shreds.

"Why, Shep, what are you doing? You never tear things." Cleo charged,
attempting to rescue the remains of the yellow silk handkerchief.

But Shep would not release his hold on the rags--instead he growled.
Could Cleo have known why, she would have complimented him on being go
clever a detective, for the handkerchief was one of Reda's and mate to
the one Shep brought in with him the night he received the bullet in
his leg. But the girls knew nothing of this.

"Shall we go up for the bag?" Cleo asked Mary, desisting in her efforts
to unmask Shep.

"I suppose we better," Mary replied, as they made their way to the end
of the hall from which point the hidden stairs were built. "It is so
long since I have been up here I shall hardly know what it looks like."

Mary went first and Cleo followed close to her heels. At the top Mary
stood still and drew back a little. Then she turned and motioned to
Cleo.

"What's the matter?" whispered Cleo, seeing Mary make haste to collect
the most important things.

"There are a lot of strange boxes and things up there," Mary said in a
hushed voice. "Hark! What was that!"

Both girls stood breathless, afraid to move. Over in a far corner of
the long, dark room, something chattered and squeaked, then squealed!

"What ever can it be?" asked Cleo. "It is surely something alive, but
I don't know what could make that sort of noise."

"I do," said Mary. "That's a monkey. How do you suppose it got in
here?"

"You go over and look, if you are not afraid," suggested Cleo, "and I
will stay here to guard Shep. Hear him! He would go wild for a
monkey."

A clear line over the boxes, and through the long room showed nothing
more sinister than that some small animal could be hidden there, so
Mary stepped over the litter, and soon discovered the origin of the
queer noise.

"Oh, the dearest little thing!" exclaimed Mary, putting out her arms to
the frightened monkey, that immediately crawled into her safekeeping.
"How did it get in here?"

"Come on," implored Cleo, fearful someone might be in bidding. "Let us
get away. You are not afraid of him?"

"No, indeed. Just see how glad he is that we found him. I wonder how
long he has been up here!"

But even a starving monkey would not be sufficient cause for longer
delay, so, urging Mary down, Cleo held Shep fast while Grace hurriedly
locked the door that led to the second floor of the studio.

Now surely they must