| Show SYNOPSIS at the expense ot of a soiled dolled hat herbert orme a even from arrest a girt in a black touring tourin car r who has haa caused a jam on state street lie he buys buya a new hat and la in given a five dollar bill with rehem ber tile tha person you pay this to written on it A second time he helps helpa the girt girl in tile the black lack car and learns that in tom and dessle they have mutual friends lenda rr but gets no further hint of 0 her ident identity 11 HB 0 discovers another inscription on the marked bill which in a B full futile e attempt tempt to decipher it he copies and places placer the copy decipher in n tt a drawer in ills his alpart anent senor benor Por itol south american falls calls arid claims the marked bill orme infuses te ie fuses and a fight ensues in which florl to 01 ol Is overcome lie ha calls in senor nor al farrante fat vat rante minister from tits his count country to vouch for him orme orine still refuses to rive e UP P the hill bill its a learns that a i jap has called for him film oritia druio goes tor for it a walk and sera two ivo japs attack ile he rescues him the minister tries diplomacy but falls to 0 o get the marked bill to tits his rooms orme Is attacked b ty two japs ps who effect a forcible exchange im of the marked bill for or another arnio ands the orl of the black car waiting fur for him film she also wants the bill orme tells telli ills his atory she recognizes one of the japs as an her fathers butler mafia the beyond d inscription on the bill Is tho the key to tile the 11 hiding place of important pa papers P I 1 ard s stolen from her er father both japs a and south americans want the papers orme orine and nd ahe airl pta rt ut in n the black car 1 li quest of tile the apers pera in tile the versan brounds in I 1 Hv vanston anston the hiding place located blahu and another jap anre 11 1 arp rp orme fells and the other jp J escapes ornie orme finds in aia kus KUB r acet c et a folded slip blip of paper lie he takes the girl trl whose name la is still unknown to him to tile the home of ic a friend in evanston Kv anston returning to the university grounds brounds ormo orme gets beta in conversation with ii guard at tile the lifesaving life saving station they heur hear a motor bout boat in trouble in the darkness on oil the lake they find the crippled boat in it are the jap avith tho papers and girl silo sho jumps into ormes ormea bout boat but the jap eludes pursuit orme linds finds on the paper lie r nok look rr brorn 0 m mikii the address addred s N larker ar street ile he goes there tan and inda that ahlma teacher of alu jitsu jitsai A on the third floor ile he calls on oil alla alia 1 on the fourth floor CHAPTER CHAPTER IX continued pe ile come up the stairs when hla his loor floor was open does doea he seem to bo be pretty busy with hla his teachings evenings he Is and some come in the afternoon I 1 always know because they thud on the floor so when they wrestle and mornings lie he generally seems to be away mornings 1 I fancy nos hes what call a noisy heigh neighbor bor said orme oh I 1 doat mind theres more or less leea noise up hero here the aho smiled frankly spirits can make a lot of noise ive known them to throw tables over and drag chairs all around the room well orme was not interested in be sure bura you dont let anybody in here until I 1 come back again she ehe nodded then she ehe went into the reception hall and he heard her push the bolt of tho the door she did not return but her steps seemed to move into one of the other rooms orme went to the window pushed it up and climbed out on tho the fire escape tie ile was glad to see that the wall across the be court was windowless lie he might he bo observed from the buildings that backed up from the next street but they apparently belonged to a large storage loft or factory there were no idle folk at the windows the window of the room below was open this was in one sense an advantage and orme blessed the japanese athletes for their insistence on fresh air but on the other hand it made quietness essential slowly ho he let himself through the opening in the platform and moved a few steps down the ladder then he crouched and peered through the dingy lace curtains that were swaying in the breeze ine interior was dim but orme succeeded in distinguishing tho the furniture there were straw mats on the floor find and several chairs stood about at the opposite side clde of the room was a closed door from his bis knowledge of madam allas alias apartment orme knew that this door opened into the hall of the building and the square ground glass with its re reversed veried letters of the athletes name told him that it was used its as the chief entrance madam alla alia preferred her clients to enter into another room in the farther corner of the interior orme saw a large square table it was covered with a red print cloth which hung over the edge nearly to the floor it he could reach that table tabla and conceal himself beneath it his position would be better and now he suddenly remembered that the outline of his head would be visible against the outer light to anyone within the room seemed to be empty but at that instant he be heard a door dear open ile he drew his head bead up some on one was moving about the room the steps stepa went here and there chairs were ted to judge from the sound hut but evidently thero there was only one cue person for orme could hear no vol voices cois ile he decided decide that ahlma was preparing tor for again he heard beard a door open and close had ahlma gone out or had come other person entered orme waited a moment listening no sound came from within ile he lowered his head and peered tho the room was empty arima might return at any ally moment but ut the counce bad to be taken quickly silently orme descended to the platform slid over the sill fill and tiptoed uj the table another inan itna ia lip IB under the cover CHAPTER X find the american As orme let the tha table cover fall back to its normal position and turned to get himself into a comfortable attitude his hand touched something so soft t and yielding for a moment ho he was startled but the sound of a throaty purr and the realization that hla his hand was resting on fur soon told him that his companion in fit hiding was a cat lie ile wondered whether the Japa japanese nesb liked pets from what little he knew of japanese character it did not seem to him consistent that they should care for animals yet here was a peaceful tabby in order to accommodate himself to his close quarters orme had to double his legs back resting on his bis thigh an and d supporting the upper tipper part of his bla body with one hand the cat settled down against ag ainest his bla knee the light filtered through tho the table cover to his bis satisfaction he found a small hole evidently a burn made by some careless smoker through this aperture he could look out ills his range of vision included the greater part of the room excepting the side on which the table stood lie ile could seo see the window and several chairs as well as the door into the adjoining room but the door into the hall was out of view nt at his right while he was looking about a man came from tho the next room doubtless it was ahlma at least orme recognized he be japanese who had overcome bem in tile the porters office at the pere mar qu buetto ette the he night before ile he stepped into the room with a little smile on his brown face seating himself in a chair hu he fixed ills his heels in the rungs and clasped his bis hands about his bis knees lie ile was waiting ahe black eyes rested on the table to orme they seemed to be ba boring through the cover that concealed him and lie he hardly dared to breathe but the asiatic appeared to observe nothing unusual orme wondered at the unfathomable intelligence of those eyes ile he had often said of the chinese and japanese that he be did not trust them for the reason that a caucasian could never tell what they were thinking about the racial difference in thought groces processes ta he be found ing 4 1 1 A bell rang arima went to the door out of view and opened it orme could hear persons persona mounting the stairs and presently the voice of arima said bald come in and the visitors entered the room pausing near the door for a moment they exchanged a few whispered sentences then one of them walked over toward the window ormo orme repressed an exclamation for tho the figure that came into view was the figure of pori tol dapper assertive lie he was dressed as on the night before and his precious high hat was hugged close to his shoulder ills his eyes roved with an exaggerated assumption of important cunning presently he throw over his shoulder a rapid sentence in a foreign tongue it sounded bounded like spanish and orme in berred that it was a dialect of portuguese the answer came from an oily tongue the voice was Alca what were the south americans doing here it was only a few hours since the japanese had set on alca arante yet hero here he was in a stronghold of the enemy and expected expect edl had the astute diplomat fallen into a trap ahlma was sf standing anding not far from Por itol lis ins face was expressionless looking from Alca trant to and back again ho he said in english the mos moa honorable gentleman will soon bo be here that Is right said suavely mention lention A no names arima nodded slightly the silence grew intense orme was relieved when it was broken by another ring of tho the bell and arima slipped to the door moved over beside and whispered a few words scarcely moving his bis lips ills ells face looked yellow by daylight and the eyes behind the gold spectacles were heavy lidded and almost closed ormo orme inferred that the night had been sleepless for Alca these observations were interrupted by the entrance of the newcomer lie he paused at the threshold evidently to a salute for and bowed low then quick steps crossed the floor door and into view came a nervous but assured looking little figure a japanese but undoubtedly a man of great dignity ills manner of sharp authority would bo be hard baril to dispute for it was supported eup ported by a personality that seemed to be stronger than alca tr trant antes cs who lie he was orme orine could not guess but thag lie ho wua wits somebody of importance it was easy to see the stranger bowed again find and addressed himself to the conversation was carried on in french it Is wel aeu that you yoli communicated with me sir air he saia wo we were working at cross purposes when in reality our interests were identical bowed 1 I came to thit conclusion late last basl night he ha said 1 I do not deny that it would have pleased me to carry the affair through by myself yes yea your position would then have hava it now remained to find something to take the place of the abstracted documents been stronger the japanese smiled faintly but continued with a slight grimace the activity of your men made that impossible I 1 have no lieutenants such as yours lie ile shot an ugly gleam at whose sudden assumption of fearsome humility was in strange contrast to his usual self assurance As we hold the documents the japanese spoke with great distinctness you will necessarily admit our advantage that means you will understand der stand a smaller commission on the next contract twisted his bis face into the semblance of a smile not too small or we cannot undertake the work he said no not too small the stranger agreed calmly but smaller than the last you must not forget that there are others who would gladly do the same work yes but at best they cannot get the terms wo get gat P I 1 possibly that Is a matter still to be ba determined meantime we have assumed that our interests in this document are identical let us test it one word first said Alc atranter 1 I take it that it our interests are sympathetic with yours we may C count on your protection most assuredly then then we shall see my aly fairness Is clear in that I 1 give you a sight of tife the document with myself I 1 might have denied all knowledge of it smiled dulled as it if to say 1 I already knew so much that you could not risk that the stranger turned to arema and a said aid something in japanese ahlma replied and the stranger explained to 1 I asked about my man the american struck him on the head bead last night and injured him dut but he Is recovering ile he Is troublesome that american orme started ills his head bead bumped against the table that exclaimed Por itol advancing theres something under that table ile he stooped to lift the cover one chance flashed into ormes mind quickly he seized the cat which was still sleeping against hla his knee and pushed it under the table cover it walked out into the room mewing plaintively A cat said Por itol drawing back arima explained in english it belongs to lady upstairs comes down fire escape shoo shoo ile he clapped his bis hands and the animal bounded to the windowsill window sill hlll and disappeared up the iron steps and now began the stranger shall we examine the documents one moment said 1 I should first like a clear understanding with you some words in private ile he moved to a corner and there the stranger joined him they talked in an undertone for several minutes al cat carrante rante gesturing volubly the stranger nodding now and then and interjecting a few brief words what was going on was more than ever a mystery to orme the strangers reference to the next contract strengthened the sur surmise nilse that the documents in the envelope were connected with a south american trade concession had plainly concluded that his interests and those of the tha japanese were identical ile he must have communicated with the strange str arge japanese the first thing in the morning that would account for hla his failure to 0 o call at the pere marquette IMar yuette at ten learning that the bill had been taken front from orme and that the coveted documents were in the possession of the japanese he had bad no object in keeping hla his ap As tor for he had become a figure of minor importance dut but orme did vot not let these questions long engage him film he had made a discovery where hai head bumped against tue a table the board above him solid as aa he had bad pup supposed posed rattled strangely at the moment he could not but as soon as aa tha cat cai had satisfied the suspicions ot of and and the stranger had retired to their corner he be twisted his head back and examined the wood above him the table had a drawer from the room outside this drawer was concealed by the cloth cover and ormo had not suspected its existence now the table was cheaply made the drawer was shallow and narrow and it was wag held in position under tinder the table by an open framework of wood when men it was pushed in it was stopped at the right place by two cleats there was no solid strip to prevent its being pushed in too tar far orme put hla his hand to the back of the drawer there was a space between it and the tabletop table top cautiously he pushed his hand through the opening ills fingers touched a flat object a pad of paper or the thought made his heart beat a large thick envelope could ahlma hn haje e used the drawer as a hiding I 1 ce I 1 I 1 slowly he got the edge of the object between his first and second fingers and drew it a little way toward the back of the drawer A moment later to tie had it under his eyes yes it was a long envelope of heavy linen and there were bulky papers within the gummed lap flap was toward him lie ile was interest to note that important though the documents seemed to be the envelope was not sealed with wax ile he remembered what the girl had said her fathers name was written on the address side aide ile he had only to turn it over to learn who she was in the circumstances such an act might be justified but she had not wished him to know and he would even now respect |
