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Show II "'-m mr n jTV imr 1 A mfcHT8 1 1 CHAPTER VIII. Face to Face. TUf I f'll'W iAILrlra, BY CHAPTER IX. The Agent of the 1 1 1L LIvJII k3 k3i ImlmL, OCTAVE THANET Fireless Store. " " Copyright by tho Bobbs-Mcrrlll Company. Ii . CHAPTER VUL Faco to Pace. When tho two men cot into the houso tho dim rooms mado them stumolo j for a moment nfter tho brilliant sunshine sun-shine of tho outor skies; but in a sec- I ond Birdcall's propinc hand had found an electric push-button and the room wns flooded with licht. Thoy woro in a small office off tho kitchen, apparently. appar-ently. Smoko of a peculiarly pungent odor and eye-smartinp character blurred a'l tho surroundincs. but durine the moment the Jap halted to cxploro its cause tho others perceived two doors and made for them. Ono was locked, but the other must havo been free to open, sinco Haley, with his watering enn, bounded through it while they wero tugging at the other. Almost immediately, however, Haley was back again shouting and pointing down the lorlr nnccnirn I "The fire's there," screamed tho detective. de-tective. "I can smell smoko! The Finoko comes through tho koyhole! " But whilo tho Jap fitted a key in the lock and swung back tho door. and Haley, who bad paused to replenish his watering can at a convenient faucet, darted after the other two, tho colonel 6tood listening with every auditory nerve strained to catch somo sound. Ho yelled "Firol help!" at tho top of Ins voice, but not moving a muscle. "Too far off," ho muttered, then ho yelled again and threw a heavy chair as if he had stumbled against it. Another An-other pause; ho cot down on his knees to put his car to the floor. Directly ho rose; he did not speak, but tho words that ho said to himself were only: "Just possible. Some one down coller; but not mider here." Meanwhile ho was hurrying in pursuit of tho othors as swiftlS' as his stiff knee would allow. al-low. He found them in a side hall with tiled or brick floor, gathered about a water-soaked heap of charred red paper. pa-per. " 'Tis terrible!" announced Haley, "a bum for sure! a dinnermito bum!" fishing out something like a tin tomato to-mato can from the sodden mass. "Anyhow, there goes tho re3l thing," observed the colonel coolly, as a formidable formid-able explosion jarred tho air. "If you blow us up. I kill you first! " hissed the Jap, and his knifo flashed. "Chito. Chitol" soothed the colonel, lifting his revolver almost carelessly. Simultaneously two brawny arms apin-ioned apin-ioned tho Jap's own amis at his .sides. "Shnre, Mister Samurai, 'tis the on-grateful on-grateful chap youse is." expostulated Jlnlej-. "J hate to reshtrain ye, but if ye thry anj ,-jehu.iits on me 'twill be sahanara wid youse might quick." t"V niwlnrclon ' " murmnron iho. I Jap plaintively. "Why you hult me?" "Come, put out the fire first." said the colonel; "you know the house, you go ahead." The Jap darted on ahead so swiftly that they had somo ado to follow, which seemed ncccssarj'. since ho might have clashed a bolt on them at any turn. Tho colonel's stiff leg kept him in the rear, but Haley was never a hand's breadth behind "the runner. They found smoko in two places, but they easil3' extinguished the tiny flames. Tn both cases tho bombs turned out to bo no more dangerous than a common kind of fireworks yielding a suffocating' suffocat-ing' smoke in an inclosurc, but doing no especial damage on safe and fireproof fire-proof ground, like a hearth. They were quickly extinguished. Tn tboir search they passed from ono luxurious room to "another, the Jap leading, until he finally halted in a spacious library hung in Spanish leather, with ancient, richly carved Spanish tab'es and entrancing Spanish chairs of turned wood and age-mellowcd age-mellowcd cane, and bookcases sumptuously sumptu-ously tempting a book-liver. But tho colonel cared only for the soul of n book, not its body; tho richest and clearest of black letter or the daintiest of tooling had loft him cold; moreover, overy fiber in him was strung by his quest, and Haley, naturally, was im-muno: im-muno: strangely enough, it was tho cheerful, vulgar little detective who gave a glance, rapid but full of admiration, ad-miration, at the shelves m and pilo of missals on f.hn trihlp. iiicnnrrrnfinqlv jostled by magazines of tho day. Winter faced the Jap, who was mWM sheathed again in his bland and im- mmm passive politeness. ""Whero is Mr.. mWM Mercer?" said he. mWM Tho Jap waved his hands in an clo- mWM quent oriental gesture. He assured tho mWM honorable questioner that ho did not mWM know any Mr. Mercer. Thoro was no """"H one in the house. mWM The colonel had seatod himself in a priceless arm chair in Cordova stamped mWM leather; ho no longer looked liko an """"fl invalid. "Show jour star, please," ho """"fl commanded Birdsall, and tho latter si- mWM lently flung back the lapel of his coat, """"flj "I ought to toll you," continued Eu mWM pert Winter, "that tho game is up. It mWM would do no good for you to run that mWM poisoned bit of steel of 3-ours into me or mWM into any of us; wo havo only to stay mWM here a little too long and tho police of San Francisco will be down on vou oh, """"H I know all about what sort they arp, mWM but wb have money to spend ,as well mmM as you. You take tho nolo I shall write mmM to Mr, Mercer, or whatever you chooBO mmM to call him, and bring his answer. We stav hero until ho comes." mmM Having thus spoken in an even, gen- mmM ilo voice, ho scribbled a few words MmM on a piece of paper which ho took out MmM of his notebook. This ho proffered to MmM the Jap. MmM On his part, tho latter kept hia self- mMm respect; ho abated no jot or his nssur- MmM nnce that they were alono in tho house; MmM he insinuated his suspicion that they MmM wero there for no honest purpose; MmM finally he was willing to search tho MmM house if they would stay where thcy MMM MMM "I am not of ton mistaken in people," MMM was tho colonel's rattier obliquo an- i MMM swer, "rfnd I think you aro a gontle- MMm man who might kill mo if you had a MMM chance, but would not break his word MMM to inc. If you will promiso to play MMM fair with us. do no harm to my nephew, MM tako this letter and bring mo an an- I MWh swer if yon find any one on your MM word of honor as a Japanese soldier and Mm gentloinan, you inay go; wo will not MM signal tho police. Is it a bargain7" MM Tho .Tap gravely assented, still in tho MM language of the east, "saving his faco" MMM by tho declaration o hc absonco of MMm his principals. And ho went off as graco- MMM fully and courteously as if only the MMm highest civilities had passed between MMm them. "Won't ho try some skin gamo on MM us?" tho detective questioned, but Win- ter only motioned toward tho telephouo MMj, desk. "Listen at it," he said, "you MMU -an tell if the wire arc cut; nnd ho MM knows your men are outsido hiding, M f omowhere; he dooBn't know how many Mmm You see. we have tho advantage of MMW& them there; to bo safo they don't dare to let many people into their secret MMt " c can have a whole gang. Wo havon't """"I many, but they mn3 think wo have " Mmm Birdsall, woo had lifted tho receiver ""j to his ear. Inid it down witli an up- MMM peased nod. Immediately ho proceeded MmWm to satisfy his professional conscienwi .V a search in every nooTt and cranny MMM of tho .apartment. But no result ap- MM peared important enough to justify the production of his red morocco notebook nnd his fountain pen. no had paused in disguost when the colonel sat up suddenly, sud-denly, orcct in his chair; his keener oars had caught somo sound which made him dart to nil tho windows in succession. succes-sion. Ho called Haley (whom he had posted outsido to guard the door) and dispatched him across tho hall to re-connoitor. re-connoitor. "I am suro it was tho sound of wheels," ho explained, "but Haley will bo too late; wo aro on tho wrong sido of the house." As ho spoke tho bur.r. of an olectric bell jarred their ears. "Somebody is coming in tho front door," hazarded Birdsall. "Evident! j," roturnod the colonel dr3'ly. "How can our absent friends f:et in othorwisc at least how can thc et us undorstand they havo conic in? I think wo are going to havo tho pleas-nro pleas-nro of an interview with the olusivo Mr. Mercer." 11103- waited, tup. colonel motioncu Birdsall to a scat by tho tablo, within breathing distance ot tho telephone, ne himself fluttered tho loose journals and magazines, his ironic smile creasing hi3 cheek. "Our Japanese friend reads the newspapers," ho remarked. "Hero aro today's papers; yes, Examiner and Chroniclo, unfolded and smoked over. Cigar, too, not cigarctto, for here is a stump decidedly our chorryhblossom friends aro getting civilized!" "Oh. thcro is somebod3' in hero all right," grunted Birdsall. "Sa3', col-ouol, col-ouol, you arc sure Mrs. Winter has had no answer to her ad.? No kind of notice about sending money?' "I haven't seen her for a few hours, but I saw Mrs. Melville Winter; fIio was positivo no word had come. She thought m3 aunt was more worried than sho would admit and Mis3 Smith looked pale, although sho seemed hopeful." "Sho didn't really want to givo me the letter. I thought," said tho detective. de-tective. Tho colonel gave him no reply save a black look. A silonco fell. A footfall outsido broke it. a lirm. in no wise etonlthy footfall. Birdsall slipped his hand insido his coat. Tho colonel roso and bowed gTavc- to Car3- Mercer. Mer-cer. On his part. Mercer was not in the least flurried; ho looked at tho two men, not with the arrogant suspicion which had stung Winter on the train, but with the melancholy courtesy of his bearing at Cambridge, three 3-ears before. "This, I think, is Colonel Winter?" he said, roturning the bow, but not extending ex-tending his hand, which hung down, slack and empty at his side. "I am glad 3'ou recognized mo this time. Mr. Mercer." "I am sorr3' that I did not recognize 3'ou gentlemen bo seated? I am not tho owner of tho houso nor his son; I am not even a friend, only a casual ac-quuintanco ac-quuintanco of tho 3'oung man. but I seem to bo rather in tho position of host, so will 3'ou bo seated, and may I offer 3'ou some Scotch and Shasta Mr. ah " "Mr. Horatio. Birdsall. of tho Birdsall & Gwon Detective agency." interposed Winter. Birdsall bowed. Mercer bowed. "Excuse mo if I decline for us both; our time is limited no, thank you, not a cigar, either. Now, Mr. Mercer, to como to the point, I want m3" nophow. I understand he is in this house." . "You are quiio mistaken," Mercer responded with unshaken calm. "He is not." "Where is ho, then?" "I do not know, Colonol Winter. What I should recommend is for you to go back tothc Palaco and if you do not find him tiicr! why, como and shoot us up again!" His 030 strayed for a second to the blackened, recking mass on tho great stone hearth. "Have 3'ou sent him homo? la that what 3'ou mean to imply?" "I imply nothing, colonel; I don't daro to with such strenuous fightora as 3'ou gentlemen; only go and see, and if 3'ou do find tho 3'oung gentleman has had no ill treatment, no scare only a little adventure such as boys like, I hope 3ou will come out here, or wherever I miry be. and have that cigar von nrr Tofnshirr . " The colonol was frankly puzzled. Ho couldn't quite focus his wits on this bravado which had nothing of tho bravo about it, in fact had a tinge of wistfulncss in its quiet. Ono would havo said- the man regretted his compulsory com-pulsory attitude of antagonism; that ho wanted peaco. Mercer smiled faintb. "You ought to know b- this time whon a man is lying, colonel," ho continued, "but I will go further. I may havo dono plenty of wrong things in my life, somo things, 'maybe, which tho law might call a crime; but I havo never dono anything which would debar mo from passing my word of honor as a gentleman; nor any one elso from taking it. I givo 3-011 1113' word of honor that I have meant ami I do mean no slightest harm to Archio Winter; and that, whilo I do not know whore he is at this speaking, 1 belicvo you will find him safo under your aunt's protection when 3-011 get back to tho Palace." "Call up tho Palaco hotel, Mr. Birdsall," Bird-sall," was tho colonel's rcpl3'. "Mr. Mercer, I do not distrust that 3-011 aro speaking exactly, but 3'ou know 3-our Shukcspcnre; and there aro promises which keep their word to the ear but break it to the sense." "I don't wonder at 3-our mistake; but you aro mistaken, suh." Birdsall was- phlcgmatically ringing up Mrs. Winter, having the 'usual experience ex-perience of tho rash person who intrudes in-trudes his paltry needs on tho complex workings of a groat hotel system. "No, I don't know tho 'number, I haven't tho book here, but you know, Palaco hotel. Well give me information, informa-tion, then Busy?" Well, give mo another an-other information, then yes, I want tho Palace hotel P-a-l-a-c-c yes, vos, Palaco hotel; yes, certainty. Yes? Mrs. Archibald Winter. Yci; lino bus3'? Well, hold on until . it is disengaged. Sa-, Miss Furber, that you? This is Birdsall & Gwon. Yes. 'Givo mo Mrs. Winter, will you, 3377 This Mrs. Winter? Win-ter? Oh! When will sho bo back? Is MrH. Melvillo Winter in? Woll, Miss Smith in? She's gone, too 7 Has Master Mas-ter ATchibald got back, yet, to the hotel 7 Hasn't? Thank you oh?" in answer to tho colonel's interruption. "What say, colonel?" "Tell her to call up this number" tho colonel road it out of the tolephono book "when Mnster Archio does get back, will 3'ou? I. am afraid, Mr. Mer-' cor, that you will have to allow us to trespass on your hospitality for a little lit-tle longer." Ho suspected that Mercer was an-no3-ed, although he answered lightty onough: "As you please, Colonel Winter. Win-ter. I am sure 3-011 will hear very soon. 2s ow, there is another matter, your machine; ma-chine; I understand you left it outside. Will 3'ou ring for Kito, colonol? Under Un-der tho circumstances 3'ou may prefer to do 3-our own ringing. I will ask him to attend to tho car." The colonel niado proper acknowledgements. acknowledge-ments. Ho was thinking that had Mercer Mer-cer cared to conftscatn- the motor ho would have done it without ringing; on the other hand, did ho desire somo special spe-cial intercourse with his retainer, where- 1 in, undor their very noses, ho could la-suo la-suo his orders well, poPsibl3' thoy might get a whiff of tho socret themselves wero ho aMowcd to try. At present tho gamo baffled him. Therefore he nodded, at Birdsall 'k puckered faco behind Mercer's Mer-cer's shoulder. And ho rang tho boll. Tho Jap answered it with suspicious alacrity. "Kito." said Mercer, "will you attend at-tend to General Winter's car? Bring.it up to tho court." Absolutely harmless, to all appcar-ancos, appcar-ancos, but Birdsall, from his safe position posi-tion hchinda mnster nnd man, looked shrewd suspicion at the soldier. "Shall your man in tho hall go with him?" ashed Morcor. Tho colonel shook his head. "No," he said quietty, "we havo other mon outside if ho needs help. Call Skid, please." But whon Birdsall attempted to get Central thoro was no response. Tho colonel mcrelv shrugged his shouldors, although Birdsall frowned with vexation. "What a pity!" said Winter softty. "Now tho follows will como when tho timo in up; wo can't call them off." Mercer smiled faintly. "Thoro are two more telephones in tho house," ho "observed. "You can call off your dogs easily auy timo 3-ou wish. Also you can near from tho Palaco. Will ou como upstairs with mo? I assure 3'ou I havo not tho least intention to harm 3-ou or the honest sergeant." "You tako tho first trick. Mercer," said the colonel. "I supposed tho boll was your signal to havo tho wires cut-But cut-But about going; no, I think wo will stay hero. There is a door out on tho court which, if 3-011 will open thank ypu. A charming prospect! Excuse mo if I send Halc3r out thoro; and may I go m3'Solf?" Anticipating tho answor, ho stepped under tho low mission lintel into a fairly-liko Californian court or patio of peppor trees and palms and a moss grown fountain. Thoro was tho usual colonnado with a stono seat running round tho wall. Mcrcor, smiling, motioned mo-tioned to ono of them. "I wish I could con'inco you, colonel, that you nro in no noed 01 that plaything in 3our hand, and that you aro going to dino with 3'our boy isn't ho a fino follow?" fol-low?" Tho colonel did not noto either his admission ad-mission that ho had seen Archie, nor a curious warming of his tone; he had stiffened and grown rigid liko a man who receives a blow which ho will not admit. 11c stole a glance at tho detective detec-tive and met an atrocious smirk of com-placenc3". com-placenc3". Thoy both had caught a glimpse of a figure flitting into a door of tho court. Thoy both had soen a woman's profile and a hand holding a littlo steel tool which had ends liko an alligator's noso. And both men had recognized Miss Smith. CHAPTER IX Tho Agent of the Fireless Stovo. Tho timo was two hours later. Rupert Ru-pert Winter was sitting on ono of tho stone benches of tho colonnade about tho patio. Tho court was 6uffused with the golden glow presaging sunset. Warm afternoon shadows la3" along tho flags; wavering silhouettes of leafago or plant; blurred reflections from tho bold bas-reliefs of Spanish warriors and Spanish priests sculptured botweon tho spandrels of tho arches. Winter's dull eyes hardly noted them: tho exotic lux-urianco lux-urianco of foilago, tho Spanish armor and Spanish cowls woro all too common to a denizen of a Spanish colony in tho tropics, to distract his thoughts from his own ugty problem. Ho uad been having it out with himself, as ho phrased it. And thero had boon moments mo-ments during those two hours when he had ground his teeth and clonched his fists because of tho futile and furious pain in him. When ho recognized Janet Smith, by that saino illuminating flash ho recognized recog-nized that this woman who had been tricking him was tho woman that ho loved. Ho believed that ho had said his last word to love, but lovo, after scorning to accept tho curt dismissal, was lightty riding his heart again. "Foolod a second time," ho thought with inexpressible bitterness, recalling his unhappy married life and tho pretty, weak croaturo who had caused him such humiliation. Yet with her thero had been no real wrong-doing, only absoluto lack of discretion aud a childish craving crav-ing for gaiety and adulation. Poor child! what a woeful ending for it all! Tho baby, tho littlo boy who was their o'nty living child, to die of a suddon access of an apparently trifling attack of croup, whilo tho mother was dancing at a post balll He was cast, taking his examination for promotion. Tho frnntic drivo homo in tho chill of the dawn had given her a cold which her shock and grief left her uo strength to resist sho was always a frail littlo creature, poor bulterflV! and sho followed hor bnbv insiflft of a inmiMi TTnrt elm lNrnI her husband might havo found it hard to forgive her, for alread3' a'soro heurt was turning to the child for comfort; but sho was dead and ho did not lot his thoughts misuse her memory. Now hero was another, so difforcnt but just as false. Then, ho brought himself up with a jerk; ho would bo fair; ho would look at things as thej" were; many a man had been fooled bv' tho dum'1113'. Ho would not jump at conclusions because be-cause they wero cruel, any more than ho would becauso they woro kind. Thero was such a thing, ho knew well, as credulous suspicion; it did inoro harm than credulous "trust. Meanwhile he had his detail. He was to find Archie; therefore, ho waited. The3' were in tho houso; it were only folly to give up their advantage under tho stress of an3' of Mercer's plausiblo Iuringa to tho outtidc. Moreover, by degrees ho becamo convinced con-vinced that Mcrcor, certainly to 6omo extent, was sincoro in his profession o belief in Archie's absenco and safety. This, in spito of hearing several times that Archio was not returned. Mercer did all tho speaking, but ho allowed al-lowed Birdsall to hold tho receiver aud take the nicssago from Mrs. Winter. The telephone was in an adjoining room, but by shifting his position a number of times tho colonel was able to catch a murmur of tho conversation. He heard Mercer's voico distinctly. Ho had turned away and was following tho detective out of tho room. '.'I don't understand it an3' moro than 3'ou do, Mr. Birdsall," ho said; "3-011 won't behovo mo, suh, but I am right worried." "Of courco I believe vou." purred the dctectivo so softly tlTat tho colonel knew he did not bolievo airy more than Mercer suspected, "Of courso I believe be-lieve you; but I don't know what to do. It ain't on tho map. I guess it's up to you to throw a littlo light. I've called the boya off twice alreadv and told 'cm to wait an hour or a half-hour longer. I got to see the colonel." "I can trust my intuitions or I can trust the circumstantial evidence," thought the colonel. Ho jumped up and began to paco tho court. "Seems to bo liko a game of bridge before, one can sec the dumm3'," ho complained;, and as so often hnppens in the crises of life, a trivial illustra tion struck a wavering mind with tho force of an nrgumont. His thoughts Tovcrted whimsicalty to tho card tablo, how many times had he hesitatod over the first lead between evenly balnncod suits of four; and how often had ho regretted or won. depending solety upon whether his card instinct had been denied de-nied or obeyed I It might bo instinct, this much-discussed "card instinct." or it might bo a summing up of logical deductions de-ductions so swift that tho obscure stops woro lost, and tho reasoner was unconscious uncon-scious of his own logical processes. "Now," groaned Euport Winter. "I am up against it. Sho looks liko a good woman; sho seems liko a good woman, but. I havo onty m3' impressions and Aunt Rebecca's against tho apparent appar-ent facts in tho case. Woll, Aunt Bo-becca Bo-becca is a shrnwd one!" no sat down and thought harder. Finally ho roso, smiling. Ho had threshod out bis problem; prob-lem; and his conclusion, inaudibty but ycry distinctly uttorcd to himself, was: "Mo for cry own impressionBl If that girl is in with this gang, either what thoy arc aftor isn't so bad or they havo mado her belicvo it isn't bad." Ho looked idly nbont him at tho arched doorway of tho outor court. t It was carved with a favorito mission design of eight-pointed flowers with a vaseliko fluting bolow. Thero was a tiny crack in ono of the flowers, tho tiniest crack in the world. Ho looked at it without socing it, or Booing it with only tho outer naif of his senses, but he could not have told how into his offort to piorco his own tanglo thcro crept a sudden interest, a sudden koon-ncss koon-ncss of scrutiny of this minute, insignificant insignifi-cant crack in tho stone. Ho becamo aware that tho crack was singularly regular, preserving tho form of tho flowor and tho fluting beneath. Kito. tho Japanese, who was sitting at tho far end of tho court, conversing in ami,t3 with Halo3 just here roso and cam to tnis particular pillar. Tho Irishman Bat alono, rimmed by the sunset sun-set gold, littlo spangles of motes drifting drift-ing about him; for tho merest second Winter's glanco lingered on him ero it wont to tho Jap, who passed him, courteously saluting. After ho had passed, tho colonel looked again at the column and tho crack it was not there. "Chito, chito!" muttered tho colonel. colo-nel. Carelcssty ho approached the column col-umn and took tho same posture as the Jap. Unobtrusivoly his fingers stra3'cd over tho stone. Ho scratched the sur-factj sur-factj not stone, but cement. Ho tappod cautiously, keeping his hand well hidden by his body; no hollow sound rewarded him, but all at onco his groping fingers touched a littlo round object under the bold point of an oight-pointed flower. Ho didn 't daro press on it; instead ho rosnmed his cautious tapping. It seemed to him that tho sound had chanced. He rrlancorl abnnt. him Ra.vn for Haloy he was alone in tho patio. He pressed on tho round whito knob, and what ho had half expected happened: hap-pened: a segment of the column swung on inner hinges, disclosing tho hollow center of tho engaged columns on either sido. Ho looked down. Nothing but darkness was visible, but whilo he stood, tensety holding his breath, his abnormally abnor-mally sensitivo nurieular norvo caught distinctly tho staccato breath of that kind of a 6igh which is liko a groan, I and a voico said moro wcarity than 1 angrily: "Oh, damn it all!" Almost simultaneously, ho heard tho faint footfalls of tho men within; ho must roplaco his movablo flower. Tho column was intact, and ho was bending his frowning brows on the stvlobato or another when Birdsall and Morcer entered en-tered together, Mcrcor, with a shrug kof his shouldors at the detective's dogged dog-ged suspicion, preceding tho latter. "Well," said tho colonol. "Did you got my aunt7" "Yes, 6uh. I got your aunt herself," responded Morcor. with his Virginian survival of tho formal civility of an oarlior generation. "Yes, suh; but I regret to say Archie is not there." "Whero is he?" Tho soldier's voico was curt. 'Honestly," doclarod Mercer, "I wish I knew, suh. I cortninly do. But " Morcor '3 jaw foil; ho turned sharply at tho soft whir of an electric stanhope gontty cntoring tho patio through the great arched gatoway. It stopped abroast of tho group, and its onty occupant, a handsome voung man, jumped out of tho vohiclo. "ilo greeted them with a polito romoval of his cap, a bow, and a flashing smile which mado the circuit of tho beholdors. Birdsall and tho colonol recognized tho traveling onthusinst of tho Fireless Stovo, Tho colonel took matters into his own hands. "I think you'ro tho gontleman who took my nophew awa3'," said ho. "Will yon kindly toll us whero ho is?" "And don't get giddy, yonug gentleman," gentle-man," Birdsall chimed in, ""because wo know perfectly well that 3-ou aro not Stove." "I'vo got ono here on trial, and I've como back to sec if U103' like it," explained ex-plained tho 3'oung man, in silken accents, ac-cents, but with a dancing gleam of tho 0365. "Wo are going to keep it," said. Mercer. Mer-cer. "Kito," calling the unseen Jap, "fetch that Firoless Stovo this gentleman gentle-man left us, and show it to thi3 gentleman gentle-man here." ."Oh. cut it out!" Birdsall waved him off. "It's onty ten minutes before our fellows will come. You can put tho polico court wise with all that. Tr3' it on thein; it don't go with us." "Where is tho bo3?" snid tho colonol. colo-nol. "Toll him. if you know,", said Mor-cer Mor-cer "This gentloman," ho explained, "left a stovo with us to test. He wus hero about it this morning, aud wo gavo Archio to him to take to tho Palaco hotel." "And ho is there now," said 'the young man. "Did you leavo him there?" asked the colonel. "Yos, did yon?" insisted Mercer. Tho 3'oung man looked from Mercer to the other two men. There was no visible appeal to the Southerner, but Winter felt, sure of two things: one, that the newcomer was Mercer's confederate con-federate whom he was striving to shield by pretending to disavow; tho other, that for somo reason Morcer was as anxious for the answer as wero tho3 "Why-3'," hesitated tho stovo promoter. pro-moter. "3'ou sec. Mr. nh, gentlemen. 3'ou see. T was told to take the boy to the Palace hotel, and I set out to do t it. We weren't going at more than i a, ncight-milc-an-hour clip, 3et somo foozlcr of a cop arrested us for'specding. -It was perfectly ridiculous, and I tried to shako him, liut it was no use. The3' carried us off to a police court anil stuck me for ten dollars. Moan whilo 1113 mnchine and 1113' passenger were outside. When 1 got outsido I couldu'1; find them. I skirmished around, aud finalty did get the machine. I'd taken tho precaution to fix it so it couldn't be run beforo I left it took tho ke3' out, you know it must have been trundled off bv hand somewhere! but I couldn't fiMid the bo3'. Naturally, 1 was a bit worried; but after I 'had looked up the forco aud the neighbor- hood, it occurred to mo to 'phono to tho Palaco. I did, and I was told he was there." . "Who told you?" The xruestion c3mo simultaneously out of three throats. "Why, Mrs. Winter that's what sho called herself." "But not threo minutes ago Mm. Winter Win-ter told me that he wasn't thero," ro marked Mercor coldly. "When did you telephone!" "It was at least fifteen minutes ago," tho young man said dolofully. "I say, wouldn't you better call them up again? Thoro may bo somo explanation. ex-planation. I shouldn't 'have come back without tho kid if I hadn't been suro he was safe. " "Was it Mrs. Melvillo or Mrs. Winter Win-ter you got? ' ' ThiB camo from the colonel. colo-nel. "Did sho by chanco havo an English Eng-lish accent, or was it Southern?" "Oh, no, not Southern," protested tho younjr man. "Yes, I should say it was English or trying to be." "It would bo exactly liko Millicont." thought tho colonel wrathfully. "to try to fool the kidnapers, who had apparently ap-parently lost Archie, by pretending ho was at the hotel! " Ho made no comment aloud, but ho nodded assent to Morcer's proposal to telephone; and then ho walked up to tho stovo man. "The game is up," he said quietly. "Wo hayo a lot of men waiting outside. If we signal, they will como any minute; min-ute; if wo don't signal, they will como in ton minutes. Givo us a chance to be merciful to you. This is no kind of a scrape for your father's son or for Arnold's." Shot without rango thongh it was, Winter was snro that it went homo under un-der all the young fellow's assumed bewilderment. be-wilderment. Ho continued, looking kindly at him: "You look now, 111 wager, about as Ton used to look in tho office whon von called on tho dean by invitation and wore wondering just whero the inquiry was going to lightl" Tho dimplo 'showed in tho young man's cheek. "I admit," ho ropHcd, "that I didn't tako advantago as I should of my universitv opportunities. Probably that is why 1 havo to cam a strenuous livlihood boosting tho Only Peorless Fireless Stove. By the wa3', havo you over scon the 'Fireless m action? Just the thing for the armyl Fills a long-felt want. I should be vory plcascd to demonstrate. Wo havo a stovo here." Tho colonel grinned rcsponsively. "You do it very woll," said ho. "Can't you let me into the game?" Thore was the slightest waver in tho Eromotor's glance, although ho emilod m rijliantly as ho answered: "Fll tako it into consideration, but will ou excuse ex-cuse me? I want- to speak to Mr. Morcer Mor-cer about tho strive. " Tho moment ho had removed his af-fablo af-fablo young presence Birdsall approached ap-proached his employer. It had been a difficult quarter of an hour with the detective. Vaguo instinct warned him not to touch tho subject of Mss Smith; ho felt in no way assured about anything any-thing else. Tho result had been that ho had fidgoted in silenco. But tho accumulated flood could no longer be held. "I've found out one thing," exploded Birdsall, puffing in tho haato of his utterance. "The boy is on the premises." prem-ises." "Think so?" was all tho colonel's answer. "I'm suro of it. Say. I overheard Mercer talking down a speaking tubo." "What did ho sav?" "Talked Fronch, damn him! But say. what's 'gorge'?" "Throat." "What's 'cupillo gorge'?" 'Suro hp wasn't talking of a carnage, car-nage, or did ho say 'jo le couperai la gorgo-'?" "Maybe. I wouldn't swear to it. I don't parloz Francais a littlo bit." "Did 3'ou hear any other noises? Whero wero the'?" Birdsall thought ho had heard other noises, and that thov were down cellar. 'And .-uryhow, Colonel, I'm dcad-to-rights sure those guys aro giving us hot stuff to. got us out'of tho house. I'm for getting our men in now and rushin tho house. It's mo for tho collar." While the colonol was rolling Bird-sail's Bird-sail's information 'around in his mind, ho heard tho echo of stops on the flagging flag-ging which precoded Morcor and tho other man. I Thero was that in tho bearing and the look of them that mado tho watcher, used to the signs of decision on mon 'a faces, instnntty sure that their whole courso of plans and action was changed. Mercer spoke first and in a low tone to tho colonol. "T have no right," said ho. "to ask so much trust from 3-011, but will 3011 trust, me enough to stop aside with this 3'oung man and me for a moment 01113- out of oarshot? I give you my word of nuiior 1 menu no sngntcst Harm to 3-011. I want, to bo frank. I will go alono if 3'ou desire." Tho colonel eyed him intentlv for tho. briefest space. "Fll trust v0i," said he. Then: "I think 3-011 have the key to this queer mixup. At 3'our service. And let 3-011 r friend come, too. Ho is an ingenuous sort, and ho amuses me." Birdsall looked distinctly sullen over tho request, to wait, intimating quite frankty that his employer, was walking into a trap. "I won't stand hero more than fifteen minutes," he grumbled. "E've given thoso follows poco tieritc' long enough." But the colonel insisted on. twcnt3' minutes, and reluctantty Birdsall acquiesced. Mercer conducted tho others to the library. When they wore. seated ha began be-gan in his composed, melancholv fashion: fash-ion: "I earnestly beg of you to listen to me, and to believe me, for -our nephew's sako. I am going to toll you tho absolute truth. .It is tho only way now. When you came, we handed him over to this gentleman, exactty as wo have said. I do not know why he should havo been stopped. I do not know wiry he left the machine " "Might he not havo been carried awav?" said Winter. "He might; but I don't know what motive " "What motive had you? You kidnaped kid-naped him!" ''Not exactly. Wo had no intention of harming him. . Ho came accidentally into the room between Mrs. Winter's and Mr. Keatcham's suites. Standing in that room, trying to. stanch the bleeding bleed-ing of a sudden hemorrhago of tho uose, he overheard me and my friend " "Vou 7" asked tho colonel laconically of tho young Harvard man. "I." smilingly confessed tho latter. I "I am read- to own up. You are a decent fellow, and 3-011 aro shrewd. You ought to be on our side, not fighting us. T tell you, you dou't want to havo tho boy turn up safe and sound any more than I do. Mr. Mercer was talking talk-ing ro mo, nnd the kid overheard. We heard him and went into tho room " "How?" t "Knocked on tho door nnd he opened it. And we jumped on him. It was life and death for us not to be blown on; so, as wo didn't wish to kill tho kid, and as wo didn't know the youngster well enough to trust him thon although he might, for ho is gamo and tho whitest chapl but we didn't know wb3 we just told him ho would havo to stay with us a whilo until our msh was over. That was all we meant; and wo let him 'phono you." "How about his groataunt tho cruel anxict.3- " "Anxiety nothing!" began tho other man. but a glanco from Mercer cut him short. The Southerner took tho word in his slow, gontlo voice. "I tried to reassure our aunt. Colonel Winter. I think I succeeded. Sho tolcphoned and I told her it was all right. As for Archio, after we talked with him, he was willing enough to go. Ho stolo out with unfriend un-friend insido of five miuntes, while 3ou wore. searching 3Tour rooms. It was ho who insisted on calling 3-011 up, lost you should bo worried. Ho said 3-011 were right afraid of kidnapers, and 3-011 would be sending the polico after us. You can call Mrs. Wintor up and find out if I am not telling you the exact facts." "Very well, I will." said Winter. Thoy mot tho sullen detective at tho door. Car3' Morcer, with his mirthless smile, led the way. Mercer rang up the hotel for Winter, himself. To tho colonel's vast relief Aunt Eebecca answered an-swered tho call. "Est-co quo e'est vousc-meme, mon neveu?" said sho dryty. "Mais oui, ma tanto. Why are you speaking so formally in foreign tongues? Is Millicent on deck?" "In her room," camo tho answer, still in French. "Well, 3'ou havo got us in a prett3 mess. "Vhcro 'is my boy?" "I only wish I knew! Tell me now, though, is Mercer's stoo' straight?" "Absolutely. You ma3 trust him." "What's liis real game, then? The ono ho was afraid Archio would expose?" ex-pose?" "Ask him." "But 3ou aro in it, aren't 3011 T" "Enough to ask that 3ou abandon tho chase immediatelv! Ba' wish to ruin mo!" " "You'll have to speak pkisa?fc. been kept in tho dark as lonzujKUl stand in this matter." tbII But beforo ho could finish UuHrL tence: "Pas ici, pas TnaintenasuE trop de peril." sho cried, anfl tCSta havo gone, for he could get Q I from her. When he rang iMj,Br dall responded: Sfe "Mrs. Winter says, sir, yfU'Mi pleaso come up here as quick asTK-Bhe's asTK-Bhe's gone out. She thought ifcZMft sight of Mr. Archie on the stmtBiU To the colonel's demand, "KT how did she sco him?" he obt&Bfft answer, and on his vicious pSK tho bell there, camo, eventualifBjr. I Anglican accents which askea: b5 ': Whom do yon wish to see!" ItiM evidence ot tho undisciplined ui-Sr the .sex that the soldier tnadTiMi' and hung up the receiver. '(fT Ilo fouud himself althouzhuR,; realty open mind is no GxeaMr muddlo of conflicting impnlsei. EjHfr ou edge to got into tho street fiK search after tho bov; ho -was uEi,, in a viso by his conviction thittlj to Archie s whereabouts lay hB'Y cer's hands, and that tho 6ttftBpr meant no harm to the tat, AilK while ho could feel Birdsall tnrjjE the leash. M "It's on tho cards." he irfaBfL, with a wry face, "quite on tiiKjjj that ho may bolt in spite of-HPfS do some foolish stunt of his OTrBv; will make a most awful randdiewi'i Not nearly so composed as be li-B therefore, he turned to Mcrcr.?yt ever, his ammunition was rcadfiiBr Mercer's inqmr3 was he s&;i-iiMff$ replied calmty: "Well, not entirimW? Archie isn't in the house, whoso throat vou wish io cut! llf T hidden hero?" WW It could not havo been an uaoML1,,J,t question or Mercer hardly bj swered so readilv: "You kao-r -4Hrink is," said he. "It is Mr. r-'-''li1f (Continued next SnndiyKltSh |
