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THE CLOSING NET

would, of course, wait inside, so there seemed nothing for me to do but hang around outside until the party was over, which would probably be late in the afternoon. It was to be an elaborate affair, as two more big cars swept past us, also a couple of taxis.

Sure enough, when we reached the estate the big iron gates were wide open, and a footman was stationed on either side to salute the guests as they entered. I held straight on and pulled up in the shade around the first bend. Here I stopped the motor and, getting down, opened the door.

"Eh, well?" asked Rosalie a little sharply. I don't think she cared much for being a passenger in her own taxicab.

I jerked my head toward the corner of the big wall. "That's where they are," I answered, "at Baron von Hertzfeld's luncheon party."

"Oh! So that is his estate? I had heard that he lived out this way. What do you want to do now?"

"I want to keep them in view," I answered, "especially Chu-Chu. But I don't exactly see how I'm to do it. If we wait in front of the gates we shall be too conspicuous, and if we wait here we shall not be able to see them come out."

Rosalie threw me a peculiar look. She gave her pretty shoulders the slightest shrug.

"What's the matter?" I asked.

"That's what I am asking myself," said she with a little smile. "To tell the truth, there are some things about this affair that strike me as funny. First you say you are jealous of la belle Léontine;