Show r f J FORTIETH DOOR By i dle t FORTIETH 1 MarY a s' s r SYNOPSIS Jack Ryder a n young American Is ie doing tome some excavating excavating- in Egypt and is induced by Jinny Jef- Jef tS tries a 1 pretty American tourist ho ha has known to attend a t masked b bull bell ll at b her r hot hotel t He obtains a Scotch eo from a 3 friend Andrew o McLean an n of ot the English government and at Me- Me IcLean Ic- Ic Lean Leau's ho hears heard the story of or u French scholar who disappeared In the desert fifteen years jears caU before Theman The Tho Thoman man mm was WI reported dead And a wife and babY biby girl Irl left now tho inheritance of ot an estate make makes it suddenly important to hunt up tho child hild Dut But all taco 1 Is fe gone McLean shows v. Ryder a II miniature minis minia ture turo portrait of ot tho the young youn Frenchman curiously mounted At the hall ball Ryder is fascinated by a mysterious young girl in a Mohammedan collide e who will RIVO no hint of or her hl identity lie He fol folas tallow follow as DS cho eho slips lip away awny and finds find she is Ic the of or Pasha a official in the th thu u l b- b borin palace Tho The terrible ennui of b her r life liCe Jails hus kd ltd tho the girl Irl to this escapade At parting parting- Inthe in inthe tb the garden gl n. n to the girl e horror borror end and amazement ment Ryder Ide s her A moment later a servant ervant her and cage t her father lather wishes to eve tco her ber Her tier lear fear of or discovery proves n but in is sue euc- b by a greater Teater one when her father Informs inform her ho lw wishes her to morr marry A 1 old ohl manto man manlo lo to save savo himself from tram ruin Ryder and when he ho learns that she eho is to be lY married leave caves ll tier her r in anger aner and return returns to the desert to lo his excavations There ho he finds evidence which convinces On him that is 18 tho daughter of th the Frenchman who disappeared He determines to to rescue her and returns to Cairo He lie persuade McLean to accompany him to ck Pashas Pasha's home FIFTH n T. T A CALL ON THE PASHA he lie waited and Jack Ryder C CASUALLY held his hla breath Ho He felt the full tull suspense suspense sus- sus pense o of a pauso pause long JonS' enough for tOl the pashas pasha's thoughts to dart down several avenues aven avenues ues and back If It the man should 1 deny It But wh why should he What harm In fn the admission admission admission ad ad- mission after all these years cars with Mme Mine dead and burled And with a a. fortune fortune for for- tune time Involved in the admission T Then the Turk bowed and Ryder breathed br again Ten Ten years cars said softly i I h ten But there has been no communication communication com with Franco for tor twelve years cats or orcen cen even longer I Possibly not monsieur This old aunt pursued McLean II was a person of lot prejudice as well as aD fortune fortune- hence hence it has taken a little time for tor her hel to adjust st herself lie lIc paused and looked understandingly understanding at atthe atthe the the Turk who nodded amiably as one whoso whose I l comprehension met him more than halt half t wa way p My M t own aunt was tray of ot a similar J nav nacy he lie murmured He added This fortune for for- tune tune you ou speak of it ot-it it comes through my j wife wife 7 For For her hel Inheritors Mine lIme DelcaS the the the former Mme I should say say left left but one daughter Again the p pasha bowed and again R Ryder der felt the throb of or I triumph He looked upon his friend with admiration How marvelously marvelously marvel marvel- McLean had worked the miracle No o accusations no threats no obstacles no 1 t. t blank walls of ot denial Not a ruffle 0 of discord discord dis- dis cord O d In In the establishment of ot these salient facts the facts the marriage of ot Mme 1 D to the pacha and the existence of ot the daughter Wonderful man man man- man McLean IcLean Ho had never nair appreciated him But Dut the pasha 1 was lB not wholly tho simple assenter Do I understand you ou he Inquired that there thele is a fortune coming cominS from irom France formy for tor formy m my daughter And at McLeans McLean's confirma r f Lion tion And when you 1 0 say fortune ho continued continued con con- you ou Intend to say say say- and his glance now took in the silent American considering considering con con- that some cue must be his But McLean responded The The figures are not to be divulged not divulged not until time the aunt is in in communication with her niece But they will bo large Jarge monsieur for tor this aunt is a person Berson of oC great wealth And yet alive to enjoy enjo It t said sald with smiling eyes ces f An An aged and dying woman thrust In Ryder Rydel in in haste Her Iier Ier only care now la fa to see her niece before beCore she dies Ah Ah But that could be arranged said amiably Wo We Vo have at once co communicated with France McLean told him but but we came instantly to you OU to inform you youA you you- ouA A thousand thanks and a thousand The Th bearers of or good tidings smiled their host hoat Because we understand that the there o Is Js a 1 question of ot the young ladys lady's marriage pursued pursued pur pur- sued McLean re ean and you would of ot course wish to defer deter this until these new circumstances circumstances circum stances are complied with The pacha stared Not II at all A fortune is as s pleasant to a wife as to a maid mald mere are so many questions of or law lair offered of oC McLean with purposeful vagueness French and trusteeship and all that It would be advisable I think to wait waiL Absurd said the pacha easily You You would want no doubts cast upon the legality of ot the tho marriage McLean persisted thoughtfully and and since mademoiselle is under ago age and the French law has bas certain restrictions restrictions- 1 rn We arc are not under the the French law lawt lawAl law t Al at nt least I have not heard that England has rc relinquished her bel power retorted no not without malice maUce But BUt Mademoiselle Del is French thrust in Ryder He Ho knew that McLean ww y JA had ventured as far tar as he he an official and rc responsible person could go and that the burd burden n of ot intimation must rest lest upon him him- self eli And under her fathers father's will wUl his family fam tam 11 ily there is 18 considered in t- t trusteeship Sor So there here would t r bo be certain technicalities that must bo be considered before an any marriage can b be arranged the signature of ot the tho French l guardian tho the settlement of at the dot this dot this Inheritance Inheritance In In- for all instance instance all mere formalities but involving ol a little mUe dela delay r f Pasha turned in his chair and cocked his eyes kyes g at this strange young yount man manit it Ic- Ic who had dropped from the blue with tins f extensive advice He l looks looked d puzzled This American fitted into no type of ot his acquaint acquaint- ance H Ho He was vas so very vcr young and slim and bo boyish with not n at all aU the air nil of ot a n legal legaJ representative But McLean's McLeans position vouched for tor him You speak fur for the French family mon mono Unhesitatingly Ryder Rydel declared red that ha did Then you rou may inform the family announced an an- bristling II that m ray my daughter daughter daugh daugh- ter Im hay has been very cry well cared for tor nil all these years cars ti without advice from I Fra France ce I I hn haven't a R doubt of ot it said Ryder quickly but but the French law might bc begin begin- ln to entertain doubts o of It if It mademoiselle turn r own r u. u U-M-A U o l ar Tried in-Tried o Off now r I 1 Ie L I D r t. t 0 0 I t 7 I r rg g H Hsu su i with the authorities Alread Already he ho add added d a little as Uie Ule other shrugged the tho suggestion ion awa away there have been questions raised concerning the mothers mother's marriage and the separation of at the tho little Mademoiselle 1 Delcas from her relatives In France and now if It she were to bo married without any legal settlement of ot her estate estate or Steadily he sustained the others other's gaze while hIle his unfinished thought seemed to float significantly in the air all about them Have a said the pasha hospitably hospitably hospit hospit- abl ably extending a gold sold caso case monogrammed with diamonds and emeralds Aim Ah coffee he lie announced as a little black blackbo blackboy blackboy bo boy entered with a brass tray of ot steaming cups I 1 I hope gentlemen that you ou like my cof cot fee It is not the usual Turkish brew No o this comes from Aden the tho finest coffee correo Inthe in inthe the world A ship captain brings it to me especially Beamingly ho he sipped tipped the scalding stuff then darted back to that suspended sentence But Rut you ou were saying something saying something of ot a trusteeship trusteeship trus trUSt Do I understand that it is an aunt of ot Madame the the former Madame who who who Is leaving this money Not ot of ot Madame but of oC Monsieur Del Del- cass casse McLean informed him If Alt Ah Ah That accounts But in that case then there thero need be no concern in France over m my daughters daughter's marriage He turned his round eyes oyes from ono one to the other a mo mo- ment II There Thero is no Mademoiselle D Sir said sard R Ryder der sharply II There is no Mademoiselle repeated repeated re re- re the pacha his e eyes es frankly enlivened If But But we we have just been sp speaking you speaking you cann cannot i mean to say say say- Wo We have been speaking of ot my daughter tire tho tho daughter of or the former Madame Del Del- casse caBs Smilingly he looked upon them A pity that We wo did not understand understand each each other But Dut you OU appear to know so 80 much much and and I supposed sup sup- supposed posed that you ou knew that too That the daughter of Monsieur was dead Neither of the young oung men spoke McLean Jook looked d politely attentive Ryder's face maintaIned maintained main main- tamed th that t look of ot concentration which guarded the fluctuations of at his feelings It was many ealS ago the tho pasha murmured mur mur- inured putting down hl his hia coffee cup and selecting selecting se se- se- se another et Not Not long JonS' after her mothers mother's marriage to me A very charming little girl I girl I was positively Jy attached to her added reminiscently Well well well what a a pity now said McLean an very slowly This will be a great disappointment And so tho present made made- ade- ade Is Is my daughter McLean was silent Ryder could hardly trust himself to speak What did she die of on he a asked at last Jast rf 1 L 4 4 If r l 11 iiri I tJ I. I 11 f J oJ j 1 T Aj A. A r s sv 1 1 v Em E N l m I D t o b l J in a voice whoso whose edged quality brought the tho pachas pacha's glance to him with a flash of or hostility hostility hos hose behind its veil cil But he answered calmly enough Of Of or the fever monsieur Sho She was never neve strong And And her grave grate I should like to make a report It It was In the south Desert burial I am afraid You must know that the little one was WaB hardly a true believer for tOl our cem cemetery And you ou would say that she was only 5 S Sor or C G years ear old R Ryder d l' l persisted The Tho pasha nodded I I I should like Ilke to get set as near as possible to the tho date Jf IC it Is not too much trouble Tho The father died about fifteen years cars ago and tho tito mother was married to you ou soon after arter Really monsieur you you you- Tewfick was frankly restive I 1 know nothing of or tho the father tather he said sullenly And as to the childs child's de death how death hov how can one ono recall after these years In one two ye y s eai-s after sho she came t to me one me-one one does not grave these things upon the tho e eyeballs But But you ou do remember that It was long Jong ago when ago when your our own daughter was very lit little tie tic Exactly That is my recollection mon mono And I recall said eald tho the pacha suddenly suddenly sud sud- denly ob obliging and sentimental that even my little ono one cried for fer tho the child It was af at- nt ting Assure tho family in France of my sympathy in their disappointment I I am arn am sorry that my news is after all of oC no interest to you ou observed McLean settine set set- tin tine th the PY pra h u v HUll f. lOU iou will par par- pardon don m my error of ot Information information and and accept m my appreciation of your courtes courtesy It Is I who am indebted for tor your oUr trouble their host assured them all an smiles again But Ryder was not to be bit led away without a a. parting shot The Tho Tho name of ot the was child child was Aimee Irr Imperceptibly hesitated Then bowed in assent I Odd said young oung R Ryder del though thoughtfully And your out own daughters daughter's name also Is Aimo l o Two wo little ones oneK with tho the same ame name With a slight taxed I laugh ugh as one despairing despair despair- ing of understanding the pacha turned to McLean Your young friend monsieur is uninformed th that t Turkish children have many names After the loss of the elder W we called the tho little one by the same name I trust I have made everything perfectly c clear ar to you ou As As crystal said McLean politely As lightning said Jack R Ryder der hotly hoth striding d down don on n the street i It was a flash of ot Invention th that t yarn arn When I spoke about the questions raised b by his Ills marriage the old f fox x sniffed the wind and was afraid of ot trouble Ho decided on the tho instant that no future fortune wa i j worth Interference with his Ills plans and ho he cut th the wound ground from under our feet teet Lord what a lh Masterly you OU must admit Oh Oh I admired the beggar even while I choked on it But fever desert fever desert burial two burial two Aim cs And the tho sentimental face lace ho he pulled he he ought to h hive he e had a spotlight and walling wall wallIng ing wood winds McLean ch chuckled Ill IB believe an anything of him now Ryder rushed on Ill bet he murdered and the tho mother mother and and now he Is selling their daughter I I fan fancy C murders murder's a bit be beyond ond our Ten Tew- lick fick That's too thick He's Hes probably telling tho the truth there there there-he he may never have o known And nd as for tOI the widow she sho must have been heen in no end of or trouble with a dead deadman deadman deadman man and a wrecked expedition and a baby on her hands and ma may have ha offered himself as a grateful solution to lo her You'd be surprised at the tho things Ive I've heard And it if she looked like her picture T probably probably ably laid himself out to bo be Joel lovely to her he I rather liked the chap myself II I I love Jove him Ryder snorted The Infernal In fernal liar liar liar- i II Steady now suppose now suppose its it's all an the truth Nothing impossible to ft it Fact is I rather believe c It H It said McLean Imperturbably It hangs together It If this girl you ou met thinks she's his dau daughter that's conclusive Shed She'd ha have some Idea servants idea servants servants' 10 gossip fp or family whisperings And wh why he have brought her up as his lily own No No Xo other children And hed he'd grown Slown fond of ot her of course If It you ol could see horI hen retorted ny Ryder er Just tu as aswell well I cant Anti And I think he could hardly have havo l kept h her r In the dark Wed We'd better call it a wild goose chase and sa say the thc mans man's telling the tho truth If If It this girl were his daughter ho rho couldn't be bc more than 14 years old ohl And Ive I've seen the girl and she's sheR 13 It If she's a da day you day you you might take her for 20 O. O Fourteen said Bald Ryder in repudiating repudiating- scorn Hesitating n McLean murmured something about the early maturity of or the time natives R del Natives Ryder |