The Automobile Girls at Newport Part 21

Ralph was too proud to linger near them, since Bab had said so plainly she wanted none of his society. If he could have heard what she was saying he would have been even more horrified.

"Yes," Barbara promised, "if you will come somewhere near us, when we are all together, this evening, I will give you a signal to show you the man I mean. His name is Townsend. He looks very young, is slender and is of medium height. Suppose, when you see us, I bow my head slowly in the direction of the man I mean? If you understand me, you can return my bow. Can you search him before he leaves the grounds?"

"No, miss." The detective shook his head. "It would be impossible. He hasn't the jewel on him now. If he's the man we think he is, he is too smooth for that. He must have a confederate. If we search him here, and find no proof of his guilt, he will know all about us and our suspicions. Can't you see, then, he would just clear out and leave us here to whistle for our pains?"

"Yes, I see," said Bab.

"Thank you, miss, for telling us," the detective continued. "I must say that emerald story sounds like the real thing. You've only guessed about the b.u.t.terfly theft; but I think you've guessed right. Now we must go easy. If there is a Raffles, here in Newport, he is out for more plunder. He'll make another bold attempt, and that will be our chance."

"Well, I must go on back now to my friends," murmured Barbara, uneasily.

It seemed strange to be taken into confidence by the detective, as though she were in the same line of business. "I suppose you and the other detective can manage, now, to secure the thief. I would rather not have anything more to do with the matter." Barbara gave a little s.h.i.+ver of repulsion.

"Oh, now, young lady," protested the detective, "you mustn't go back on us, just as the game commences. To catch a society thief we must have help from the inside. The best detective in the service can't get on without it."

"Where have you been, Bab?" inquired Miss Sallie, anxiously, when Barbara joined her friends a few minutes later. "I was beginning to get uneasy about you. Mrs. Cartwright wants us to come into the house for an informal dance. Do you feel well enough to go? I don't think you look very well, child."

Harry Townsend and Gladys came up at this minute. Harry had promised to take Miss Stuart indoors to watch the dancing. There was a curious, restless look in the man's eyes, but his manners were as charming as ever.

This was Barbara's chance. She lagged behind the others, and bowed her head slowly in the direction of Miss Sallie's escort. A strange, blond man, with a curly light mustache, standing some distance off, returned her bow.

All evening Ralph did not come near Barbara. He devoted himself to Grace, who was wise enough to guess that Bab and Ralph must have had a quarrel. But Barbara did not understand. Not having realized that Ralph had felt snubbed when she dismissed him a little while before, she supposed he had grown tired of her.

To tell the truth, Barbara was dull. All the merry, sparkling fun had gone out of her for this one evening. Whether she danced, or talked or rested quietly, she saw Harry Townsend's face as it had looked at her for a single minute in the gypsy tent. "I am not a coward," thought Barbara, "but I shall have to be careful if he discovers I was the gypsy who told his fortune this afternoon."

Barbara was right.

Harry Townsend knew there was just one person in Newport who suspected him of being a thief; this person must be put out of the way. The fine Raffles preferred not to use violence, but at any cost he must win.

Harry Townsend had not recognized Bab in the gypsy tent, which served, for the time, to avert his suspicions from her. He believed she had only arrived, when he met her with Miss Stuart late in the evening. Then who was the gypsy? Either Barbara had seen her, some time in the afternoon, and told her the story of the necklace, or there was some one else who believed he had had a part in the robberies. He must find out.

"Gladys," Harry Townsend said, "don't let us dance all evening. I have not had any kind of chance to talk to you alone. Come out on the veranda with me, won't you?"

Gladys and Harry seated themselves on the front porch, whence they could look through an open window at the dancers.

"Do you know Mrs. Cartwright very intimately, Gladys?" inquired Mr.

Townsend.

"Oh, no," returned Gladys, pettishly. If Harry Townsend had brought her out on the veranda to talk about Mrs. Cartwright, then she might as well have stayed indoors. "Why do you ask?"

Harry Townsend frowned, then put his hands before his eyes. Gladys was so silly. She had served to introduce him to her friends at Newport.

Now, if he could only make her useful in other ways!

"Are you angry?" Gladys asked after a moment, "What is it that you want to know about Mrs. Cartwright?"

"Oh, I don't want to know anything about Mrs. Cartwright at all, Gladys.

I am sorry I spoke of it, if the subject offends you. But I did feel a little curious to know where she got hold of the gypsies she had in the tent this afternoon. I thought you would be interested."

"I am interested, Harry," declared Gladys. She was only a spoiled child, and could not help showing it. "But I am not a favorite of Mrs.

Cartwright's. It's my delightful cousins that she adores-Mollie and Bab.

I can ask one of them to inquire."

"Oh, no," drawled Harry, "it is not of enough importance for that."

For the next half hour Harry devoted himself to the whims of Gladys. He could see Barbara through the window, looking pale and tired. This gave all the more reason for believing that she had not recovered from the shock of her experience on the cliffs.

The cleverest man will sometimes make a false move. Harry Townsend was tired of Gladys, weary of her whims and foolishness. Besides, she had served his purpose; he was almost through with her.

"Shall we take a walk, Gladys?" he asked.

As they walked down the path toward the cliff, this up-to-date Raffles, whose fingers were more agile than a magician's, pressed Gladys's hand for a moment. At the same instant, he slipped her jeweled bracelet into his pocket. "I don't want the bauble," he said to himself, "but she might as well be punished for not doing what I ask her."

At the same moment a blond man stepped out from among the bushes and asked Harry for a light for his cigarette.

Miss Stuart and her girls were saying good-night to Mrs. Cartwright.

Hugh Post and Ralph were to escort them home. As Barbara came down the steps with her wraps on, some one touched her on the arm.

"Miss," the detective whispered, "I know the man you pointed out to me; but I have got to see you again. Tell me how we can manage it."

"Oh," said Barbara, hopelessly, "I don't know. Miss Sallie will be so angry!"

"You can't quit us now," the detective urged. "Why not come out in the morning, before any of your folks are up."

"Yes," agreed Barbara, quickly. She didn't have time to refuse. Miss Sallie was coming toward her, and looked in surprise at Barbara's strange companion. "Come on, child," she said, "it is time you and Ruth were both in bed."

"Down the street, two turnings to the right," Barbara heard a voice behind her whisper, as she turned away.

Gladys was crying, as she made her way to Miss Stuart for comfort. "Miss Stuart," she said, "I have lost my pearl bracelet. Mother told me it was too handsome for me to wear. Now she'll be angry with me. I didn't think it mattered if I wore it this one time. It was large, I suppose, and it slipped off my hand somewhere."

"Never mind, Gladys," advised Harry Townsend, coming up to her. "If it is stolen, the thief is sure to be caught."

"Why do you stare at us so, Barbara?" demanded Gladys, angrily. "I am sure you look all eyes."

"I beg your pardon," murmured Barbara.

CHAPTER XIX-"EYEOLOGY"

All night long Bab tossed and tumbled in her bed. Should she keep her appointment with the detective? About daylight she fell asleep and wakened with her mind fully made up. Whatever the danger, she was in for it now. A clever thief was abroad in Newport; circ.u.mstances had led to her discovering him; well, she would do what she could to bring him to bay.

At six o'clock Barbara slipped quietly out of bed, without awaking Mollie, and stole noiselessly through the deserted halls of Mrs. Ewing's great house. Not even the servants were about.

At the appointed place she found waiting for her two detectives instead of one.

"We're wise to the thief," said the larger, blond man, to whom Barbara had talked yesterday. "I never had my eyes off of him last night, after you pointed him out to me. I saw him slip a bracelet from a young lady's arm out in the garden, just as coolly as you'd shake hands with a person. But it was no time to make a row then. I never let him know that I saw him. The fellow would have had a thousand excuses to make. I could see he was on pretty intimate terms with the young lady."