Page:The Master of Mysteries (1912).djvu/400

 only a few moments, and I suppose the windows were shut. They always are, even in summer."

"Yes; but she was really clever. She had a newspaper in her hand. On the front page were the headlines. Here, I have a yesterday's paper."

She took up a copy of the Gazette and pointed to the scare-head, "Tammany Will Help Push the New Viaduct," in such a way that only the word "Help" was evident.

"Then," Valeska continued, "she gave him a number, 3324, one digit at a time, on her fingers."

"I see. And Mr. Jenson, I suppose, wants to know the lady's name and address, and what she wanted?"

"Exactly. Of course the number was that of her house; but what street?"

Astro snapped his fingers impatiently. "It was her telephone number. Didn't she make any sign to show the central?"

"Why, just as she got to the 4, the train she was in swept out of sight as his slowed up at the Thirty-third-Street station."

Astro thought for a while. Finally he said, "Take the telephone book and make a list of all the exchanges, first thing. Then we'll have to use our pull with the company to find out the names and addresses of all the 3324's, and send men to investigate. It's merely a question of elimination then. But the question is, what was the matter? That requires thought. What happened yesterday? I suppose you've finished all the papers?"

"Yes; but there was nothing that seemed important to me."