PMOtt
Ae Chicago Aviation Meet.
registered ot the Congress
SYNOPSIS, In the smoking room of the CcJric, Hadley, an amateur aviator, tells of the mysterious disappearance of the Dessaud monoplane advertised to appear at
II mrrwnm tUnt Phillilt ft...,.... - IT,.,A ":, .J J . J: J- ! I ..I . . .1, L ,1. . . .! ., .. I.
- r t"j'uui .triv.i urfnjr lyncf, fiuu rnuuc u ncu uijiurcry in aiuming aria a jiirnc engine, umcn ine secrei agents oj oiner nations were ajier. Ire
riotel, was assigned to room I 54 and that was the last heard of him. Jlfler Hadley ceased speaking one of the gentlemen offered his card and said: Messieurs, I am Phillip Dessaud, and smiling telL
the story: He reached Chicago In the afternoon, drove toilh the French Consul to the Relation Qrounds, found everything in perfect condition, went hack to the Congress Hotel, and while sitting In hi
room the phone suddenly rang and a lady's voice says, "Is that you, 'Phillip?" He protested he did not know MaJememoiselle. She replied. "j4re you not Phillip Dessaud, suite I 54 fVes. Then
meet me in front of the Art Building at dusk. " As darkness fell he left the hotel, eager to learn what was to befall him at the rendezvous.
CHAPTKU III
IlEAt'TY IN DIsTHKSS
T was like sonic Parisian boulevard, t lint
Michigan Avenue, with the park on the one
side, and great buildings Mazing with lights
upon the other, while between, glistening in
the glow of electric flutters, an endless
stream of motor cars glided noiselessly along the
smooth pavement. The wide walk was thronged with
pedestrians, inter
ested in the avi
hl ion e a in p , or
st ro 1 li n g i d ly
through the sum
mer mglit, the
w o men r i r h 1 y
dressed, the men
in somber colors.
It was a scene of
enchant meiit, ever
changing, yet con
tinually brilliant
in the g 1 o w of
multi-colored
lights.
The doorman
gave me direct
ions, and I drifted
into the throng
m o v i n g n or t h
ward, so enter
tained by my
neighbors as to
almost forget for
the moment the
n a t u re of in y
quest. Vet. it was
but a short walk,
not over three
blocks 1 presume,
when I found my
self opposite what
must be the Art'
Huilding, a not
able edifice of
stone standing
alone in the open.
Assured of this by
questioning a passer-by,
I picked
my way across
through speeding
vehicles, and iq
proached the
steps, my mind
again centered on
this special ad
venture. There
were several
women near bv.
some with escorts, ' ;
but a few unat- '
tended in the '
strange- freedom
accorded the sex
in this country.
I' liable to distinguish between these I sauntered
the full length of the building, and, still in doubt,
returned toward the entrance, without having ven
tured to address anyone. Two or three of the women
were apparently waiting the appearance of some ex
pected companion, and glanced at me curiously, yet
none of these met my ideal of her who had spoken
to nie through the medium of the 'phone. Nor
did they wear the violets of recognition.
In the shallow of the further lion, however, one
stood motionless, barely discernible. 1 must have
passed her by unseeing on my first trip, but as I
returned more slowly, my eyes searching the gloom
dimly perceived the outlines of 'her figure. Per
haps 1 might have passed her by the second time,
but for her own impatience. Indeed I was already
at the foot of the steps, tempted to abandon the
search, half convinced I was the victim of a hoax,
when she took a step forward into the light. The
sudden movement attracted my attention, and the
first hurried glance revealed the violets at her belt.
Mcyond this 1 saw nothing clearly, only to realize
that the face below the vide brim of the hat was
young, and the lady petite. Her eyes were not
I do? You called me Philip, which is also my name
Philip Dessaud," and again 1 bowed with all respect.
"It was you who insisted."
"Yes, I know," she attempted to explain, her voice
trembling, her gloved hands clasped. "I 1 was
bo sure. And you were in 1 ,rl, were you not?"
"Certainly; that is my suite."
"Since wiien?"
"It must bp from three o'clock
Mademoiselle."
this afternoon.
fit U
lW ti:M (U
Mi. V
1 l:
s -: 'if-- aM
m
mw
I Was Conscious of a Newly Awakened Interest.
upon me, yet there could be no mistake, and I lifted
my hat, and bowed. She stood still in evident sur
prise, he,r eyes swiftly searching my face.
"You mistake " she began, but I interrupted:
"Pardon me if that be true, yet I think not. You
wear the violets, Mademoiselle, which were to be
the sign of my recognition," and 1 pointed at her
belt. "Indeed I am sure now that you have spoken,
for there cannot be two such voices in the world."
"Hut but you are not Philip Hewer. It was
not you to whom I spoke."
I began to see light, to understand.
"It was a mistake then; I thought as much," I
said regretfully. "Yet, Mademoiselle, what could
Her eyes fell,
then glanced up
again into my face.
"It is indeed a
mistake such a
curious one." nlie
began. "You must
listen, and believe
inc. ldo not in
the least blame
you; as a gentle
man you could do
no less, for you
could not know
but what the mes
sage was from some
friend. It is all
my own fault, my
own carelessness.
He was there
Philip lloiiser in
Suite 1 M this
morning. I rend
the name on the
register. I I went
t here seeking him,
but lacked the
courage at that
time to speak. I
cannot explain this
now, nor will you
ask. You are a
gentleman, 1 am
sure, or I could
not speak even as
freely as I do.
You respect my
silence?"
"Most assured
ly: you need only
tell in e to go,
Mademoiselle."
"No; that is not
my meaning. I
wish to explain,
to make clear the
nature of my
mistake; only
there arc condi
tions I cannot
confide to a
stranger. I lam
not specially a
friend o f Philip
Houser, merely an
acquaintance, a
business acquain
tance. We have not met for two years, yet there was
a reason why I should see him now, a reason of im
portance. Yet I was uncertain how my appeal would
be met, and hesitated. It was not until late this
afternoon that I finally gained courage, and going
into a public booth called his room at the hotel."
"You called him Philip."
"He is of an are to permit that;
at school together."
"Yet the voice which answered
one.
"Some voices are never natural over the wire,
and his was changing when I last heard it. Pesides I
was so sure suspicion never once entered my mind.'
besides we were
was a strang
