Part 31 (2/2)

”George--George--are you awake? I didn't hear you come in. Dear Genevieve went over to stay all night with Cousin Betty, and the oddest thing happened. About midnight the telephone bell rang, and that odious Eliot person called you up!”

George was in the hall in an instant and before Mrs. Brewster-Smith's door.

”Well, well, for G.o.d's sake, what did she say!” he cried.

”Oh, yes, I was coming to that. She said to send your chauffeur with the car down to the--oh, I forget, some nasty factory or something, for Genevieve. She said Genevieve was down there talking to the factory girls. Fancy that, George! So I just put up the receiver. I knew Genevieve was with Betty Sheridan and not with that odious person at all--it was some ruse to get your car and compromise you. Fancy dear Genevieve talking to the factory girls at midnight!”

Penfield Evans and George Remington, standing in the hall, listened to these words with terror in their hearts.

”Get Noonan first,” said George. ”I'll talk to him.”

In five seconds Evans had Noonan's residence. Remington listened to Penny's voice. ”Gone,” he was saying. ”Gone where?” And then: ”Why, he was at the dinner last---What's Doolittle's number?” (”Noonan went to New York on the midnight train,” he threw at George.) A moment later Remington heard his partner cry, ”Doolittle's gone to New York? On the midnight train?”

”Try Norton,” snapped George. Soon he heard Penny exclaim. ”Albany?”

said Penny. ”Mr. Norton is in Albany? Thank you!”

”Their alibis!” said Evans calmly, as he hung up the receiver and stared at his partner.

”Well, it--it----Why, Penny, they've stolen Genevieve! That d.a.m.ned Mike and the Armenian! They've got Genevieve with that Eliot woman!

G.o.d----Why, Penny, for G.o.d's sake, what----”

”Slowly, George--slowly. Let's move carefully.”

The voice of Penfield Evans was cool and steady,

”First of all, we need not worry about any harm coming to Genevieve. She is with Miss Eliot, and that woman has more sense than a man. She may be depended upon. Now, then,” Evans waved his partner to silence and went on: ”the next thing to consider is how much publicity we shall give this episode.” He paused.

”It's not a matter of publicity; it's a matter of getting Genevieve immediately.”

”An hour or so of publicity of the screaming, hysterical kind will not help us to find Genevieve. But when we do find her, our publicity will have defeated you!”

The two men stared at each other. Remington said: ”You mean I must s.h.i.+eld the organization!”

”If you are to be elected--yes!”

”Do you think Genevieve and Miss Eliot would consent to s.h.i.+eld the organization when we find them? Why, Penny, you're mad! We must call up the chief of police! We must scour the country! I propose to go right to the newspapers! The more people who know of this dastardly thing the sooner we shall recover the victims!”

”And the sooner Noonan, when he comes home tonight, will denounce you as an accessory before the fact, with Norton and Doolittle as corroborating witnesses for him! Oh, you're learning politics fast, George!”

The thought of what Genevieve would say when she knew, through Noonan and Doolittle, that he had heard of the plot to kidnap Miss Eliot, and within an hour had talked to his wife casually at luncheon without saying anything about it, made George's heart stop. He realized that he was learning something more than politics. He walked the floor of the room.

”Well,” he said at last, ”let's call in Uncle Martin Jaffry. He----”

”Yes; he is probably paying for the job. He might know something! I'll get him.”

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