"The address given here begins with the number 1," he said,
significantly. "It may be that Miss Marcia Ford, of 122 West Ninth
Street, is the woman we are looking for, although I confess I should
have suspected some rival motion picture star, rather than a film
cutter."
"By George, I forgot the fact that the card had an address on it," Baker
exclaimed. "I think we had better look up Miss Ford at once."
"I agree with you," Duvall said. A few moments later they were driving
at top speed back toward New York.
It was five minutes to twelve when they reached the corner of Fifth
Avenue and Ninth Street and turned west. Duvall realized that they were
following a very slim clue, but it seemed for the moment the only
promising one they had.
The house, No. 122, proved to be a typical high stooped, brownstone
boarding house of this section of the city. It was for the most part
dark, although one or two of the upper windows showed lights.
Accompanied by Baker, Duvall quickly mounted the steps and rang the
bell. At first there was no answer, although they could hear the sound
of the bell tinkling mournfully inside. A second summons brought no
greater response. At the third, a woman's head appeared in one of the
upper windows, and they heard a shrill and not over pleasant voice
asking them what they wanted.
"I have an important message for Miss Marcia Ford," Duvall replied
pleasantly. "I must see her at once."
"Miss Ford moved away from here three months ago," the woman snapped.
"Will you please give me her present address?" the detective exclaimed,
somewhat taken aback.
"I don't know it. She didn't say where she was going. Good night!" A
moment later the window above them was closed with a slam.
The two men stood staring at each other in the utmost disappointment.
They had expected a more favorable outcome of their expedition.
"How long has she been with you?" Duvall asked, turning to his
companion.
"I don't know. Certainly over three months, or we shouldn't have this
address on our books. I suppose, when she changed it, she omitted to
notify us. What are we going to do now?"
"There isn't anything we can do, until morning. If Miss Marcia Ford
reports for work to-morrow, and you see that she is the woman who
fainted in the theater to-night, have her arrested at once. If she
doesn't report for work, at least we shall know that she is the woman we
are after."
"That isn't much consolation," Mr. Baker grumbled.
"I don't agree with you. Having the woman's name, knowing her
appearance, we are certain to catch her, sooner or later. And in the
meanwhile, I do not think that she will attempt anything further so far
as Miss Morton is concerned. We are too close on her trail, for that."
"I hope you are right," said the motion picture man. "Well, I guess I'll
go along home. I'll be at the studio first thing in the morning,
however, and I suppose you will be there too."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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