The Mystery of the Secret Band Read online

  CHAPTER IX _Lunch at the Bellevue_

  Mary Louise slept late the following morning. The dining-room doors hadbeen closed for an hour when Mrs. Hilliard finally came into her room.

  "What time is it, Mrs. Hilliard?" she inquired, opening her eyes andstaring at the bright sunlight pouring through the windows.

  "It's almost eleven o'clock. I thought you had better sleep this morning,Mary Louise, on account of your head. How do you feel?"

  "Oh, I'm all right, Mrs. Hilliard, thank you. But this is no time foranybody with a job to get up! I'll get fired."

  The woman laughed.

  "My dear, you are doing all that anybody could do, I believe. I am afraidthe situation is hopeless. Mrs. Weinberger moved out this morning."

  "Did she hear from her daughter?"

  "Yes, she had a telegram. She is married and has gone to New York for ahoneymoon over Christmas."

  "How did her mother take it?"

  "Very badly. She seemed all cut up about it. The man has a job as a taxidriver, and though Mrs. Weinberger has never met him, she is sure he is arough, uneducated fellow."

  "Miss Stoddard thinks he is our thief," announced Mary Louise. "Shebelieves he has been working with Miss Weinberger's help." Mrs.Hilliard's eyes opened wide in astonishment.

  "That might be possible," she said.

  "Yes. You remember it was a man who entered my room Friday night. Andwith Miss Weinberger to watch out for him, he could have sneaked into'most any of the rooms. That's the theory I wanted to work on today.Where did Mrs. Weinberger go?"

  "To the Bellevue--temporarily. She said that she'd find something cheaperlater on and send me her forwarding address. But she will stay at the bighotel for a few days, till her daughter comes back."

  "Then I'm going to go see her there. Isn't there something she left thatI could take over to her, to use for an excuse?"

  "A special-delivery letter arrived a few minutes ago. I was going to sendit over this afternoon by one of the maids."

  "Let me take it! And I'll have Max take me there to lunch so I can say Iwas coming to the hotel anyway. Where is it?"

  "Broad and Walnut--right across the street from the Ritz Carlton. Yourfriend will probably know.... Now, you get dressed, Mary Louise, and comeover to my apartment for a cup of coffee. You must have something beforeyou leave."

  "Thanks very much, Mrs. Hilliard. If it isn't too much trouble."

  She was ready before one o'clock, her bandage entirely covered by herhat, and was waiting downstairs in the lobby for Max when he arrived.

  "You're looking fine today, Mary Lou!" he exclaimed admiringly. "How'sthe head?"

  "Oh, it's all right. Max, could we go to the Bellevue for lunch? And willyou please let me pay the bill--out of my salary? Because it's on accountof the job that I want to go there."

  "Sure we can go," he replied. "But nix on the bill. Unless you eateverything on the bill of fare."

  "I know, but it's a big hotel, and it may be dreadfully expensive."

  "We'll see," he agreed.

  Max left his car in an open-air garage near the hotel, and the two youngpeople entered together. Mary Louise thought it was a lovely place, andshe pressed Max's arm jubilantly. What fun it was to have a companion!She wouldn't have enjoyed lunching there alone at all, but having Maxmade it seem like a party.

  The hotel was quite crowded, probably with numerous vacation guests andChristmas shoppers, and the young couple made their way slowly to thedining room. In the passageway they suddenly came upon Pauline Brookswith another girl--the same blond girl she had been with on Walnut Streetthe preceding Saturday noon.

  "Pauline!" exclaimed Mary Louise. "How are you?"

  Pauline turned around, and seeing Mary Louise's handsome companion hersmile included him. Mary Louise introduced Max, and Pauline in turnintroduced the cute little blond as Miss Jackson. The girl immediatelybegan to roll her eyes at Max.

  "I was so disappointed that you moved away from Stoddard House," saidMary Louise.

  "I didn't like the atmosphere," replied Pauline. "Too much stealing. Iwas afraid I wouldn't have anything left if I stayed."

  "But you didn't lose anything, did you?" asked Mary Louise.

  "No, but I wasn't taking any chances. Besides, it's a lot morecomfortable here."

  "Here? I thought you were at the Ritz?"

  Pauline laughed.

  "I was. But my aunt went out to the country, so I moved over here. Likeit better."

  "I see."

  Suddenly a thought came to Mary Louise: That woman whom she had seen inthe empty house--her face looked like Pauline's aunt! That was the personshe had reminded her of!

  "Is your aunt's place at Center Square?" she inquired.

  Mary Louise thought she saw Pauline start at the question, but sheanswered it carelessly enough. "It's not in any town," she said. "Just inthe country.... Well, I'll be seein' you." She started away.

  "Wait a minute," begged Mary Louise. "Did you girls ever meet a girlnamed Margaret Detweiler, from Riverside? I am trying to find her for hergrandmother."

  "Margaret Detweiler--yes----" began Miss Jackson.

  But Pauline interrupted her. "You're thinking of Margaret Lyla, Blondie,"she corrected. "We don't know any Margaret Detweiler."

  "That's right," agreed the other girl, in obvious confusion.

  Mary Louise sighed: she had probably been mistaken. And it was all somixed up, anyhow. Her memory of the night before, of those two faces atthe window, was already growing vague.

  She and Max went on into the dining room.

  "Some high-steppers," remarked Max. "Not your type, Mary Lou."

  "I don't care for the little blonde," agreed Mary Louise. "But I did sortof like Pauline Brooks. She was my first friend here in Philadelphia, andshe seemed awfully sociable."

  "I don't like her," said Max emphatically.

  Of course, Mary Louise was flattered, and she smiled contentedly.

  "Well, you needn't worry--she'll never be one of my best friends," shesaid.

  The waiter led them to a table with a pretty bouquet on the shining whitelinen cover, and Mary Louise felt almost as if she were at a party. Anorchestra was playing, and there were many people dancing. Everythinghere spoke of gayety and life: no wonder Pauline Brooks referred theBellevue to Stoddard House. But she must be very rich to be able to stayhere.

  "A big city is grand, isn't it?" she remarked to Max, her eyes sparklingwith excitement.

  "Sometimes," he admitted. "But it can be an awfully lonely place too,Mary Lou. It all depends on who is with you." And his eyes told her whothe person was whom he preferred.

  "Yes, I guess you're right, Max. I was lonely--and it was wonderful ofyou to come. I wish you could stay the whole time here with me."

  "I'm supposed to go back tonight, or tomorrow morning early at thelatest. But I could break that on one condition."

  "What's that?" demanded Mary Louise.

  He lowered his voice to almost a whisper.

  "Mary Lou, you know how much I care for you. You know I've adored yousince the first minute I met you. There's never been anybody else. Let'sget married--now--today--and keep it secret till I graduate in June.Then----"

  The waiter approached diplomatically. Mary Louise picked up the menu inconfusion. She had never dreamed Max would suggest such a thing. Why, shehad no idea of getting married for years and years!

  "I'll take this special luncheon," she said, noticing that its cost wasmoderate.

  "I will too," added Max, anxious to get rid of the waiter.

  "What do you say, Mary Lou? Will you?" His voice was so eager that thegirl was deeply touched.

  "Oh no, Max. I couldn't. I don't love you--or anybody--that way yet. AndI couldn't deceive my parents or let you deceive yours."

  "We might just tell our fathers and mothers," he suggested.

  "No, no, I couldn't. Let's don't even talk about it. I'm here inPhiladelphia on a
detective job, and I mean to give it my very best. I'llbe sorry to have you go home, but maybe it will be better. I'll workharder if I haven't anybody to play around with. Now--what would you sayto a dance while we wait for our first course?"

  The couple glided off to the music, and more than one person in that bigdining room noticed the graceful, handsome pair and envied them theirhappiness. When they came back to their seats their soup was ready forthem.

  "Here come your friends," remarked Max, as Pauline Brooks and her blondcompanion entered the dining room. "And take a look at the fellows theyhave with them!"

  "I don't like their looks," announced Mary Louise emphatically.

  "Neither do I, needless to say. Just goes to show you what kind of girlsthey are.... Mary Lou, I want you to drop that Brooks woman. She mightget you into harm. Promise me!"

  "No need to promise," laughed Mary Louise. "I'll probably never see heragain now that she's moved away from Stoddard House."

  Mary Louise ate her luncheon with keen enjoyment. There was nothing likegoing without breakfast, she said, to give you an appetite for lunch.

  "Do you think there's any chance of your getting home for Christmas?"asked Max wistfully.

  "No, I don't believe so," she replied. "I try not to think about it. Itwill be my first Christmas away from home, the first time I ever didn'thang up my stocking. But, Max, if I could solve this mystery for Mrs.Hillard, it would be worth ten Christmas stockings to me. I just can'ttell you what it means."

  "Yes, I realize that. But it doesn't seem right. The fun athome--visiting each other's houses after dinner, and the Christmas danceat the Country Club! Gosh, Mary Lou, I just can't bear it!"

  "Why, Max, I'll be the homesick one--not you," she reminded him.

  Her eyes traveled around the room while they were waiting for theirdessert, and she caught sight of Mrs. Weinberger, eating a lonely lunchin a corner by a window, looking as if she didn't care whether she livedor died. Mary Louise felt dreadfully sorry for her; she was glad to havean excuse to go to speak to her after lunch.

  She took Max over and introduced him. Mrs. Weinberger acknowledged theintroduction, but she did not smile. She looked as if she might neversmile again.

  "Yet how much gloomier she would be if she knew we suspected her daughterand her husband of those crimes!" thought Mary Louise.

  "I have a special-delivery letter for you, Mrs. Weinberger," she said. "Iwas coming here for lunch, so Mrs. Hilliard asked me to bring it over toyou."

  "Thank you," replied the woman, taking the letter and splitting theenvelope immediately. "You heard that my daughter is married, Miss Gay?"

  "Yes, Mrs. Hilliard told me." Mary Louise longed to ask when thehoneymooners would be back, but she hesitated because Mrs. Weinbergerlooked so gloomy.

  The woman drew a snapshot from the envelope.

  "Why, here is their picture!" she exclaimed. "And--he's positivelyhandsome!"

  Eagerly she handed the photograph to Mary Louise, anxious for the girl'sgood opinion of the new son-in-law.

  What an opportunity for the young detective! Mary Louise's fingersactually trembled as she took hold of the picture.

  But all her hopes were dashed to pieces at the first glance. The man wasas different from Mary Louise's burglar as anyone could possibly be. Sixfeet tall and broad-shouldered, he was smiling down tenderly at his newwife, who was at least a foot shorter.

  "He's charming, Mrs. Weinberger," she tried to say steadily. "May I offermy congratulations?"

  The older woman straightened up--and actually smiled!

  "He is a civil engineer," she read proudly. "But he couldn't get a job,so he's driving a taxi! Well, that's an honest living, isn't it?"

  "I should say so!" exclaimed Max. "You're lucky you don't have to supporthim--as so many mothers and fathers-in-law have to nowadays."

  Mary Louise was pleased for Mrs. Weinberger's sake but disappointed forher own. Miss Stoddard was all wrong: the solution was incorrect. And shewas just as much at sea as ever!

  "There's your friend Pauline Brooks," remarked Mrs. Weinberger."And--look who's with her!"

  "That's a friend of hers--a Miss Jackson," explained Mary Louise, as thetwo girls, with their boy-friends, got up to dance.

  "Miss Jackson nothing! That's Mary Green--the chorus girl who was stayingat Stoddard House when my watch was stolen. I'd like to have a talk withthat young woman. But I suppose it wouldn't do any good."

  Mary Louise's eyes narrowed until they were only slits; she was thinkingdeeply. Mary Green--alias Miss Jackson! The next step was to find outwhether Pauline Brooks too had a different name at this hotel!

  Maybe at last she was on the right track.