Show 4 y Y Y Y Y NUTER MERVN fsr RAY PAY J y copy woT 1909 ay y t COMPA ITy SYNOPSIS at the expense of a soiled hat robert orme saves from arrest a girl in a black touring ca car r who has caused a traffic jam on an state a tret street iia buys a now new hat and Is t given in change a five dollar bill with ne remember member the person you pay this to written ritten on it A second time he helps the lady in the black car and learns that in tom and bessie Walling harn they have mutual friends but rains gains no further hint of her identity ile he discovers another inscription on an the marked bill which in a futile attempt to decipher it he ha oples copies and nd places the copy in a drawer in his apartment senor Por itol south american calls calla and c claims all na the marked bill orme orl refuses refuges and a fight ensues in which Is overcome ile he calls calla in benor minister from his country to vouch for or him orme still refuses to give up the bill orme goes tor for a walk and sees two japs attack he rescues him returning to his rooms orme ame Is attacked by two japs blaw who ho et ef hect K V a forcible exe exchange of the marked bill 11 for another orme finds the girl of the black car waiting tor for him she also wants owanes the bill orme tells his story she recognizes one of the japs jap 3 as an her fathers butler utie the second inscription on the bill Is the key to the hiding place of important papers stolen antolen from her father both th japs and south americans want the rh papers a vers orme and the girl start out in the e black car in quest of the papers in the K university grounds in Evan evanston sion t I 1 the he hiding idl ng place Is located malau a and nd another jap are there orme tells fells and the other jap escapes orme finds find in makus pocket a folded slip of paper ile he takes lakes the girl whose rame name Is still unknown to him to the home of a friend in r vanston evanston returning to the university unita g rounds grounds ormo orme gets in n conversation with a fuard fouard at the lifesaving life saving station they hear isar a motor boat in trouble in the dark ih tiesa aas on the lake they find the cri crippled p p led boat in it are the jap with th the M papers pers and girl she J jumps into ormes boat bo at but the jap eludes a pursuit orme finds on the paper he took from the address 1341 N parker treet street ile he goes there and finds that arlina teacher of jiu jitsu Is on the third floor ile he calls on an alta alia clairvoyant on the fourth floor descends dea cenda by the he fire escape and conceals himself under a table in ardmas room alca arante and the jap minister enter orme finds the papers in a anter t rawer under the table and substitutes mining prospectuses prospect uses for them lie ho learns that the papers are of international importance with a time limit for signatures tig natures of that night midnight the substitution Is discovered the girl lEp pears CHAPTER XI continued do you mind telling me how you happened to come to this place he asked she answered an sweed indifferently supposing the japanese had stolen the papers I 1 searched makus room at our house there was a torn envelope there with the name nama arima printed in the corner bowed you are cleverer than most americans my dear young lady he said ilia his lips curved into a smile that disclosed his fangs that she replied Is as it may be but I 1 have not your admiration for trickery mr again he smiled ah he be ex tl almed trickery Is the detail work of diplomacy then with a shade ai 0 seriousness in his voice he be asked why did you use that word ward unless why indeed she made this non tom committal answer and if had hoped to soothe her into friendliness and draw from her a clue to her suspicions he be was disappointed there was another period of silence broken at last by the japanese the fact that we have tailed failed my dear young lady he said makes concealment unnecessary I 1 know of course that this matter will never become public you under understand sta nd that the depre venta tives of great nations often have to take steps which as private citizens they would never think of yes she answered 1 I understand there Is no more to be b said goodday there was a step and the sound of the door closing she had gone and the japanese looked at each other we have not failed yet said eald in french the girl does not know where the documents are or she would not have bave come here it if her father does not have them before midnight our plans plana are sate safe we remain merely at a loss as to the details of the documents and we already know what they contain in a general way yes agreed the japanese things do not look so black perhaps dut but I 1 am interested in your former advice yes T find the Ameri american caril that Is what she will try to do A gehad an appointment with him this morning said eald grimly but when you said that your man had the envelope it no longer seemed necessary we you and I 1 still have the same object in view I 1 suggest that we no now w set out separately As you wish said the japanese calmly doubtless he knew that al ai carrante cat rante was grasping at a straw which might still give him the advantage in future negotiations 1 I am honored by your operation cooperation co thus far ho he bowed formally returned the bow and beckoning to Por itol left the room the japanese minister turned to artma and talked rapidly in his native tongue from his bis manner it ft was plain that he was iving giving orders at last N with wit h a little gesture 9 of authority he put on his hat and walked out the door closed after him with a slam elam ahlma now alone seated himself in a chair and appeared to meditate again his hands were clasped about his knees and his beady eyes fixed on space for fully fifteen minutes he sat at thus then with a little clucking sound lie he leaped to his feet and hurried into the next room now was ormes chance lie ile lifted the table cover and rose to his feet arima had bad not closed the door after him but orme was not in the line of at direct view into the other room and he be had bad to risk the possibility of being seen before he reached the window or should he be try for the door it all depended upon what part of the next room arima was in but the window seemed safer for the opening ag and closing of at the door would be sure to attract attention orme moved toward the window slowly watching the opening through which ahlma had disappeared ile he got halfway half halt way to the window three more steps would bring him to the sill and then without warning arima leaped into the room even in that moment orme caught a glimpse of a mirror in the farther room and knew that the japanese had seen his reflection at this instant another man appeared close behind arima A bandage was wrapped around his head it was who presumably had been in the apartment all the time orme stood little chance of overcoming the two quick as cats with muscles like steel springs and a great variety of scientific tricks of offense and defense they could handle him as they willed in a direct encounter if VV C LF fr for fully 15 minutes minute he H sat thus thu orme had had a revolver he would now have drawn it yet he knew that this was not a case for firearms obviously sly if he used a dangerous weapon in these mens mena rooms and was afterward caught it would fare are hard bard with him for or the real facts facia would be suppressed and he would be sentenced as an ordinary housebreaker perhaps with some clemency due to hta his personal standing A quick intuition told him that he would not escape lightly if they fairly got their hands on him the two japanese had hitherto shown much patience with him their desire seemed to have been to avoid hurting him any more than was necessary but there Is a limit to japanese patience the scathing words of the japanese minister must still be burning in artmas brain and who had controlled himself while orme was following him through the streets of the north side no longer bad a diplomatic reason for restraining his rage against the tha man who had struck him down in luny any event the eyes of artma and glittered angrily and orme realized that he be could expect no mercy ile he caught up a chair and raised it over his head prepared to bring it down on an artma who was only a few feet from him and coming fast the japanese raised his arms to tend fend the expected blow with sudden inspiration orme hurled the chair at his opponents feet there was a crash arima sprawled headlong who was close behind tried to leap over ahlma but his feet went through the run rungs gs of the chair and he too crashed to the floor As aa he threw the chair orme leaped back defore before the japanese could get out of their tangle lie he had jumped over the window sill and was running up tip the fire alre escape madam alta alia was at her window a look of 0 startled inquiry on her face she stepped back as he crowded into the room quick he skid said be after me ilide hide me somewhere come she took hla his sleeve and pulled him to fb a corner there she pushed aside the dingy hanging banging and orme saw that the wall was covered with a wainscoting that abat ran from floor to ceiling cel ling the medium looked at him with bright eyes youre the real sort she whispered and a wave of color in her cheeks brought back the tha suggestion of girlish beauty 1 I saw that scrap there through a hole in the floor youre the goodgi 11 she pressed his arm almost affectionately then with her free hand she pushed against t the paneling noiselessly a section of it turned inward disclosing a dark cavity get in orme quickly slipped into the darkness nass the panel closed and he heard the swish of the hanging as it dropped against the board it was not too soon boon two soft thuds told him that the japanese had dropped over 01 er the sill into the room ile he heard the woman give a well feigned scream of sur surprise alse us alss lt it was ardmas voice we looking for sneak thief ile he come in here be on off with you ive just come from the front room there and there a soul come came jn in we saw him ile he must have gone out to the hall then the womans comans voice had a note nate of mollification as though she had suddenly recognized the right of the two japanese to enter the apartment 1 I hear him A few words ofIa of Japanese colloquy then arima ahlma 1 I look around my friend go to hall A door closed evidently mahu had gone out and then orme heard steps A after f ter t this his there here was a long wait while the japanese examined the other rooms the woman evidently offering him her aid at last they returned well I 1 go back bach said ahlma atima 1 I saw him come in the window my friend will know see you later presently the ho woman raised the hanging and whispered through the boards boards ile he went back down the fire escape ills his friends in the hall hell find out you went down and then hell come back ill try the roof whispered orme perhaps I 1 can get on to another house that way walt wait till I 1 see she walked away but soon returned no use he heard her say that japs a sitting on then theft re escape watching ile he grinned when I 1 looked down orme pondered help me out of this he be whispered and therell be something in it for you she moved impatiently cut it out I 1 dont want nothing youre a good sport all she paused not that id mind having a present gut but I 1 dont want no money orme caught the distinction ill remember he said and what shall I 1 do now have to stay in there a while iguess I 1 guess 1 I simply must get away and within an hour or two ill manage that se s e answered confidently fi but how 7 see te just juat leave it to me cae orme smiled to himself there tri lo tho of course coun tr he weald leave it t to her but he did not see how she was to rid him of the watchful japanese theres just one thing he be whispered whatever Is done will have to be done without help from outside this la Is not a matter for the police 1 I understand why cant you just leave it to me I 1 dont believe you trust me a little bit dut but I 1 do he protested 1 I am absolutely sol in your hands ile he heard her sigh faintly im going to put down the window now she said it aint safe for me to stand here talking to you unless I 1 do that artma fellow might pop up tip the tire fire escape any time she was back in a few moments ile he had heard the window creak down and slipped past him in the closet and he had wondered whether the action would add to arimas suspicion it if ho he comes up now she explained in an undertone the glare on the outside of the window will keep him from seeing in very plain after that she did not speak for sonie some time but the occasional movements of her body as sho she leaned against the panel were audible to orme ile he found himself wondering about her how she he had happened to take up the career of fortune telling she must have been a handsome han dEome woman even now sho she was not unattractive the delay grew more and more irksome it seemed to orme as though he had bad been behind the panel tor for hours after a while he asked what time Is it about two aint alit you hungry orme laughed softly 1 I 1 thought about it walt wait a minute she moved away when she returned she pulled up the hanging and opened tho the panel in her hand was a thick sandwich 1 I was waa just going to cat my own lunch when you came back through tho the window she explained ile he took the he sandwich she looked at him boldly ile he was standing close to her in the opening there was an expression that was almost defiant in her eyes 1 I 1 I 1 want my present you shall have it madam alta alia he said you aint my kind and it wont rn maki no difference to you her voice tailored and her eyes dropped 1 I want you to kiss me orme looked at her and understood under alood ile he put his arms around her and kissed her gently on the lips there was no disloyalty in it ile he was simply satis sails abd tbd craving of this poor comans womans wo wor mans naria soul soula a craving for a tribute to which she could always revert as the symbol of a high friendliness she felt that he was of a different world he knew that the world was all one though partitioned titio ned off by artificial barriers but he could not correct her view sho she clung to him for a moment after his lips left hers then released herself from his clasp and moved back into the room her face averted was it to hide a blush orme did not ask himself but respecting her reticence of spirit silently closed the panel and was again in darkness for a time he stood there quietly ilia his back was against the wall his hands easily touched the paneling that shut him off from the room lie he wondered what this secret place was for and taking a match from his pocket he lighted it the inclosure teemed to extend all the way across the side of the room farther along lying on the floor door and standing against the wall were contrivances of which at first he could make nothing poles pieces of tin and were those masks heaped in the corner from a row raw of pegs hung long robes white and blac the truth flashed into ormes mind ile ho was in madam allas alias ghost closet CHAPTER XII power of darkness to ormo orme the next half hour was very long ile he seated himself upon the floor of the closet and ate the sandwich which the clairvoyant had brought hlin him occasionally he could hear bear her moving about the apartment poor charlatan he thought she is herself a good sort I 1 suppose she excuses the sham of her profess profession loin on the ground that it deceives many persons into happiness lie he struck another match and looked again at the ghostly paraphernalia about him near him hung bung a black robe with a large hood lie ile crushed one of the folds boldn in his hands and was surprised to discover how thin it was and into how small space it could be |