Show THE SWORDS SLENDER t. t Ii J M b f Au An Rom Romance I I ce Bv HALLIE M c. c 7 ERMINIE Lr q r RIVES T. Author of J t ton n Sanderson Son derson 0 He Etc W 1 no c.- c. 9 t CHAPTER XVI MW M 1 A i Silent Understanding hI I nd d from froni his at club and paid the coolie building hel faced an open square veen n the Imperial hotel and the par- par lerit nt buildings along one of th small small- picturesque moats which the fever ever l. l m modernization was h now OW w filling fifing in to e ea a conventional boulevard A mohed mohed mo mo- hed stoOd at the side of the tM plaza alL automobile or two was Vias lan Ian gener- gener In evidence The structure was as but comfortable enough with I In rig and and a billiard o many tables tabes r door was as opened by a servile bell- bell buttons Phil tossed his hat on 11 hall h rack and entered He lie strode ugh gh the office and entered a large ose pl piazza where a number Japanese some in foreign some In costume were watching a game O Frowning he passed Into the 11 rom om hIs lightened eye Sitting In a one of the huge sofas oas which under lunder his enormous weight was A little round table waRre was waR re 1 him on which sat a tall glass d i wIth cracked 1 ice 0 It I n 01 said sald the export expert How ou u come ome to be In Tokio Toldo The re re- II He struck a call caB bell It table Jable and gave an order to tho the 1 ii lighted a cigarette No he come to stay for tor a. a while given up your our bungalow he Bluff 7 asked quickly as an odd eagerness In his color- color face a face a look of almost dread which lighting his cigarette did ld not see a to relief as the other ana ana an- an a a o. o I. I Probably I shant shan't be here more morea a a few da days s 's J expert settled back bak in his seat find the hotel everything It I Im I'm Im afraid arald he observed moro I 1 I I n. n t there Phil Phi answered I 1 I or-a or little Japanese house I I oa IA A menage do de garcon eh Ih The Tho l n up his clinking glass to the tho land under cover of It I his deep sOt set rish eyes darted a keen Icen detective so averted face Wen Well Well he Ion how are your affairs Has las tern rn brother appeared yet et uneasily No he icI ro- ro I I expect him pretty soon h h. h V He Ue drained the gla glass s the bo boy lIed filled fled Youve been tremendously doctor he went on hurried hurriedly I to tom tome me ie m so much without the least hit hi haw haw hawi said Why int I He Ho put his hand on the with a friendly gesture IlyA Is h moM mortey v could give me as pleasure aure as It ft does you m my boy U moved his glass glasl on oti the table top lien circles But suppose one 1 the wherewithal you ou talk of ot the s 5 the fun un without money even youre you're young youn Ive I've Ive never bee been m n I It ii mone money said wish someone would tell teB me how sonin's he head d turned toward the tho 10 PHe He tat at suddenly rigid It I came can ie e ho ha hE was listening Intently I to o alkS the two men In Ui the ie room needn't t pOint paint out out it out I It was a a- amea mea meas- meas i- i Voice oice cold a and aM d incisive and an d dellb- dellb lb i that when tho the American fleet flee jt feet wo years ears ars ago conditions wet were e The cruise was a na na- na na- na naI k j I tour de force the visit to Japan Japa n incidental Besides there Wa was was 13 then between the t two O that 6 that was all al a creation creaton of or the 16 But the coming Of thi this S today Is a a different It U lg a a season of l- l rand and distrust and when the shird ships shir s to a nation naton between which an and andI d I there Is rea real real and serious anI II I- I tension well in tn my opinion Ui the Le best Inopportune hap ha a a younger voice Wa Wang was ng now less certain less poised poise hesitant perhaps hesitant perhaps perhaps the ver very y n makes for tor caution cauton People ar arany are J any arly careful with matches who when Ja Ia qt ot of o powder about le It o 0 far tar ds as 5 Intention goes Bu But Is the possibility of some contre contre- contre Jou You remember member the case of the th 0 in e eighties It I was blown u up harbor harbor clearly clearly enough b by at least so far tar as the other na na- na But it was dunn during nag g k T of and hot lot blood and ye you 3 know how narrow narrowly a great reat clash was Averted if war var had would I followed regiments have ha marched arched i r. r across the frontier shouting Remember the Ajax As it I was a there was a a panic in three thre bourses boures Solid Sold securities fell fel to the lowest lowest low low- est point in their history The yellow press pounded down the market and a few tew speculators speculator on the short side made gIgantc gigantic fortunes A moments moment's pause ensued fingers were rigid There seemed suddenly sud sud- denly to Phil Phi to be some significance be between be- be tween his silence and the conversation conversation- as It If K he wished It I to sink into con his Phils Phil's mind The ThE voice continued What t has happened once may ay happen happen hap hap- pen again What if one of ot those dread- dread b by ly whatever r accident accident should go flown down m in this friendly 1 harbor It doesn't take a vivid imagination to picture I the headlines next morning moring In the news flOws papers apers at home The Ice In the tumblers clinked there was a sound of p back pushed chai chairs As their departing footsteps died in tho the hall hail hal gaze lifted slowly to Phil Phils Phil's s face It I had in it I now the look It had held when he gaz gazed tram from the roof of the bun bungalow jon on n the Bluff across the anchorage beneath Phil did not start or shrink Instead Phi the slinking evil e 1 that hat ruled him met way half-way the bolder evil j e in that glance from whose sinister Suggestion suggestion- g sLon the veil eIl el was for n. n n moment moment u n n recognizing a tacit kinship Neither spoke but as the hard young oung eyes ayes es looked into the cavernous topaz eyes of D Doctor Ber Phil Phi knew that the thought that lay coiled there was a thing unholy and unafraid His heart beat faster but it warmed He felt no longer awed by tl th the others other's greater age standing and accomplishments He HC was conscious of or a new half Insolent sense of easy comradeship half Suppose 1 said slow slowly I I should show you how liow to find the mone money A sharp eagerness darted across Phils Phil's I fac face Money How much he needed It longed for it It I could put him on his I feet teet clear cear off of his debts square his bridge-balance bridge and and his his brother nOt nOt- enable him to enable begin another an an- an- an other ather chapter of the careless life he loved He looked steadily Into the ex ex- ex experts expert's pert's pelts pelt's face Tell me ho almost whispered rose and held out his hand Ho lie did not nol smile smie Come with me tonight ht he said I dine late late but well we'll wel take a spin in my car and have some gome tea somewhere be be- be forehand Tell Tel me where whore your our house Is and Ill I'll Il send Ishida with the motor car for you Phil Phi gave him the address and he went out with wih no further furher word A great fitted brass brass automobile with a young great keen eyed Japanese sitting beside the chauffeur throbbed up from the shed she climbed ponderously In A hal gray haired gray red diplomatist entering the club cub with wih a stranger pointed the big man out to the other as he was whirled a away a y To be continued |