Books › Blue Book v035 n05 [1922-09], 1922 › scan 127
Scan 127
Blue Book v035 n05 [1922-09], 1922
66 lines. Read by computer on 17 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1The Crime-Detector
3Prince was attired in a clown costume, with one leg encased in white, the other in black, and this contrast in shades heightened an optical effect that his supports were minded to carry him different directions.
5"Nobody else except who?" Mamie prompted.
7"'Cept Daphne. Don't be silly! Can't fool ol' Reggie."
9"Well, Reggie, have it your own way," she laughed. "But you'll find out soon enough that you're wrong."
11"Tha's—hic—tha's what they all say. Can't fool ol' Reggie, though. Come on, ol' girl. Le's toddle."
13They toddled; and at this Reggie did decidedly better than at conversation. But he kept on babbling, and after the dance ended he continued to pour forth a stream of aimless chatter.
15Cinderella was not listening with much attention; she was busily taking note of the other guests. Only a few of the throng were masked, only such as had costumes demanding one—the Pierrots and the Pierrettes, three pirates, a Dick Turpin and a tall, broad-shouldered, thick-necked Parisian Apache.
17"I say—Hal!" Reggie called suddenly to the Apache. "Yo-ho! Come on over here a minute, will you, ol' chap?"
19The Apache approached.
21MAMIE noted quickly that his baggy black cap, with a long visor, was pulled well down over his ear-tips. A bandanna handkerchief covered the lower part of his face, so that she could see only his eyes. But she startled at the sight of those eyes—they were steely blue, with a strangely familiar glint in them. Swiftly she glanced at his hands. They were gloved.
23"Wanchu meet ol' frien' of mine," Reggie introduced. "Eggza—eggza—schushushioner lady. Can't say it; but you know what I mean."
25The Apache appeared to relish the humor of the introduction.
27"Charmed," he said, and bowed and extended his hand.
29Mamie, watching him closely, bowed in turn. Could she be sure she caught a glimpse of a scar-mark near the wrist? Her hand trembled.
31"Can't guessh who she is, Hal? But I know. Can't fool ol' frien' Reggie. Saw her hair."
33She knew the Apache could make out nothing of her features except her eyes, and she thanked her stars for that. For a moment he stared at her intently, but gave no evidence that he could recognize her. Another dance struck up. He bowed again and hurried away.
35"Your friend Hal—our host, isn't he?" she asked eagerly.
37"Who'd s'pose it was?" Reggie countered. "Say, you!" Suspicion began to glitter in his wavering eyes. "Aren't you Daphne? Take it off! I wanna see!"
39He clutched for the hood. Mamie darted back, dodged through the crowd, and hid behind a gilded screen near the orchestra. Reggie lurched past her, mumbling.
41As swiftly as she could, she retreated into the corridor, ran upstairs and threw the hood into a corner of the little hall room on the second floor.
43From under the bed she snatched up the empty violin-case, then drew her cloak around her shoulders and darted down the front steps.
45The butler stared at her puzzled as she asked to be let out.
47"What's wrong, miss?"
49"I was too late," she choked. "They dismissed me."
51"Too bad, miss. Hope you'll have better luck next time."
53Cinderella fled without further ceremony.
55IT was shortly after ten o'clock the next morning when the Chief arrived at his office, exchanged there terse greetings with Kerrigan and Mamie, and scowled down at a stack of unopened mail upon the blotter of his desk.
57"Huh!"
59He grunted and picked up the envelope on the top of the pile. He jabbed a stubby index finger under the flap, ripped it open and drew forth a newspaper clipping marked with a blue pencil.
61"Your friend Selah again."
63He passed the envelope and the clipping over to Mamie.
65Mamie inspected the envelope first; it bore a special-delivery stamp and was postmarked, "City Hall Station, 9 A. M.," like its predecessor of the day before. Then she carefully studied the clipping—a section of the front page of the morning Telegraph, with Snapshot Bill's second picture of the series taken at the street-crossing. Over the face of the cut in blue pencil was written:
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