OCR Text |
Show "THE PROVO HERALD COPYRIGHT. iavy OOSCS-AlttRK- - LL COi -I I did." The colonel extricated hisn-- 4 blank darkgree sbadeSj Jlke, bandy self from bis wrappings enough to ring aged eyes, on the court and the beaua pale .blue "envelope, wbtctrhe- handed flful terraces aud the Uively a weep of - I I rdsaliaX3ft wriunjirQjoTltie7cTiniyortoMet ter, kind to make a. man hot under the collar and swear at Keatchain'S Mr. Keatcham unaUle to he left San bid not see anything of Francisco, any boy. Probably ran away. Has no information of any kind to afford. And the- writer iseraittcerely ntlne, The minute I read it I wa sure Mer cer wfoteTf ; "an'diew-1t;to"iuakheart-tessnes- -- III J T e I .with Keatcham wouldn't pursue the subject with him. J ust the same . way he snubbed niy auiitj. and, for that matter, just the way he tried to. snub me on the irafriT JiuLJie missed his maikTirwIred every hotel in Santa Barbara and every one hi ixs Angeles! and KealchanOsn't Where und hain't Wen there.- - He. has Hie ko disgusted wajtin.Iir Angeles,-bu- t him, forwarded from Ios be hasn't shown himself."' JiirdjaJJ.hjlance miration at the colonel. - You're aTl there, general," Re cried wlfli unquenchable familiarity. "I've been trying to call up the Keatcham outfit, and I couldn't get a tine, either. They haven't used the tickets the yTJoughT-their reservations w ent empty 10 Ijb Angeles. Now, what do you make out of that?" t muk out thaFATchlels only par? the soldier. oTheir "Now see, Ififdsall, you are not, going io get ' 5cbuple Of Tlcli young college, ?-- - The bent - figure f a man rakliiSii e by the perspective, was Just beyond the high pillars of the gateway.. He paid no attention to thel or notions of caivnor did e answer a hail until it was repeated. Then he approached the car. Birdsajl was In the roadway trying to unlock the-- atf,- The jnan, whose Japanese features were quite, distinguishable. buwedr-h- e explained' able owners-Wer- e not at home; his I insignificant self was the only keeper of the grounds. He spoke sufficiently g(Kd English with the accompaniment of a deprecatory, amiable smile. Bird-sail- , In turn, told him that his own companion was a very great geutle-niafrom the east- - who belonged to a socletyl)fvait po wer whlchwaa"tn vcstigating spectral appearances, and that he had come thousands of miles -torsee The ghost. v The Japanese extended both hands. while the appeal.. of .Ii7s7snuie: t4Tb6 liad, velly," he murmured, 't nev';'.-"Don"but not leally any g'lost.-nyou believe Jn the ghost?" asked Col: Winter, oTrne ttsttaTi boy, no bollovoi distorted vls-ibl- the-mot- tfeat-tfce-ho- ooft fc.- J IK -t t " . Mitt ( t-i- a-i n rr jeep-eued- not'ings." "All the samee," said the .coloiigl, Jajtoijously J swinging himself, from his- - vankge-gtthd"oFHheHt- to the Sat top of thralt:thenee-.dropping to the green' sward below, "allee 'safttw ; like" 'g;a"1n JiOTise fellows to do just plain kidnaping and He crackled a bank note In the palm gamer'-repli- ed - hti:nt--ghot1.- " 0 general," interrupted Bird noddipg as if to break the force of his sall'those college guys don't turn a "brusque "action. Meanwhile. Hlrdsall hair at kidnaping; they regularly steal had safely shut off his engine before Mjord, "of he- - placed. hluiseJf.beaJda the,others 1.ntnA , with an hftjexiciei bees and initiations would make an of his rotund build. . Apache Indian sit up and take notice. As for the caretaker, whether be I tell you, generalr-they'rthe limit for cause he , perceivea i.himseu outnum ' fateful-Chap- ,-. . , Youie st"V Expostulated deviltry." Sh bered, or because he was really void "Some kinds; Not that kind; it's of suspicion, he accepted the money too dirty. Arnold wag One of the clean- with outward gratitude and proffered The Detective Had Interposed a Stalwart Leg. est football players at Harvard. And his guidance through the garden and efforts; later, he would have seen the the colonel ; "you know the house, you 1 : : I think the Keatcham party is in I don't know nyting "about human the orchards. He slipped Into the role watering pot bearer pursue the others go ahead." SYNOPSIS. into the house, emitting noble yells of The Jap darted on ahead so swiftly It; and I think they are after bigger nature it that other youngster Isn't oTiciwietVaetem--ealst- i " that, they had some ado to follow; The storv opens at Harvard where Col. game than Archie. Maybe the train decent. Rut Mercer es un loco; you ance; be was voluble; he was gracious; "Fire! anT "Help saw the robbers were a look out for anything from him. he was can he had Rupert Winter.'U. S. A., visiting, same which seemed necessary, alnce he this scheme of his with the observer, Further, delighted part artlessly suicide of young Mercer, He met Cary Now, see the combination. Arnold was senors. In spite of this flood of suavi been an Intimate friend of Sergt, Den- might have clashed a bolt on them at Mercer, brother of the dead student. although I'm not so sure of that." Three years later,Harvard I have traced the motor ty, however, there seemed to be no nis Haleyr certainly would have recog- any turn. The colonel's stiff leg kept rat it all in Oh. the robbers were Col. Winter overheard Cary Mercer ap- car they used to him; and then, if you possibility of persuading lilm 1o admit nized that resourceful man of war In In the rear, but' Haley" wai 'never- - - -the now come Miss to to - parenily But Archie, Smith; kidnap right, planning Is away safe them to the house.' colonel's ward, and to gain possession of where does : : hand's breadth behind the runner., the amateur fireman.: sh"eomenff?rOT"aTeyr4B add that .. his. father. Aunt Rebecca Winter's millions. A Miss a as sure of her as Merder was in Chi- in Europe and he has an empty house, t inr two Assured of Jhis, the two fell, back smoke plaee,-btrSmith was mentioned, apparently """"Theyfound off to xne side, with a quantity of CHAPTER VIJ1.. :.i conspirator. Winter unexpectedly metwhoa cago?'' for a second, tIme for the merest eye- they easily extinguished the tiny relative, Mrs. Mllllcent Melville, Archie of around the and it reputation Face to Face. flames. In both cases' the bombs flash from the detective to the soldier. told him. that his Aunt Rebecca, If he had expected to get a spark (. space " and the latter's nurse," Miss Janet Smith; out of the Winter tinder being haunted, why to" the the Into men When at once two' turned out to be no more dangerous who the sera this up briskly got limped by -- were to leave tor tne west witn me "it looks good to me. And I underare very ''much house the dim rooms made then stum- than a common kind ..of. firework! . "We colonel and Mrs. MelvtUi the sol- saying: Jap, mistaken; Araiaa?4pingjtrokehejwas stand my men have got around It on ' clal magiiaterasber4-h-4ia.teon-- . ng obliged to you; this Is a beautiful ble for a moment after the brilliant yielding a suffocating smoke In an ln which Col. Winter met nis Aum neoec-call" Howsyour-maithe quiet ' right"' we want his beautiful set He of the outer skies ; but In a closure, Archie. but sunshine the and fixed the on hills beyond Miss Smith house, no8peclal damage gardens; gaze Haley, to watch over Cary house roofs; and he answered in a Haley got on hiring out to the Jap in to see the ghost; and If you can give second Birdsall's --groping hand had ongafe r and fireproof ground, like orderly, Sergt learned that the Col. Mercer. Winter : " and the hearth. They were quickly extinme young Mr. Arnold's address I will found an electric push-buttofinancial magnate is Edwin 8. Keatcham. level tone:. "Did you get that story charge?" "WelI enough; the Jap took him on see him or write, and we can come room ' was flooded with light They guished.- In their search On approaching Cary Mercer, the colonel from my aunt, or was it Mrs. Melville? they passed v wa snubbed Winter,- aided, by-- Archie, were In a. small office off the kitchen, from one luxurious room sto another; on v the I'm pretty certain you got your .bi- to mow, but either Mr, Caretaker back." . cleverly frustrated a hold-u- p train. He took a -great liking to Miss ography from that quarter. My aunt doesn't know anything or he won't The Kardenerrwtth manr apologies apparently. Smoke of a peculiarly the Jap leading, until he finally halted Smith,: despite her alleged - connection tell, He's bubbling over with char in a spacious library hung In Spanish which hft" jiad jniiMJLaveltpld her." ; 3 and smiles: did not know Mr. Arnold's pungent odor and wtthhMdHaptBa-ptot,and iJieCQUit:. not yet revealed to his relatives. The .. "That would be leather, with ancient, richly - carved a lady's betraying arrived In San Francisco. It was he" tised " where and the Hheap-4mltH"lot- S try T Philippines, In moment Tarty the" beduf the andrenTranclhgSBatlIslI soiled card, explaining that it bore I'm only a detective, 'there were big persons' confidence. that hone knows to that the but hold-uthe" p be; Archie only Of mysterl-- i whose business is to hind gang. turned wood and age-me- l name pf the gentleman in charge, of explore its cause the others perceivea chairs pry but I never orable oualy disappeared. Fruitless search wasfamily are all away 'and heis to them. One lowed cane, and bookcases sumptuousconducted for Archie. Blood in, a neargo back on the ladies. Andl think, shun the house. Aren't we almost the "property, Birdsall, peeping over two. doors and made for But the colo"by room at the hotel caused fears for the the Jap's shoulders; added that It .was was locked, but the other must have ly tempting a book-love- r the same's you, that thejady in question there?" boy's life. No headway was made In was ' . been free to open, since Haley, with nel cared only for the soul of a book,-n-ot V. the card of a well known legal firm. is a real nice, high-toneJk search for,. Archie. The. lad's voice lady ; but I , "Just around thecornpry. and guess Its body; the richest, and clearest bounded through Jt , heard over' I never "Then," said the colonel with de- bis waerlng-cana woman's voice that of can't disregard the evidence. later thLftTs It's just see when it were you'll you while tugging at the other. of black letter or the daintiest of tool-In- g they 'we will thank you again Miss Smith. Col. Winter, and a detective glve out my system, but I've got one, liberation, however. Haley et out for the empty mansion, owned by all the same. Look here, see this the patio a spook of vtasTe would had left him cold; moreover, every your cmnesy,nd-what- 's thatj" Arnold, a Harvard graduate. . freeze to.". . .. fiber in him was strung bynls quest; The Jap turned; they all started "at was. back again shouting and pointing paper?" he had replaced the envelope ' ' - : L I the barking detonation of some explo- down the dark passage. ' and Haley, naturally, was immune; "Why is it haunted ?" In his pocket; he pulled it out again; CHAPTER VI I. Continued. deI me to on "Now the have ain't you strangely enough, it was the cheerful, - them - "The fire's there," screamed aboutwhile w' "mpinvpr's Bqtjre did not even or, rather, so the colonel fancied, until sion; they gazed cards. five The Gimme such dream stuff. smoke! can smell "I tective. vulgar 'little detective who gave a r felrdaall turned the 'envelope ever, there came another booming sound, flick the dust off Birdsall's compla' There s a Mrs' Arnold JllidoEL 111 Luruiw.-.thrf?"Rh thfi keyhole!" jlance, rapld but full of admiration. to De7 blank. It e couldfee-smok, and pouring cency; hd grinned cheerfully. "Oh, I'm vealing 'tain't her; and tbe' house has only from they the chimney and leaking through But while the not so bad as that; I don't suppose she sheet of paper inside; take It out been huilt two the but neighyears;' look at the In the rear lock and swung back the door, and the table. Incongruously Jostled by the window jolnteef-aroodid kill the boy;, I think he's alive, all Look at the water-mar. heard aeen bors have and lights magazines of the day. then compare it with this of the house. Like a hare, not breaking Haley, who had paused to replenish right. But ay, colonel, I'll give it to pattern faucetat the a convenient his at letter"-handinchopping pick watering-cag faced Winter was who the groan8arida the the colonel Jap, origa his wind by single cry, the Jap sped yon straight; I do think the senora Fafterhe other two, the sheathed again In his bland and Iminal envelope. - "Same exactly, ain't stones. Some folks say the land be- toward the court. - The others were -darted - coaied-theAg- off died colonel stood e Jongedjb3noXdnilner listening with every passive politeness. "Where "is Mr. colonel went off. Well, then he was they?" you,-h- to catck-ao- me " before he could tell where he'd burled hardoihlsheejshoughhe Mercer?" said 1 studied who 'The had the In colonel, who's i somehow. Now, got coaxed, his maiuma; so he is taking a little e adundeelledFire'-JielpIratthwavedThls hands in air elo reached the 1 .flMBceienougl'ttt great ;:Therap by the time they er top f ofrWs ryolcebuU notmovlng a quent 'oriental: gesture,,.. He assured as silently; arid he had" a' premonition buacaiifteTzKShereV' iroa::ioiir-:- : cross out thanaMad:d zi. SZZZIS'-? . : lauscle. --"'Too- far it," he. muttered,! general." j f It asfinttexrisentence-beore did questioner that-h-e out Mrs. Melville Winter: so do I. I jBut a key ; he turned I then he . yelled ,agaln . and threw a Z The street climbed a gentlenailtahd 4t haJaUulJedthe wide door JicJuiownyMilerjee.r, Jhere.was barely , "' guesswrbotbrosToutiaeiSJMad jiiiiwung mission stambled had house in ' ' heavy chair as if he -left mis morning, iook me 10 miss oniun s onJts crest a largeff pleaaant:And7 enoughQnlercainngTOTrthemo against it. Another - pause ;. . he .. got no one In the house. WeUeM'jafcan4Jhe its ItffjjHrwlllirr'Trn', fi'mnirVhiiriFaif 1 Thexolonel liad seated himself In a stay, outr he would teli 'them Jf he f9nsm,ZZL. , position on a corner and the unusual needed! them. dowrnSBnfhifckaeeatejH-- I- - stand hniQre::tlke tt. u e "ReaWX3on seehytraT" roseihedldnotl- -, thefloor. -gave 'the "You seem to be right In thinking size of the grounds aboiif maybe-honoralooked bo. :M-Jn"AuguBtly. stamped longer stay; i he mansion an effect of space. Of almost that but -- ob speak, " like an Invalid. "Show your star, you are digging up motives. And how tne paper widely distributed," rawly recent Terectlotrthough It wasr WmaelfJwerenfc"JMLJoBjble. served the colon ek a about lhe chambermTiHTV .; please," he commanded Birdsall, and had But detective the Interposed under Some one down cellar; but not the krndlyTHimate had bo fostered the the latter silently flung back the --lapel Z BirdsalFflashed fiance of reproach iereTV" Mead whllehe was hurrying in " -, growth of the pines, acaclaa and.Uye- - stalwarL legllandiaTmuldeEZTn "" i . of hia the door ""gWUng Tjpenr'he acted as .if t on hjB com panion'Nowj1 colonel do Clous t" as bis as swiftly o,thers pufsultottle should thlnkrtr more snspiciounf "I ought to tell you," continued-Rupe- rt you thtak I ain't looked her. up? First which made a rich blur of color lieFaOost his wits with excitement stiff knee would allow He found them trees, .... .... on were desk. notout. her Vermont the paper 7 thing. Nothing in Winter, "that the game Is up."--It on the hillside, had so lavishly tended "You're burnIjigp!Jx)rdryoure la a sldehattJffllh 'she Is such a deep one as you seem Fire! Fire!" he bawled, do would for you-- to run water-soakeof girl, threeyyears in (he hotelT pame If a the creeping Ivies and BougalnYilleas burning! about heap gathered room. rushed the into of bit and of yours Into that Iteel boldly for her lungs. She aln'l in it;" But poisoned charred w4papc'."- '?,' which, masked the rounded lantern bit of evidence." : Jet's get back to Miss Smith. ; Did you arches of 'the "ster'h gray facade, and , 1 Winter followed him, also, calling V: 'Tla terrible! announced Haley; me or Into any of us; we have only to know we suspected her. so . .."She didn't knowhis-ar- y "lumpfnously- - blazoned the flower aloud In a "strident voice. And it !a bum for 8urelrft djinnermlte bnm!w stay here a little too long and the Of course,-- you Haven't shadowed j&er ted IawTv.-TT;i!iof 8an Francisco will be down on 8lnJhgarden:aaL:J6 one jhand. was 4o 4e observe(L:beingjuch fishing out 8ometb.lngZJlke I" thto-mat- d yo-- -h I know all about:what sort LHe delivered his shot in a casual usuarpfepjiratlon: yet, onTnheother7hado-cunnIng- ly can from thejBodden muti a limit to aetectlvedaty dulled the greenish gray of the cobble-i- n that he had drawn a heavy revolver ls but we have money to spend ' rrrhere are, rand they ;atonlIy; jtookTt Iirrrzway, "Anyhow, there'goesjthe real thing," as well as you. You take the note 1 -d. case a mart Irrhis-banto the Before "nevertheless'Ttrwent retorned the: with of, ran gentleman,", it and n stones from Calif ornla arroyos In chlmobserved , tne colon I shall write to Mr. Mercer, or whatevei r"TB!rdBaH con'Hnwra'N6ii rqueition is, tce.coione.1, nangntuySiaDayei BOItnas. fanndadanlanilJiad- aa aoftlylie, jujaaej the .air. formidable explosloa. Jar didn't his laand all bis his nf thick then yoiylclrooBe to call him; th carded secrefaryfrou topcoat BitsitHHighed; wejrcgrjtBe gardfi '411 :ms youwjuLJuaXlLinjOISH angweraY(Lgt9yhere UDtllJbecome8.'' see the man in nnrnPMnrmr nimm ry mi.- "Well, of ennme, tatoet and the plaster of walla-Jin- d wrappings.. f hissed the Jap, and his knife flashed. - bacTtT Hadrhewffolel' etpepi we. both thlnft there are other people mansion-wlt- h Having thus spoken In an even, gen "An observer, also (Bad there-bee- n tiny Blamentrbf llchens Chlto. Chi to!" soothed "the .colonel, tle voice, be scribbled a few words on "I couldn't see. He had 'different In the Job; I flont know exactly what or faint green' moss, thlt the beholder one uear), would have taken note of a I lifting' lilgTTOlyeJLiayoBlsawleagiy.-- ' a. piece of. paper which he took out of clothes; but still there was something y7umean by "bigger "game, "buFTcan vtgMfancy the hpuse jto 'be the an- rbbusrTfTsTlWaTr two brawny, arms his note-booaake-aataer.at, It.; Usar say, did cient home: of some Spanrsh hidalgo, lng tie flower-bedJhis he proffered to and would have Simultaneously rIlkyMefeef about theBhontdera." his arms at own the Jap's pinioned the take to chance theget handed yott Jap.' "Bufney didnl get anyTanswer flrBtpeal " JowawUhaerediyiriufe, keettibjnilftralghtett-a- t ?-r tKeatchani hirqaelf?'Dn bla wDarC'lhe a snapshotrlJxn1iBlnap-he-tovelatter Ifefit through generations, to the last of his of the explosinn.' slart' wlldlyat-th- ej ' I r his ty -- I - ml V 'i. inlft rnnr--- -f lilllll'i I miiuiii . man. Here it is. Pull that book out "Tft'f. "Yes," salJ- - the colonel, grimly, .."I race, v One was tempted to auch a chimneys before an: inriiioarT bObatwrnBo-JotWtras- of my pOHcketT-7Jt'r.-'H'Theard; .You know the sort of letter I flutter of fancy because of the impres- waa to.be $een, then run swiftly and grateful chapyouae'.la," expostulated surance that"they were aloneTln the" bate to reshtrala- - yebut house; he Insinuated; hhr susplcloa Obeying, the colonel lifted a couple wrote; telllrfg him of our dreadful anx- sion given by the mansion. A sullen climb up to a low chimney On a wing Haley.? In hand. He If ye thry any Jehu Jits on me 'twill be thatthey were thereVtor too honest of small prints, .which he scrutinised iety and fljout the lad's being an or- reticence hung about the place. The of the house,, watering-po- t wld youse mighty quick." . purpose; finally was willing to intently, at the end admitting: ; "Yes, phan; donl you think it was the sort wlndowg.Iot Jbemost . part, were would have seen him empty his inad- ahanara "No - onderatanV . murmured the search the house If they would stn? .and is he all right. Now, do yoa lrarow-- of letter a Idecent man would "answer heavily shuttered. .Not a pane of glass equate rapidly " no matter Aow busy he might be V flashed back at the sunlight; even descend the ladder, while the smoke Jap, plaintively 4'Why you hult me?" Where they were.: ' I think?" 'r-' . T0 Effl CONTINUliD.) Sure. Didn't yon get an answer!" those casements not shuttered turned volleyed forth, as if defying hi puny put' out the fire first,- - said ".Birdsall couldn't form an Idea. . 1. il-- .'.--J . .lw,1 A agiHlv-.hardly.io- , e -- f in- ... - lr . : -- raeve-l-bKodi- a, H but-doi- ng h g -- d - fr .. , lnHst-4Htiediate- l3L . T n 2JLL HI i llmpednd-ahowedslgnabTdls- r -- hl -- tre the-hous- "t orTr doB't-iuspect-- " jL le 4 09Kyw you W ii loTffiake-inore-than-anyJioa- Du-ectly- rt..ni. ble -- AdQfcdn3.bf i -r.- . coatl : it-De- cent ;no-"go- od d -- - iM' ... bttr-T?::li- . a4 1 ' g( rd and-biln- s, wbea-ypn-wx- 4 po-lic- e ote - r- f -, ." -- - Tit L - |