parfait—any suggestions?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, aren’t you a dear!” Dorothy, who +had been using a miniature powder puff on +her nose, snapped shut the cover of her +compact. “You have ordered all the things +I like best. No wonder you’re a great detective—you +never forget a single thing, +no matter what it is.”</p> + +<p>Sanborn laughed. “Thanks for the +compliment—but those dishes happen to +be favorites of my own, too. Now get that +brain of yours working, Dorothy. When +I’ve finished with the head waiter, I want +you to tell us all you know about your uncle +and cousin. Before we can go further I +must have every possible detail of the case +at my fingers’ ends.”</p> + +<p>He took up a phone from a small table +near the window, and Dorothy turned +toward Howard.</p> + +<p>“You probably know more about the +Jordans than I do,” she said. “I have a +picture of Janet that she sent me a couple +of years ago. We always exchange presents +at Christmas—but we’ve never seen +each other.”</p> + +<p>“I really know very little about the Jordans, +myself,” protested Howard. “You +see, Janet and I saw each other for the first +time just five weeks ago. It was on a Sunday +afternoon, I’d been taking a walk in +Central Park, when one of those equinoctial +downpours came on very suddenly. +Janet was right ahead of me, so naturally, +I offered her my umbrella. She’s—well, +rather shy and retiring, and at first she +wasn’t so keen on accepting—”</p> + +<p>“So there <em>is</em> a difference between the +cousins!” Bill winked at Howard. “If it +had been Dorothy, she’d have taken your +overcoat and rubbers as well. Nothing shy +or retiring about Janet’s double!”</p> + +<p>“Is that so, Mr. Smarty! It’s a good thing +Howard met her that rainy Sunday. If it +had been you, Bill, the poor girl would certainly +have got a soaking!”</p> + +<p>“You mean she wouldn’t have accepted +my umbrella?”</p> + +<p>“I <em>mean</em> you never would have offered +it!”</p> + +<p>“You win—one up, Dorothy,” said Ashton +Sanborn when the laughter at this sally +had subsided. “What happened after you +and Janet got under your umbrella, +Bright?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, nothing much. We walked over to +Central Park West but there were no taxis +to be had for love or money. So then I +suggested taking her home and we found +we lived in the same apartment house. I +asked if I might call, but she said that was +impossible—that Mr. Jordan permitted no +callers.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Dorothy, “that didn’t seem +to stop you. I mean you are a pretty fast +worker, Howard, to get engaged with a +tyrant father guarding the doorstep and all +that.”</p> + +<p>“Cut it out, Dot,” broke in Bill, who had +been waiting patiently for a chance to get +even. “You can’t be in the center of the +stage all the time, and your remarks are +out of order, anyway.”</p> + +<p>“I’ll dot you one, if you take my name in +vain, young man!”</p> + +<p>“Silence, woman! Go ahead, Howard, +and speak your piece, or she’ll jump in +with both feet next time.”</p> + +<p>Dorothy said nothing but the glance she +shot Bill Bolton was a promise of dire +things to come.</p> + +<p>“Oh, I don’t mind,” grinned Howard, +and Dorothy immediately put him down as +a good sport. “Well, to go on with it—we +used to meet in the lobby, go for walks and +bus rides, sometimes to the movies or a +matinee. Two weeks ago, Janet, who is +just eighteen, by the way, said she would +marry me. She seemed to have no friends +in New York. I’ve seen her father, but +never met him. Except for this horrible +business, which came up a few days ago, +all that I know about Janet is that her +mother died when she was five, her father +parked her at a boarding-school near Chicago, +and she stayed there until last June +when she graduated. Her summer holidays +were spent at a girls’ camp in Wisconsin. +She was never allowed to visit the +homes of the other girls, so Christmas and +Easter holidays she stayed in the school. +During her entire schooling, she saw her +father only five times. Last summer he +took her abroad with him. They travelled +in Germany and in Russia, I believe.”</p> + +<p>“Gosh, what a life for a girl!” exploded +Bill.</p> + +<p>“I should say so!” Dorothy made no +attempt to hide her disgust. “The more I +hear about Uncle Michael, the less I care +about him.”</p> + +<p>“Tell us what you do know about him,” +prompted Sanborn. “I want to get all the +background possible before Bright explains +the girl’s present predicament. I +know a good deal about Dr. Winn and his +secretary. If those men are threatening +her, there must be something very serious +brewing. Go ahead, Dorothy—luncheon +will be up here any minute, now.”</p> + +<p>“All right, but I warn you it isn’t much. +My mother, who as you know died when +I was a little girl, had one sister, my Aunt +Edith, who was her twin. They looked so +much alike that their own father and +mother had trouble in telling them apart. +Aunt Edith fell in love with a young Irishman +named Michael Jordan, whom she met +at a dance. He seemed prosperous, and my +grandfather gave his consent to their engagement. +Then he learned that Michael +Jordan made his money by selling arms +and ammunition to South and Central +American revolutionists. Grandpa, from +all accounts, hit the ceiling. He was a +deacon of the church, very sedate and all +that, and he said he wouldn’t allow his +daughter to marry a gun-runner. And that +was that. To make a long story short, +Aunt Edith ran away with Michael Jordan. +They were married in New York, sent +Grandpa a copy of the marriage certificate, +and then sailed for South America. For +several years there was no word from them +at all. My mother, whose name was Janet, +by the way, loved Aunt Edith as only a twin +can love the other. But she couldn’t write +to her because the eloping couple had left +no address. Six years later, mother had +a letter from Uncle Michael. He was in +Chicago then, and he wrote that Aunt +Edith had died, and that he had placed little +Janet at the Pence School in Evanston. +Mother and Daddy went right out to Chicago, +to see Uncle Michael. They tried +to get him to let them take Janet home with +them, and bring her up with me. I was +only three at the time, so naturally I don’t +remember anything about it. But what I’m +telling you Daddy told to me years later. +Well, their trip to Chicago was all for +nothing—Uncle Michael refused to let +them have Janet. It almost broke my +mother’s heart. Well, and that is the reason +Janet and I have always given each +other presents at Christmas and on our +birthdays, although we’ve never even met. +Two years ago, she sent me her photograph, +and both Daddy and I were +astounded to see the resemblance to me. +Twice, since then, I’ve been taken for Janet +by girls who were at school with her at +Evanston. Perhaps, if we were seen together, +you’d be able to tell us apart—I +don’t know.”</p> + +<p>“I do, though,” declared Howard, “you +may be slightly broader across the shoulders, +Dorothy, but otherwise you might be +Janet, sitting there. You’ve the same +brown hair, grey eyes, your features are +alike—”</p> + +<p>“How about our voices?”</p> + +<p>“Exactly the same. You have a more +forceful way of speaking, that’s all. I keep +wanting to call you ‘Janet’ all the time.” +Howard turned his head away, and +Dorothy could see the emotion that again +overtook him as he thought of his helpless +little fiancee, a prisoner in the hands of +unscrupulous men.</p> + +<p>She glanced at Bill, and shook her head +in sympathy. Just then there came a knock +on the sitting room door.</p> + +<p>“Ah! lunch at last!” Ashton Sanborn +rose and put his hand on Howard’s shoulder. +“Come, no more of this now. The +subject of the double cousins is taboo until +we’ve all done justice to this excellent +meal!”</p> + +<p class='c006'> </p> +<h2 id='ch03' class='break'>Chapter III<br /><br />THE SLEEPWALKER</h2> +<p class='c001'> </p> + +<p>“Mr. Sanborn,” said Dorothy, “when +you’re tired of fathoming mysteries for +people, come out to New Canaan and help +me order meals. That was the most +scrumptious lunch I’ve had in a month of +Sundays.” She dropped a lump of sugar +in her demitasse and threw her host a bright +smile across the table.</p> + +<p>“Thank you, my dear,” the detective +smiled back. “I may take you up on that +one of these days. But speaking of mysteries +reminds me that now the waiter is +gone, it’s high time we busied ourselves +again with the affairs of Janet Jordan. +Now that I understand something of the +young lady’s background and her family, +I want to hear all there is to tell about her +present position.” He pulled a briar pipe +and tobacco pouch out of his pocket and +commenced to fill the one with the contents +of the other. “All ready, Howard. Start at +the beginning and don’t skimp on details—they +may be and they generally are important.”</p> + +<p>“Very well, sir. I’ll begin with a week +ago today.” Howard pushed his chair +away from the table, thrust his hands into +trouser pockets and jumped into his story. +“Janet had a date to meet me last Thursday +at two p. m. at the Strand. We intended to +take in a movie—but she never showed +up.”</p> + +<p>“Then you aren’t a business man—?” +This from the detective.</p> + +<p>“Oh, but I am—a mining engineer, Mr. +Sanborn. With the Tuthill Corporation. +But I am free on Thursday afternoons, instead +of Saturday. It is more convenient +for the office staff.”</p> + +<p>“Hasn’t your concern large mining concessions +in Peru?”</p> + +<p>“It has, sir—silver mines. To make matters +worse—but no—I’ll tell it this way. +I particularly wanted to meet Janet last +Thursday, because I had been told the day +before by the head of our New York office +that I was to be transferred to Lima, Peru. +The boat that I’m scheduled to sail on, +leaves this coming Saturday. I was fearfully +pepped up about it. I’m going down +there as assistant manager of our Lima office, +the job carries a considerable increase +in salary, and, if I make good, a fine future +with the firm. My plan was to get Janet to +marry me, with or without her father’s consent, +and to take her to Lima with me. I +couldn’t bear to think of leaving her to the +kind of existence she’d had before I’d +known her—and with no way of correspondence—Well, +I waited for over an +hour in the lobby of the theatre but she +didn’t come. At last I went up to my apartment.”</p> + +<p>“Why didn’t you phone her?” asked +Dorothy, who was nothing if not direct.</p> + +<p>“Because Janet had asked me never to do +that. She said if her father knew she had +a boy friend, he’d pack her off somewhere, +and we’d never be able to meet again.”</p> + +<p>“Nice papa—I don’t think!” observed +Bill Bolton.</p> + +<p>“No comments now, please,” said Sanborn. +“Go on, Howard. If you couldn’t +talk to Janet, how did you find out that she +was a prisoner?”</p> + +<p>Howard smiled. “But we <em>were</em> able to +talk to each other, Mr. Sanborn. About +the time we became engaged, I fixed that. +My small flat is on the ninth floor of the +building, the Jordans’ on the seventh. My +three rooms have windows on an air shaft. +The Jordans’ back bedroom and bath overlook +the same airshaft and are directly opposite +my sitting room, two flights below. +The shaft is only twenty feet wide, so I +bought one of those headphone sets that +are used in airplanes for conversation between +the cockpits of a plane while it is +being flown. I lengthened the wires of +course, and got a long, collapsible pole. +After dark, Janet would come to her window, +I’d pass her headphone set down to +her, hooked on to the end of the pole, and +we would hold long conversations across +the court without anybody being the wiser. +When we were through talking, I’d pass +the pole over to her and draw it back when +she’d attached her headset.”</p> + +<p>“By Jingoes!” cried Bill. “I’ll say that’s +clever!”</p> + +<p>“It sure is, Howard!” Dorothy was +quite as enthusiastic. “You certainly deserve +to get Janet after that.”</p> + +<p>Howard shook his head. “We’ll have to +do something really clever to get her away +from the bunch who are holding her prisoner. +Well,—as I say, when I got to my +flat, I sat down by my sitting room window, +and pretended to read a book. In reality, +of course, I was watching Janet’s window. +Presently she appeared. Even at that distance, +I could see that she had been crying. +She held up a slate, for we never dared to +use the headphones in the day time, and +slates are a good medium for short messages. +On it she had written, ‘<em>After dark.</em>’ +Well, that was one of the longest afternoons +I’d ever put in. About five-thirty, she came +back to her window and I passed over the +headgear. When I heard her story, I went +half crazy, and I guess I’ve been pretty +much that way ever since.</p> + +<p>“You see, Mr. Sanborn, Janet has told +me that occasionally she walks in her sleep, +especially when she isn’t feeling very well. +The evening before, that was a week ago +Wednesday night, she had a headache and +went to bed early. When she awoke, she +was terrified to find herself seated on the +floor of their living room, behind a large +Chinese screen. There seemed to be seven +or eight men in the room, including her +father. Of course, she could not see them, +but she could hear every word they said. +By the clock on the wall above her head, +she saw that it was one in the morning. +She soon realized that this was a meeting of +the heads of some large society or organization +and that these men had come there +from all parts of the world. There was an +air of mystery about them and their +talk. No names were mentioned but they +addressed each other by number. Mr. Jordan +was Number 5; Number 2, who spoke +with a foreign accent, was evidently conducting +the meeting, in place of the absent +Number 1, whom they all seemed to hold +in great awe. Janet realized that she must +have entered the room before the meeting +started, while she was still asleep. She saw +that so long as the meeting lasted, there +would be no way of escape. Gradually she +became terrified at her predicament, +and—”</p> + +<p>“Just a moment,” interrupted Ashton +Sanborn. “Has Janet ever told you anything +of her father’s business?”</p> + +<p>“She really knows nothing about it, Mr. +Sanborn. I asked her myself some time +ago, and she said then, except that he +seemed to travel a lot, she hadn’t the slightest +idea what he did for a living. Once +when she asked him outright what is was, +Mr. Jordan flew into a rage. He said it +was his own affair, and that so long as it +brought them in enough money to live +comfortably, he did not wish her to bring +up the matter again. The one thing she +does know is that he doesn’t go regularly to +an office. Men frequently come to see him +at the apartment, but their conversations +are invariably held behind locked doors.”</p> + +<p>“I see. Go on now, with Janet and the +meeting.”</p> + +<p>“Well, sir, as I’ve said, she was behind +that screen, listening to what the men said—and +in fact, she couldn’t help listening. +Not that she understood much of what they +were saying. Number 2 made a long +speech and the gist of it was that now they +were agreed upon the use of Formula X, +the demonstration (whatever that was) +must be made in their respective sectors at +the same time on the same day. He also +proposed that Number 5 (Janet’s father) +interview Number 1 and learn from him +when the demonstrations should be made. +This motion was carried unanimously. +Then Number 3 asked the chairman if they +could not in future hold their meeting in +some safer place than the Jordans’ apartment. +‘For all we know,’ he said, ‘someone +may be secreted behind that screen!’ +Mr. Jordan laughed at this, and told Number 3 to close up the screen if it made him +nervous. So the first thing Janet knew, +the screen was dragged aside and she was +staring into the face of a Chinaman. Seated +in a circle behind him were the others, her +father among them.”</p> + +<p>“Gosh!” exclaimed Dorothy. “I’ll bet +that scared the poor kid silly.”</p> + +<p>“It did,” admitted Howard. “She was +absolutely petrified. And then there was +the dickens to pay. All the men started +talking at once. The Chinaman pulled a +revolver and pointed it straight at her, yelling +that she had heard their secrets and +must be immediately executed!”</p> + +<p>“‘She has heard nothing!’ her father told +them. ‘She frequently walks in her sleep. +She was asleep when she wandered in here +before the meeting, and she is sleeping now—look!’ +Then he lit a match and held the +flame before Janet’s eyes. ‘You see,’ he +said, ‘she doesn’t even blink. Janet has +heard nothing, gentlemen.’”</p> + +<p>“Of course Janet had taken her father’s +hint, and followed it. She knew that he +was doing the only thing he could to save +her life, so she kept right on staring in front +of her without moving, while the Chinaman +held the automatic within a foot of her +head. But the strain she was under nearly +broke her nerve. She knew that the slightest +sign on her part that she was conscious +would mean a bullet through her brain. A +furious argument followed. Most of the +men—there were eight of them including +Mr. Jordan—wanted her put out of the +way at once. But at last, her father and +Number 2, a big man with a long beard +who seemed to be more humane than the +rest, prevailed upon them to let him lead her +back to her bed. Her father was forbidden +to hold any intercourse with her whatsoever. +She was locked in her bedroom, +afraid even to cry, for fear she would be +heard, and not knowing what moment the +door would open and they would drag her +to her death.”</p> + +<p>“Horrible!” Mr. Sanborn’s pipe had +gone out but he didn’t seem to notice it. +“That experience was enough to unhinge +a person’s mind. Janet may be shy and +retiring, but she evidently doesn’t lack grit. +By the way, did she say she recognized any +of the men at the meeting?”</p> + +<p>“No. She said that without exception +she was sure she’d never seen any of them +before, although they were all on good +terms with her father. Each one seemed +to be of a different nationality. One was a +black man who wore a turban—an East +Indian, probably. Another, also pretty +dark, wore a red fez. The others were apparently +Europeans, but as they all spoke +English together she had no way of guessing +what they were. Number 2, the man +with the long brown beard, she thought +might be a Scandinavian. She was sure, +though, that her father was the only American +or Anglo-Saxon in the group.”</p> + +<p>“Tell us what happened next morning,” +proposed Dorothy. Her coffee, now cold, +remained untasted in the cup.</p> + +<p>“I’m getting to that. At eight o’clock +her door was unlocked and a woman, a +stranger to her, came into her bedroom with +a breakfast tray. She put the tray on a +table and went into the bathroom and +turned on the water for Janet’s bath, then +left the room and locked the door after her. +At nine this same woman came back, +brought some books and magazines to her, +made up the bed and put the room straight. +Whenever Janet spoke to her, she shook +her head and put her finger to her lips. +But Janet said that even now she doesn’t +know whether the woman is actually dumb +or only acting under orders. She has +brought and taken away her meals ever +since, but she has never been able to get +her to speak.”</p> + +<p>“But how did she find out about going to +Dr. Winn’s house?” asked Bill Bolton, +who had shown an interest quite as keen as +Dorothy’s or Sanborn’s.</p> + +<p>Howard Bright drank a glass of water. +“I’m getting to that part now,” he explained. +“I’m not much of a story teller and +I seem to be taking an awful time to get +through this one—but I’m doing my best +just the same.”</p> + +<p>“Of course you are!” Dorothy motioned +Bill to keep quiet. “You’re doing +noble, Howard! Pay no attention to that +goof over there.”</p> + +<p>“O.K., Dorothy.” Howard replaced +his empty glass on the table. “At about +noon of the first day of Janet’s imprisonment +in her room, the door was unlocked +and Mr. Lawson came in. She knew him +as a friend of her father’s who had dined +with them two or three times. She had always +thought him quite a jolly sort of chap +and knew that he was private secretary to +Dr. Winn, the celebrated chemist. Naturally, +she felt rather relieved to see him, and +she opened up on him at once. She still +felt that her only hope for life and freedom +was to pretend absolute ignorance of the +happenings of the night before. And she +managed to keep up that pretense before +Lawson, though what he had to do with the +affair she hadn’t any idea, nor does she yet +know where he comes into the picture. +Anyway, he wasn’t at the meeting. She let +him know, though, that she was very indignant and astonished to find herself kept +a prisoner, and demanded to see her father. +Lawson, she told me, was most affable and +kind to her. He said that she of course did +not realize that she had been very ill during +the night and that she was now under doctor’s +orders. He also told her that her +father had been called away on business, so +he had come to her as an old friend of the +family, to be of any help that he could. +Janet said that his sympathy almost undermined +her suspicion—she almost confided +in him. But luckily, she didn’t. He has +been to see her every day since, and she is +now convinced that his part in this devilish +scheme is to gain her confidence, and to +find out whether she actually did hear or +see anything at the meeting. Yesterday he +told her that it had been decided she should +visit him and his wife at Dr. Winn’s house +while her father is away, and that in order +to occupy her mind, she should act as secretary +to Mrs. Lawson, who assists Dr. Winn +in his work.”</p> + +<p>“Maybe they don’t really mean to harm +her after all,” said Dorothy hopefully.</p> + +<p>“Janet is certain,” said Howard, “that +they want her at the Doctor’s for close observation. +She took a secretarial course at +school, so that part of it is all right, but I +believe with her that one slip, one sign that +she is deceiving them, will mean that she +will simply vanish and never be heard of +again. She knows that Lawson lied about +one thing: her father is still living in their +flat. She has heard his voice several times.”</p> + +<p>“But what I can’t understand,” said +Dorothy, “is why, just as soon as you knew +all this, you didn’t go to the nearest police +station and have that flat raided!”</p> + +<p>“Because, Janet won’t hear of it.” Howard’s +tone was thoroughly wretched. “I +worked out some other plans to release her, +but she refuses to budge.”</p> + +<p>“Is the girl crazy?” This from Bill.</p> + +<p>“No—she’s as sane as any of us—maybe +saner. She says that if the police are called +in or I help her to escape, that crew will +believe her father knew all the time that +she was faking—as of course he does. And +she says she is sure they will have him killed +out of hand, once they discover that. To +make matters worse, if possible, my firm +thinks I’m going to sail for Lima the day +after tomorrow! If I turn them down, I’ll +lose my job here and ruin my future. I’ve +been hoping against hope that something +would turn up so Janet could sail with me. +I certainly shall not sail without her. I was +buying some clothes for the trip when I ran +into you this morning—” Howard’s voice +trailed off hopelessly.</p> + +<p>“Gee!” It was evident that Dorothy was +not far from tears. “You poor dears are +in an awful fix! I do wish I could help you. +Do <em>something</em>—so that you two could get +married and sail for Peru!”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps you can.” Ashton Sanborn +knocked the ashes from his pipe into an +ash tray.</p> + +<p>“<em>How?</em>” shouted three voices simultaneously.</p> + +<p class='c006'> </p> +<h2 id='ch04' class='break'>Chapter IV<br /><br />MEET FLASH!</h2> +<p class='c001'> </p> + +<p>“Dorothy, have you ever done anything +in the way of amateur theatricals?” Ashton +Sanborn stroked the bowl of his pipe +reflectively.</p> + +<p>“Why—er—yes, a little.” She looked a +bit bewildered. “I’ve been in the Silvermine +Sillies for the past two years.”</p> + +<p>Sanborn nodded. “How is it you’re out +of school on a Thursday?” The question +seemed irrelevant. He was leaning back +in his chair now, surveying the ceiling +rather absently, but there was nothing lackadaisical +about his crisp tones.</p> + +<p>“Christmas holidays. Why?”</p> + +<p>“Because, if you’re willing, I may want +you to work for me for a few days. I suppose +I can reach your father by telephone +at the New Canaan bank?”</p> + +<p>“No, you can’t—Daddy is down in +Florida on a fishing trip. He’s on Mr. +Bolton’s yacht, somewhere off the coast. +They won’t be back until Christmas Eve.”</p> + +<p>“That,” said the Secret Service man, +“complicates matters. Who, may I ask, +is looking after Miss Dixon while Mr. +Dixon is away?”</p> + +<p>“I’m looking after my own sweet self, +sir.” Dorothy grinned roguishly.</p> + +<p>“Then who is to take the responsibility +for your actions, young lady?”</p> + +<p>“Why, you may—if you want to!”</p> + +<p>For a moment or two the detective +studied her thoughtfully. There was a certain +assurance about this girl’s manner, a +steely quality that came sometimes into her +grey eyes, an indefinable air of strength +and quiet courage—</p> + +<p>“Do you think you could impersonate +your cousin, Dorothy?”</p> + +<p>“Why—of course!” Dorothy showed +her surprise. “We look exactly alike. +Didn’t Howard take me for Janet?”</p> + +<p>“He did—but from what he has told us +about her, your natures are entirely different. Janet, from all accounts, is a rather +meek and demure young lady. Remember, +that in order to convince anyone who +knows her you would have to submerge +your own personality in hers. And nobody +would ever describe <em>you</em> as a meek, +demure young lady!”</p> + +<p>“An untamed wildcat—if you ask me,” +chuckled Bill.</p> + +<p>“Why, thanks a lot, William!” +Dorothy’s hearers were abruptly aware of +the changed quality of her voice as she continued +to speak in melting tones of pained +acceptance. “But nobody <em>did</em> ask you, darling, +so in future when your betters are +conversing, be good enough to button up +that lip of yours!” She finished her withering +tirade in the same quiet tones and with +a positively shrinking demeanor that sent +the others into shouts of laughter.</p> + +<p>“Say, you’re Janet to a T!” cried Howard. +“Her voice is always like that if I +happen to hurt her feelings.”</p> + +<p>“How about her hair, Howard? Is it +long or short?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, she wears it bobbed like yours.”</p> + +<p>“I suppose,” Dorothy said to Mr. Sanborn, +“that you want to smuggle me into +the flat and have me change places with +her?”</p> + +<p>“That’s the idea exactly,” admitted the +detective. “And I don’t want you to make +your decision until I explain my plan in detail—or, +rather, the necessity for the risk +you will be taking.”</p> + +<p>“Shoot—” said Miss Dixon, “but I can +tell you right now, risk or no risk, I’m +going through with it. Janet, after all +she’s been through and from what Howard +has told us, is bound to flop once she gets to +Dr. Winn’s. Nervous, and probably high +strung, the chances are against her being +able to hold up under the strain.”</p> + +<p>“I think you are right about that. But +although Janet is in serious danger, she +could be rescued and her father guarded +without bringing you into the picture, +Dorothy, if it were not for one thing. +These men who hold Janet in their custody +are in some way mixed up with Dr. Winn, +who has undertaken to make some very +important experiments for the United +States government.”</p> + +<p>“I make a bet that he is Number 1 of the +gang!” ventured Bill, the irrepressible.</p> + +<p>“Very possibly. That has yet to be discovered. +But what I want you young +people to realize is that this is no ordinary +gang. Quite evidently we are up against +an international organization. Their +treatment of Janet is concrete evidence of +their cold-blooded ruthlessness when they +believe their plans to be in jeopardy. If +you take your cousin’s place, Dorothy, of +course we will see that you are well guarded, +but even so, your part in clearing up this +mystery will entail a very great element of +risk.”</p> + +<p>“I’m willing to take the chance.” +Dorothy met his inquiring eyes steadily. +“Naturally, I’m sorry for Janet and I want +to help her. The only thing is, I’ve got to +be back at High School by January +fourth.”</p> + +<p>“I think I can promise you that this +job will be cleaned up within a week.”</p> + +<p>“I reckon,” smiled Bill, “that you haven’t +told us all you know about these lads with +numbers instead of names.”</p> + +<p>“Not quite all.” Sanborn smiled back at +him. “But that is neither here nor there +just now. By the way, Dorothy, how are +you on shorthand and typewriting?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, not so worse. It’s part of the course +I’m taking at New Canaan High.”</p> + +<p>“Good enough. Frankly, young lady, I +would not consider using you, had not the +New Canaan Bank robbery, the affair of +the Mystery Plane and the Conway Case +proved conclusively that you have a decided +flair for this kind of thing.”</p> + +<p>“Thank you, sir,” said Miss Dixon with +mock coyness. “Them kind words is a +great comfort to a poor workin’ goil. Do +I pack a gat wid me, Mister?”</p> + +<p>“You do not. In fact, you will take +nothing except what belongs to your +cousin. If I am able to get you into the +Jordan flat and they carry you up to Ridgefield +in her place, just being Janet Jordan, +who never woke up when she was sleepwalking +last week will be your best protection. +Of course, I’m not deserting you. +Either I or some of my men will find means +of keeping in touch with you constantly.”</p> + +<p>“And when the villains scrag me, the +secret service boys will arrive on the scene +just in time—to identify the deceased! No +thank you. If the gun is out of orders, +Flash will have to go. Of course my jiu +jitsu may help at a pinch, but Flash is more +potent and ever so much quicker.”</p> + +<p>“What are you talking about, Dorothy?” +Ashton Sanborn looked puzzled.</p> + +<p>“It’s a cinch you can’t drag a dog along +if that’s your big idea,” declared Bill.</p> + +<p>“It is not the big idea, old thing.” +Dorothy grinned wickedly. “Flash and I +have got very clubby this fall. He’s really +quite a dear, you know. We travel about +together a lot.”</p> + +<p>“The mystery of this age,” observed Bill, +“is how certain females can talk so much +and say so little.”</p> + +<p>“Then,” said Dorothy cheerfully, “I’ll +let you solve the mystery right now. +Catch!” She tossed him a macaroon from +a plate on the table. “Go over to that bedroom +door,” she commanded. “Stand to +one side of the door and throw that thing +into the air.”</p> + +<p>“But, I say, Dorothy!” interposed Ashton +Sanborn. “This is no time for fooling, +we’ve got—”</p> + +<p>“This is not fooling, you dear old fuss-budget,” +she cut in. “It’s—well, it’s just +something that may save you from worrying +so much about me. Now, Bill, are +you ready?”</p> + +<p>“Anything to please the ladies,” retorted +that young man wearily. He got up and +walked to the far end of the room and took +his stand beside the closed door. “Is Flash +a cake hound? Will he jump for the +cookie?”</p> + +<p>“He sure will—toss it in the air.”</p> + +<p>The small cake went spinning toward +the ceiling, and at the same instant +Dorothy’s right hand disappeared under +the table. With the speed of legerdemain +she brought it into view again and her arm +shot out suddenly like a signpost across the +white cloth. There was a streak of silver +light—and the three male members of the +quartet stared at the bedroom door in open-mouthed +wonder. Quivering in the very +center of its upper panel was a small knife, +and impaled on the knife’s blade was the +macaroon.</p> + +<p>“Meet Flash!” said Dorothy.</p> + +<p>“Great suffering snakes!” exploded Bill, +plucking out the blade, and examining it. +“The thing’s a throwing knife.”</p> + +<p>“Six inches of razor-keen, leaf-shaped +blade,” said Dorothy, “and three inches of +carved ivory hilt, beautifully balanced—that’s +Flash. How do you like him, fellers?”</p> + +<p>“You,” declared Howard, who was still +goggle-eyed with surprise, “you are the +most amazing girl I’ve ever met, Dorothy!”</p> + +<p>“And you don’t know the half of it,” said +Bill with unstinted fervor.</p> + +<p>“Think I can take care of myself at a +pinch, Uncle Sanborn?” Dorothy was +laughing at the expression of astonishment +on the detective’s face.</p> + +<p>“You win, young lady.” He chuckled +softly. “After this I’ll keep my worries for +Doctor Winn and his friends. Who’d have +thought you had anything like that up your +sleeve!”</p> + +<p>“Not up my sleeve, old dear. A little +leather sheath strapped just above my left +knee is where Flash came from.”</p> + +<p>“Regular Jesse James stuff, eh?” remarked +Bill as he handed back the knife.</p> + +<p>“Oh, yeah?” Flash disappeared as +quickly as he’d come, and Dorothy stood +up. “What’s on the boards, now, boss?” +she asked sweetly.</p> + +<p>“Howard—” said Ashton Sanborn, +“will you let me have the key to that apartment +of yours? Thanks. Bill and I will +need it this afternoon, and even if things go +according to Hoyle, we’ll be powerful +busy. In the meantime, I’ve got a job for +you and Dorothy.” He took out his pocketbook +and extracting a sheaf of bills, handed +them to the girl.</p> + +<p>“You and Howard are going to have a +busy afternoon, too. See that you’re back +here in time for dinner at seven, and—”</p> + +<p>“But what under the sky-blue canopy is +all this?” Dorothy was thumbing the bills, +counting them. “Why, I’ve never seen so +much money—”</p> + +<p>“Use it to buy your cousin a trousseau. +Have the things sent to Mrs. Howard +Bright’s apartment at this hotel. And remember, +that when she arrives here, Janet +will have nothing but the clothes she is +wearing. You don’t mind doing this, do +you?”</p> + +<p>“Mind! Why, I’ll love it!” Dorothy +turned a dazzling smile on Howard, who +was simply tongue-tied by the detective’s +announcement. “Isn’t he swell, Howard? +Isn’t he some guy?”</p> + +<p>Ashton Sanborn laughed. “Don’t thank +me. Uncle Sam is paying, so you needn’t +bring back any change.”</p> + +<p>Dorothy thrust the money into her purse. +“Don’t worry, old bean, I won’t. So long, +you two. Come on, Howard, we’re going +to have a beautiful afternoon!” She caught +young Bright by the arm and whirled him +across the room to the coat-rack. She +jammed a bright green beret over her right +ear and slung her leopard-cat coat onto her +shoulders. “All set for Fifth Avenue!” she +called out merrily as she preceded Howard +out of the room.</p> + +<p class='c006'> </p> +<h2 id='ch05' class='break'>Chapter V<br /><br />ON SECRET SERVICE</h2> +<p class='c001'> </p> + +<p>To say that Dorothy enjoyed her afternoon’s +shopping would be putting it +mildly. Give any girl plenty of money and +tell her to go out and buy an entire trousseau +for herself—or even for somebody +else—and watch her jump at the chance!</p> + +<p>Howard trailed along in more or less of +a daze. This sudden change in his outlook; +being drawn from the depths of despondency +to the hope of a future with the +girl he loved, and all in the space of a +couple of hours, was a little too much for +him to realize at once. Ever after, he had +but a hazy recollection of that shopping +tour. The afternoon seemed but a whirling +maze of lingerie, stockings, street +dresses, party frocks, coats, hats, shoes and +accessories, upon which his advice was invariably +asked, and never taken.</p> + +<p>They were bowling hotelwards in a +taxi, jammed with cardboard boxes and +packages of various shapes and sizes, before +he returned to normal.</p> + +<p>“Whew!” he looked at Dorothy. “I +should think you’d be dead!”</p> + +<p>She shook her head and laughed. “No +girl ever gets tired of shopping,” she told +him gaily. “Wait till you’re married—you’ll +find out.”</p> + +<p>“But what’s the idea of bringing all these +things back with us? I thought Mr. Sanborn +said to have them sent.”</p> + +<p>“He did—but I have a better idea. This +is part of it. I’ll tell you all about it when +we get to the hotel. Keep still now—I want +to go over the lists and see if I’ve forgotten +anything!”</p> + +<p>Howard sighed in resignation.</p> + +<p>At the hotel desk they learned that Ashton +Sanborn had not returned as yet, but +had left word that they should go to his +rooms. With the assistance of three bellboys, +they piled themselves and their packages +into the elevator.</p> + +<p>“Gee! This looks like the night before +Christmas!” Howard dropped his hat and +overcoat and stared at the boxes and +bundles piled along the wall of the sitting +room. “Janet certainly will be surprised +when she sees all those things!”</p> + +<p>Dorothy pulled off her close-fitting little +hat, and tossed it with her purse and coat +onto the table. Then she sank into an easy-chair. +“Well, I only hope she’ll approve. +My, this was a strenuous afternoon. You’d +better sit down.”</p> + +<p>Howard followed her advice. “You +said it. But I know Janet—she’ll be crazy +about the things you’ve bought.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, you boys are all alike.” Dorothy +yawned unashamedly.</p> + +<p>“I don’t get you.”</p> + +<p>“What I mean is that as soon as a fellow +goes round with a girl for a while, he invariably +says ‘Oh yes, she’ll like this,’ or, +‘she won’t like that’.”</p> + +<p>“And—?”</p> + +<p>“Ninety-nine times out of a hundred you +guess wrong.”</p> + +<p>“Why?”</p> + +<p>“I think it’s because girls like to do their +own choosing. Especially when it comes +to buying clothes. Well, anyway, I think +the things are darling, and they’ll be becoming, +too. At least they look well on +me.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t worry—those clothes will make +her look like a million dollars.”</p> + +<p>“I know they will. I’m tired, I guess.” +Dorothy yawned again and closed her eyes.</p> + +<p>Howard started to say something, +thought better of it, yawned, and let his +head pillow itself on the soft upholstery.</p> + +<p>Three quarters of an hour later, Ashton +Sanborn and Bill Bolton marched into the +room to find the two shoppers sound asleep +in their respective chairs. The detective +coughed discreetly and both the young +people awoke.</p> + +<p>“I see that you’ve brought your spoils +back with you,” he smiled, pointing to the +boxes and bundles. Dorothy stared at him, +only half awake, then sat upright in her +chair as she realized where she was.</p> + +<p>“Looks to me,” said Bill, getting out of +his overcoat, “as if she thought Janet was +going to start a shop of her own. Why did +you cart all the stuff back here instead of +having it sent?”</p> + +<p>“Because, Mr. Inquisitive—well, just +because. You and Howard run along now +and prepare your handsome selves for dinner. +The principles of this piece are going +into conference now.”</p> + +<p>“My <em>word</em>—” began Bill, but at a shake +of the head from Sanborn, he took the still +drowsy Howard by the arm and together +they disappeared into the bedroom.</p> + +<p>“Pretty tough time you’ve had, I expect?” +Mr. Sanborn’s eyes twinkled, +though his tone was grave.</p> + +<p>“Oh, but it was lots of fun,” cried +Dorothy. “Thanks to Uncle Sam, and +Uncle Sanborn! And look here, I’ve got +a great idea.”</p> + +<p>“Which has to do with your bringing +back the packages yourself?”</p> + +<p>“Quite right, it has. Do you think those +boys can hear what we’re saying?”</p> + +<p>“I doubt it, Dorothy—but Bill, as you +probably guessed at the end of the affair +of the Winged Cartwheels, is a full-fledged +member of my organization and—”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I don’t mind Bill,” she interrupted +in a low tone. “But Howard mustn’t get +wind of it. He might make a fuss.”</p> + +<p>She rose from her chair and going over +to the detective, began to whisper in his +ear.</p> + +<p>“But that’s impossible, Dorothy!” he +protested, although he allowed a smile to +come to his eyes. “And what’s more, my +dear, I’m afraid it would be illegal.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, no, it wouldn’t! Not if you—” +And again she brought her lips close to +his ear.</p> + +<p>“You’re a young scamp!” he laughed as +she ended. “But—well—you’re doing a +great deal for me, so—”</p> + +<p>“So you’ll go downstairs and start telephoning +right away!” she prompted +eagerly.</p> + +<p>Ashton Sanborn held up his hands in +mock despair. “Nieces,” he declared, +“should not badger hard-working old +uncles. But since this niece has been a +good girl today, Uncle will do as he’s +asked.”</p> + +<p>“I shall never call you anything else but +Uncle Sanborn, now,” Dorothy cried delightedly.</p> + +<p>“Thanks, my child, and I’ll do my best +for you.”</p> + +<p>“Angel uncles can do no more,” she +laughed.</p> + +<p>“Right-o. I’ll be on my way, then. +Come along in about fifteen minutes with +Bill and Howard. I’ll arrange for a table +for dinner and meet you three in Peacock +Alley.” The detective caught up his hat +and hurried out of the room.</p> + +<hr class='c007' /> + +<p>Although Mr. Sanborn was a perfect +host, and did all he could to make that +dinner entertaining, he confessed later that +he would always consider it one of the few +failures of an otherwise unblemished career.</p> + +<p>Notwithstanding the delicious food, the +charm and beauty of the huge room with +its lights and music and scores of well-dressed +men and beautifully gowned +women, the dinner was not a success. All +three of the young people were too excited +by thoughts of what would happen later to +do justice to the meal. Dorothy, moreover, +had the added annoyance of feeling that +her tailored frock, smart enough for luncheon +or shopping, was definitely not the +thing to wear at dinner in a fashionable +hotel. Each endeavored to be sprightly +and at ease. But since they knew that the +one thing they wanted to talk about was forbidden +in public, conversation flagged. +Upstairs at last in Mr. Sanborn’s sitting +room, he came directly to the point.</p> + +<p>“Now I know you’re just rearing to go,” +he said. “And perhaps the sooner we get +under way, the better.” He turned to Bill. +“You go ahead with Howard,” he ordered. +“Dorothy and I will follow you in about +ten minutes. Go straight to the apartment. +We’ll meet you there.”</p> + +<p>“O and likewise K, boss,” Bill returned. +“Get into your rubbers, Howard. And +don’t look so gloomy. You’re on your way +to meet your best girl, remember.”</p> + +<p>When they had gone, Dorothy turned at +once to the detective. “How about it, +Uncle Sanborn?” she asked eagerly.</p> + +<p>“To quote Bill, ‘O and likewise K,’ +niece.”</p> + +<p>“Gee, you <em>are</em> a dear!” Dorothy clapped +her hands. “And now that that is that—I +don’t care what happens.”</p> + +<p>“But I do, Dorothy.” Ashton Sanborn +was serious. “Listen to me, young lady. +From now on you’re working for the U. S. +government, under me, and I must have my +orders obeyed to the letter.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, sir, I understand.” Dorothy’s +tone was crisp and business-like.</p> + +<p>“Good. I let those chaps go ahead of us +as there is no need of having us all arrive +at that apartment house at the same time. +This afternoon, Bill and I made all arrangements, +so that you can change places +with your cousin shortly after you arrive.”</p> + +<p>Dorothy felt secretly proud that this +keen-eyed secret service man took her at +her word, and did not ask her again if she +were really willing to go through with it. +“May I ask you a question?”</p> + +<p>“Certainly.”</p> + +<p>“Well, suppose that after you manage to +get me into Janet’s room, she refuses to +leave it. Do you want me to force her?”</p> + +<p>“Heavens, no.” Sanborn laughed. +“That has all been taken care of, Dorothy. +I talked to your cousin by means of +Howard’s headphone set shortly after dark +this afternoon. I explained the whole +thing to her and when she understood that +her father would be brought into no extra +danger because of our plan, and that I had +drafted you into becoming a secret service +operative, she consented.”</p> + +<p>“I’m glad of that,” said Dorothy fervently. +“She could easily have misunderstood +and spoiled everything.”</p> + +<p>“Well, we’ll have a lot to do to put it over, +even though Janet is willing. I persuaded +her that by doing exactly what you told her, +once you arrived, she would be serving her +country like a loyal American. You, of +course, will use your own judgment, when +you see her. The principal thing is to +change clothes and get her out the way you +came just as soon as possible.”</p> + +<p>“But how am I to get into the Jordans’ +apartment?”</p> + +<p>“Good soldiers, Dorothy, do not ask +questions. There’s no secret about it, but +I’ve other things to tell you now. Lawson +will probably come for you—or for Janet, +as he will believe you to be. He is a tall, +slender man, about thirty, rather good-looking, +dark curly hair and a small mustache. +Your Uncle Michael, if you should run +into him, is heavy set and rather short. He +has reddish hair, turning grey, and is clean +shaven. Janet has never met either Doctor +Winn, or Mrs. Lawson. Now just a word +about the lady. She is a very beautiful and +a very clever woman. Be on your guard +with her, continually. I believe that the +principal reason that you, or rather, Janet +Jordan, will be taken to Ridgefield, is so +that you may be studied at first hand by this +woman. There is no need for me to tell +you to keep up the Janet personality day +and night. Incidentally, you will have +only a very short time to study your cousin, +so make the most of it. Well,” he concluded, +“I guess that’s about all. You will +receive further orders within the next day +or two. In the meantime, simply carry on +as Janet Jordan. I am taking a great responsibility +in letting you go, my dear. For +I won’t hide the fact that you’d probably be +safer in a den of rattlesnakes than in the +same house with Mr. and Mrs. Lawson.”</p> + +<p>“I’m not afraid, you know,” said Dorothy +simply and smiled up at him.</p> + +<p>“I know you’re not. But it would really +be better if you were. For then you’d be +much more careful, and you must watch +your step every minute until I get you out +of it. Here’s your coat. Slip into it and +we’ll get going. The sooner I get you +safely into Janet’s room, and that young +lady out of it, the easier will your Uncle +Sanborn feel.”</p> + +<p class='c006'> </p> +<h2 id='ch06' class='break'>Chapter VI<br /><br />WHO’S WHO?</h2> +<p class='c001'> </p> + +<p>The December evening was cold and +wet as Dorothy and Ashton Sanborn +crossed the sidewalk and entered their taxi-cab. +The day had been a dreary one, and +now a dense, drizzling fog lay low upon +the great city. Dun-colored clouds +drooped over a muddy Park Avenue as +they were swept up town. On the side +streets the electrics were but misty splotches +of diffused light which threw feeble +circular glimmers upon the slimy pavements. +The yellow glare from shopwindows +streamed out into the chill, vaporous +air, and threw a murky, shifting radiance +across the crowded thoroughfare. To +Dorothy there was something eerie and +ghostlike in the endless procession of faces +which flitted across these narrow bars of +light. She was not in any respect a timid +girl, but the dull, heavy evening, and the +prospect of the strange venture in which +they were engaged, combined to make her +feel nervous and depressed.</p> + +<p>At 59th street the taxi turned west and +rolled steadily along the shining black asphalt, +stopping now and then for the red +lights. They crossed 5th Avenue and +swung into Central Park. Dorothy +caught glimpses of the gaunt shapes of +trees in silhouette against the cold fog. She +closed her eyes and resolutely turned her +thoughts to the events of the afternoon.</p> + +<p>So engrossed had she become in the contemplation +of her delightful buying orgy +that she was surprised when their cab +pulled up with a jerk and Ashton Sanborn +opened the door.</p> + +<p>“Muffle up in your fur collar, Dorothy,” +he said. “The fewer people who see your +face, the better.”</p> + +<p>Now that the ordeal had arrived, Dorothy’s +nervousness vanished. She buried +the lower part of her face in the soft fur +collar and walked at Mr. Sanborn’s side +into the lobby of the apartment house.</p> + +<p>A darkey in brass buttoned uniform +stood by the elevator. Two shining rows +of white teeth flashed in a smile of greeting +for the detective.</p> + +<p>“All the way up, George.” Mr. Sanborn +gave the order as the car started upward.</p> + +<p>“Yaas, suh, boss, I understand.” George +smiled again, and presently the elevator +stopped.</p> + +<p>With Mr. Sanborn in the lead, Dorothy +walked along a corridor and up a narrow +flight of stairs. The detective opened a door +at the top and the damp cold of the night +swept in upon them. A moment later they +were crossing the flat roof of the apartment +house toward a small group who +stood near the parapet at the roof’s edge. +As they drew nearer, she saw that the group +awaiting them was composed of Bill Bolton, +Howard, and a stranger. They were +standing beside a small crane.</p> + +<p>The secret service man nodded a greeting +and turned to Dorothy. “We are +directly above Janet’s window, which is +three flights below,” he said quietly, and +glanced at the luminous dial of his wrist-watch.</p> + +<p>“And you’re going to let me down with +the auto-crane?” she asked with just a +tremor of excitement in her voice.</p> + +<p>“That’s the idea. It’s perfectly safe. +Bill tested it this afternoon.”</p> + +<p>Dorothy gave a little laugh. “Oh, I’m +not scared, Uncle Sanborn.”</p> + +<p>“I know you aren’t, my dear.”</p> + +<p>“When do I take off?”</p> + +<p>“Whenever you’re ready.”</p> + +<p>“All set now, then, please.”</p> + +<p>“Good. You’ll go in a minute. Here +are last instructions. You will seat yourself +in that swinging seat that Bill is holding. +The cable to which it is attached runs +through the pulley at the end of the crane’s +arm. This building is nine stories high. +The Jordans’ flat is on the seventh floor, +you remember, so Janet’s window is the +third one down.” He moved to the low +parapet and leaned over. “The window is +dark, so everything is O.K.,” he said, coming +back to her. “Pull your seat in with you +when you enter, Dorothy, and pull down +the shade, of course, when the light is +turned on. When Janet is ready, switch +off the light again and have her give a +couple of pulls on this guide rope.” He +placed the rope in her hand. “Then we +will hoist her up. Ready for your hop +now?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, thanks.”</p> + +<p>“Good luck, then. And remember that +although you may not see us, I or some of +my men will be near you all the time.”</p> + +<p>Dorothy shook hands with her three +friends and stepped into her swinging seat. +She sat down, steadying herself with a grip +on the cable.</p> + +<p>“All serene?” asked Bill.</p> + +<p>“Shove off!” said Dorothy.</p> + +<p>Bill motioned to the stranger, there came +the low whir of an electric motor. Her +feet left the roof and she felt herself swung +upward. Then the ascent stopped, the arm +of the crane swung outward and with it her +pendant seat. Her feet cleared the parapet +and she was over the narrow airshaft.</p> + +<p>Blurred lights from closed windows of +the various apartments gave her a glimpse +of many empty ashcans in the small courtyard +far below. But the crane was lowering +her now close to the wall of the building. +She was facing the wall, and looking +upward she made out four heads leaning +over the parapet at the edge of the roof.</p> + +<p>The descent was slow, but at last she +passed two windows and came to rest beside +the third, whose lower sash she saw +was open. Then two arms caught her about +the knees and she was pulled into the room.</p> + +<p>“Dorothy—oh, Dorothy!” sobbed an +excited voice so like her own that Dorothy +gave a start.</p> + +<p>“Well, here I am, Janet.” It was a prosaic +reply, but her own heart was beating +quickly, nevertheless. “Gee, it’s dark in +here! Be a dear and shut down the window +on this cable—and draw the shade, +then turn on the light. I’m busy getting +out of this thing.”</p> + +<p>She heard the window and shade come +down with a rush. As she stepped free of +her conveyance, the lights flashed on, and +the cousins flew into each other’s arms.</p> + +<p>“Janet!”</p> + +<p>“Dorothy!”</p> + +<p>For a long moment the girls hugged +each other and Janet, the more over-wrought, +sobbed on her cousin’s shoulder.</p> + +<p>Dorothy was herself deeply touched, but +managed to control her feelings. “Come, +dear,” she said at last. “We’ll just have to +get going, I guess. They’re waiting for +you on the roof—and somebody is likely +to come to the door. We mustn’t be caught +together, you know.”</p> + +<p>“I know it.” Janet released her and +again Dorothy gasped, for she heard her +own voice speaking although the words +came from Janet.</p> + +<p>“Look, Dorothy!” Janet pointed to a +long mirror in the corner of the room. “I +knew that we were a lot alike, but I never +could have believed—”</p> + +<p>“Well, talk about two peas in a pod!” In +the glass Dorothy saw herself standing beside +her cousin; and had it not been that +she wore a coat and hat, while Janet was +dressed in a wine-colored silk frock, she +would have had difficulty in knowing +which was her own reflection. “Maybe +I’m half an inch taller, or hardly that,” she +said after a bit. “Lucky we both have had +our hair shingled. You wear a bang, +though—but that’s easily fixed.”</p> + +<p>She whipped off her small hat and went +over to the dressing table where she picked +up a pair of nail scissors. Two minutes of +snipping and Janet’s bang was duplicated +on her own forehead. The hair she had +cut off had been carefully placed on a +magazine cover and opening the window a +trifle she dropped the ends into the night.</p> + +<p>“Now,” she said, closing the window. +“You and I had better change clothes, +Janet. And we’ll have to make it snappy.”</p> + +<p>“Yes—and oh dear—” Janet was slipping +off her dress—“I’ve got so much to +talk about. You can’t realize what a horrible +time I’ve had—and then to find you, +only to lose you again!” Janet was very +near to tears.</p> + +<p>“But you won’t lose me long,” Dorothy +flashed her a comforting smile as she got +out of her own dress. “Meanwhile, you’ll +have Howard. He’s waiting on the roof, +now. And Ashton Sanborn says he can +clear up this business in a few days.”</p> + +<p>“You certainly are wonderfully brave to +do this for me,” sighed her cousin. “If Mr. +Sanborn hadn’t insisted that by changing +places with you I’d be really helping the +government, I couldn’t allow you to do it. +As it is, I feel I’m cowardly to go through +with it—”</p> + +<p>“Why, you’re nothing of the sort,” Dorothy +protested. While Janet talked and they +both undressed, she watched her cousin’s +mannerisms, storing away in her memory, +for future use, every gesture, and inflection +of the voice so like her own.</p> + +<p>“Who’s who?” she giggled, and now her +tone was softer, an exact duplication of +Janet’s manner of speaking.</p> + +<p>Her cousin smiled. “In our undies,” she +admitted, “even I am beginning to wonder +if I’m not seeing double and talking to myself. +How about shoes and stockings, +Dorothy?”</p> + +<p>“Chuck ’em over, Janet, we’d better do +it up right. I sp’ose most of your things +are packed in that wardrobe trunk over +there?”</p> + +<p>“Yes. I packed it this afternoon. +You’ll find some handkerchiefs and gloves +in the top bureau drawer. I left the trunk +open on purpose. When Mr. Lawson +comes, you might be putting them in—it +would help to make things natural.”</p> + +<p>“Right you are—that’s a good idea.”</p> + +<p>“My arctics and my hat and coat are in +the closet. Your coat is much better looking +than mine. It’s a shame to take it from +you.”</p> + +<p>“What’s a coat between cousins who love +each other?” laughed Dorothy and put on +Janet’s dress.</p> + +<p>A few minutes later, the change of clothing +had been made, and the girls regarded +each other in awed wonder.</p> + +<p>“I’ll bet,” Dorothy declared, “that when +Howard sees you he’ll think I’ve come +back again.”</p> + +<p>Janet blushed. “Well, he’ll soon find +out different. But it’s a shame to leave you +here, darling. If there were <em>only</em> some +other way!”</p> + +<p>“But there isn’t. So cut along now, and +just remember that this kind of thing is my +stuff—I love it.”</p> + +<p>“Some day I’ll make it up to you—if I +ever can!”</p> + +<p>Dorothy hesitated for a moment, then +smiled. “You can do it tonight, if you want +to.”</p> + +<p>“Why—what do you mean?”</p> + +<p>“Just follow any suggestions that Mr. +Sanborn may make.”</p> + +<p>“But, what does that—you’re hiding +something from me!”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps I am.”</p> + +<p>“What is it?”</p> + +<p>“Never mind, now.”</p> + +<p>“But, Dorothy—”</p> + +<p>“No time for that, Janet. Get into that +swing arrangement with your back to the +window.”</p> + +<p>“All right, but kiss me goodbye, first.”</p> + +<p>They held each other close for a second. +Then as Janet took her place on the seat +attached to the steel cable, Dorothy +switched off the light.</p> + +<p>“I’ll—I’ll do as you ask, I mean, about +Mr. Sanborn,” whispered Janet.</p> + +<p>“Thanks, darling, I—” began Dorothy, +her hand on the window sash ready to raise +it. Then suddenly she stopped.</p> + +<p>Somebody was unlocking the door into +the hall.</p> + +<p class='c006'> </p> +<h2 id='ch07' class='break'>Chapter VII<br /><br />PLAYING A PART</h2> +<p class='c001'> </p> + +<p>Dorothy ran to the door and caught hold +of the knob. “Who’s there?” she cried.</p> + +<p>“It’s I—Martin Lawson, Janet. May I +come in?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, please, Mr. Lawson, not right +now.” There was a soft tone of pleading in +her voice. “You see, I’ve been lying down +and I’m not quite dressed.”</p> + +<p>“But I thought I heard you speaking.”</p> + +<p>“You did.” The real Janet, shivering by +the window, caught her breath and heard +Dorothy’s tone sharpen slightly. “To myself. +Being cooped up like this for hours +on end, I’m glad to hear the sound of my +own voice. I often read aloud. But I’ll +be ready shortly, if you want me.”</p> + +<p>“All right, then. I’ll be back in five +minutes. Your father is here and he wants +to say goodbye.”</p> + +<p>The key turned in the lock and with her +ear close to the panel Dorothy was sure she +could hear the faint tread of footsteps retreating +down the hall. With her heart +pumping sixty to the second, she dashed +back to Janet and carefully raised the window.</p> + +<p>“Heavens! that was a narrow squeak—” +her cousin whispered shakily. “What +nerve you’ve got! I nearly fainted—”</p> + +<p>“Never mind,” Dorothy whispered +back, “you’ve got to get out of here—and +right now!”</p> + +<p>“Oh, but I can’t, Dorothy. I’m afraid!”</p> + +<p>Dorothy gave the signal rope two savage +pulls. Almost immediately the cable began +to tighten. “Close your eyes and hang +on with both hands,” she ordered.</p> + +<p>“But Dorothy—I’ll scream—I’m going +to—I know it!”</p> + +<p>“No, you won’t!” Quickly Dorothy +clasped the frightened girl’s fingers around +the taut cable. A dive into the pocket of +Janet’s coat brought forth her own handkerchief +which she hurriedly crumpled +into a ball and thrust into her cousin’s +mouth. The seat, with Janet in it, was rising +slowly. She caught the paralyzed girl +below the knees, steadied her as the crane +drew its burden clear of the sill and pushed +her carefully into the outer darkness. +When Janet’s feet were on a level with the +upper sash, she pulled down the window +and shade and switched on the light again.</p> + +<p>“Skies above!” Her breath came in +short gasps and she leaned against the end +of the bed to steady herself. “Talk about +your thrills! That was worse than my first +solo hop, by a long shot.” She ran her fingers +through her short hair. “Let’s see—what +next? Oh, yes—I was supposed to +be lying down.”</p> + +<p>She caught up a book from the table and +tossed it open onto the bed. Then she lay +down, rumpled the coverlet, made sure that +the pillow showed the impression of her +head, and sprang up again. An adventurous +past had taught her the need of being +thorough.</p> + +<p>She went to the window and raising it, +looked out and upward. Neither Janet +nor the crane were in sight. Thankful that +her cousin was safe at last, she pulled down +the sash.</p> + +<p>Two or three minutes later, when the +door was unlocked, the two men who entered +surprised her in the business of packing +the contents of the top bureau drawer +into Janet’s wardrobe trunk.</p> + +<p>And now came as pretty a piece of acting +as has ever been seen upon the stage; +acting that Dorothy’s audience of two must +not realize was acting, and furthermore, +one of these men was the father of the girl +she impersonated. Why hadn’t she remembered +to ask Janet what she called that +mysterious father of hers? Father, Papa, +Dad, Daddy—which should she use? A +mistake now would be fatal. Even her +uncle must not become aware of her real +identity. There was no time for hesitating. +He was speaking now.</p> + +<p>“Janet, my dear—” he began.</p> + +<p>Dorothy ran to her uncle and throwing +her arms about his neck, buried her head +on his shoulder. “How could you leave me +like this?” she wailed. “Why do you let +these people keep me locked in my room? +And now they are going to take me away!” +Her voice grew louder, almost hysterical. +She sobbed pathetically and clutched him +a little tighter.</p> + +<p>“My dear child—you mustn’t cry this +way—you really mustn’t!” Mr. Jordan +patted her back in the silly way men do +when they want to be comforting. “Mr. +Lawson and his wife will look after you in +the country, while your Daddy is away.”</p> + +<p>She released the embarrassed man, and +pulling a handkerchief from his breast +pocket, dabbed her eyes with the cambric +until she felt certain they looked bloodshot +enough to pass inspection. “But I don’t +<em>want</em> to go, Daddy. Please don’t let them +take me,” she begged, her voice trembling +as though she was using all her will power +to gain self control. “If you can’t take me +with you, why can’t I go back to school?”</p> + +<p>“But that’s impossible, Janet. You are +going to be Mrs. Lawson’s secretary. +Don’t be foolish. All arrangements have +been made.”</p> + +<p>“Well, I’m eighteen,” said Dorothy with +a show of temper. “My mother was a year +younger than that when she ran away and +married you. I am no longer a child. I +don’t like being packed off like—like a bag +of potatoes.”</p> + +<p>“Are there any other reasons why you +don’t want to come to Ridgefield with me?” +Mr. Lawson spoke for the first time. His +words fairly dripped with suspicion.</p> + +<p>“Yes, there are.” Dorothy turned on +him angrily. “Daddy goes off on a trip, +and for reasons which appear to be a secret, +you keep me locked in my room for more +than a week, Mr. Lawson. And you seem +to wonder why I resent it.”</p> + +<p>“But you have been ill, my dear Janet.”</p> + +<p>“If I’m so ill, why has no doctor been to +see me?” Her voice was full of scorn.</p> + +<p>“I have been keeping you under observation +myself.”</p> + +<p>“Quite possibly. I’ve been allowed to +see nobody except that maid who acts as if +she were deaf and dumb. If you are trying +to tell me that I’m mentally deranged, I +won’t stand for it! The mere fact that you +now propose that I act as your wife’s +secretary proves that you consider me +capable. What right have you to keep me +a prisoner in my own home? Who are +you, Mr. Martin Lawson, to take upon +yourself the regulating of my life?” +Dorothy burst into angry tears.</p> + +<p>“But my <em>dear</em> child—” protested Mr. +Jordan. “I’ve never seen you behave like +this—”</p> + +<p>“No! And up to now,” she stormed, her +eyes flashing, “you’ve never given me +cause. In the first place I’m no longer a +child—you forget that—and then—what +kind of a life did you give me as a child? +You are my father and you say that you +love me, but can you expect deep affection +from a daughter whom you ship to boarding +school at five? You wouldn’t even let +me visit friends during the holidays. For +years at a time you never took the trouble +to come and see me. How can you expect +love and obedience after years of neglect?” +She drew a sobbing breath, then went on: +“For a while we traveled—you were nice +to me—I enjoyed it. We settled down here. +I forgave what you’d done to my childhood. +I tried to make this flat a home for you, +even though I was kept like a cloistered +nun and you allowed me no friends. But +this is going too far.”</p> + +<p>“And what, may I ask, are you going to +do about it?” inquired Lawson with a disagreeable +smile.</p> + +<p>“What can a defenseless girl without +friends do to stop two big bullies? I shall +go with you, Mr. Lawson, because I can’t +help myself. But don’t expect me to like +being used as a slave, even though I may be +of some comfort to that long-suffering wife +of yours. Oh, that makes you angry, does +it? Well, let me tell you, that you are not +half as angry as I am. You can practice +your strong-arm methods on defenseless +women and get away with it—some day +you’ll try it on a man—and by the time he +gets through thrashing you there won’t be +enough left for the boneyard.” She flashed +a smile of contempt on the furious man, +and turned to Mr. Jordan who was speaking +again.</p> + +<p>“What has come over you, Janet?” he +was saying. “I’ve never heard you speak +so rudely to anyone before. You’ve always +been such a quiet little mouse—”</p> + +<p>“And you’ve taken advantage of it,” she +interrupted. “What you forget is that even +a mouse will turn and fight when it’s cornered. +If you really loved me—if you had +a spark of manhood in your selfish body, +you’d thrash this man to within an inch of +his life and throw him into the street. Get +out of here—both of you!” she cried hysterically. +“And please—no more silly +arguments—I don’t want to be forced to +say before outsiders what a contemptible +person my father is proving himself to be.”</p> + +<p>This last tirade seemed to stun Mr. Jordan. +From the almost agonized expression +on his face, she saw that at last conscience +was at work. The man was utterly +miserable. He could not hide it.</p> + +<p>“Will you—will you be ready to leave in +half an hour, Janet?” His voice was a +mere whisper and shook with suppressed +feeling.</p> + +<p>“Yes, I’ll be ready. Go now, please—both +of you!” She turned her back on +them and walking over to the window, she +threw up the shade and the sash. As she +stood there staring into the night, she heard +them leave the room.</p> + +<p>This time the door shut without being +locked. Dorothy streaked across the floor +and pressed her ear to the keyhole. Just +outside the men were talking.</p> + +<p>“You’re a fool, Lawson, if you still think +that Janet wasn’t asleep during the meeting,” +she heard her uncle say. “Tonight +proves it. And let me tell you this. From +now on, my business and my home shall be +kept separate and distinct. Never again +will I allow myself to be placed in a position +to be dressed down by my own daughter. +There was no comeback either. +Every word she said was gospel truth. +It’s a terrible thing when a daughter makes +her father realize what a low, cowardly +creature he is at heart. Well, how about +it? Aren’t you now convinced of her innocence?”</p> + +<p>“I am.” Lawson clipped off the words, +and as he went on speaking, there was insolence +as well as a hint of nervousness in +his tone. “But when it comes to giving me +a thrashing, Number 5—well, I shouldn’t +try it if I were you—not if you value your—er—health!”</p> + +<p>“Stop talking like a fool!” retorted +Janet’s father. “Is the girl to be sent to +Ridgefield or not?”</p> + +<p>“Now you’re talking rot, yourself,” +snapped Lawson. “You know quite as +well as I do that Laura won’t take our word +for it. She told me this morning that any +clever woman or girl for that matter, could +twist a man around her finger without half +trying. Laura wants to study your daughter +herself—and that’s all there is to it.”</p> + +<p>“I hope Mrs. Lawson has a pleasant time +of it.” Mr. Jordan said sarcastically. “But +I’m afraid my hope will not be granted.”</p> + +<p>“Laura,” answered that lady’s husband, +“can be rather disagreeable herself when +she’s roused. Let us hope for Janet’s sake, +that she doesn’t try her tantrums on my +wife. By the way, what are you doing +now?”</p> + +<p>“Getting away just as fast as I can, thank +you. No more scenes for me, tonight. I +wouldn’t meet Janet on her way out of here +for a million dollars!”</p> + +<p>They moved further along the hall and +Dorothy went slowly back to the window. +Across the narrow court, two flights up, +the shaded windows of Howard Bright’s +flat shone a dull golden yellow in the black +wall. For several minutes she stood watching +the windows, her thoughts upon what +she had done and what she had just heard.</p> + +<p>Suddenly, shadows appeared on one of +the yellow rectangles. The shade was +raised and framed in the window were +Janet and Howard. Just behind them +stood a stranger who wore the round, conventional +collar of a clergyman. The +young couple were smiling happily. Both +waved, and Janet held up her left hand.</p> + +<p>Dorothy knew the significance of that +gesture, and threw them a kiss. Then she +saw the shade roll down, and she turned +away.</p> + +<p>“And so they were married and lived +happily ever after.” She sighed. “Uncle +Sanborn kept his promise, like the fine old +sport he is.”</p> + +<p>She stuffed the last of Janet’s belongings +into the trunk, slammed it shut and +locked it.</p> + +<p>“Now for the dirty work—and Laura +Lawson.” She smiled grimly and went to +the closet for Janet’s hat and coat.</p> + +<p class='c006'> </p> +<h2 id='ch08' class='break'>Chapter VIII<br /><br />“WALK INTO MY PARLOR”</h2> +<p class='c001'> </p> + +<p>The sedan, with Martin Lawson driving +and Dorothy beside him, purred smoothly +through the dank, cold night. Now that +they were past the realm of traffic lights, it +lopped off the miles between them and +Ridgefield with the regularity of an electric +saw cutting planks from a log.</p> + +<p>During the entire journey, now nearly +over, Dorothy had spoken no word to the +man beside her. She wanted him to believe +that she was still furiously angry. As +a matter of fact, she had felt antagonistic +toward him from the first moment she laid +eyes upon him; his smug overgrooming, +the highly polished fingernails, the small +waxed moustache and too immaculate +clothing, all repelled her. She knew at +once what it had taken Janet some time to +realize: Martin Lawson might be and +probably was a very clever man; he was, on +the other hand, a man to be wary of. His +manner was just a little too complacent, +too smooth. Notwithstanding the forewarning +she had received regarding his +character, Dorothy knew instinctively that +he was not genuine and not a trustworthy +person in any respect. She detested him +thoroughly.</p> + +<p>He was a careful driver, she gave him +credit for that. They found little traffic to +impede their progress along the Boston +Post Road, once the long tentacles of the +great city were left behind. But the black +swath of highway leading out and on from +their moisture-coated headlights glistened +wetly in their reflection. After they turned +into the hills behind Stamford, heading for +the Connecticut Ridge Country, the road +for a mile or more at a stretch was covered +with wet leaves. They crawled along at +a snail’s pace to prevent skidding and a +crash into the New England stone fences +that rambled along the roadside dividing +woodland from the rolling meadows.</p> + +<p>Just beyond New Canaan, they drove +past Dorothy’s home and Bill Bolton’s, for +the properties faced each other across the +ridge road. Before they reached Vista it +was raining dismally, and Lawson had the +windshield wiper going. Dorothy was +thankful that the sixty-mile journey from +New York was nearly over. At last they +reached the outskirts of Ridgefield, and the +car swung into a driveway between high +pillars of native stonework. In the glow +from the electric globes on the gate posts, +the blue stone driveway curved and twisted +like a huge snake, winding through landscaped +lawns and gardens as formal and +precise as a public park.</p> + +<p>It was raining harder now, and Dorothy +could see nothing beyond the path of their +headlights. Although she had never been +in the grounds before, she had driven past +the Winn place numbers of times. Finally, +she made out the bulk of a great stone +house. Martin Lawson stopped the car +beneath a porte-cochere. They had arrived.</p> + +<p>Massive doors of wrought iron and glass +swung open. A butler and two footmen +in livery ran down the steps. The butler, +a tall, important-looking individual, +snapped open the car door.</p> + +<p>“Good evening, Mr. Lawson,” he said. +“Good evening, Miss.”</p> + +<p>The voice with its high-pitched Oxford +drawl still smacked of Whitechapel. Dorothy, +who had travelled in England, was +sure that under stress, the cockney in this +personage would come out. She knew he +was careful of his aitches.</p> + +<p>“Good evening, Tunbridge,” Lawson +returned briskly, and Dorothy smiled +pleasantly. “Is Mrs. Lawson still up?”</p> + +<p>“Madam is awaiting you in the library, +sir.” Tunbridge helped Dorothy to alight +and handed Janet’s overnight bag to a footman. +“Jones,” he said to the other flunky, +as Lawson stepped out of the car, “drive +round to the service entrance. Miss Jordan’s +box is in the back of the car. See that +it is taken up to the Pink Bedroom and have +Hanley garage the motor-car.”</p> + +<p>“Very good, sir,” returned the man, and +he got into the automobile.</p> + +<p>Tunbridge ushered them up the broad +stone steps. Dorothy caught a last glimpse +of a leafless, dripping hedge across the +drive, and the giant skeleton arms of a tree +that seemed to menace earth and sky; then +she entered the house, wondering what the +next act of this strange drama would bring +forth.</p> + +<p>She found herself in an enormous hall, +furnished with objects such as she had +never seen outside a museum. Elaborately +carved oak, suits of armor, stone urns, +portraits, a wide stone staircase mounting +upward to surrounding galleries, stained +glass windows, tigers’ and lions’ heads, antlers +of tremendous size, strange and beautiful +weapons, all ranged in confusion +before her eyes and suggested a baronial +castle rather than the home of an American +scientist, in the Connecticut hills.</p> + +<p>Tunbridge led to a door on the right, +where he knocked, then opened, as a +muffled “Come in” was heard.</p> + +<p>“Miss Jordan and Mr. Lawson, +Madam,” announced the butler, and he +stood aside to let them pass.</p> + +<p>Dorothy walked into a room whose walls +seemed built of books. The furniture was +richly attractive and looked luxuriously +comfortable. A fire blazed in a fine chimney +and a table near it was set with a glitter +of splendid silver and hot water plates below +shining metal covers.</p> + +<p>A tall, superbly beautiful woman, with +dark eyes and coal-black hair that grew in a +widow’s peak on her brow, rose from a +chair on the wide hearth and came toward +them. Her clear, white skin, and a broad +streak of silver across the black hair gave +her a strangely ethereal appearance, as +though she might have been a being from +another planet. The hand she held out to +Dorothy was exquisitely formed, the fingers +long and tapering.</p> + +<p>“How do you do, Janet,” she said +pleasantly. “Welcome to Winncote. You +are later than we expected. The Doctor has +gone to bed, but he left his greetings.”</p> + +<p>“Thank you,” Dorothy returned formally +and shook hands. “You are very +kind, Mrs. Lawson.”</p> + +<p>Laura Lawson gave her a smile, but the +girl saw that it was a smile of the lips alone, +her dark eyes remained somber. “Did you +have a breakdown?” she asked her husband, +taking notice of him for the first +time.</p> + +<p>“Slippery roads—it was impossible to +do much more than crawl, Laura.” He +lifted a dish cover on the table and inspected +its contents. “Glad you thought +to order supper—I’m famished.”</p> + +<p>“So am I,” admitted his wife and her +words seemed to carry a double meaning. +“It’s long after three. Come over here by +the fire and get warm, Janet. Now Tunbridge—if +you’ll please serve us?”</p> + +<p>Tunbridge seated them at the supper +table and uncovered the dishes.</p> + +<p>“Just a light meal,” announced the hostess, +“scrambled eggs, toast and cocoa, but +it will warm you up and help you last until +breakfast.”</p> + +<p>“It looks delicious!” said Dorothy, who +discovered at the sight of food that she was +starving. In fact all three were hungry, +and for some little time conversation was +dropped while the soft-footed Tunbridge +waited upon them.</p> + +<p>“We will have a chat tomorrow, Janet,” +Mrs. Lawson said presently. “Tonight you +are tired and so am I. We take breakfast +in our rooms. Ring for it when you’re +ready, but don’t hurry about getting up, +I’ll see you down here about eleven-thirty. +Have you had enough to eat and drink, my +dear?”</p> + +<p>“Plenty, thank you, Mrs. Lawson.” +Dorothy thought it would be just as well if +she played the demure mouse until she had +a chance to size up her employer.</p> + +<p>“Then I think we’ll go upstairs, Janet, +and I’ll show you your room.” She looked +at her husband. “You’ll be coming up +soon, Martin?”</p> + +<p>“Just as soon as I finish this pipe, and get +a bit warmer.”</p> + +<p>“I think,” said Mrs. Lawson, “that both +you and Janet had better take a hot lemonade +before you go to bed. I don’t want to +have you both laid up with colds tomorrow.” +She smiled solicitously at the girl.</p> + +<p>“I hate the filthy stuff,” protested her husband.</p> + +<p>“Don’t be ridiculous,” she answered +coldly and turned to the butler. “Tunbridge, +have hot lemonades sent to Miss +Jordan and Mr. Lawson in about twenty +minutes, if you please.”</p> + +<p>“Very good, madam.”</p> + +<p>Laura Lawson slipped her arm through +Dorothy’s. “Don’t be long, Martin.”</p> + +<p>“I won’t. Good night, Janet.”</p> + +<p>“Good night, Mr. Lawson.”</p> + +<p>Mrs. Lawson seemed lost in thought as +they slowly mounted the stone stairs. Suddenly +she began chattily: “Men are such +stupid creatures, Janet. So stupid about +taking medicine or anything else that may +be good for them. Martin and that hot +lemonade is a case in point. I hope that +you haven’t any foolish ideas like that?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, no, indeed. I’m rather fond of it.”</p> + +<p>“That’s fine. Now promise me you’ll +get into bed and drink it just as hot as possible. +There’s nothing better to ward off +a cold, and you’ll sleep like a top into the +bargain. Well, here’s your room, my dear. +It’s late, so I won’t come in, but I think +you’ll find all you need to make you comfortable. +If you want anything, ring. +Good night, Janet. Sleep well.”</p> + +<p>“I’m sure I will, Mrs. Lawson. Good +night.”</p> + +<p>The older woman passed along the gallery +and Dorothy entered her bedroom. It +was a good-sized room, attractively furnished +with everywhere evidence of a +woman’s taste. Pink-shaded electric candles +gleamed from the walls papered in +cream and scattered with tiny pink rosebuds. +The small grey-painted bed displayed +pink pillow cases, sheets and blankets. +A dainty writing desk in one corner +of the room was also painted grey as was +the chaise longue and the chairs, where the +upholstery carried out the note of pink. A +soft grey rug, pink-bordered, covered the +floor, and Dorothy’s feet sank into its thick, +warm pile as she investigated her new +quarters. She saw that the room was nearly +square, and opposite the door a rounded +alcove sheltered a bow window, hung with +pink taffeta, and the window seat below it +was cushioned in pink.</p> + +<p>In a corner against the wall stood Janet’s +wardrobe trunk, and near it was a door that +led into a spacious closet. Dorothy hung +her coat on a padded hanger, and then +looked into the rose and onyx tiled bath.</p> + +<p>As she re-entered the bedroom she +stopped short in surprise. A small piece of +white paper protruded from beneath the +door to the gallery. Quickly she stooped, +snatched the paper and opened the door. +The gallery was empty. Crossing to the +balustrade she looked down upon the great +entrance hall. That also was deserted and +nobody was to be seen on the staircase.</p> + +<p>She turned back, closed and locked her +door. Then she spread out the paper she +had crumpled in her hand. Printed on one +side in pencil she read the words:</p> + +<p>“BE ON YOUR GUARD. DO NOT +DRINK THE LEMONADE. DESTROY +THIS AT ONCE.”</p> + +<p>“Now I wonder...” Dorothy muttered +softly, “who sent me this note?”</p> + +<p class='c006'> </p> +<h2 id='ch09' class='break'>Chapter IX<br /><br />IN THE NIGHT</h2> +<p class='c001'> </p> + +<p>Dorothy turned over the piece of paper +to find as she expected that the other side +was blank. No signature. Nothing but the +double warning, and the admonition to destroy +the missive and to do so at once. Evidently +the writer either believed or knew +for certain that she would shortly be disturbed. +There was no fireplace in the bedroom. +Even though she tore the note into +bits, some of the scraps might be found and +pieced together should she throw them out +the window; and her room might be +searched at any time. How could she make +way with it? For a moment or two Dorothy +was at a loss. Mechanically her fingers +tore the paper into fine shreds.</p> + +<p>Then she smiled. “I guess we’ll let the +plumbing take care of you,” she said, gazing +down on the little pile of paper on her +palm, and she disappeared into the bathroom.</p> + +<p>When she returned, Dorothy opened +Janet’s over-night bag, took out a pair of +green silk pajamas, bedroom slippers and +toilet accessories, among which was a new +toothbrush in a case. This, and the underwear +she had on were the only belongings +of her own that she had retained.</p> + +<p>From Janet’s purse, she extracted the +trunk key. After some rummaging in that +large travelling wardrobe, she found a +quilted bathrobe of pale pink satin on a +hanger toward the back. It was too late to +unpack entirely, and she was about to close +and relock the trunk, when she decided to +leave it open. The Janet Jordan she was +portraying had never waked up at the +famous meeting of last week. That Janet +would feel outraged at her imprisonment, +her father’s seeming callousness and would +naturally be furious at being packed up +here willy-nilly: but she would have no +cause to be suspicious of these people in +this big stone house. If she had locked the +trunk—Dorothy realized she had almost +made a mistake, although a minor one—and +in her present position mistakes were +dangerous affairs.</p> + +<p>Although it was very late and the day had +been a strenuous one Dorothy did not feel +tired. While she undressed, she went over +in her mind the new vistas opened up by +this mysterious note she had just destroyed. +As she dissected it word by word from +memory, she was astonished to find that the +scrap of paper carried much interesting information +between the lines.</p> + +<p>Undoubtedly, Ashton Sanborn had +planted a member of his organization in +the house, but how that had been possible, +she could not imagine. First of all, there +was the warning to be on her guard. That +Mrs. Lawson was indicated she had no +doubt. Her hostess, while seeming most +charming and courteous, had nevertheless +suggested the hot lemonade which the note +told her not to drink. It was quite likely +that her unknown adviser had reason to +think that the lemonade would be drugged. +And then these people could hardly mean +to poison her so soon after her arrival. For +their whole idea in bringing her to Winncote, +as she understood it, was to make sure +whether the real Janet had heard their secrets +or not. No—they merely wanted her +to sleep soundly. But why?</p> + +<p>Dorothy pondered on this for several +minutes. There could be only one reason, +she decided. Somebody was planning to +enter her bedroom tonight, and wished to +do so without her knowledge. What their +purpose might be she could not guess and +she did not bother about it. To a girl of a +nervous temperament, such as Janet Jordan, +the knowledge that such a visit was +planned and success arranged for by means +of a drug, would have been torture. But +Dorothy, who could feel “Flash” in his +holster just above her knee was merely +worried for fear that lemonade or no +lemonade she would fall asleep. The arrival +here had been uneventful enough +after what had happened at the Jordans’ +apartment. At least, to all outward appearances it had been smooth sailing. She was +beginning to realize that nothing with +these people was what it seemed to be. She +had climbed her Vesuvius and was standing +at the crater’s edge. Already the first +rumblings of the eruption had been heard.</p> + +<p>Her position, though seemingly secure, +was nothing of the kind. The sooner Ashton +Sanborn gave her the orders he had +promised, and she could carry them out and +get away from this place, the better for +Dorothy Dixon. And yet she could not +help a feeling of exhilaration.</p> + +<p>There came a gentle knock on her door. +Wearing her quilted wrapper and slippers +she turned the key and opened to—the imposing +Tunbridge. He bore a small tray +on which stood a steaming tumbler, a bowl +of sugar, two spoons and a napkin. “Your +hot lemonade, Miss Jordan,” he announced +in his pompous voice and rather as though +he were offering her a priceless gift. “Mrs. +Lawson’s instructions are to drink it after +you get in bed, Miss. May I mention also +that it is very hot?”</p> + +<p>Dorothy took the tray. “Thank you, +Tunbridge, I’ll be careful. Good night!”</p> + +<p>“Good night, Miss.”</p> + +<p>The butler departed in the direction of +the stairway, and Dorothy closed the door +and locked it again.</p> + +<p>She set the tray on a chair beside her bed +and put two spoonfuls of sugar into the tall +glass. It was too hot for anyone to drink +yet, so she went into the bathroom to get +ready for bed.</p> + +<p>Five minutes later she switched off all +the lights except the one on the head board. +Then she got into bed, picked up the glass +and stirred her lemonade, making sure that +the spoon tinkled against the glass. If anyone +was listening outside her door they +would naturally think she was drinking the +stuff.</p> + +<p>After waiting a moment or two longer, +she set the glass down on the tray with a +thump that might have been heard on the +gallery. But the glass remained in her +hand. Off went her light now, and still +holding the lemonade she got quickly and +quietly out of bed. A silent trip to the bathroom +in the dark and she emptied the +lemonade into her washbowl. Then she +came back and placed the empty glass on +the tray. She hurried over to the bow window, +opened a sash, turned off the heat in +the radiator and crawled into bed again.</p> + +<p>The bed was to the left of the door as +one entered the room. By lying on her +right side Dorothy held the entire room +within her view. After the soft glare from +the shaded electric lights, it seemed inky +black, but soon her eyes grew accustomed +to the gloom. In the wall just beyond the +foot of the bed was the closed door of her +closet. The trunk stood beyond that in the +corner. The alcove and window seat took +up a large section of the farther wall and +in the corner, diagonally across from +where she lay was a dark spot—the writing +desk. Opposite her bed was the half open +door to the bathroom. The dressing table, +the door to the hall but a few feet from her +head—mentally she had completed her +tour of the room.</p> + +<p>Then for a long while, or so it seemed +to the excited girl, she lay there waiting. +Of course her door was locked, but the affair +of the Winged Cartwheels a few +months before had taught Dorothy that +keys may be turned from the outside with +a pair of small pincers. Her mind now set +itself on the key in the door. In vain she +listened for the warning click that would +come when it turned in the lock. Now that +she was lying in bed she began to discover +how tired she was. It became harder and +harder to stay awake.</p> + +<p>She knew that she must have dozed, for +without warning a light appeared, a golden +circle on the center of the rug. Instantly +she was wide awake and her hand beneath +the blankets drew her throwing knife from +its sheath. Through half-closed eyelids +she made out a dark figure holding a flash +light pointed toward the floor.</p> + +<p>Then the glowing circle moved to the +empty glass beside her bed, and Dorothy +closed her eyes. For a moment it rested +upon her face and she heard a low chuckle. +Dorothy knew that voice. Her visitor was +Laura Lawson.</p> + +<p>The light swept away from her face. +Mrs. Lawson touched the wall switch by +the door and the bedroom sprang into light. +The drug in the lemonade must have been +a strong one, for it was evident that the intruder +had no fear of her awakening. Without +wasting another glance on Dorothy, +Laura Lawson went to the wardrobe trunk +and commenced a detailed inspection of +its contents.</p> + +<p>The woman’s back was turned, so Dorothy +had no difficulty in watching her movements. +Everything in the trunk was taken +out, glanced at and put back exactly as it +had been. This took some time, and it was +fully half an hour before her hostess finished +with the trunk. Next she overhauled +the small travelling bag and the purse. +Then the empty drawers of the dressing +table and desk came under the woman’s +eye. The pillows and cushions of the window +seat were lifted. The rug was turned +back. Every nook and cranny of the room +and closet came under observation. Then +she went into the bathroom.</p> + +<p>“What under the shining canopy can she +be looking for?” Dorothy marveled. “It +can’t be the note I got tonight. She proposed +the lemonade before that could have +been written. I wonder if she’ll search the +bed? She mustn’t find Flash—”</p> + +<p>When Laura Lawson returned to the +bedroom, she saw that the sleeper had +turned over and was now facing the wall. +For a moment she gazed down on the girl, +then her hand crept under the pillow. +Finding nothing there, the covers were +pulled back to the foot of the bed.</p> + +<p>Dorothy felt the cold breeze from the +open window blowing on her pajamaed +body, but she did not move. Presently +sheet, blankets and silk comfort were replaced +and the woman left the bedside. +Dorothy chuckled inwardly. Flash was +still safe. She was lying on him.</p> + +<p>Off went the light. Dorothy knew that +Mrs. Lawson’s slippered feet would make +no sound on the thick pile of the rug. She +waited to hear the door open and close, +but heard nothing. With her face to the +wall, she could see nothing. The strain of +lying motionless became nerve wracking. +What was the woman doing anyhow? +Slowly she rolled over again. So far as she +could tell, the room was empty.</p> + +<p>For what seemed an age Dorothy lay, +listening. Except for the wind sighing +through the bare trees outside her window, +there was no other sound. She felt nervous +and unpleasantly excited. She must know +if the door had been left unlocked. Slipping +out of bed she tiptoed across to it and +tried the handle. The door did not give.</p> + +<p>Suddenly she froze against the panels. +A dim glow appeared on the opposite wall +as the closet door swung slowly back, and +outlined in the opening was the tall figure +of Tunbridge.</p> + +<p class='c006'> </p> +<h2 id='ch10' class='break'>Chapter X<br /><br />SURPRISES</h2> +<p class='c001'> </p> + +<p>Dorothy’s experiences, since she had +shopped for neckties for her father that +morning had been quite enough to lay up +the average girl for a week, and to wreck +her nerves into the bargain. Laura Lawson’s +appearance in her bedroom had +strained tightened nerves to the breaking +point.</p> + +<p>The arrival of this second intruder was +just too much. As the butler stepped out +of the closet and started to close the door, +Dorothy’s self-control snapped like a rubber +band. She forgot that she was playing +a part; that it might be suicidal to show her +hand so early in the game. Fear gripped +her throat. Had this man been sent to kill +her? If not, then what was he doing, stealing +into her room through a secret entrance +like an assassin of the middle ages? Self-preservation bade her act. The consequences +could take care of themselves.</p> + +<p>“Stop!” The harsh whisper, as her hand +dove for Flash, sounded like the voice of a +stranger. “Move another step, and I’ll pin +you to that door!” Flash was in her raised +hand now, the extended blade reflecting the +light in the closet as though the polished +steel were glass.</p> + +<p>She saw the man start in surprise and +turn his head in her direction. As she was +about to hurl the knife, Tunbridge found +his voice.</p> + +<p>“Ashton Sanborn sent me, Miss Dixon. +Please don’t throw that knife.”</p> + +<p>Gone was the English accent, and the +pompous intonation of the British man +servant. Tunbridge, if that were really his +name, spoke the American Dorothy was accustomed +to hear, the accents of the cultured +New Englander. For the second +time in her life, Dorothy fainted.</p> + +<p>She awoke to find herself in bed. Tunbridge +was beside it. She could just make +out his tall, powerful figure in the darkness.</p> + +<p>“Goodness—did I faint?” she said +weakly.</p> + +<p>“You certainly did, Miss Dixon.” His +tone was little above a whisper. “Please +don’t raise your voice—and drink this. I +found the aromatic spirits of ammonia in +the bathroom. You need something to +steady you. No one is cast iron—you’ve +been through a frightful lot today.”</p> + +<p>Dorothy took the glass and drained it. +Then she lay back on her pillow. “I +got the scare of my life just now. Why +didn’t Ashton Sanborn tell me about +you, Mr.—”</p> + +<p>“Tunbridge is really my name, Miss +Dixon. John Tunbridge, and very much +at your service. I was afraid my rather +abrupt appearance would startle you, and +especially coming so soon after Mrs. Lawson’s—er—visit. +I got a shock myself +when I saw your white figure by the door +just now, and all ready to split me with that +knife, like—like a macaroon.” He +chuckled, and removing the tray, sat down +on the chair beside her bed.</p> + +<p>“Oh, then you’ve seen Ashton Sanborn +this evening, Mr. Tunbridge?”</p> + +<p>“Heard from him, Miss Dixon. As you +must know by now, I am a secret service +operative and I am working under Mr. +Sanborn. There isn’t time to go into detail +now, but a couple of months ago, our department +received an anonymous letter +saying that Doctor Winn would bear +watching. Shortly before that the Doctor +had engaged Mrs. Lawson, who is an expert +chemist by the way, to take charge of +his laboratory. Her husband has been Doctor +Winn’s secretary since last spring. We +thought at that time that Mrs. Lawson +might be the mysterious letter writer. +Since then we’ve altered our opinion. Mr. +Sanborn decided that inasmuch as Doctor +Winn was working for the government it +would be well to have a secret service man +in the house. We prevailed upon the butler +here to resign and I took his place.”</p> + +<p>“Then Doctor Winn knows you’re a +government detective?”</p> + +<p>“No one in this house knows that, except +you, Miss Dixon. The whole matter was +arranged through an employment agency. +Doctor Winn and the others here have no +idea that I, like you, am simply playing a +part.”</p> + +<p>“Well, you’re certainly a splendid actor, +Mr. Tunbridge.”</p> + +<p>“Thank you, Miss Dixon. As you’ve no +doubt discovered, acting, convincing acting, +often plays a large part in our profession. +You are doing brilliantly in that +respect yourself. Mr. Sanborn thought, +however, that it would be better if you did +not know about me until the necessity +arose. Mrs. Lawson, he knew would be +watching you like a hawk when you arrived. +If you had been aware of my identity, +your position would only have been +more difficult. She might have had her +suspicions aroused in some way, which +would have given you a wrong start from +the beginning. I think you will realize tomorrow +how hard it will be to treat me as +though I were merely Tunbridge the +butler.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I think you’re right. Tell me, how +did you find out about the lemonade?”</p> + +<p>“I overheard the Lawsons talking, yesterday. +Made it my business in fact. It +seems that Mrs. Lawson has had the idea +that if Janet Jordan was only shamming +sleep at that meeting, she would do her best +to communicate with her father in some +way. The natural thing to do would be to +write a note and slip it in his hand or his +pocket, when he came to see her. Martin +Lawson was sure he would detect anything +of the kind when he brought Jordan to say +goodbye to Janet tonight at the flat. If not, +the plan was to drug the girl with hot +lemonade so that Mrs. Lawson could +search her belongings for the note tonight.”</p> + +<p>Dorothy nodded. “I watched her closely +while she was in here, and so far as I could +make out she didn’t find anything that interested +her particularly. The Lawsons +must have guessed wrong about Janet +writing her father.”</p> + +<p>“Well, no, they didn’t,” declared her new +ally. “Janet wrote a letter, just as they surmised.”</p> + +<p>“But where could it be?” asked Dorothy +in a startled whisper, and sat bold upright +in bed.</p> + +<p>“Probably destroyed by this time,” Mr. +Tunbridge chuckled. “There’s no need +to worry on that score, Miss Dixon. +When Ashton Sanborn spoke to your +cousin this afternoon by means of Howard +Bright’s headphone set, he learned that +Janet proposed doing just what this clever +pair here figured upon. Of course she had +already written the note, and as there was +no safe way to get rid of it in her room, he +told her to take it with her when she left. +And now if you’ll be good enough, I wish +you’d tell me what happened after you took +her place in the flat.”</p> + +<p>Dorothy gave him a short sketch of her +encounter with her uncle and Martin Lawson +in Janet’s room, and of the conversation +between the two men in the corridor +afterward. “All the way up here,” she +ended, “I pretended I had a grouch. Mr. +Lawson tried to start a conversation several +times, but he soon found it wasn’t much fun +talking to himself and he gave it up as a bad +job.”</p> + +<p>“Excellent,” applauded the secret service +man, “and quite in keeping with your +behavior in the flat. You have done most +remarkably well, Miss Dixon. Only—you +won’t mind if I warn you not to let first +success make you careless.”</p> + +<p>“Do you really believe that these people +mean to do away with me if they discover +I am not what I appear to be, Mr. Tunbridge? +It sounds a bit too melodramatic, +don’t you think?”</p> + +<p>“These Lawsons, husband and wife, are +playing for gigantic stakes.” The detective’s +voice, though barely audible was extremely +grave. “They will stop at nothing. +When crooks have at least two murders behind +them, they’re not likely to stop at a +third.”</p> + +<p>“Then—then they are <em>not</em> what they pretend?”</p> + +<p>“Certainly not. They’re a pair of high +class European crooks named du Val.”</p> + +<p>Dorothy shuddered. “And <em>murderers</em>!”</p> + +<p>“Undoubtedly. They’re wanted both in +England and in Austria for their crimes.”</p> + +<p>“How did you find that out?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, you see I recognized them when I +arrived here, Miss Dixon.”</p> + +<p>“But—but I can’t see why—why you +didn’t arrest them then and there! You +knew that they were after the secret of +Doctor Winn’s new explosive, or whatever +it is he has invented.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, we realized that the formula for +Doctor Winn’s explosive gas was the magnet +that drew the du Vals to this house; but +until today we had no idea how they proposed +to dispose of the formula after stealing +it.”</p> + +<p>“I see. And now you realize that they +probably intend to sell it to the organization +of which my uncle is a member?”</p> + +<p>“You are right, Miss Dixon.”</p> + +<p>“Then why can’t you arrest the Lawsons +now?”</p> + +<p>“We can take the Lawsons at any time,” +Tunbridge explained. “But we want to +catch the ringleader of this organization. +We know the group exists and for no good +purpose, but what their definite object may +be we still have no means of telling. We +can’t arrest them on suspicion alone. Once +they actually buy the formula from the +Lawsons, it will be quite a different matter.”</p> + +<p>She shook her head slowly. “But why +hasn’t the formula been stolen before this? +They’ve had plenty of opportunity, +surely—”</p> + +<p>“Because it is not completed. At dinner +tonight I heard the Doctor say that by tomorrow +afternoon the work would be finished, +and that he expected to take the +formula to Washington the day after tomorrow.”</p> + +<p>“Then you expect?—”</p> + +<p>“I expect that the Lawsons will make +their attempt tomorrow night.”</p> + +<p>“And where do I come in on this business, +Mr. Tunbridge?”</p> + +<p>“You are going to take the plans from +Doctor Winn’s safe before the Lawsons +get to it.”</p> + +<p>She drew her breath sharply. “That’s a +pretty large order—”</p> + +<p>“I know it, but—of course you’ll have +the combination of the safe—”</p> + +<p>“Are you going to give it to me now?”</p> + +<p>“Too dangerous. They are quite capable +of searching your belongings again—or +your person, for that matter—at any +time. I’ll get it to you with exact instructions +just as soon as the Doctor completes +that blooming formula and locks it in the +safe.”</p> + +<p>“That’s all very well, Mr. Tunbridge. +But has it occurred to you that if I steal this +paper—I suppose it will be a paper?—”</p> + +<p>“Probably several of them—”</p> + +<p>“Well, if I take these papers before the +Lawsons can get them, how are you going +to arrest my uncle and the other men?”</p> + +<p>“You,” directed Tunbridge, “will +simply make a copy and replace the original +documents where you found them. +This is a safety-first move. We must have +a copy in case the originals are destroyed.”</p> + +<p>“It looks like a very complicated matter +to me,” Dorothy admitted candidly. “Why +not put the old gentleman wise? After +all, it’s his formula, and if he made his +own copy it would save us a possible run-in +with the Lawsons, and—”</p> + +<p>Mr. Tunbridge stood up. “Perhaps +you’re right,” he said, making a brave attempt +to stifle a yawn, “but Doctor Winn +would never agree to it. For a scientist +who dabbles in high explosives, he’s the +most nervous man I’ve ever met. He’d +give the whole show away. No, that’s out +of the question. Doctor Winn must be +kept in ignorance of the whole proceeding. +And now—” a yawn got the better of him +this time— “and now to bed. You need +sleep even more than advice just now. +Good night, or rather, good morning, Miss +Dixon. Pleasant dreams, I hope.”</p> + +<p>He started toward the door and Dorothy +sprang out of bed and reached for her +dressing gown.</p> + +<p>“I want to see that secret passage, Mr. +Tunbridge,” she said in a low tone.</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes, come along.” He opened the +door and stepped inside the closet. “It +works this way. Press your foot on the +board in the farthest right hand corner, +like this, and a panel in the back wall slides +up—like that—”</p> + +<p>Dorothy stared at the gaping black hole, +then as the detective-butler snapped on his +flashlight she saw that a narrow circular +staircase led downward in the wall.</p> + +<p>“That stair curves down to the ground +floor,” he explained. “It comes out +through the side wall inside the big fireplace +in the hall. To open the panel down +there you press a button under the left-hand +corner of the mantel. To close either panel +you simply put it down, once you’re inside.”</p> + +<p>“Are there any more of these passages +in the walls?”</p> + +<p>“Very likely, but I haven’t found them +yet. Winncote is an exact copy of the Doctor’s +ancestral home in Wales. Those old +houses were honeycombed with priest holes, +secret passages and whatnot. And +Doctor Winn had his architect copy the +original Winncote across the water down +to the last stone, with modern improvements +such as bathrooms and steam heat, +added.”</p> + +<p>“Funny old fellow, isn’t he?” commented +Dorothy sleepily. “Then I’m +simply to carry on until I hear from you +again?”</p> + +<p>“That’s right. But whatever you do, +watch your step with the Lawson woman. +She is fully as heartless as she is beautiful. +If you had never heard of that meeting in +the Jordans’ flat, it would be much better +for you. She will try to trap you, so please +be on your guard continually. Well, good +night, again.”</p> + +<p>“Good night, Mr. Tunbridge.”</p> + +<p>The panel in the back wall of the closet +slid into place, and Dorothy went back to +bed. She realized now that this matter of +impersonating her cousin was not going to +prove to be the easy job she had fancied. +A slip on her part now would not only put +her own life in danger, it would probably +ruin all government plans to apprehend +these desperate criminals.</p> + +<p>At last she fell into a troubled sleep +wherein she dreamed that a long circular +staircase curved round and round her bedroom, +and that Mrs. Lawson, dressed as a +butler, had set her to watch every step of it.</p> + +<p class='c006'> </p> +<h2 id='ch11' class='break'>Chapter XI<br /><br />GRETCHEN</h2> +<p class='c001'> </p> + +<p>Dorothy awoke from troubled dreams to +find that it was another day. Through the +open window she saw the swirl of snowflakes +driven in a high wind. The bedroom +was cold and in the grey light of the winter +morning it had lost its cheerful air.</p> + +<p>She heard a knock on the door.</p> + +<p>“Who’s there?” she called drowsily.</p> + +<p>“It’s the maid, miss. Mrs. Lawson +thought you might be wanting your breakfast +now.”</p> + +<p>Dorothy looked at her wrist watch. The +hands marked ten-thirty. She jumped out +on the rug, which felt cold and clammy +under her bare feet, went to the door and +unlocked it. Then she scampered back to +bed and snuggled under the warm covers.</p> + +<p>In walked a trim little figure wearing the +small white apron and gray uniform of a +chambermaid. Dorothy saw a round +merry face, and a pair of big blue eyes beneath +the white lawn cap, and thick flaxen +braids were coiled round the neat head. +She was surprised and somehow pleased to +discover that this attractive member of the +household staff could not be much more +than sixteen, just her own age.</p> + +<p>The little maid shut the door softly, +crossed to the window and closed it, turned +on the steam heat and came to the bedside. +“Good morning, Miss Jordan.” She +smiled engagingly. “I’m Gretchen, miss. +Will you have your breakfast in bed?”</p> + +<p>“Why, thank you, Gretchen—that will +be cozy. But if it’s going to give you any +trouble, don’t bother.” With the covers +drawn up to her eyes, Dorothy smiled back +at the girl.</p> + +<p>“Oh, no, miss—it’s no trouble at all.” +Gretchen was insistent. “It’s all ready +now. I’ll run down and bring it up.”</p> + +<p>She whisked out of the room and +Dorothy rolled over for another cat-nap.</p> + +<p>“If you’ll be good enough to sit up now, +Miss Jordan—I have your breakfast here.”</p> + +<p>Dorothy awoke again, yawned and +stretched luxuriously. Gretchen stood beside +her bed with the breakfast tray.</p> + +<p>“If you’ll be good enough to sit up, +miss?” she repeated.</p> + +<p>Dorothy punched the pillows into position +behind her, slipped the quilted gown +about her shoulders and leaned back. +Gretchen moved nearer—then almost +dropped the tray.</p> + +<p>“Why—why—miss—”</p> + +<p>Dorothy leaned over and steadied the +tray. “What’s the matter, Gretchen?” The +little maid was staring at her open-mouthed, +her big blue eyes as round as +saucers.</p> + +<p>“Oh, I—I beg your pardon, but it’s—it’s +the resemblance, miss—Miss Jordan.” +She set the tray over Dorothy’s knees and +drew back still with that astonished look. +“I couldn’t see you very well before, miss, +with the covers up to your eyes. But when +you sat up, it sure did give me a start.”</p> + +<p>“What do you mean, Gretchen? The +resemblance to whom?” Dorothy, outwardly +calm, fingered her glass of orange +juice, but her thoughts raced toward this +new complication.</p> + +<p>“Why, you look so much like Dorothy +Dixon—the flyer, you know, miss. She’s +my hero—I mean, heroine, Miss Jordan. +I’ve read everything the newspapers +printed about her and Bill Bolton. You +must have read about them too, everybody +has?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes, I’ve heard about them.” +Dorothy hoped her tone sounded indifferent. +“But you know, Gretchen, newspaper +pictures are often very poor likenesses.”</p> + +<p>The girl smiled and nodded. “I know +that, Miss Jordan. I’ve got them all and +there isn’t no two of the pictures that looks +alike.”</p> + +<p>“Then how—?”</p> + +<p>“You see, it wasn’t the newspaper pictures +I was thinking of, miss, but Dorothy +Dixon herself. You see I know Miss +Dixon,” she went on proudly, “and you two +are certainly the spittin’ images of each +other, if you don’t mind my saying so.”</p> + +<p>Dorothy minded very much, but it was +not consistent with the part she was playing +to admit it. Here was a contretemps +not even Ashton Sanborn had foreseen. +Yet, of course, New Canaan was only ten +miles away. She had many friends in +Ridgefield, and she’d been there hundreds +of times. But she simply couldn’t remember +having seen Gretchen in any of their +homes. Her answer was but a feeble stall +for time.</p> + +<p>“So you know her then?” she said +lamely.</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes, miss. Not well, you understand. +I saw her and Mr. Bill Bolton first +when they finished the endurance test on +the Conway motor this fall. Then a few +days later, I drove over to her house in our +flivver—over to New Canaan, you know, +and I called on Miss Dixon. I wanted her +to autograph a picture of herself I’d cut +out of the Sunday paper.”</p> + +<p>“And you met her?” Dorothy remembered the incident perfectly now. But the +maid’s uniform—and her hair—when she +had seen her, Gretchen had worn two +braids over her shoulders, very much the +schoolgirl. No wonder she hadn’t recognized +her. But now what should she do? +Would it be possible to keep up this camouflage +with a girl whom she had met and +with whom she would come in daily contact? +Gretchen was talking again.</p> + +<p>“Yes indeed, I met her. And she was +just darling to me, Miss Jordan. She even +gave me one of her own photographs and +wrote on it, too. You see, us Schmidts came +over from Germany about a hundred years +ago, but we’re honest-to-goodness Americans +just the same. Father was in the +American army during the war. He was +an aviation mechanic. He found one of +them Iron Crosses of the Germans on some +battlefield in France and kept it for a mascot. +And would you believe it, miss, Father +never even got wounded once, the whole +time he was over there! Perhaps it was the +little Iron Cross, and perhaps it wasn’t. +Anyway, he thought a lot of his mascot. +When I was ten years old, he had it fixed +on a thin gold chain for me to wear around +my neck, and gave it to me on my birthday. +Well, when I went to see Miss Dixon this +fall, I took it with me. She goes up in her +airplane so much and does so many other +exciting things, I wanted her to have it. +She didn’t want to take the cross at first, but +I persuaded her to, just the same. And you +don’t know how nice she was to me, Miss! +Took me out to see Will-o-the-Wisp—that’s +her plane, you know—she calls it +Wispy for short. And I had a perfectly +grand time. She’s my heroine, all right. +And you, miss—I hope you’ll excuse me +for talking so much about it—but you look +exactly like her, and your voices are just +the same, too. It’s wonderful!”</p> + +<p>“So you are Margaret Schmidt,” +Dorothy said slowly.</p> + +<p>“Yes, miss, that is so, though everybody +calls me Gretchen. How did you know +my given name, Miss Jordan? Is Miss +Dixon a friend of yours? Did she tell you +about me? But that’s silly—she wouldn’t +remember me.”</p> + +<p>Dorothy looked the little maid straight in +the eyes. “She remembers you, Gretchen. +Would you be willing to do something for +her—to keep a secret, a very important and +maybe a dangerous one? Do you think +you could do it?”</p> + +<p>Gretchen looked awestruck, then she +smiled. “Mother says I’m the closest-mouthed +girl she ever saw, miss. They +could cut me in pieces before I ever let +out any secret of Dorothy Dixon’s. I’d +never tell—not me! You can trust me, Miss +Jordan.”</p> + +<p>“I’m sure I can, Gretchen. And I’m +going to.” Dorothy slipped her hand into +the V-neck of her pajamas. “Remember +this?”</p> + +<p>“Why—it’s—it’s my Iron Cross—that +I gave Dorothy Dixon. How in the +world—?”</p> + +<p>“I am Dorothy Dixon.” Dorothy broke +into laughter at the bewildered expression +on the girl’s face.</p> + +<p>“But—but I don’t understand!” Gretchen +stammered as though her tongue +was half-paralyzed. “I knew the resemblance +was wonderful—but—they said you +were Miss Janet Jordan—and—”</p> + +<p>“You sit down on the end of the bed,” +said Dorothy, “I’ll go on with my breakfast +before it gets cold, and explain at the same +time. We won’t be disturbed, will we?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, no, miss.”</p> + +<p>“How about your work, Gretchen? +Will you be wanted downstairs?”</p> + +<p>“Mr. Tunbridge told me to unpack your +trunk, miss—Miss Dixon—and to make +myself generally useful.”</p> + +<p>“Fine,” smiled Dorothy, pouring out +a cup of coffee. “But keep on calling me +Miss Jordan—otherwise you’ll be making +slips in the name in front of other people +and that would be fatal.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, Miss Jordan,” Gretchen grinned +happily.</p> + +<p>“After this beastly business is over,” +Dorothy went on, “we’ll be Gretchen and +Dorothy to each other.”</p> + +<p>The other girl looked a trifle embarrassed. +“But I’m only a chambermaid, +Miss Jordan,” she said shyly.</p> + +<p>“Don’t be silly!” Dorothy waved away +the argument with a sweep of her spoon. +“You’re proving yourself a real friend—and +that’s that.”</p> + +<p>“Very well, Miss Jordan.”</p> + +<p>“Now pin back your ears, Gretchen.” +Dorothy lifted the cover from her scrambled +eggs. “I am taking my cousin, Janet +Jordan’s place as Mrs. Lawson’s secretary. +Nobody in this house knows who I am except +Mr. Tunbridge, nor must they be +given the slightest hint that I am anybody +but Janet Jordan. As you’ve probably +guessed, Janet and I look almost exactly +alike. Our mothers were twins and that +probably accounts for it.”</p> + +<p>“Gee—” breathed Gretchen. “It’s just +like a story in a book!”</p> + +<p>Dorothy bit into a slice of buttered toast. +“Maybe it is,” she admitted, speaking with +her mouth full. “But the point is that you +and I are living this story and it may come +to a very abrupt and unpleasant ending unless +we’re both terribly careful. Let’s see—where +was I? Oh, yes. Mr. Tunbridge +and I are working together on this case, +working for the United States Government.”</p> + +<p>“Secret Service?” asked Gretchen in an +awed whisper.</p> + +<p>“Yes.”</p> + +<p>“Then I’ll be working for the secret service +too?” Dorothy could see that the girl +was very much impressed with the idea.</p> + +<p>“You will, Gretchen—that is, you are—under +me. But don’t get too pepped up +about it. The work we are on is serious +and it is extremely dangerous into the bargain. +I wouldn’t have brought you into it +unless I had to. Right now I haven’t the +slightest notion how you are going to be +fitted into the picture. But I couldn’t have +you going around, talking about how +much Janet Jordan looks like Dorothy +Dixon, could I? Doctor Winn and the +Lawsons have no idea of either the resemblance +or the relationship. If that came out +and they got wind of it—well, there’s no +telling what might happen.”</p> + +<p>“Especially,” chimed in Gretchen, +“after all the detective work you did in +those three big cases over to New Canaan +this summer and fall.”</p> + +<p>“You’ve got it,” declared Dorothy, and +sipped her coffee. “A robbery is being +planned here, Gretchen, a robbery of some +very valuable papers from Doctor Winn’s +safe. The thieves will probably try to pull +it off tonight. These papers, which have +to do with an invention of the Doctor’s are +worth a million dollars or more to any number +of people. So you see the thieves are +playing for big stakes, and I might as well +tell you that they aren’t the kind that would +let a thing like murder stop them. And +now that you know the facts, are you willing +to go on with it?”</p> + +<p>Gretchen seemed horrified that Dorothy +should doubt her. “Oh, Miss Jordan, I +don’t want to get murdered any more than +anybody else—but, I’m not afraid—honest +I’m not!”</p> + +<p>“I knew you were true blue,” smiled +Dorothy. “So we’ll call it a deal, shall +we?”</p> + +<p>“You bet!” The two girls solemnly +shook hands. “What do you want me to +do first, Miss Jordan?” Gretchen asked +eagerly.</p> + +<p>“Move this tray onto the chair over +there, please. Then while I’m taking a +bath and dressing you might unpack Janet +Jordan’s clothes. I’ll choose something to +wear later.”</p> + +<p>“Very good, Miss Jordan.” The little +maid took the tray, then stopped short, her +round blue eyes very serious. “But what +about the secret service work?”</p> + +<p>“Just carry on as usual for the present.” +Dorothy slipped out of bed. “And remember—not +a word to anyone about what +I’ve told you—not even Mr. Tunbridge. I +don’t know myself exactly what I’m to do +yet. Mrs. Lawson expects me downstairs +in about half an hour, so I’ve got to hustle. +If I need your help later on, I’ll get word to +you somehow.”</p> + +<p>“I hope you will need me, Miss Jordan.” +Gretchen was taking Janet’s frocks from +the wardrobe trunk.</p> + +<p>“And I hope I shan’t!” said Dorothy, +and she disappeared into the bathroom.</p> + +<p class='c006'> </p> +<h2 id='ch12' class='break'>Chapter XII<br /><br />TESTS</h2> +<p class='c001'> </p> + +<p>Dorothy came down the wide staircase +a few minutes before eleven-thirty. She +wore a dark blue morning frock of her +cousin’s, its simplicity relieved only by the +soft white collar and deep cuffs. Except +for being rather tight across the shoulders +it fitted her as though she had been poured +into it. She had selected this dress because +she knew it was just the sort of thing a new +secretary would be expected to wear.</p> + +<p>She crossed the broad hall to the open +door of the library, and there found Mrs. +Lawson standing before a window staring +into the storm. Although Dorothy’s footsteps +made practically no sound on the +thick pile of the handsome Bokhara rug, +the woman turned like a flash at her entrance.</p> + +<p>“Oh, good morning, Janet.” The frown +on her face gave way to a pleasant smile. +“I hope you were comfortable last night. +Did you sleep well?”</p> + +<p>“I dropped off as soon as my head +touched the pillow,” she answered, taking +Mrs. Lawson’s outstretched hand. Dorothy +did not believe in telling a lie unless it was +in a good cause; but when necessary, she +invariably made the lie a good one.</p> + +<p>“I hope the storm didn’t wake you,” +smiled Laura, holding Dorothy’s hand.</p> + +<p>Dorothy did not reply at once. Two long +fingers were lightly pressing her wrist, and +she saw that Mrs. Lawson’s eyes had +strayed to the grandfather’s clock in the +corner of the room. “Test number one,” +she said to herself. “Mrs. du Val, alias +Lawson is counting my pulse. Well, I’ve +got a clear conscience, perhaps I can give +her a shock.” She drew her hand away and +answered the woman’s question in her normal +voice. “Oh, the storm! No, I never +heard it, Mrs. Lawson. If that hot lemonade +had been drugged, I couldn’t have slept +any sounder!”</p> + +<p>“What makes you say that?” snapped +her employer, and beneath the velvet tone, +Dorothy sensed the ring of steel.</p> + +<p>She dropped her eyes, and turning toward +the open hearth, held out her hands +to the crackling blaze. “Oh, I don’t know,” +she said sweetly and like the clever little +strategist that she was, opened her own offensive +in the enemy’s territory. “I have +the bad habit of occasionally walking in +my sleep, Mrs. Lawson—and especially +when I spend the night in a strange bed. +Perhaps it’s nervousness—I don’t know.”</p> + +<p>Mrs. Lawson threw her a sharp glance. +“Sit down, Janet,” she suggested, pointing +to a chair near the fire, and taking one herself +across the hearth. “You’re—I mean, +you don’t seem to be at all nervous this +morning.”</p> + +<p>“Good old pulse!” thought Dorothy. +Then aloud—“No, I feel splendidly, thank +you. But, you see, I didn’t walk in my +sleep last night.”</p> + +<p>“But surely you can’t tell when you do +it!”</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes, I can.” Dorothy’s manner and +tone were those of the simple schoolgirl +proud of an unusual accomplishment.</p> + +<p>“You don’t expect me to believe that you +know what you’re doing when you walk in +your sleep, Janet. That’s impossible!”</p> + +<p>“Not while I’m sleepwalking, Mrs. +Lawson. That wasn’t what I said—but +when I have been sleepwalking—there’s a +difference, you see?”</p> + +<p>“Well?” The lady of the house objected +to being contradicted and took no trouble +to hide it.</p> + +<p>“It’s really very simple,” explained Dorothy, +painstakingly, as though she were +speaking to a rather stupid child. “I found +out how to do it. You see, I’ve been walking +in my sleep ever since I was a little +thing. When I get in bed at night I leave +my slippers on the floor beside it pointed +outward—away from the bed. We all +leave them that way, I guess. It’s the natural +thing to do.”</p> + +<p>“But what have slippers got to do with +it?” Laura was becoming impatient.</p> + +<p>“Everything, so far as I’m concerned, +Mrs. Lawson. When I’ve been walking at +night, I always find them in the morning +beside the bed, but pointing <em>toward</em> it. I +evidently slip them off before I get back +into bed, and—”</p> + +<p>“I’m beginning to think you are quite a +clever girl, Janet.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, thank you,” said Dorothy with a +guilelessness that was sheer camouflage. +“Has anybody been saying I’m stupid? +I’ve always stood high in my classes at +school.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, not stupid, child—but nervous—perhaps +a little unbalanced, especially this +past week.”</p> + +<p>Dorothy raised her heavy lashes and +looked Mrs. Lawson squarely in the face. +This might be a test she was undergoing +and it probably was; but here was a heaven +sent chance to stir up discord in the enemy’s +camp. She must work up to it gradually.</p> + +<p>“I know that I was nervous and upset +past all endurance.” She leaned forward, +her hands on the arms of the chair. “How +would you like your father to lock you in +your bedroom for a week, without ever +coming to see you, or giving you any explanation +for such outrageous treatment? +Am I a child to be handled like that? To +be shipped up here to strangers, whether I +wanted to go or not? How would you feel +about it, Mrs. Lawson, if you were me? +Don’t say you would submit to it sitting +down.”</p> + +<p>“But I am taking you on as my secretary,” +the lady hedged. “Offering you a +good position for which you’ll be paid +twenty dollars a week. That’s not to be +thought of lightly, especially in these +times.”</p> + +<p>“But it doesn’t seem to strike you that I +might like to have something to say about +it,” Dorothy replied calmly. “As for the +salary—that’s no inducement. My mother +left me five thousand a year. I came into +the income on my last birthday, so you see +I have nearly a hundred dollars a week, +whether I work or not.”</p> + +<p>“I didn’t know that, of course,” Mrs. +Lawson admitted and none too graciously. +“Your father wants you to be here while +he’s away. I hope you aren’t going to be +difficult, Janet.”</p> + +<p>“I hope not, Mrs. Lawson. I shall be +glad to stay here for a while and do the +work you’d planned for me; but if I do, it +must be as a guest and not as a paid dependant.”</p> + +<p>“But you are a guest, Janet.”</p> + +<p>“I shall not accept a salary, Mrs. Lawson.”</p> + +<p>“Very well, my dear, if you wish it that +way.”</p> + +<p>“Thank you very much.”</p> + +<p>“To get back to our former topic,” Mrs. +Lawson said, and lit a cigarette. “I can +understand that your father’s conduct in +confining you to your room might be exasperating—but +why should it make you +nervous? And my husband tells me that +when he visited you in your room you acted +as though you were in deadly fear of something +or somebody every time he saw you. +What was the trouble, Janet? Was anything +worrying you?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, there was, Mrs. Lawson.”</p> + +<p>Dorothy looked down at the andirons, +and her hands on the chair arms twisted embarrassedly. +From the corner of her eye +she saw a smile of satisfaction light up the +older woman’s face. She knew she was +playing with fire and that Mrs. Lawson was +watching her as a hawk watches its defenseless +prey before it strikes. But all unknown +to her inquisitor, Dorothy had been +leading her into this trap as a move forward +in her own game. Genuine dislike for the +woman as well as a mischievous impulse on +her part drew her to make the scene as dramatic +and convincing as possible.</p> + +<p>“Yes—I—I—was afraid,” she went on, +dragging out the words slowly.</p> + +<p>“Then don’t you think you’d better tell +me about it, Janet? I’m nearly old enough +to be your mother. Let me take your +mother’s place, dear. Give me your confidence. +I feel sure I’ll be able to help +you, child.”</p> + +<p>This reference to Janet’s dead mother by +a woman who was the vilest kind of a hypocrite +swept away Dorothy’s last compunction. +She herself was going to commit +justifiable libel. Mrs. Lawson, on the other +hand, was attempting to lead Janet Jordan +into a confession of shamming sleep at the +fateful meeting a week ago. And such a +confession meant a sentence of death from +this beautiful siren who gazed at her so +winningly, who puffed a cigarette so nonchalantly +while she waited for an unsuspecting +girl to commit herself.</p> + +<p>“Well, I don’t know—I can’t help hesitating +to tell <em>you</em>, Mrs. Lawson,” Dorothy +began timidly.</p> + +<p>“There’s no need to be afraid of anything,” +replied the woman, only half veiling +the sneer that went with the words.</p> + +<p>“Oh, but you see, there is, Mrs. Lawson!” +Dorothy’s manner was still indecisive. +“I don’t want—in fact, I hate awfully +to hurt you this way.”</p> + +<p>“Hurt me!” Mrs. Lawson’s cigarette +snapped into the fireplace like a miniature +comet. “Hurt me, child? What in the +wide world are you talking about?”</p> + +<p>“Just what I say, Mrs. Lawson.”</p> + +<p>Mrs. Lawson sniffed. “Don’t be ridiculous, +Janet. Out with it now. What did +you fear when you were locked in your +room?”</p> + +<p>“Your husband, Mrs. Lawson.”</p> + +<p>“My husband!”</p> + +<p>“Yes.”</p> + +<p>“But—why—I don’t believe you.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, very well. You asked the question, +I was trying to answer it, that’s all.”</p> + +<p>Mrs. Lawson bit her lip. She was furious. +“As long as you’ve said what you +have, you’d better go on with it,” she said +acidly.</p> + +<p>“There isn’t any more,” returned Dorothy. +“That’s all there is.”</p> + +<p>“But surely he must have given you reasons +for your assertion.” Mrs. Lawson +had walked beautifully into Dorothy’s +trap. Her own plan to snare an unsuspecting +girl had been blotted out by the shadow +of the Green Goddess, Jealousy. “Tell me +what my husband did or said to make you +fear him, and tell me at once.”</p> + +<p>“It wasn’t what he did, Mrs. Lawson—it +was the way he looked.”</p> + +<p>“What do you mean—the way he +looked?”</p> + +<p>Dorothy had thrust a painful knife into +the mental cosmos of her adversary. Now +she deliberately turned it in the wound. +“Very probably,” she said quietly, looking +her straight in the eyes, “you can remember +how Mr. Lawson looked when he first +made love to you. I don’t want to be made +love to, and I don’t like <em>him</em>, Mrs. Lawson.”</p> + +<p>“What did you do?”</p> + +<p>“I told him to leave me—and when he +would not go, I simply walked into my +bathroom and locked the door.”</p> + +<p>“But what happened the next time he +came? Martin went in to see you every +day, didn’t he?”</p> + +<p>“He did. But he talked to me through +the bathroom door. Just as soon as I heard +the key turn in the lock I’d hop in there.”</p> + +<p>The man she had been talking about +must have been listening just outside in the +hall, for now he strode into the room and up +to Dorothy. “That,” he said menacingly, +“is a deliberate lie, Miss Janet Jordan!”</p> + +<p class='c006'> </p> +<h2 id='ch13' class='break'>Chapter XIII<br /><br />WINNITE</h2> +<p class='c001'> </p> + +<p>Dorothy looked up and smiled carelessly +at the man. “You’re very polite, Mr. Lawson. +Perhaps it isn’t my place to say it to a +man old enough to be my father—but +eavesdroppers rarely hear good of themselves.”</p> + +<p>Martin Lawson, who prided himself +upon his youthful appearance, grew +angrier than ever. “I—I won’t stand for +such outrageous libel,” he thundered. “I’ve +always treated you as though you were my +own—well, daughter, if you like.”</p> + +<p>“I <em>don’t</em> like it, Mr. Lawson—but that +doesn’t make any difference,” Dorothy’s +tone was one of pained acceptance. “If +you listened long enough, you will know +that I didn’t bring this matter up myself. +Mrs. Lawson was asking questions and I +was trying to answer them, that’s all. If +you prefer it, I’ll say that it was the wind +whistling outside the windows that made +me afraid.” She looked over at Mrs. Lawson, +who was watching them through half +shut eyes, as though to say, “—you understand, +of course—anything for peace.”</p> + +<p>Martin Lawson intercepted the glance +and became even more furious, if that were +possible. “You—you little viper!” he +snarled. “Laura, don’t you believe a word +of it. The whole thing’s her own invention—a +pack of lies!”</p> + +<p>“A silly schoolgirl fancy, if you like, +Martin.” Laura Lawson’s tone was expressionless. +“But I can understand it just +the same. Yes, I can understand it.”</p> + +<p>“What do you mean—you understand +it?”</p> + +<p>“I was a girl once myself,” she replied +in the same colorless tone. “And then, you +see, I know you very, very well.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, you do, do you?”</p> + +<p>“He’s off again,” sighed Dorothy, but +quite to herself.</p> + +<p>“And you have the nerve to insinuate—?” the angry man went on, beside himself +with rage. “You know as well as I +do, Laura, that this girl was afraid because +of what she saw and heard at the meeting. +She—”</p> + +<p>“That will be quite enough, Martin.” +His wife interrupted him sharply. “And +what is more—you probably have not noticed +that since Janet has been here and +with other people, she is very much herself—and +afraid of nothing at all.”</p> + +<p>“What meeting is he talking about, Mrs. +Lawson?” Dorothy pointedly ignored the +angry husband.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Lawson stood up. “Never mind +that now,” she decreed, albeit pleasantly. +“Come along with me to my office. I have +some typing I’d like you to do for me before +luncheon. Martin!” She swung round +on her husband. “You will wait here for +me. I’ll be back in a few minutes—I want +to talk to you.” She slipped her arm +through Dorothy’s and drew her from the +room.</p> + +<p>Once in the entrance hall, she led her +back and under the gallery to a corridor +which opened at the right of the broad +stairs. Dorothy saw that there were several +doors in the right hand wall. Mrs. Lawson +stopped at the second of these and +opened it.</p> + +<p>They walked in and Dorothy saw that +they were in the office. It seemed very +businesslike and austere after coming from +the luxury of the library and spacious hall. +Near the one window stood a broad table +desk, and opposite that a typewriter desk. +Two steel filing cabinets and three plain +chairs completed the room’s furnishings. +The walls were hung with framed blueprints +and a large-scale map of Fairfield +County, Connecticut.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Lawson took some papers from a +drawer in the large desk and handed them +to Dorothy. “This is in longhand, as +you see,” she explained, “please type it, +double space, and I’d like to have a carbon +copy.” She glanced at a small wrist-watch +set with diamonds. “It is just noon +now. Luncheon is at one. Do you think +you can finish the work by that time?”</p> + +<p>Dorothy glanced at the manuscript. +“This won’t make more than four typewritten +sheets. I can do it easily in an hour +and have time to spare.”</p> + +<p>“Good!” The older woman patted her +lightly on the shoulder. “Take your time +about it. Do you think you can read my +handwriting?”</p> + +<p>“Nothing could be plainer, Mrs. Lawson.” +Dorothy smiled back at her.</p> + +<p>“Very well, then. I’ll see you at lunch. +The dining room is across the hall from the +library.”</p> + +<p>At the door, she stopped and turned as +though she had just remembered something.</p> + +<p>“Don’t let what my husband said bother +you, Janet.”</p> + +<p>“That’s forgotten already,” Dorothy +said easily.</p> + +<p>“Like most men, he flies off the handle +when irritated. Pay no attention to it.”</p> + +<p>“I understand.”</p> + +<p>Mrs. Lawson hesitated for the fraction +of a second. “By the way, Janet,” she remarked. +“When was the last time you +walked in your sleep—that you found your +slippers pointed toward your bed in the +morning?”</p> + +<p>Dorothy pretended to think. “Let me +see,” she said slowly. “Yes—it was the +night before Daddy locked me in my room! +I found that I couldn’t get out in the morning, +and naturally, I wanted to know the +reason why. I still do, for that matter. +Except for some foolishness about my being +ill, I’m still waiting for an explanation. +As a matter of fact, I was perfectly well. +I’m terribly annoyed, of course, and it worries +me to think that Daddy should act this +way, but so far as my health goes, I’ve never +felt better.”</p> + +<p>“I’m glad to hear it, dear. We’ll check +up on your father when he returns. I’m +your friend, you know. Don’t let the matter +prey on your mind.”</p> + +<p>“Thank you, Mrs. Lawson. I’ll try to +do as you say.” Dorothy thought she was +going then, but it seemed that the woman +had still another question that she had been +holding back.</p> + +<p>“When you are in this somnambulistic +state,” she said, “when you are sleepwalking, +I mean, doesn’t it terrify you to awaken +and find yourself out of your bed?”</p> + +<p>Dorothy frowned and seemed puzzled. +“Perhaps it would,” she admitted. “But +then, you see, I can’t remember ever +wakening while I was walking during the +night. I must sleep very soundly. At +school the night watchman or one of the +teachers would frequently find me walking +about the building. They would lead +me back to bed, or just tell me to go there, +and I would always obey. Until they told +me about it next day, I knew nothing of +course. That’s how I got onto the business +of the slippers, you see.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes. I wondered how you’d been +able to check on it. Well, I must trot along +now and let you get to work. Until luncheon +then, my dear.”</p> + +<p>She was gone at last and Dorothy made a +face at the closed door. “Of all the plausible hypocrites I’ve ever met,” she muttered, +“you certainly take the well known chocolate +cake!”</p> + +<p>She sat down at the typewriter desk, +pulled out the machine, and slipped in two +sheets of paper and a carbon that she found +in one of the drawers. Halfway through a +perusal of Mrs. Lawson’s first page, she +looked up. The door opened quickly and +Mr. Tunbridge came into the room.</p> + +<p>“I’ve just a moment,” he prefaced hurriedly. +“They mustn’t find me here. What +was the row in the library?”</p> + +<p>Dorothy explained briefly.</p> + +<p>“Fine! Put you through the hoops, eh? +I had a good idea she would do something +of the kind. You came out of a difficult +situation with flying colors, I take it. But +be careful about run-ins with Lawson. +He’s a slick article—in fact, the two of +them are a pair of the slickest articles it’s +ever been my misfortune to run across. +And they’re going it hammer and tongs in +the library right now. I was a bit worried +about you, that’s why I took this chance.”</p> + +<p>“When do I get my instructions for tonight?”</p> + +<p>“Late this afternoon, probably. I’ll get +them to you somehow.”</p> + +<p>“Thanks. And here’s something else. +This script I’m going to type for Mrs. L. +has to do with the properties of a highly explosive +gas which seems to burn up everything +it comes in contact with and lets off +fumes of deadly poison while it’s doing +that! Shall I make a copy for you?”</p> + +<p>“Please do!” His hand rested on the +doorknob. “Yes, it’s important that we +have a copy. That’s the stuff Doctor Winn +has just invented, without a doubt.”</p> + +<p>“Awful!” exclaimed Dorothy. “Just +think what would happen if that were used +in a war!”</p> + +<p>“That’s the government’s business, Miss +Dixon.”</p> + +<p>“‘Ours but to do—and die—’” she +quoted and her tone was deadly serious.</p> + +<p>“Quite right. But make the carbon copy +just the same—and don’t let them catch you +at it.”</p> + +<p>“I won’t, Mr. Tunbridge.”</p> + +<p>“Bye-bye, then. I’ll get along now. +There may be some home truths floating +out of the library that will give me extra +dope on the du-Val—Lawson pair.”</p> + +<p>The door closed, and after slipping an +extra carbon and a sheet of very thin copy +paper into the typewriter, Dorothy read +Mrs. Lawson’s treatise on “Winnite and Its +Properties” from start to finish.</p> + +<p>“Horrible!” she murmured, as she finished +reading. “Simply horrible!” Again +her eyes sought the last paragraph. “The +effect is easily estimated of an airplane +dropping a single bomb filled with the explosive, +inflammable and deadly poison +gas, Winnite, upon Manhattan Island, for +instance: the bomb would explode upon detonation +and within an inconceivably short +space of time, not only would the City of +Greater New York be in flames, but every +living thing within that area would be +dead from the poison fumes. This includes +not only human, animal and insect life, but +all vegetable matter as well.”</p> + +<p>Dorothy sighed. “And I am supposed +to help keep this terrible stuff from the +hands of thieves so that our government +may use it in time of war. Well—we’ll +see—and that’s not that by a long shot!”</p> + +<p>She put down the manuscript and began +to type it.</p> + +<p class='c006'> </p> +<h2 id='ch14' class='break'>Chapter XIV<br /><br />PROFESSOR</h2> +<p class='c001'> </p> + +<p>Dorothy, upon finishing the article on +Winnite, laid the original and first carbon +copy of the typewritten sheets on Mrs. +Lawson’s desk. The almost transparent +sheets of the second carbon copy she folded +carefully as though she meant to place +them in an envelope. But instead of this, +her right foot slipped out of its walking +pump, the sheer silk stocking followed it. +Then she put on the stocking again, but +now the soft papers rested between the +stocking and the sole of her foot. The +pump fitted more snugly than before, although +not uncomfortably so. Content +with her morning’s work, she had closed +the typewriter and was studying the effect +of a new shade of powder in her compact +mirror when Mrs. Lawson came into the +room.</p> + +<p>“I take it you’ve finished the work?”</p> + +<p>“The original and copy are beside the +longhand manuscript on your desk,” said +Dorothy, toning down her efforts with the +puff. “I’ve read it over and I don’t think +you’ll find any mistakes.”</p> + +<p>Mrs. Lawson ran her eyes over the typewritten +sheets. “They are without a fault,” +she declared, placing them in a drawer. +“If you take dictation as accurately as you +type, Janet, you’ll be the perfect secretary.”</p> + +<p>“Thank you,” said Dorothy demurely +and slipped the compact into the pocket of +her frock. “It is very nice of you to say +that.”</p> + +<p>“Then we’ll go in to luncheon, shall we? +That is, if you’re ready?”</p> + +<p>Dorothy stood up. “Quite ready, Mrs. +Lawson, and good and hungry, too.”</p> + +<p>“Splendid!” enthused her hostess, as +they walked down the corridor toward the +entrance hall. “Doctor Winn declares +this Connecticut Ridge country is the most +healthful section of the United States. And +even if some people have other ideas on +the subject, I can testify that it is a great +appetite builder.”</p> + +<p>Dorothy smiled, but said nothing. She +was wondering how healthful she was going +to find this particular spot in the Ridge +country after what she had to do tonight.</p> + +<p>“Doctor Winn always lunches in his +study,” continued Mrs. Lawson. “That is +the room just beyond my office. My husband +has been called to New York on business. +He won’t be back until after dinner +tonight, so we will be alone at luncheon.”</p> + +<p>For some reason of her own, Laura +Lawson had become affability itself. And +for this Dorothy gave thanks. That she disliked +this truly beautiful creature was only +natural. But it is much more pleasant to +lunch with a person who puts herself out +to be charming and affable, no matter what +your private opinion of the other’s character +may be.</p> + +<p>The dining room proved to be a low-ceiled +apartment paneled in white pine; +heavy beams of the satin-finished wood +overhead, and on the walls several colorful +landscapes in oils, evidently the works of +artists who knew and loved this Ridge +country. A cheerful log fire burned +brightly on the open hearth beneath a high +mantelpiece. Outside, the heavy snow +continued to drive past frosted window-panes, +but within all was warmth and coziness.</p> + +<p>Dorothy enjoyed the meal thoroughly. +Like most girls, she revelled in luxury +when it came her way. Not only was her +hostess an interesting and entertaining +conversationalist, the delicious food +served by Tunbridge and a second man in +plum-colored knee breeches, added materially +to her pleasure. She was really sorry +when the butler lighted his mistress’ cigarette +and Mrs. Lawson rose from the table.</p> + +<p>“I have no work for you this afternoon, +Janet,” said the lady, as they strolled into +the spacious hall with its suits of polished +armor and trophies of war and the chase +decorating the walls. “I have some work +to complete with Doctor Winn, so I won’t +be free to entertain you. There are periodicals and novels in the library. If it +weren’t such a beastly day, I would suggest +a walk.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I don’t mind a snowstorm!” Dorothy +smiled at her. “I’d love to be out in it +for a while.”</p> + +<p>“But I’m afraid you might get lost. The +blizzard is driving out of the northeast—and +that means something in this country. +You’ll find it more disagreeable than you +think.”</p> + +<p>“I’m not afraid to walk in a blizzard,” +Dorothy argued, “we used to do it a lot at +school—I love it.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, very well, then,” went on Mrs. +Lawson. “I used to enjoy that sort of thing +myself. Somebody had better go with you, +though. Let me see—” She hesitated. +“Oh, yes—Gretchen will be just the person. +She’s a nice little thing—a native of +Ridgefield, you know. Gretchen can show +you round the place, and there’ll be no +chance of your getting lost.”</p> + +<p>Dorothy was amused by this pretended +concern for her safety. She knew that +Mrs. Lawson feared she might take it into +her head to walk to the railroad station +and board the first train back to town. +Gretchen as guide and chaperone would +be able to forestall anything like that. Mrs. +Lawson was not yet sure of the new secretary!</p> + +<p>Dorothy’s features betrayed no sign of +her thoughts. “That will be ever so much +pleasanter than going alone,” she agreed. +“Gretchen seems to be a sweet girl. I saw +her this morning when she brought my +breakfast and unpacked my clothes. I’m +sorry, though, that you can’t come too.” +Deception, she found, was becoming a +habit when treating with her hostess.</p> + +<p>“Thank you, my dear—I’m sorry, too.” +Mrs. Lawson went toward the tasselled bell +rope that hung beside the fireplace. “Run +upstairs now and get into warm things. +I’ll ring for Gretchen and have her meet +you down here in quarter of an hour.”</p> + +<p>Fifteen minutes afterward, warmly +dressed in whipcord jodhpurs, a heavy +sweater and knee-length leather coat of +dark green, Dorothy came out of her room +onto the gallery, pulling a white wool skating +cap well down over her ears. With a +white wool scarf twisted about her throat, +the long ends thrown back over her shoulders, +she looked ready for any winter sport +as she ran lightly down the stairs, the rubber +soles of her high arctics making no +sound on the broad oaken steps.</p> + +<p>Gretchen, well bundled up in sweater +and heavy tweed skirt was waiting for her.</p> + +<p>“You certainly do look like a picture on +a Christmas magazine cover, Miss Jordan,” +the girl exclaimed, while they walked +to the front door. “I’m glad you’ve got +warm gauntlets. It’s mighty cold out—you’ll +need them.”</p> + +<p>Dorothy laughed gaily and swung open +the door. “Nothing could be more becoming +than your own costume, Gretchen. +That light blue skating set is just the color +of your eyes.”</p> + +<p>“That,” chuckled Gretchen, “is the real +reason I bought it.”</p> + +<p>They were outside now and standing +under the wide porte-cochere of glass and +wrought iron.</p> + +<p>“It’s glorious out here, and not too cold, +either.” Dorothy sniffed the sharp air enthusiastically. +“I hate staying indoors on +a wild day like this. Look at those big +flakes spinning down and sideslipping into +the drifts. It makes one glad to be alive.”</p> + +<p>“You said it, Miss Jordan. I love it myself—though +I never thought of snowflakes +being like airplanes before. Which +way do you want to go?”</p> + +<p>“You’re the leader, Gretchen. Anywhere +you say suits me.”</p> + +<p>“Then let’s tramp over to the pond, Miss +Jordan. The ice ought to be holding. +We’ll stop at the garage and fetch a broom +along. There’s too much snow for skating, +but we might make a slide.”</p> + +<p>“That will be fun,” agreed Dorothy, as +they came down the steps and swung along +the white expanse of driveway. “I haven’t +done anything like that since I was a kid. +How far’s the pond from here?”</p> + +<p>“About half a mile. Doctor Winn owns +several hundred acres. It’s down yonder +in a hollow. This time of year when the +trees are bare, you can see it plainly from +the house. Today there’s too much snow.”</p> + +<p>“There certainly is plenty of it!” Dorothy +was ploughing through the fluffy white +mass nearly up to her knees. “A good eighteen +inches must have fallen already and +it’s drifting fast. If it doesn’t stop by tonight, +Winncote will be snowed in for a +while. What’s that building over there, +Gretchen—gray stone, isn’t it?”</p> + +<p>“That’s the laboratory, miss. It’s really +a wing of the house. The stables are just +beyond, but this storm’s so thick, it blots +them out. Well, here we are at the garage. +If you’ll wait a minute, I’ll step inside and +get a broom.”</p> + +<p>“Get two if you can,” suggested Dorothy. +“Then we’ll both get some exercise, +and they’ll come in handy while we’re getting +through the drifts.”</p> + +<p>“I’ll do my best,” said Gretchen. She +disappeared through a door in the side of +the building.</p> + +<p>Dorothy looked about her. Rolling +clouds of windswept snowflakes made it +impossible to see objects more than a few +yards away with any distinctness. The +dark shadow of low clouds painted the +white of her landscape a cold, dull gray. +But she noticed, as she waited, that the +storm was driving in gusts, that occasionally +there would be a short lull when the +sun, tinging the sky with rose and yellow, +seemed fighting to break its way through to +this white-blanketed world. Then Gretchen, +a broom in each hand, joined her.</p> + +<p>“Whew! that place was stuffy,” she said, +handing one of the brooms to Dorothy, +and starting ahead at right angles from the +way they had come. “Hanley made a fuss +giving me two—he would! It’s a wonder +the cars don’t melt in there. He keeps the +place like an oven. All the help from the +city is like that. They can’t seem to get +warm enough, and the way they hate fresh +air is a caution! I roomed with Sadie, the +other chambermaid, when I first came, and +you won’t believe it, but that girl had nailed +our window shut so it couldn’t be opened! +I spoke to Mr. Tunbridge next morning, +and he gave me a room of my own. I always +did like Mr. Tunbridge. He’s a real +gentleman, he is.”</p> + +<p>They forged ahead through the drifts to +the crossfire of Gretchen’s light chatter, +and Dorothy was given a series of entertaining +stories concerning the habits of the +Winncote servants and their life below-stairs. +It was rough going with the storm +in their faces, and Gretchen eventually +ceased her gossiping from sheer lack of +breath. The ground began to slope gently +downward, and finally they came to a belt +of trees in a hollow. Fifty yards farther on, +a broad expanse of white marked the extent +of Winncote Pond beneath its thick, +flat quilt of snow.</p> + +<p>“Think the ice will hold?” Dorothy +walked to the brink of the little lake. “I’d +hate to go in on a day like this.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, that’s all right. I was down here +for an hour yesterday afternoon with my +skates before the snow began, and it was +much warmer then. The ice was wonderful—slick +as glass and solid as a rock.”</p> + +<p>By dint of considerable exercise they +cleared two narrow paths that ran parallel +across the ice. Then they commenced a +series of sliding contests, each girl on her +own ice track. Starting at a line in the +snow a few yards above the low bank, they +would race forward to the brink and shoot +out on the ice, vying with each other to +see who could slide the farthest. There +were several tumbles at first, but the deep +snow along the sides of the tracks prevented +bad bumps. Soon, however, they +both became adepts at the sport. Dorothy, +aided by her extra weight, for she was at +least twenty pounds heavier than little +Gretchen, invariably won.</p> + +<p>After a half an hour of this rather violent +sport, they cleared the snow from a fallen +tree trunk and sat down for a rest. Here +in the hollow, surrounded by trees, the +wind lost a great deal of its force. But the +snow continued to fall unabated, and their +hot breath clouded like steam in the cold +air. Their cheeks were tingling crimson +from the racing, and both felt in high good +spirits.</p> + +<p>“I can’t understand why so many rich +people go south every winter,” Gretchen +said earnestly. “I wouldn’t miss out on this +fun—the snow and the skating, tobogganing—for +anything in the world.”</p> + +<p>“People like that,” decreed Dorothy, +“just don’t know how to live. You can +have lots of fun in summer, of course. I +don’t know which I love the best. But this +sort of thing makes you feel just grand. It +certainly put the pep into—.” She stopped +short and sprang to her feet. From somewhere +close by and seemingly below her, +had come a low, moaning sound.</p> + +<p>Gretchen jumped up. Her doll-like +face with its round, blue eyes took on a look +of startled wonder. “What was that?” she +cried. “It sounded as if I—as if I was +sitting on it!”</p> + +<p>Again came the low cry in a weird, +minor key.</p> + +<p>“You were. It’s coming from the inside +of this log. An animal of some kind.”</p> + +<p>“Why, I guess you’re right. Whatever +it is, the thing gave me the heebie-jeebies +for a minute.”</p> + +<p>The snow had drifted over the butt of the +half-rotted tree. Dorothy took her broom +and swept it clear.</p> + +<p>“The log’s hollow!” she exclaimed and +bent down. “Yes, there’s something in +there—I can see its eyes—come here, Gretchen! +You can see for yourself.”</p> + +<p>“Not me!” declared that young woman. +“I don’t want to get bit—I mean, bitten, +miss.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, never mind the grammar.” Dorothy +was almost standing on her head, trying +to get a better view. “But do cut out the +polite trimmings when we’re alone. You’re +Gretchen and I’m Dorothy—savez?”</p> + +<p>“All right—Dorothy. But please be +careful. That thing may jump out at you.”</p> + +<p>“I wish it would. Then I’d know what +it is. And whatever it is, the animal in there +can’t be much bigger than a rabbit. The +hole isn’t wide enough.”</p> + +<p>“Maybe it is a rabbit.” Gretchen came +nearer.</p> + +<p>“Did you ever hear a rabbit make a noise +like that?” Dorothy’s tone was disdainful.</p> + +<p>“Then—maybe it’s a wildcat!” said +Gretchen fearfully.</p> + +<p>“Well, if it is, it’s a small one. Here, +puss—puss. The silly thing is too far in +to reach. She just blinks at me.”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps she’s hurt and crawled in there +to die, Dorothy.”</p> + +<p>“Aren’t you cheerful! She probably +crawled in there to get out of the storm, and +is half-frozen, poor thing.”</p> + +<p>“Well, I don’t know what we’re going to +do about it,” sighed Gretchen, still keeping +her distance.</p> + +<p>Once more the low moan came from the +log, but now that the end was free from +snow, the sound was much clearer.</p> + +<p>“That’s no wildcat, either!” Dorothy +twisted her head, first to the right, then to +the left, in an attempt to get a better light on +the log’s occupant. “There’s too much of +a whine in that cry. The thing’s probably a +young fox. How does one call a fox, +Gretchen? I’m hanged if I know.”</p> + +<p>“Nor me, neither, Dorothy. It’s the first +time I’ve ever heard of anybody wanting +to call one.”</p> + +<p>They both laughed. “You don’t seem +to know much about foxes,” teased Dorothy. +“Didn’t you ever see a fox?”</p> + +<p>“No. But my father says the way they +steal eggs and suck them is a caution.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” admitted Dorothy, “we can’t +stand around here all day, trying to get +frozen foxes out of hollow logs. I’ll try +whistling, and you can make a noise like a +sucked egg. If that doesn’t work, we’ll +have to leave him in his lair.” With a wink +at the giggling Gretchen, she bent down +again and whistled shrilly. “Here, boy!” +she called. “Come on out to your mama!”</p> + +<p>There was a scrambling noise within the +log, and Gretchen started for the pond.</p> + +<p>“Oh, be careful, Dorothy! Do be careful!” +she cried, as she saw her friend gather +a small creature into her arms. “What is +it, anyway—is it a fox?”</p> + +<p>“No, a first cousin.” Dorothy shook the +ends of her wool scarf free from snow and +wrapped them around the small animal.</p> + +<p>“A first cousin?” Gretchen came nearer. +“What in the world do you mean by that?”</p> + +<p>“Come and take a look,” her friend invited. +“He won’t bite you, will you, boy?”</p> + +<p>Gretchen saw her pat a little black nose +that poked its way out of the scarf. A long +pointed head, brindle and white, in which +were set two snapping black eyes, followed +the nose. “Why, why, it’s a fox terrier—a +fox terrier puppy!” she gasped. “How do +you suppose he ever came to crawl into that +log?”</p> + +<p>Dorothy patted the dog’s head. “Got +lost in the storm, I guess. The poor little +chap can’t be over three months old. Does +he belong up at the house?”</p> + +<p>“No, he doesn’t. What’s more, none of +the people who live around here have a fox +terrier pup that I know of.”</p> + +<p>Dorothy examined the pup’s front paws, +but did so very gently. “This little man +has come a long way.” She covered him +again. “The bottom of his feet show it. +They’re cut and badly swollen. And he’s +half-frozen and starved into the bargain, +I’ll bet. Let’s go back to the house and +make him comfortable.”</p> + +<p>“I’ll carry the brooms,” said Gretchen. +“You have an armful, with him. By the +way, you’re going to keep him, aren’t +you?”</p> + +<p>“Surest thing you know! That is, unless +someone comes to claim him.”</p> + +<p>They trudged off through the trees and +up the hill, Gretchen shouldering the +brooms.</p> + +<p>“What are you going to call him?” she +asked, after a while.</p> + +<p>“What do you think?”</p> + +<p>“Why, I don’t know. Wait a minute, +though—there’s a girl who lives over in +Silvermine named Dorothea Gutmann. +Daddy sometimes does work for her father. +Dorothea has a fox terrier pup and she calls +him ‘Professor.’ Do you know why?”</p> + +<p>“I give up,” said Dorothy, floundering +through the snow beside her. “Why does +Dorothea Gutmann call her fox terrier pup +Professor?”</p> + +<p>“Because,” smiled Gretchen in delight, +“he just about ate up a dictionary!”</p> + +<p>Dorothy laughed merrily, and hugged +the warm little bundle in her arms. “And +when you’ve got outside a lot of words like +that, even a pup would know as much as the +average professor, I s’pose.”</p> + +<p>“That’s the way Dorothea thought about +it. I’ve been over to the Gutmanns a couple +of times with Daddy and her dog looks +enough like yours to be a twin!”</p> + +<p>“We run into doubles nowadays, every +day!” Dorothy chuckled. “First it’s Janet +and me who can’t be told apart. Then it’s +Dorothea’s dog and mine. I know her, +too, by the way. She’s in the New Canaan +Junior High. But I haven’t seen her +puppy. Our names are almost alike, too, +but not quite, thank goodness. If any more +of this double identity business comes +along, I’ll just have to give up. A girl’s +got to have some sort of a personality all her +own, you know.”</p> + +<p>“I wouldn’t let that worry me,” said +Gretchen. “There’s only one Dorothy +Dixon, after all.”</p> + +<p>“Thanks for those kind words, Gretchen. +That’s really very sweet of you, +though. If the pup was a lady, I’d call him +‘Gretchen’. Since he isn’t, ‘Professor’ will +do very nicely. We’ll try him on a dictionary +when we get home, that is, after he’s had +some nice warm bread and milk, and a +good sleep.”</p> + +<p>“If,” smiled Gretchen, “what you said +just now was meant for a compliment—well, +I’m glad Professor is not a lady. +You’d better go on to the house, while I +drop these brooms in here at the garage. +I’ll come to your room just as soon as I can +slip into my uniform, and I’ll bring up the +bread and milk.”</p> + +<p>“I always knew you were a dear,” said +Dorothy, and she continued to push her +way on toward the house.</p> + +<p class='c006'> </p> +<h2 id='ch15' class='break'>Chapter XV<br /><br />TEA AND ORDERS</h2> +<p class='c001'> </p> + +<p>After she had changed her clothes and +fed the famished pup with a bowl of warm +milk and bread, Dorothy took him down to +the library. Gretchen brought a small +open basket and a blanket and they made +him a bed near the open fire. Professor +promptly went to sleep, and his mistress +curled up in a deep chair beside him, reading +and dozing for the rest of the afternoon. +To amuse Gretchen, she had placed +a dictionary near the basket, to see if Professor +would follow his double’s example +and so justify his name. When he awoke, +however, about four o’clock, he merely +jumped out of his bed on to the book, and +up to Dorothy’s lap, where he went to sleep +again.</p> + +<p>“Good ole pup!” Dorothy rubbed his +smooth, warm head between his ears. “You +show your intelligence by using the dictionary +as a stepping stone to better things, +don’t you, Prof!”</p> + +<p>She yawned, closed her book, and +promptly went to sleep again herself.</p> + +<p>She awoke with a start, to find Mrs. Lawson +smiling down at her. Tunbridge was +laying the tea-things on a table at the other +side of the fire. “Well, my dear,” the lady +said, her eyes on the fox terrier, “I see +you’ve found a new friend.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes, isn’t he just too darling? I +found him out in the blizzard, he was half +frozen and almost starved!” She went on +to tell Mrs. Lawson about it.</p> + +<p>“I’m afraid I’m not very fond of animals, +Janet.” Dorothy noticed that she did not +attempt to touch the puppy. “I don’t dislike +them, you understand, but somehow +they never seem to like me.”</p> + +<p>“That’s too bad,” said Dorothy. “I do +hope you won’t mind my keeping him—at +least until we learn who his owner is?”</p> + +<p>Laura Lawson looked doubtful. “Well, +I don’t mind. But—this is Doctor Winn’s +house, you know, and his decision, after all, +is the one that counts. You will have to ask +him about keeping the dog, Janet.”</p> + +<p>“Is Doctor Winn going to have tea with +us, Mrs. Lawson?”</p> + +<p>“He most certainly is, my dear. That is, +if you ladies will pour him a cup.”</p> + +<p>Dorothy glanced up, and beside her +stood an old gentleman, very tall and spare, +but bowed with the weight of his years. +She knew that the scientist was well over +eighty. Catching up the fox terrier, she +rose to her feet.</p> + +<p>“How do you do, Doctor Winn?” She +smiled and offered him her hand.</p> + +<p>The old gentleman bent over it with +courtly grace. “Good afternoon, Miss +Janet Jordan. Welcome to Winncote.” +Merry gray eyes twinkled at her from behind +pince-nez attached to a broad black +ribbon. An aristocrat of the old school, +Dorothy thought, as she studied his handsome, +clean shaven face crisscrossed with +the tiny wrinkles of advanced age. She had +imagined him to be quite a different sort of +person. His next words proved that he +read her thoughts.</p> + +<p>“You expected to see a musty old fellow, +with a long white beard, wearing a smock +stained by chemicals, eh?” He chuckled +softly. “Now, tell me, young lady, isn’t +that so? Though I admit these flannel +slacks and old Norfolk jacket are hardly +fashionable habiliments when one is taking +tea with ladies!”</p> + +<p>He released her hand and smiled a greeting +to Mrs. Lawson. The second footman, +he of the plum-colored knee-breeches, set +the tea table before that young matron, +under the supervision of the stately Tunbridge.</p> + +<p>Dorothy liked this gallant old scientist +and his courtly ways. Her own eyes +sparkled gaily back at him. “Yes, you did +surprise me, Doctor Winn,” she confessed. +“Please don’t think I’m being forward, but—but +you seem much more like the English +fox-hunting squires I’ve read about, +than the world-renowned chemist you +really are, with stacks of letters after your +name. But ever so much nicer, and jollier, +you know!”</p> + +<p>Doctor Winn beamed. “Now that, my +dear, is a most charming compliment. Old +fellows like me aren’t used to compliments +from young ladies, either. Do sit down +again, please, and tell me how you like +Winncote and our New England snowstorms. +We old people need young folks +around. I can see that we are going to be +good friends.”</p> + +<p>He sat down in a chair the butler drew +up for him.</p> + +<p>“Mrs. Lawson will tell you,” replied +Dorothy, “that I love it out here in the +country.” She accepted a cup of tea from +Tunbridge and added sugar and a slice of +lemon. The butler was followed by his +liveried assistant, bearing silver platters of +hot, buttered scones and tiny iced cakes. +Professor immediately began to show interest +in the proceedings. Dorothy held +him firmly out of harm’s way, and placed +her tea and eatables on the broad arm of +her chair.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Lawson looked up from her place +behind the shining silver and old china of +the tea table. She smiled graciously. “Oh, +yes, Janet loves blizzards, too, Doctor +Winn. She went out for a walk this afternoon +and acquired a fox terrier puppy, as +you see.”</p> + +<p>“And naturally, she wants to keep him.” +The old gentleman leaned forward in his +chair, the better to look at Professor. “You +certainly may, Janet. And by the way, I +hope you’ll agree that it’s an old man’s +privilege to call you by your first name?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, that is sweet of you!” Dorothy +cried delightedly, and the Doctor’s chuckle +echoed her pleasure.</p> + +<p>“The dog’s got a fine head—a very fine +head, indeed. If anybody advertises for +him, or comes to claim him, I’ll take pleasure +in buying the puppy for you.”</p> + +<p>“Why, you’re nicer every minute,” declared +Dorothy. “Isn’t he, Professor?”</p> + +<p>The pup yawned with great indifference, +which set all three of them laughing. His +mistress put him in his blanket where he +promptly curled up and fell into slumber +once more.</p> + +<p>“I sadly fear,” said Doctor Winn, as he +polished his pince-nez with a white silk +handkerchief, “that you are a good deal of +a flirt Janet. But inasmuch as I am old +enough to be your grandfather, or great-grandfather, +for that matter, you are pardoned +with a reprimand.” He chuckled +deep in his throat, a habit he had when +pleased. “Now tell me, how you happened +to find him out in the snow.”</p> + +<p>Dorothy recounted the story in detail. +When she came to the part about Gretchen’s +fear of the wildcat and the fox, even +Mrs. Lawson, who was none too sure she +liked the turn things were taking, broke +into a merry peal of laughter.</p> + +<p>“Capital, capital!” Doctor Winn +beamed. “I only wish I’d been there to see +it. But why, may I ask, do you call him +Professor?”</p> + +<p>Dorothy explained about the dictionary +and Gretchen’s idea of the pup’s resemblance +to Dorothea Gutmann’s fox terrier.</p> + +<p>“Better and better,” exclaimed the Doctor. +“This is the jolliest tea we’ve had in +this house for ages. We need young people +around us to be really happy. You and I +and Martin, Laura, have been working too +hard of late. ‘All work and no play’—We’ve +been bothering too much about +things scientific, and neglecting things personal. +Well now, we can rest a while, and +become human beings again.”</p> + +<p>Mrs. Lawson leaned forward eagerly. +“Then, the formula is complete?” she +asked in a low voice, in which Dorothy detected +the barely controlled tremor of excitement.</p> + +<p>“Yes, indeed. Finished and locked in +my safe. I added the final figures and quantities +three-quarters of an hour ago. Tomorrow, +or if the weather doesn’t clear by +then, the next day at latest, I shall take it on +to Washington.”</p> + +<p>“I congratulate you, Doctor. And I +know that once it is in the hands of the +government, a great load will be taken off +your mind.”</p> + +<p>“You’re right, my dear, you are right. +I’ve been jumpy as a cat with eight of its +lives gone for the past year.” He turned +to Dorothy. “Thank goodness, you’re +young and without responsibilities, Janet. +There are so many unscrupulous people +about nowadays. If those papers were lost +or stolen, there is no telling what would +happen. I dare not think of it. The whole +world might suffer if that formula got into +the wrong hands!”</p> + +<p>Dorothy could not help thinking that the +world at large would be much better off if +the formula were destroyed. She, therefore, +merely nodded and looked impressed. +How this gentle, kindly old man could have +brought himself to invent such a ghastly +menace to life, she found it difficult to +understand.</p> + +<p>Laura Lawson stood up. “Doctor Winn +likes to dine early, Janet, so if we are to be +dressed by six-thirty, we had better start upstairs.”</p> + +<p>“My word, yes!” The old gentleman +snapped open the hunting case of his repeater and got stiffly to his feet. “Time flies +when one is enjoying oneself. It’s nearly +six o’clock. This has been very pleasant indeed, +the first of many afternoons, I hope.” +He snapped the watch shut and returned it +to his pocket. “You ladies will excuse me, +I’m sure.” He bowed to them both, and +holding himself much more erect than he +had formerly, walked stiffly from the room.</p> + +<p>“He’s simply darling,” exclaimed Dorothy +in a hushed voice.</p> + +<p>“Yes, he’s a very simple and a very fine +old gentleman,” said Laura Lawson. She +seemed lost in her thoughts and evidently +unaware that she uttered them aloud. +“Sometimes—I hate to hurt him so.”</p> + +<p>“Why—why, what do you mean?” Dorothy +could have bitten her own tongue out +for speaking that sentence.</p> + +<p>“Mean—? Oh, nothing, child. Run +along now, and change. But take your +dog with you. I’ll see that one of the men +gives him a run in the stables while we’re at +dinner.”</p> + +<p>“Thank you very much,” said Dorothy. +She turned the sleeping pup out of his bed, +caught up the basket, and with Professor at +her heels, ran lightly from the room.</p> + +<p>Just outside the door she collided with +Tunbridge, and Professor’s basket was +jerked from her grasp.</p> + +<p>“Oh, I’m so very sorry, Miss Jordan!” +His acting was perfect. Dorothy knew that +Mrs. Lawson was close behind them. Then +as they both stooped to retrieve the basket +their heads came close together. “Under +your pillow!” It was hardly more than the +breath of a whisper, but Dorothy caught +the words, nodded her understanding, and +stood up.</p> + +<p>“I’m afraid I’m to blame, Tunbridge. I +didn’t see you coming.”</p> + +<p>“Not at all, Miss. It was my fault, entirely. +Very clumsy of me I’m sure!”</p> + +<p>From the corner of her eye Dorothy +caught a glimpse of Laura Lawson watching +them from the doorway.</p> + +<p>“Don’t let it worry you, Tunbridge. I’m +not hurt, neither is the basket. Professor +will probably park himself on my <em>pillow</em> +tonight, anyway. Puppies have a way of +doing such things, you know. So it really +wouldn’t matter much if you had smashed +it.”</p> + +<p>She gave him a nod, and picking up the +dog made for the staircase.</p> + +<p>“So instructions are waiting under my +pillow,” she mused, as she slowly mounted +the broad stair. The afternoon had been a +pleasant one, but the evening, with those +instructions ahead of her, portended to be +something quite different. It had been so +nice and cheerful, chatting round the tea +table; so cozy sitting before the glowing +logs, just talking of jolly things and forgetting +all worry and responsibility. Of +course, beyond the curtained windows, the +blizzard howled. And it whipped the +swirling snowflakes into disordered clouds +with its arctic lash before it let them seek +the shelter of their fellows in the drifts. She +felt very much as though she too were a +snowflake, tossed hither and thither on the +storm of circumstance, to be whipped forward +by the secret lash of underlying crime.</p> + +<p>If she could only drop down on to her +bed and sleep—and awake to find it all a +bad dream! She sighed and went toward +her door on the gallery. Her pillow held +no peace for her tonight—nothing more +nor less than detailed instructions as to how +Tunbridge wished her to rob a safe. Why +didn’t the man do his own stealing? Her +part was to take Janet’s place out here, and +kill suspicion in Laura Lawson. Well, +she’d done that, hadn’t she? And now they +loaded this other job on to her. It wasn’t +fair. She had done enough—she’d—</p> + +<p>“Oh, shucks!” She pulled herself up +mentally as her hand fell on the doorknob. +“I’ll be losing my nerve altogether, if I let +my thoughts run on this way. D. Dixon, +you just <em>must not</em> funk it!”</p> + +<p>She turned the knob and entered her +room.</p> + +<p class='c006'> </p> +<h2 id='ch16' class='break'>Chapter XVI<br /><br />CAUGHT IN THE ACT</h2> +<p class='c001'> </p> + +<p>When Dorothy went down to dinner that +evening, she knew exactly what she had to +do. After reading Tunbridge’s note which +she found had been slipped between the +pillow case and the pillow itself, she had +memorized the combination to Doctor +Winn’s safe, and destroyed the missive as +she had his warning of the night before. +After a bath and a complete change of +clothing, she felt refreshed and in a much +better frame of mind. She had selected one +of the prettiest gowns in Janet’s wardrobe, +a turquoise blue crepe, with a cluster of +silver roses fastened in the twisted velvet +girdle, put on slippers to match, and surveyed +the result in the mirror.</p> + +<p>“Decidedly becoming, my girl,” she +smiled at her reflection, and gave a last pat +to her shining bob that she had brushed +until it lay like a bronze cap close about her +shapely head. “Might as well look my best +at my criminal debut!” She made a face +at herself, turned and kissed the sleeping +puppy in his basket, and went downstairs.</p> + +<p>Doctor Winn and Mrs. Lawson were +standing talking in the entrance hall, near +the fireplace. The old gentleman, dressed +in immaculate dinner clothes, looked more +than ever like the English squire in his ancestral +hall. He came forward to meet her, +both hands outstretched.</p> + +<p>“As charming as an English primrose +and twice as beautiful!” he greeted gaily.</p> + +<p>“Thank you kindly, sir.” She dropped +him a little curtsey and let him lead her to +Mrs. Lawson.</p> + +<p>“Our little secretary has blossomed into +a very lovely debutante,” he beamed.</p> + +<p>Dorothy bit her lip, remembering her +own phrase of a few moments before, then +smiled at her employer. Mrs. Lawson was +regal in black velvet, trimmed in narrow +bands of ermine. She returned Dorothy’s +smile, and lifted her finely pencilled brows +at the Doctor. “Oh, you men. You are all +alike. A pretty gown, a pretty face intrigues +you, young or old. Pay no attention +to his flattery, Janet. I can hardly +blame him, though. You look lovely tonight. +That is an exquisite frock. Did you +buy it abroad?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, no, at a little place on fifty-seventh +street.” Of course Dorothy had no idea +where Janet had bought the dress. “It is a +Paris model, though, Mrs. Lawson.”</p> + +<p>“I thought as much. Ah, here comes +Tunbridge with the cocktails. I wonder +which side of the fence you are on?”</p> + +<p>“I’m—I’m afraid I don’t know quite +what you mean, Mrs. Lawson.”</p> + +<p>“I’ll explain,” broke in the old gentleman. +“I’m the prohibitionist in this house, +Janet. Mrs. Lawson is one of the antis. +She likes a real cocktail before dinner. I +prefer one made of tomato juice.”</p> + +<p>Mrs. Lawson had already helped herself +to a brimming glass and a small canapé of +caviar from the silver tray Tunbridge was +holding.</p> + +<p>“Oh, I love tomato cocktails,” smiled +Dorothy. She took one from the man and +helped herself to the caviar. “Daddy asked +me not to drink until I was twenty-one—and +I’m not so keen on the idea, anyway.”</p> + +<p>“I try to keep an open mind about such +things,” the Doctor said seriously, “but +I’ve never found that the use of alcohol did +anyone any good. Well, here’s your very +good health, ladies!” He raised his glass +of tomato juice and drank.</p> + +<p>Dinner was announced a few minutes +later. Doctor Winn offered his right arm +to Mrs. Lawson and his left to Dorothy and +they walked into the dining room. Dorothy +did not enjoy that meal as much as she +had her luncheon. True, the food was +delicious and the panelled room with its +cheerful fire on the hearth and the soft glow +of candle light was delightfully homey, +while Doctor Winn’s easy chatter and fund +of interesting reminiscence helped to break +the tedium of the courses. But Dorothy +found it difficult to play up to his amusing +sallies. The old gentleman appeared to be +in very good spirits indeed. Laura Lawson, +on the other hand, was unusually quiet. +At times she seemed distrait and merely +smiled absently when spoken to. She +drank several glasses of claret, but hardly +touched her food. Dorothy felt surer than +ever that the Lawsons had planned their +coup for tonight. She shrewdly surmised +that this cold-blooded adventuress had become +fond of the genial, fatherly old man, +and realized that at his age the blow she +contemplated might very well prove a fatal +one.</p> + +<p>As the dinner wore on, Dorothy felt +more and more ill at ease. The sight of +Tunbridge, soft-footed and efficient, waiting +on table or superintending his satellite +of the plum-colored kneebreeches, sent her +thoughts to the night’s work ahead every +time the detective-butler came into the +room. She was glad when at last the meal +was over and they repaired to the library +where after-dinner coffee was served. +Dorothy rarely drank coffee in the evening, +but tonight she allowed Tunbridge to fill +her cup a second time. There must be no +sleep for her until the wee hours of the +morning, and she knew from former experience +that the black coffee would keep +her awake.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Lawson, after wandering aimlessly +about the room, finally picked up a technical +magazine and commenced to read. +Doctor Winn suggested a game of chess +to Dorothy. She was fond of the ancient +game and told him so. Many a tournament +she and her father had played with +their red and white ivory chessmen. Dr. +Winn was a brilliant player, of long experience. +Soon he began to compliment +Dorothy upon a number of strategic +moves. But although several times she +managed to place his king in check, it was +invariably her own royal chessman who +was checkmated in the end. As the evening +wore on, the beatings became more frequent, +for Dorothy simply could not keep +her mind on the game.</p> + +<p>For a while she sat watching the log fire +and talking to the Doctor in a desultory +way while Mrs. Lawson continued to read. +Then as the grandfather clock chimed ten, +Laura Lawson laid down her magazine +and stood up.</p> + +<p>“I think I’ll go to bed now, if you don’t +mind.” The half stifled yawn, sheer camouflage +thought Dorothy, was nevertheless +a masterpiece of deception. “I’ve a bit +of a headache, so I’ll say good night.”</p> + +<p>Doctor Winn and Dorothy got to their +feet. “I’m for bed myself,” announced the +old gentleman, “and in spite of the coffee +you drank after dinner, I know you’re +sleepy, Janet. Your chess playing toward +the end proved it.” His eyes twinkled at +her. “But in storm or clear weather, +there’s nothing like the air of this Connecticut +Ridge Country to make one eat +and sleep. By the way, Laura, when do +you expect Martin?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I forgot to tell you, Doctor—he +won’t be back tonight. He phoned me +from town just before dinner, that on account +of the blizzard, he had decided to +stay in until tomorrow. If you need him +sooner, he said to call up the Roosevelt. +He always stops there, you know.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, yes, but I shan’t need him, thank +you.” He turned to Dorothy. “The railroad +has taken upon itself to discontinue +all service to Ridgefield,” he explained. +“Branchville is our nearest station, and +driving will be difficult tonight. There +must be very deep drifts by this time.”</p> + +<p>“I should think it would be mighty unpleasant +to get stuck out in a blizzard like +this. I’m glad I don’t have to go out into it. +But in a way I’m thankful for the snow, because +we ought to have a white Christmas, +and it’s ever so much more fun.”</p> + +<p>“Bless my soul! I’d entirely forgotten +that Christmas comes next week. Well, +this year we must celebrate the Yuletide in +the good old fashioned way. Thank you, +Janet, for reminding me.”</p> + +<p>Good nights were said, and a few minutes +later Dorothy was again alone in the +Pink Bedroom. Or so she thought, as she +entered. But at once she noticed that a +single shaded wall-light sent a pleasant +glow from the bay window, and curled up +in the cushioned recess, Gretchen was reading.</p> + +<p>Dorothy stopped short in surprise and +the girl sprang to her feet. “Oh, Miss—Miss +Jordan, Mr. Tunbridge told me to +come and help you undress and get ready +for the night. Of course I didn’t know if +you would want me—” then she added in a +whisper, “but he thought you might be sort +of blue and I could cheer you up, I guess.”</p> + +<p>Dorothy smiled at Gretchen’s pretty, +earnest face. “Why, of course I want you, +Gretchen. Tunbridge is very thoughtful. +I’ve never had the luxury of a personal +maid and I don’t know that I’ll ever feel +helpless enough to need one! But if you +want to stay and talk, I’d love it.”</p> + +<p>“But I can help you, too,” Gretchen insisted. +“I’m not really a trained maid, you +know, but Nanette—that’s Mrs. Lawson’s +French maid—has been teaching me. Gee, +I’d certainly love to be <em>your</em> personal maid, +Miss Jordan.”</p> + +<p>“Well, you may be, some day, who +knows?” she laughed. “But you can help +me tonight, though there’ll be no bed for +me until much later.”</p> + +<p>Gretchen, who was arranging the pillows +and smoothing the covers on the bed, +turned her head sharply. “Secret Service +Work?” she queried in an excited whisper.</p> + +<p>Dorothy nodded and tossed her dress on +to a chair. She continued speaking in a +tone just above a whisper. “At twelve +o’clock tonight I’ve got to go downstairs +and commit justifiable burglary in Doctor +Winn’s office. The real thief will be along +later—at least, I hope so, for everybody’s +sake. In the meantime I want you to do +something for me—will you?”</p> + +<p>“I sure will, miss—gee, this is exciting!”</p> + +<p>“Don’t let it cramp your style.” Dorothy +laughed, and pulling off her stocking, +she handed Gretchen the packet of thin +paper, the manuscript on “Winnite” that +she had typed that morning. “When you +finish up in here, I want you to find Mr. +Tunbridge and give him these papers. +You’d better pin it inside your uniform +now, and be very careful that nobody sees +you giving it to him.”</p> + +<p>“You can trust me,” declared Gretchen, +and she put the papers safely within her +dress. “Is Mr. Tunbridge really a detective?”</p> + +<p>“He certainly is, Gretchen.”</p> + +<p>“I’d never have guessed it if you hadn’t +told me. But then, I suppose not looking +like one makes him all the better?”</p> + +<p>“That’s the idea.” Dorothy put Janet’s +quilted satin dressing gown on over her +pajamas. “Now that I’m ready for bed, +and you’ve put all my clothes away so +nicely, I think you’d better run along, +Gretchen. Not,” she amended, “that I +wouldn’t love to talk to you while I’m waiting +for twelve o’clock, but we must not let +certain people in this house get wise to our +friendship.”</p> + +<p>“And Mrs. Lawson is one awful snoopy +lady,” Gretchen observed candidly. “Well, +good night, Miss Jordan. Thank you a lot +for letting me in on this. I’ll see that Mr. +Tunbridge gets your papers all right. +Good night—and take care of yourself.” +She stood before Dorothy with an anxious +frown on her honest brow. “I sure do wish +you the very best luck!”</p> + +<p>Dorothy grinned. “Thank you. I certainly +need it. Good night.”</p> + +<p>The door closed upon the little maid and +Dorothy looked at her wrist watch. It was +ten minutes to eleven. For a time she sat +on the edge of her bed and stared unseeingly +at the rug under her feet. Presently +she got up, locked her door, turned off her +lights and went over to the window. She +drew aside the curtains and was surprised +to see that it had stopped snowing. There +was no moon, but what sky she could see +was fairly a-crackle with stars. The heavy +blanket of snow looked silver in the starlight. +A remote world and cold. Dorothy +allowed the curtains to drop back into +place, and sat down on the window seat. +Lost in thoughts pleasant and unpleasant, +she sat there for the next hour, while the +faint noises of the big house gradually subsided +into stillness.</p> + +<p>At exactly five minutes to twelve, Dorothy +raised the window, letting in the cold +night air. Then she turned off the heat and +got into bed. After lying there for possibly +a minute, she threw back the covers, +thrust her feet into the fur-lined slippers +she had left at the bedside and moved like a +dim shadow to the closet.</p> + +<p>It was crowded with Janet’s suits, coats +and frocks, and she was careful not to disturb +them on their hangers, as she pushed +between them in the darkness to the rear +wall and pressed her foot on the board in +the corner. The panel slid upward with a +noiselessness that spoke for well-oiled machinery +somewhere in the walls. Dorothy +stepped cautiously through the opening. +Her fingers sought the handle to this sliding +door, found it, and she pulled the panel +down again.</p> + +<p>Then for the first time she made use of +the small flashlight which she carried in +the pocket of her gown. She saw that she +was standing on the top step of a narrow +circular stair that wound downward. Off +went her light again—she was taking no +unnecessary chances tonight—and with +her hand on the metal handrail, she felt her +way slowly down the stair, holding her free +hand well in advance of her body.</p> + +<p>When her extended fingers touched +a wall that blocked further progress, she +felt with a slippered foot out to the right. +The board gave slightly, the wall panel +moved upward and she stepped forth to +find herself in the great fireplace of the entrance +hall, just beyond the embers of the +dying logs. The hall was illuminated in +the dim glow of a night light in the ceiling. +As she turned to pull down the sliding +shutter, there came a streak of white from +the dark passage and Professor bounded +into the hall.</p> + +<p>Dorothy was completely startled, and +just as exasperated as she could be. She +could not call him, for the slightest sound +might bring the wakeful enemy to the spot. +The pup, after his long sleep, was playful, +and scampered about madly, his bright eyes +watching her every move. She attempted +to catch him, but he eluded her with an +agility that made her still more angry. He +seemed to think that this was a splendid +game, raced across the floor in high glee, +but ever watchful to keep beyond her +reach.</p> + +<p>Dorothy gave it up as a bad job. She +dared not pursue him too determinedly, for +fear he would bark. She pulled down the +sliding shutter in the fireplace, and leaving +Professor to his frolic, hurried on to the +door of Doctor Winn’s office.</p> + +<p>Inside the room with the door shut, her +flashlight came into play for the second +time. It took her but a moment with the +memorized combination at her fingertips +to open the safe. The door was surprisingly +heavy, but at last the interior of the small +vault came within her line of vision. From +a drawer she took a folded sheet of white +paper. Out of her pocket came a pencil +and another sheet of paper. In an amazingly +short time she copied the formula and +replaced the original in the safe drawer. +She tucked the copy into the fur lining of +her slipper under her bare foot. Then suddenly +she sprang up.</p> + +<p>Her heart leaped into her throat. In the +corridor just outside there came the sound +of a footstep. There was no time to do +more than shut off her torch and drop it, together +with her pencil, into the waste paper +basket. The door opened, lights flashed +on, and Martin Lawson walked into the +room.</p> + +<p class='c006'> </p> +<h2 id='ch17' class='break'>Chapter XVII<br /><br />PROFESSOR MAKES GOOD</h2> +<p class='c001'> </p> + +<p>In that moment, Dorothy knew what she +must do. A shiver ran over her slender +frame and she blinked as though partly +awakened by the flash of lights. Then, +with eyes wide open and staring straight +ahead, she slowly walked toward Martin +Lawson and the open doorway.</p> + +<p>“<em>Stop!</em>”</p> + +<p>The command, though low, was uttered +in a tone of deadly menace, and Dorothy +saw the blue-black muzzle of an automatic +revolver pointed at her heart. She stopped +on the instant, but continued to stare +straight ahead without change of expression. +She noted that he wore a soft felt hat +pulled over his eyes and a heavy ulster with +its broad collar turned up half hiding the +lower part of his face. His high arctics +bore traces of melting snow.</p> + +<p>“Sleepwalking, eh! Well, I don’t believe +it.” His sharp eyes took in the open +door of the safe. “Snap out of that +playacting and tell me what you are doing +here!”</p> + +<p>Dorothy did not move a muscle.</p> + +<p>Without warning, he grasped her wrist +and jerked her savagely toward him. She +screamed and went limp in his arms. Lawson +clapped a hand over her mouth.</p> + +<p>“So you’re up to your old tricks again, +Martin!”</p> + +<p>Mrs. Lawson, fully dressed, and wearing +a three-quarters mink coat and brown felt +cloche, appeared in the open doorway. +“So our little sleepwalker interrupted a +very pretty piece of double-crossing!” She +pointed toward the safe.</p> + +<p>Lawson flung the weeping girl into an +arm chair where she lay apparently half +stunned and shaking in every limb.</p> + +<p>“Double-cross, nothing!” he snapped at +his wife. “How do you get that way, +Laura? I came in here just now and found +Janet in the room.”</p> + +<p>“Was she at the safe?”</p> + +<p>“No, she wasn’t. She was standing in +the middle of the floor. Making her getaway +without a doubt when I turned on the +lights.”</p> + +<p>“Why do you pretend Janet opened the +safe? The Doctor, you and I are the only +ones who know the combination. Laugh +that off if you can, my dear!”</p> + +<p>They were both fast losing their tempers.</p> + +<p>“Combination or no combination, the +safe was open when I got here,” he snarled. +“She was after the formula, of course. That +father of hers is in back of it. That Irishman +is the double-crosser—and how! +Figured on working Winnite into his +racket without coughing up a cent for it, +either. Call me a sucker if you like, Laura. +I qualify, and so do you, for that matter. +The other stuff’s the bunk.”</p> + +<p>Dorothy stopped her pretended crying +and lay back as though utterly exhausted. +She knew Tunbridge must be up and +about. What in the world could the man +be doing?</p> + +<p>Mrs. Lawson who seemed to be weighing +matters, slowly unbuttoned her coat. +“If you are so blameless,” she said coldly +to her husband, “How do you happen to be +here at all? Your part of the job was to +bring up the car—or the plane, if it had +stopped snowing.”</p> + +<p>“Well, it’s no longer snowing, my dear, +and the plane is just where it should be. I +got tired of waiting, that’s why. Thought +there must be a slip-up. You were due out +there half an hour ago.”</p> + +<p>“And I would have been,” said Laura +Lawson evenly, “if that secret service fool +hadn’t been snooping outside my door.”</p> + +<p>“Tunbridge?”</p> + +<p>“Who else!”</p> + +<p>“What did you do—croak him?”</p> + +<p>“No, I didn’t. He’s not worth burning +for.”</p> + +<p>As they talked, the two dropped their +artificial cloaks of refinement as if they +had never been.</p> + +<p>“It’s hanging in this state,” sneered +Martin.</p> + +<p>“What’s the difference! I rang for him, +instead. When he knocked on the door, I +opened up and beaned him with the poker. +He’ll wake up tomorrow with a headache, +but I dragged him into my room and tied +him up, just to make sure.”</p> + +<p>Dorothy’s heart sank to the very soles of +her bare feet.</p> + +<p>“Atta girl!” cheered Lawson. “That’s +the way! And look here, Laura. Just to +prove I’m on the straight with you—go +over and frisk that kid yourself. She’s got +the paper.”</p> + +<p>“Thanks—I intended to.” Mrs. Lawson +threw a grim smile at her husband and +turned to Dorothy. “Pass it over, Janet.”</p> + +<p>“But, really, Mrs. Lawson! I don’t +know what you’re talking about—”</p> + +<p>The woman cut her short. “Stand up +and come here!”</p> + +<p>Dorothy reluctantly obeyed. “I haven’t +any paper,” she protested. “All I know is +that I woke up just now and found Mr. +Lawson—”</p> + +<p>“Hold your tongue!” snapped Mrs. +Lawson, and after exploring Dorothy’s +empty pockets, ran her fingers over the +quilted gown and the girl’s pajamas. In +the midst of her search, Professor, still +playful, bounded into the room and stood +watching them expectantly.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Lawson stepped back. “She hasn’t +got it, Martin.” Her tone was acid. “What +a hard-boiled liar you are, anyway!”</p> + +<p>“Hard-boiled, if you like—but no liar.” +He strode to the safe and thrust his hand inside. +“Here it is,” he called, and held up +the paper. “I must have got here before +she could nab it.”</p> + +<p>Laura Lawson eyed him appraisingly. +“Didn’t you say Janet was in the middle of +the room when you switched on the light?”</p> + +<p>“Sure—she heard me coming, of +course.”</p> + +<p>“If Janet heard you coming, why didn’t +she swing the door shut? Don’t try to pull +that stuff on me, Martin. Even if the girl +knows the combination she couldn’t open +that safe in the dark. Why lie about the +business? I know you opened it yourself—and +what’s more, while I’ve been wasting +time arguing with you and searching +Janet, the formula was in your pocket the +whole time—that is, until you pretended to +take it out of the safe, just now!”</p> + +<p>Martin Lawson’s hard and cruel mouth +twisted into a crooked smile. “The world +is full of liars,” he said equably, “but your +husband doesn’t play that kind of a racket, +Laura—anyway, not to you.”</p> + +<p>“Then prove it by giving me that paper!” +his wife held out her hand.</p> + +<p>“Nothing doing, Sweetheart. The formula +will be perfectly safe with me.”</p> + +<p>He started to put it in an inside pocket, +when Laura Lawson sprang for the paper. +She grasped his wrist. There was a tussle +and the folded sheet fell to the floor. Professor, +seated on his haunches and very interested +in these exciting proceedings, dove +forward and snapped it up. For half a moment +he shook the paper as though he took +it for a new species of rat. Then as they +went for him, he darted between Martin’s +legs and scampered out of the room.</p> + +<p>“You big goop!” flared his wife. “Why +didn’t you pot the cur!”</p> + +<p>She rushed out of the room after Professor +while Martin stared rather stupidly at +the gun in his hand. Suddenly his eyes took +on a particularly hard glint and he swung +round on Dorothy.</p> + +<p>“This,” he rasped, “is the second time +you’ve got me in wrong with my wife, Miss +Janet Jordan. And there just ain’t going +to be no third time, kid!”</p> + +<p>“Wha—what are you going to do, Mr. +Lawson?” She was still playing the terrified, +innocent Janet, but she no longer +feared the man. During the Lawsons’ +struggle, she had prepared herself for +something like this. She had also shifted +her position and was standing near the +open door, now several yards away.</p> + +<p>“You’re going to answer my questions, +Janet—and answer them truthfully, or +you’ll do your sleepwalking in another +world after this.” He menaced her with +the automatic, “It’s the bunk, isn’t it? The +sleepwalking, I mean.”</p> + +<p>“It sure is, Mr. du Val!” drawled Dorothy +with a sweet smile.</p> + +<p>Lawson was thoroughly surprised and +looked it. “Yes—it naturally would be, +seeing you know who I really am.”</p> + +<p>“And all about you.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, you do, eh? You were awake, of +course, at the meeting?”</p> + +<p>“Not me—Janet Jordan.”</p> + +<p>“What do you mean—not you—Janet +Jordan?”</p> + +<p>“I mean that certain people have been +making fools of you and your wife, Mr. +du Val.”</p> + +<p>“Is that so! In what way, may I ask?”</p> + +<p>“Why, you see, I’m not Janet Jordan.”</p> + +<p>“Not Janet Jordan!”</p> + +<p>“I wish,” said Dorothy, “you wouldn’t +echo my words. No, I am not—most decidedly, +not Janet Jordan, although even +you have guessed by this time that I look +like her. We changed places on you, big +boy! Night before last, just before you +came into Janet’s room with her father, +Janet was climbing out the window when +you knocked the first time. It was rather +embarrassing.”</p> + +<p>“It’s going to be even more embarrassing +for you in a moment or two, Miss Not +Janet Jordan! You know too much to live. +Who in thunderation are you—a government +dick?”</p> + +<p>“That’s right, big boy. I also happen +to be Janet’s double cousin.”</p> + +<p>“You’re her double, I’ll voucher that,” +agreed du Val alias Lawson. “And all this +high-hat cockiness ain’t going to do you +one little bit of good. What’s the moniker, +kid? Make it snappy, I’m pressed for +time.”</p> + +<p>“Dorothy Dixon’s my name. And—meet +Flash!” Her right hand gave a quick +twist and Martin Lawson dropped the exploding +automatic with a scream of mingled +rage and pain. She sprang for the revolver, +covered the man and retrieved the +knife from the floor just behind him. “Sit +down over there!” She pointed to a chair. +“You’re not really hurt, you know. Flash +only skinned your knuckles. Better tie +them up in your handkerchief though. +You’re ruining the rug.”</p> + +<p>Gretchen’s blond head peered round the +door frame. “Oh, Dorothy!” she shrilled, +and rushed into the room. “Are you hurt? +Did he wound you?” She flung herself on +her friend in a frenzy of fright and hysterics.</p> + +<p>From the hall came Laura Lawson’s +voice. “Martin!” she called. “They’re +out in front of the house. They’ve got the +car! Hurry!”</p> + +<p>Lawson wasted no time. While Dorothy +struggled with the excited Gretchen, he +nipped out of the room and was gone.</p> + +<p>“That tears it!” cried Miss Dixon, freeing +herself from the little maid’s embrace, +and she dove into the passage.</p> + +<p>Under the gallery she stopped short. +There was nobody in sight, but from the +staircase came two sharp detonations of a +revolver which were answered by two more +from the dining room. Then as she moved +warily forward, Bill Bolton ran into the +hall with Ashton Sanborn close at his heels. +Dorothy saw them disappear up the stairs +and ran after them.</p> + +<p>At the top of the stairs she spied them +standing outside a bedroom door. She +hurried to join them. “Hello! Gone to +cover?”</p> + +<p>“You’re a great guesser, kid.” Bill +grinned and nodded.</p> + +<p>“Where’s Tunbridge?” asked Mr. Sanborn.</p> + +<p>Dorothy motioned toward the door. “In +there. He’s got a broken head and he’s tied +up into the bargain. Laura Lawson did +it. That’s her room.”</p> + +<p>“We’ve got to get the door down,” said +Bill, and he stepped back for a rush.</p> + +<p>“Just a sec, Bill!” Dorothy fired three +shots from Lawson’s automatic into the +lock.</p> + +<p>“Smart girl!” Ashton Sanborn opened +the door to disclose the detective-butler +bound and unconscious, lying on the floor. +Otherwise the room was empty of occupants. +“I thought as much,” muttered the +secret service man, while Dorothy ran to +Tunbridge and began to cut his bonds. +“They have beat it, all right!”</p> + +<p>“Secret passage?” This from Bill.</p> + +<p>“Yes, the walls are honeycombed with +them. But Tunbridge never learned the +secret of this room, poor fellow.”</p> + +<p>“Doctor Winn would know,” said Dorothy. +“His suite is right at the end of this +corridor. He must surely be awake with +all this racket going on.”</p> + +<p>“I’ll get him.” Mr. Sanborn was half +way to the door. “Look after Tunbridge, +you two. Better phone for a doctor.” He +was gone.</p> + +<p>Dorothy and Bill lifted the unconscious +man on to Mrs. Lawson’s bed. Then while +young Bolton undressed him, Dorothy telephoned. +She then gave Bill a hasty account +of the night’s happenings.</p> + +<p>“If Gretchen had only stayed put in her +room, I’d have caught Martin Lawson, +anyway,” she lamented.</p> + +<p>“Mr. Jordan and the bunch outside will +take care of that pair,” promised Bill. +“Fetch a wet towel from the bathroom. +This bird is breathing pretty hard.”</p> + +<p>Dorothy sped to obey, talking the while. +“Not Uncle Michael!” she called back in +astonishment.</p> + +<p>“Yep. Uncle Michael showed up in +Sanborn’s New York office this morning, +all on his own.”</p> + +<p>“What was he doing—wanting to turn +state’s evidence and peach on his pals?” +She brought in the wet towel and laid it +on Tunbridge’s hot forehead.</p> + +<p>“Nothing like that, kid.” Bill was grinning. +“Give another guess.”</p> + +<p>“Then he wasn’t really a member of that +gang with the numbers?”</p> + +<p>“Sure he was—in good standing, too.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, spill it, Bill! What do you think +I’m made of, anyway?”</p> + +<p>“Snips and snails and puppy dog’s tails,” +said Bill promptly.</p> + +<p>“Huh! The story book says ‘little boys’ +belong in that category. Come, Bill, out +with it!”</p> + +<p>“Well, then, cutie pie,—Uncle Michael +is a secret service man.”</p> + +<p>“And Ashton Sanborn didn’t know it! +Don’t talk rot, Bill!”</p> + +<p>“I’m not talking rot, Dorothy. Uncle +Michael happens to be in the British Secret +Service, that’s why!”</p> + +<p>“Ain’t that the nerts!” exploded Miss +Dixon.</p> + +<p>“You said it, kid! He got on to The +Nameless Ones—that’s what they call +themselves—over on the other side, in Europe, +you know—worked his way into their +confidence and joined up. Of course, with +his government’s sanction.”</p> + +<p>“And what were they up to?”</p> + +<p>“Out to blow up the world with Winnite, +I reckon. The Lawsons were to get +two million plunks for the formula. +Martie-boy was Number 1, by the way. +The whole thing was financed by the +Reds.”</p> + +<p>“Nice people! What’s being done +about it?”</p> + +<p>“Plenty,” returned Bill. “Mr. Jordan +brought in the goods—letters, confidential +papers of the organization, and that kind +of thing. All the ringleaders, both in this +country and abroad, have been apprehended +and jailed by this time.”</p> + +<p>“Except,” she suggested, “the du Vals, +alias Lawson.”</p> + +<p>“That’s right! Let’s go downstairs and +find out about them. Nothing more can +be done for Tunbridge until that doctor +shows up. He’s had hard luck all the way +round this evening. The Lawsons fooled +him nicely about the time—and then this +crack on the nut into the bargain!”</p> + +<p>“What do you mean—about the time?”</p> + +<p>“Why, he overheard the fair Laura telling +her hubby that they would vamoose at +two this morning, and that she would nab +the formula just before leaving. That’s +why Tunbridge specified midnight. He +thought that two hours leeway would have +been plenty of time for you.”</p> + +<p>“I ’spose they suspected him then, and +were just giving him the razz?”</p> + +<p>Bill nodded. “Q.E.D., old girl. You’re +learning, aren’t you?”</p> + +<p>Dorothy made a face at him and pushed +him out of the room. “By the way,” continued +Bill, as they entered the corridor, “I +wonder if Mrs. Lawson got the paper away +from Professor?”</p> + +<p>“She did not!” declared Dorothy. +“Look!”</p> + +<p>They paused on the stairs to view the +scene below in the entrance hall. Groups +of frightened servants whispered among +themselves and here and there a strange +man was posted, with somewhat of an air +of grim watchfulness. Crouched on the +hearth and chewing up the last shreds of +some white substance was the puppy.</p> + +<p>“The end of a perfect formula,” declared +Bill. “You’d better call the pup +Winnite. He’s full of it by this time. +Lucky you made the copy, Dorothy.”</p> + +<p>“It certainly is!” A voice spoke behind +them and they turned to see Ashton Sanborn +descending the broad stair. “Doctor +Winn tells me the passageway from +the Lawson woman’s room comes out into +the sunken gardens a quarter of a mile from +the house. And I distinctly heard the whirr +of an airplane just now from his open window. +They’ve made their getaway in fine +style by this time.”</p> + +<p>“Well—” Dorothy breathed a deep sigh. +“I can’t help being glad of it.”</p> + +<p>Bill stared at her. “Well!” he mimicked. +“I must say you have astonishing reactions!”</p> + +<p>“What’s the matter, my dear?” asked +Mr. Sanborn. “You’ve done brilliant +work on this case, and then, you know, +you’ve saved Winnite.”</p> + +<p>Dorothy was not impressed. “That’s +just it,” she retorted. “If I wasn’t a government +servant for the time being, I’d +destroy the copy of that terrible formula +myself. As it is, I’ve got to turn it over to +you!”</p> + +<p>Ashton Sanborn laid a fatherly hand on +her shoulder. “Fortunes of war, Dorothy. +Sorry, but you must, you know.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I know!” She took the sheet of +paper from her slipper and handed it to +him. “And that,” she announced grimly, +“spoils all the fun on this racket.”</p> + +<p class='c006'> </p> +<h2 id='ch18' class='break'>Chapter XVIII<br /><br />THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT</h2> +<p class='c001'> </p> + +<p>Christmas eve was, as Dorothy had predicted, +a starry night of frost and blanketing +snow. Red candles twinkled in every +holly-wreathed window of the Dixon home, +and a large fir tree before the house +glittered with colored Christmas lights.</p> + +<p>If old Saint Nick had peeped into the +dining room windows, he would have seen +a merry company standing round the dinner +table, gay with the crimson-berried +holly and waxy mistletoe. At the head of +the table stood Dorothy, appropriately and +becomingly dressed in ruby-red velvet. On +her right there was an empty place, and +beyond it, old Doctor Winn, a boutonniere +of holly in the lapel of his dinner coat; Mr. +Bolton, Bill’s father, was next down the +table, and just beyond stood Ashton Sanborn. +Facing Dorothy at the other end, +her father chatted with a bright-eyed Gretchen, +who had Bill on her right. Next to +Bill came Doctor Winn’s ex-butler, John +Tunbridge, looking none the worse for his +part in the mixup of the fatal night. Beyond +Tunbridge stood Dorothy’s Uncle +Michael, and then another empty chair.</p> + +<p>“Just a moment, Dorothy,” said her +father as she was about to sit down. “We’ve +a surprise for you.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, are there more people coming?” +She indicated the extra places to her right +and left. “I thought our party was as nearly +complete as possible. Of course it would +have been swell if Janet and Howard could +have been with us.”</p> + +<p>“Dum—dum—de dum!” hummed Bill, +beating time with his hand like an orchestra +conductor. From the drawing room a +piano crashed into the opening chords of +Wagner’s beautiful wedding march.</p> + +<p>“Here Comes the Bride ...” sang the +guests at table, and Dorothy’s heart +skipped a beat.</p> + +<p>Through the curtained doorway, walked +a blushing girl, leaning on the arm of a tall +young man. She wore a bridal gown of +white satin, and her smiling face, below +the draped tulle veil, was the exact counterpart +of the astonished girl at the head of +the table.</p> + +<p>“Janet! Howard!” Dorothy ran to them +and was caught in her cousin’s arms. +“Where under the sun did you come from? +I thought you sailed for South America +last week!”</p> + +<p>“That,” said Howard, grinning broadly, +“is a surprise that Mr. Sanborn sprang on +us the day after we were married. He persuaded +me to give up the South American +job and got me a much better one with Mr. +Bolton.”</p> + +<p>“Meet Mr. Howard Bright, the new +manager of my Bridgeport plant,” cried +Bill’s father, and everyone clapped.</p> + +<p>“Why, that’s marvelous!” exclaimed +Dorothy. “It’s only an hour’s drive over +there from New Canaan. We’ll be able to +see a lot of each other, Janet.”</p> + +<p>Then Uncle Michael, looking very +happy and proud, kissed his daughter and +led her to the chair between his place and +Dorothy’s.</p> + +<p>“Daddy gave me the wedding dress,” +whispered Janet. “It’s a little bit late for it, +but he insisted.”</p> + +<p>“You look simply darling,” began her +cousin, then stopped. Doctor Winn, who +had pushed in her chair, was addressing the +company.</p> + +<p>“Ladies, and gentlemen,” he said, “before +we start on the Christmas cheer which +our little hostess and her father have so +graciously provided, I would like to propose +a toast or two, and may I ask you to +stand again while you drink them with +me?” He held up his glass of golden cider. +“First, let us drink long life and great +happiness to our charming bride, Mrs. +Howard Bright, and her gallant husband!”</p> + +<p>The company drank the toast enthusiastically. +Then Uncle Abe, the Dixon’s +darkey butler, better known to some of +Dorothy’s friends as “Ol’ Man River,” +grinning from one black ear to the other, +laid small leather jewel cases before Janet +and Howard.</p> + +<p>“Just a little Christmas gift, my children,” +explained Doctor Winn.</p> + +<p>“Oh, may we open them now?” asked +Janet eagerly.</p> + +<p>“You most certainly may, my dear.”</p> + +<p>They snapped open the lids and the company +leaned forward to get a better view +of the contents.</p> + +<p>“I don’t know how to thank you, Doctor +Winn,” began Howard, fingering his +handsome gold repeater and chain.</p> + +<p>“Nor I—why—my goodness! I never +thought I’d have a string of real pearls. +They are simply too exquisite for words!”</p> + +<p>Doctor Winn laughed and held up a +protesting hand. “I’m sure I’m glad you +like them, but guests are requested not to +embarrass the speaker. Now, I have another +toast to propose; and this time we +will drink a very Merry Christmas, long +life and great happiness to Miss Margaret +Schmidt, my new companion-housekeeper!”</p> + +<p>Gretchen was overwhelmed and blushed +furiously. Uncle Abe placed another +jewel case before her, which she opened +and found therein a pearl necklace, the +counterpart of Janet’s. All she could do +was to sit and gaze at it with her wide open +china-blue eyes. Mr. Dixon raised the +necklace, slipped it over the embarrassed +girl’s head, and nodded to the old gentleman.</p> + +<p>Doctor Winn took the hint and turned +the attention of the table guests to himself. +“Third and last, but not in any way the +least,” he said, “we will drink to the heroine +of the already famous case of the Double +Cousins. Ladies and gentlemen, I pledge +you Dorothy Dixon—whose bravery and +loyalty to her country gained the nation’s +thanks through its mouthpiece, our President +in Washington this week. A very +Merry Christmas, my dear, long life and +great happiness to you and to our friend +Professor, alias Winnite! By the way, +where is the pup? I have a little remembrance +for him, too.”</p> + +<p>“He’s right here beside me, asleep in his +basket, Doctor Winn.” Dorothy picked +up the yawning pup and sat him on her lap.</p> + +<p>The old gentleman took a slightly larger +morocco case out of his pocket, this time, +and laid it on the white cloth before her. +With a smile of thanks, she pressed the +spring and disclosed, lying on a velvet pad, +a double string of gleaming pink pearls. +She looked at him, speechless with pleasure, +then down again at the necklace. As +she did so, she started, for beneath the +pearls lay an envelope.</p> + +<p>She picked it up and drew forth a +paper—“Why! why, it’s my copy of the +Winnite formula!” she cried.</p> + +<p>“The only existing copy, my dear, which +I hereby present to your puppy.”</p> + +<p>“But, Doctor Winn, I don’t understand!”</p> + +<p>“My terms to the government were that +Winnite should be used for national defense +alone,” he said solemnly. “Washington +would not agree. Therefore I wish the +formula destroyed.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, what a darling you are!” Dorothy +leaned over and kissed him. “But let’s not +give it to Professor this time, please. The +last one made him horribly sick.”</p> + +<p>She held the paper over a lighted candle +and watched Winnite burn to charred ash. +“I certainly am the happiest girl in the +world tonight—but there is just one more +toast I’d like to propose before we commence +dinner. Here’s a long life and a +Merry Christmas to Mr. and Mrs. Martin +Lawson—if it hadn’t been for them, think +of all the fun we’d have missed!”</p> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + THE END + </div> +</div> + +<div class="tnotes covernote"> + <p><b>Transcriber's Note:</b></p> + <p>The cover image was created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.</p> +</div> + +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44670 ***</div> + </body> + <!-- created with fpnh.py 1.08 on 2014-01-15 02:52:57 GMT --> +</html> diff --git a/44670-h/images/cover.jpg b/44670-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ba0955c --- /dev/null +++ b/44670-h/images/cover.jpg |
