Part 54 (1/2)

He crossed the lobby, back to the office. As he did so, the naturalist had his face hidden deeply in the open newspaper. But no sooner had Del Mar pa.s.sed than the newspaper fell unappreciated and he gazed after him, as he left the lobby by the back way.

It was only a few minutes after she had completed arranging her small stock so that it looked quite impressive, that Madame Larenz heard a knock at the door and recognized Del Mar's secret code. She opened the door and he strode in.

”I got your note,” he said briefly, coming directly to business and telling her just what he wanted done. ”Let me see,” he concluded, glancing at his watch. ”It is after three now. She ought to be here any minute.”

Outside, Elaine drove up to the rather garish entrance of the St.

Germain and one of the boys in uniform ran forward to open the door and take charge of the car. She, too, crossed the lobby without seeing the old naturalist, though nothing escaped him.

As she pa.s.sed, he started to rise and cross toward her, then appeared to change his mind.

Elaine went on out through the back of the lobby, directed by a boy, and mounted a flight of stairs, in preference to taking the lift to the second, or sort of mezzanine floor. Down along the corridor she went, hunting for number twenty-two. At last she found it at the end, and knocked.

Del Mar and Madame Larenz were still talking in low tones when they heard a light tap on the door.

”There she is, now,” whispered Larenz.

”All right. Let her in,” answered Del Mar, leaping quietly to a closet.

”I'll hide here until I get the signal. Do just as I told you.”

Outside, at the same time, according to his carefully concocted plans, Del Mar's car had driven up and stopped close to the side of the hotel, which was on a slight hill that brought the street level here not so far below the second story windows. Three of his most trusted men were in the car.

Madame Larenz opened the door. ”Oh, I'm so glad you came,” she rattled on to Elaine. ”You see, I've got to get started. Not a customer yet.

But if you'll only take a few gowns, other people will come to me. I'll let you have them cheaply, too. Just look at this one.”

She held up one filmy, creamy creation that looked like a delicate flower.

”I'd like to try it on,” cried Elaine, fingering it rapturously.

”By all means,” agreed Madame. ”We are alone. Do so.”

With deft fingers, Larenz helped her take off her own very pretty dress. As Elaine slipped the soft gown over her head, with her head and arms engaged in its mult.i.tudinous folds, Madame Larenz, a powerful woman, seized her. Elaine was effectually gagged and bound in the gown itself.

Instantly, Del Mar flung himself from the closet, disguising his voice.

Together, they wrapped the dress about Elaine even more tightly to prevent her screaming.

Madame 'Larenz seized a blanket and threw that over Elaine's head, also, while Del Mar ran to the window. There were his men in the car, waiting below.

”Are you ready?” he called softly to them.

They looked about carefully. There was no one on that side of the hotel just at the moment.

”Ready,” responded one. ”Quick!”

Together, Del Mar and Madame Larenz pa.s.sed Elaine, ineffectually struggling, out of the window. The men seized her and placed her in the bottom of the car, which was covered. Then they shot away, taking a back road up the hill.

Hurriedly the naturalist went through the lobby in the direction Elaine had gone, and a moment later reached the corridor above.

Down it, he could hear some one coming out of room twenty-two. He slid into an angle and hid.