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Show ' ' - PTHW- - - ' - "I . - . .'?JS," - . fc r THE PROVO HERALP - - . yr- - . ' - - ' ... - - ; t ' oijumai 'TinwlllLri . - - J- ; V V -- . n i e5 - .,1 SYNOPSIS, "upjiTTTintfTriTrR. A", kiiii'ide of young Mn'lr.-Mereer. hrottirr of the ... Vw nt HarvaNj TJ!S stnryjrijviyis KauTT'i" met t'aiv fl n to kidnnii AivWi-ward, and to SHin irtMHon.ioir of Annt RrlX'i'ca VVlntvrs uiiUuiti? AMis n a was rn ritNn"J, inmj7ilv . tJlv nuvt u ixnp!rator,Mr .Wlnti-i- uiikp--MntvHl.-Alio .rclttlivf, Mill1(;rnt - I old hiiTnimf Ills Alint. fti'htwa. Arrlif and the latter' nursi-- . Miss Jam-- i Nmiils were--.tIf avii fur the wtt wild tin lolciH'l and Urn. Mrlvlllc. A ttiywl "flnun- rini ninimtt- - was alinr tln lr;itn on .... wJilrh C'ul. Wliiier- ma !i!aAiinL :i XElnJ-hi- a. tn Misa ginllli-KT- iil parently planum l , - ".- - fttr-hti-- erdrljr.-iJerit- vt (lrv WHteh a, friilrald Kniltli, drilte Tir wllh he ath'Wd ; yt - "I am not often mistaken In people," was the colonel rather oblique an- th4nfc I yott-ar- e- .man who might kill me if you had a than but would aot break his word to me. If you will promise to jitay fair with us, do no harm to my nephew, takeT,h f af Tetter ' a h d T)rFng me a nah- awer if you find any one on your r word oLhonor-a- ji Japanie aoldlor and gentleman, you may go; we will not signal the police, la It a bar- , : ltltr 4n TheH'ap ferVlLelvsseiiTed the language, of the east, "saving his e by the declaration pf the of his principals. And he went aft as gracefully and' courteously an if only the highest civilities had passed 1 " between them. e "Won't-htry some skin game on s?" i the detective : questioned; but . Winter only, motioned .towarit.tIie...t$l&' 1 1 xold-.'em.l- f much-discusse- wurd-of-hono- - s la-h- is spt-akln- : I - potelP-a-j-a-c-e-rye- s batd the-elusl- They waited. The colonel motioned gaged.; Thjs Clrlt4o-r-seat"bv-thetblewUht nM. - It Say, Miss Furber,-tha- t lsJltdsaljjUawe v ti 4he-colone- rrefl - - l'a uthff -r- longefg:g2-- -- looked pale, although she way."-isaid-he-- J -- man," Blrdsall cbimeJ in, "because we - v, know perfectly well that you are-n-ot agent of the Peerless 'Fireles's v. r . Stove." ' one oh trial" snd'fYB;:;'."' hcie "re.g"t -- (mine ba4;k- - tu It. PXi. : plained the young man. in silkenrac-- ; cents, but w(t.h a dancing gleam of the eyes.,.-.- . 1 .. "We are gtilng to keep It," said cer. "K i ta,-Gll- Mer-- . ifl Stove tnii it to this "fetch-that-Firel- ess geinle--ma- n left us, and show gentle- r man here." l'Ob, cntit ontl." BirdiailaxeAiiim 2 off. 'Jt's"lrly ten nwnutes before our ,. fellows wijl come. You can put ihe : police court wise with all that,.. -- Try " it on them; it don't go with us." "Where la - jhe boy r?.j;.aid.tha . c. . ; "coioper. - T.- ". Mer- rrrmr-.4--rrrM-- "' wr, new-come- - "Yes, Suh, I tVn grown- - fountain.;1 I Got Your Aunt r". anj a osn- - Tbere-wae-the-us- mo- - wall-Merc- v!fle?dtire con in no need of that plaything In your hand, and that you re going io-di-ne ? with your "boy Isn't he a fine " . fel-low- z d pro-mote- - d himself.'-'a.s-he-phrase- " y usl - he e:r a 'm " gtSe.UiyiT -- Tomfortr"-be- mem- - 3 -- it wai nglish--- or trying"Jo be'. "It would.be like MillicenL? exactly down."" looked darkness but he false. as but Nothing ferent, just the wrathf thought colonel, ully, "to brought himself up with a Jerk; he was visible, but while he stood, tense- try to fool the had apwho kidnapers, iroldlng'Birbfea-tErhiS'abhormaliat Would trmrirwealdiook1 things lost "Archie; parently ha hy pretending disas .they were; many, a man had been sensitive auricular nerve eanght was at the hotel ! " ". - r of breath not would kind that, He fooled by the dummy." ls like a groan, and a THermade tio commeErtraloudrbut he " Jump it fort clti slops Jie?aise. theywere ofslgh-wh.inodded saentto-ilercer's proposal -? said voice becau8e more than hejwould cruel," "any - angrily to and then .walked he " telephone; up , they were kind. , There was sucin a "Oh, damn it all!:. ; 'manT"" "., td1he"iiioTe y7 sus as credulous thing, he knew well rrAImos6"slffiultaneouslyhe heardihe "The game is up,', he said, quietly. . . plclon tt did more harm than credu: faint footfalls of the men within; ;he "We. have a lot.ol men' waiting out- deWa he. had Ions trust.;iMeanwhl!ti side. If they-wl- ll we come any signal tail. He was to find Archie; therefore, column was Intact, and he was bend we they-w- lll don't signal were In house jmlnnteHf ; ing his frowning .browson-the-etyk- h. the he waited. They ten cineln ttlnntesCfiYe,ii,8( achance v" WmripWt?. foiiyiirglve ;np: thetraM bate 6srnotnerettifdsaji-M- a to be to vantage under the stress of any of Mercer entered together, Mercer, with of a mercifulfor you. This Is no kind scrape your father's son or Mercer's plausible lurlngs to the out- - ,Strog..of.hja RbQulders ihfl' detect Side ive's dogged suspicion,- preceding the. -- Shot without range thbngh it wa,- ., Moreover, by degrees, he became latter, i; Whiter was sure that it went home tin- telRrtnraiiuffisd he- m s.r.htr some extent," was sincere In his pr nuuctuieui. iooKins fcsslon of belief In Archie's absence "Tes. suit," T got fyour aunY'herself." kindly at himf - - cuauaueo, ? . of in and safety- - This, hearing responded Mercef, with hlaVlrginiaa r; ?You Jook spite about as now,TIl wager, Beverai4ime8 that Archle was aot survival of the formal civility of an did all 4he speaking, earlier generation. " 'Yes;' suh ; but" I you used to look in the office when you called on the dean by invitation b ut he alio w ed ?t rdsalL ta bold- - the. re. trlfcAfsh!JtJot'.tlerij.l5L wondering lust where th reiver and take' the message from Mrs. "Where is he?" The soldier's voice PPLrxwas going tc light?" Winter:" , was curt BE CONTINUED.) ,(TO , The telephone was In an. adjoining "Honestly," declared Mercer, "I wish room, 'but by shifting his position a I knew, suh.. I certainly do. 'But " 4 Much Too Good. number of times the colonel wa able Mercer's jaw fell; he turned sharply at Mother Johnnie, why are you beat to catch- - a murmur ot the .conversa' the soft whir of an electric stanho-pIng little sister J Surely she has not tidon;" He heard Ifercefa voicegently" entering the patio' through the been unkindtoyout 'S f'J. T. He had turned away and was great arched gateway. Johnnie No.l mamma; but she ! It, stopped following the detective - out ' of the abreast of the group; and its only oc- so fearfully goou I simply can't stand ' room. "I don't understand It any cupant, a " handsome I young man, hpr. Fun , Then, y tlnctly-thejitacc-ato h. -i- jnore-wearilyt- - The colonel did not note either his admission that he; had seen ' Archie, nor a curious warming; of his to'nerhe had stiffened aftd grown Tlgtd like a man who 'receives allow which he will not adriilL Hq stole a glance at the eight-pointe- e not let his thoughts misuse her the smiling, Tlonedlo one of thenf. 'T wish I could round de?ft They both had a glimpse of a figure flitting Ihlo" a floor of the court. They Uoth had seen a woman's profileand a Tiaad trmirkT'of complacency. caugh " holding-- . e.:.iit4 - seemed " eli side. Will you ring for Kito. colonel? ends like an al'lgator's nose. And Under the circumstances you may hnpcful.; both men had recognized Miss Smith. "She didnt really want, to give me doTour ow'nllnglng. I will ask the letter, I thought," said 'the detect- him'lo attend to the car," CHAPTER IX.. ' ; ive. The colonel gave him no reply The 'colonel made "proper acknowlThe Agent of the Fireless Stove. ra ve a black look; Ar silence tell; edgments. He was thinking that had The time was two hours later. Rupert footfaJi-outsidbroke-4fe- Mercer- cared- - toreonaeate the matur "Wtnterwas" a fimtrto-nElttlns on Oneof the" stone L a .tealthyj(yilfall,, . tUrdsll he , would have, done . without ringing; Upt4 bencheslntfielonTOa9bouttlie hi3 hand Inside his coat ; The colonel on the other hand, did he desire patio. I The court was suffused wjth rose and bowed gravely to Cary Mer- - some special intercourse with his the golden - glow presaging sunset J where! nt under their very Warm afternoon sh ado w s lay . aloa g . On Lis" part, Mercer wai'nonVtiie noses, he could issue his orders well, the flags;; waving silhouettes of leaf' fiMirifid; he looked ut the two possibly they might get a whiff of the blurred reflections from age or n't. v i'h tli arro;;;tut Buspldon secret themselves were .ho allowed to the boldplant: of Spanish war! '! t ist.g Wlntor on the train, try. At present the game baffled him. riors and Spanish priests sculptured "i '!, r'"U'ir, Ay courtesy f Tkerefoie he .nodded to Elrdsall's between the spandrels of the arches. pre-TeTT- o :!k e it - who took my neiew a .JlWUI 3'u kimljv tell us u'let;e JfJ.8', "And don't j;ef Kiddy, yotiug gentle.; tr e x-aminer hand. think you're the .vouns.Kentleman - puckered face behind Mercer's shoul- uer. aiiu ue rung tue uen The Jap answered It with suspicions alacrity, "Kito," said Mercer,"will you attend ne to Gen. Winter's car? Bring It up to the court." Absolutely harmless, to all appear ances, but Blrdsall, from his safe posiandmanT-took- ed tion behiad-fflas- tef shrewd suspicion at the soldier -- 'Shall wlth your man- - In the hall-gonlm?" asfced-Mej- cer .The jcolonel shook his head. "No," he naid, quietly, "we have other men outside-lt-h- e needs help. Cal.,kldl please." But when Birdsall attempted to get central there was no resp1nse. The colonel merely shrugged his frowned. shoulders, although-Ulrds- nll "WltiTtrrinamr: What a ulty'.'l aaldWinter, softly. "Now, the fellows will confe "when" the" tlme13-ii- pr wexanl call them off."" Mercer smiled faintly. "There are twojnore telephones In the house," he observed. ' "You can call (fit your dogs easily any time you wish, Also you can hear from the Palace. (WIU you rome upstairs withjne? -- T assure you I have not the least intention to harm you or the honest sergeant." com-lil"YoTTake tliefflraOrlck; Mercer." antd thc oolonel "I sUfiposBd the buJl Was your signal to have the wires cut. But about going; no, I think we will stay here. There Ib a door out on the court which,' If you .will -- pen thank charm ngrospeet! you, me it I send Haley out there; and may ' ?: 1go- myself?' " the answer, h Anticipating under the low mission lintel. Into a you? fairy-likCallfornlan court Or patio ,nler'' WU1 you' 337 breathing distance' or the ' telephonevt . He himself fluttered the; loose journals Winter in? and magazines, Ms ironle "smile creas- back? ing his cheek. "Our Japanese friend W?ell, Miss Smith In? She's gone; too? reads the newspapers,'; he: reniarfepd. IlasMasteiArcijlbaldotrtwkyetJ to the hotel? Hasn't?. Thank you "Here are papers; yes, ?Un! answer to in late and Chronicle, unfolded and : ' smoked over. Cigar, toot not cigarette, ruption'.j "What aatcblonel? hereto-ta- ll for here is a " stamps-decided- ly our number cherry-blossothe colonel read.it out of the telefriends are getting civilised J" r phone book "when - Master : Archie " "Oh, tljere Is somebpdy la here all does get back, will youf I am afraid, right," grunted Blrdsall. "Say, colo- Mr. Mercer, that you will have' to alnel, you are sure Mrs. Winter has tad low ua to trespass turyqw hospitality no answer to her ad.? No kind of for a little f e suspected that- - Mercer 'wai an"I naven't seeti'Berror a fisw Tionrs, noyed, although terahswered lightly but Mrs. Melville Winter; she enough: v -- as you please, CoU Winter. was positive .nor wor4,haxi-jcpiiic- l "She taougnt my aunt was more worried Now, .: there is another matter", your into his . -- " "1 it ;' The colonel look Hunters own si ''Tell him, if you know," said own "Now," cer. "This logical processes. gentleman," he explained, groaned Rupert Winter, "I am up left with. us. ta test. ,Hewas against it. She. looks like a good here about it this morning, and we wom woman; she seems like a good gave Archie to him to take to the " an; but 1 have only my impressions Palace hotel." and Aunt Rebecca's against the ap"And he is there now,'- - said :jthe-youns parent facts in the case. Well, Aunt man. . TT 'i 'f rr - tr. leave" bini there r askea "jJid'yotl down and thought harder. Finally he the colonel. " rose, smiling. He had threshed out did you?" insisted Mercer. . ."Yes, his problem; and his conclusion, in- The young man looked from Mercer audibly but very distinctly uttered to t A tha itVlAi fll.'rt man TKaca urn a rf JbiSlselj,. waa. but 'IT- V,Is ,rfWe'?tPVeB in with pressions! If that Winter felt sure of two things: One, gang, either what they are after Isn't that the r was Mercer's conso bad or they have made her believe whom he was striving to federate " it Isn't bad," shield, by pretending to disavow; the He looked- idly about him at the that for- - some reason Mercer other, arched doorway of the outer court. It Herself," Responded Mercer. was as anxious for the answer as were was carved with A favorite mission flowers with they. Winter's dull eyes hardly noted them; design of the: stove the exotic luxuriance of foliage, the vase-likfluting below. There was a ''you see, Mr. ah, gentlemen, one in of crack the armor the cowls and flowers, tiny Spanish Spanish you see, I was told to take the boy to were all too common to a denizen of a tiniest crack In. the world He looked the Palace hotel,, and f setrout to do Spanish colony in the tropics, to dis- at It without seeing it, or seeing It it. We weren't going at'more than an tract his thoughts from his own ugly with only the outer half of his senses, clip, yet sonaefooz-Ie- r problem. He bad been havtng it out but he could, not. have told bow of a cop arrested us for speeding. effort-to into his Trithpierce his own tan- Tt was rldiculoiisTand X tried there had been moments during those gle there crept a sudden interest, a to shakeperfectly but it was no use. They him, two hours, when he had ground his sudden keenness of scrutiny of this carried us off to a police court "and teeth and clenched his" fists because" m I n ute," 1 n sTghlfleantcrac k in the stuck me for ten dollars." Meanwhile stone. He became aware that the crack of the futile and furious pain In him: my machine and my. passenger were was the singularly regular preserving' W.hn.he.xecogai5ied Janet Smithy-boutside. When I got outside I couldn't that same illuminating' flash he form of' the flower and .the fluting be- find them. I skirmished around, and ' neath. Kito, the Japanese, whowas recognized that this woman who had .finally did get the machine. I'd taken woman him was been tricking the that Sitting at the far end of the court, con- the precaution to fix it so IE. couldn't In here with Haley, just "He loved. amty He "believed" that he" "had versing be run before I left itTook the key" said his last wordtolaye, but love, aft- rose and came to this particular pil- out, you know have been er seeming to ; accept the; curt dis lar. The Irishman sat alone, rimmed trundled off by hand somewhere! missal, was lightly riding his heart by the sunset gold, little spangles of but; I couldn't find the boy. Naturally, or-t- mer 5 j-motes d ftin g-- abou t lum bit. wome.(t;-JDurJ5TtXjsM TTiaT" secona s est winter glance iingefeiTon thought with inexpressible bitterness, him looked up the force" and the neIgllbo went ere to who the it Jap, passed hood. It occurred' to me to recalling nis unhappy married life 'phone to and the pretty, weak creature who hadpura courteously saluTing. the Palace. I did, and Iwas tolThe Be had passed, the colonel After caused him such humiliation. Yet with was there." .real wrong-doiug- ; looked again at the column and the her there nad been-n- o "Who told you?" The question came was not crack it there. only absolute lack of discretion out of three throats. simultaneously "Chitp, chito!" muttered the colo and a childish craving for gayety and eho "Whv Mrs XUinfor thnl'c nel. Carelessly woeadulatio- n- Poor child! what--ful ending for it all! The baby, the column and took the same posture as iJ.BiicaD.L:.tljrefeaj9tfiaL.:.ago. Mrs.. little boy who was their: only livltig the Jap.'7 TobfrHsTveTyni'8""tfneri Winter told me that he wasn't there." child, to die of a sudden access of an strayed overTEe stone. He scratched remarked Mercer, coldly. "When did -apparently trifling -- Attack- oL- - croup, the surface; not stone, but cement. you telephone?" He tapped cautiously,, keeping his a at vyhilo the mother was dancing was It 15 at least minutes ago,'" ; ' " eas Takiiii; jiaud well 'Iliafluu 'by his bony; woaoi-lo- w the"Tybu'ng' man salj aoieiuily.' ""I say-,- "' pbst;Taiu'He" rewarded at but sound all blm; examination for. promotion. The franwouldn't you better call them up tic drive home In the chill of the dawn once his groping fingers touched, a again? There may be some explana had given her a cold, which her shock little round object under "the bold point I shouldn't have ' come back He didn't without and grief left her no strength to re-- of an the kld.if I hadn't been sure -dare pressaon It; Instead he resume d he was safe." she followed his icautlbus '': tapping:- He glanced ttire, twor bntterfiy!;-ftn- d "Was it Mrs. Melville or Mrs. Win-her baby Inside of a month'- - Had she about him. Save for Haley he was ter you-- got?" This came from the lived, her husband might .have found alone In the patio. He pressed on. the by chance have-a- s ound white .knob, and whaOSZEFd it hard to1 forgive her, for-- al orwas accent,English it southern?" sore heart was turning to the child for halfrexpected happened: "A segment Oh, no, not southern," protested v v he-did waadeadi-an- d -- you JttitJhaid, Stow.' 7 -- ab-onc- 1 d the reasoner" was unconscious, of his , . jumped "niuiblv out of the vehicle. He greeted .(hem with a polite temoval of anri a flashipg smile cap. snirTf m:m" hTircntrTte-betelff- HirdsaJI and 'the colonel the ttavebus eutbwsiiast d " cigar o - are refusing." The colonel was frankly puzzled. He couldn't quite focus his wits on this bravado which-ta- d nothing of the bravo about it, in fact, had &. tinge of wlstfulness In Its quiet. One would have said Jheman regretted iiiscom pulsory attitude- - of- - antagonism;- - that he wasted peace. i Mercer smiled IifhqieideskrvLtsteij faintly. "You ought ryou can tell if the wires are cutr to know this when a man "is time by ml he knows your men are outside lying, colonel," he continued, "but I Siding, somewhere; "he doefin't know will gp further. I" may have-doow many". JTou see, we haw the plenty i)fwjcoiig.ihiiigs Ja.myiife adantage of them there;" lo "be "safe some things, maybe, which the law to don't dare let ;hey many people might call a crime; but I have never - n to their - seorefe We- - eaahave wuuld" debar "me whole gang. We haven't manyt but aoneTIhytl"IHgWIiIcir from passing my word of honor as a I they may think we have" : gentleman?- - nor- - ny - one - else- - from Ulrdaall,' who had lifted the receiver to his ear, laid ItdownwIlh an ap-- takingJu -- Lgive you my- that I have meant and I d6 mean no peased nod. Immediately he proceeded Slightest harm to Archie Winter? and to satisfy his professional conscience that, while I do not know where he is oy" tTsearcn" In everynno6Tt'an(rcranny I believe youw"lI at this ' af the apartment.' But no result ap- find him speaking, safe under your aunt's propeared important enough to .justify tection when you get back to the '.he production of his red morocco 1 Palace." , aote4oek a4 hta fountain pen. i H T"CaH.up thTT'aTaTOC'UrDlrdfcad paused In disgust when the Colosail," was- the colonel's reply. "Mr. - ael sat ehtH-ttlMefce"ivTaVnoTaisrru3f; tharyoit are keener eara had caugh- t- some exactly, but you know your sound which made blm dart to all the and there are promises Shakespeare; windows in succession. He called 'which keep their word t0"theear but he to whom had outside Haley posted break it to the sense." guard the door) and dispatched him 'I don't wonder, at your mistake; ftcrosa Tjut you are mistaken, suh." - sure It was the sound of wheels," he Birdsalt wa'sT)hlegmaticaUy-rlneln- g late"; too will be sxpfained'but. Huley, Mrs. up Winter, we are on the wrong side of the having the usual ex" perience of the rash person" who in"louse." f As h spoke the bilzjs of an electric trudes hlg "paltry . needs on" the-wni;li ii m of a great hulnl systeat. j IS ; 'No, I don t know the number, I coming in the front door," hazarded ' haven't the book, here, you know, BIrdsal?.; . ' ''Evidently,' returned the colonel, Palace hotel. Well., give me Informa- 3ryly. "How can our absent friends get tion, then Busy? Well, give me anin otherwtseat leas yes, let u jnndjtani Inf the Palace. Palace notetfT y eS, ""cert atnly .'"Tes ? I think we are gplngjo have the pleas:! !A Winter. Yea line re w-- an Interview irith s,.. ...... - busy? Well, hold on until it is disen- Mr, Merrer face." more than you do. Mr. rlirdsall," he said; "you won't believe me, suh, but I am. right worried."... "Of'T-oursI believe" J ouT' pia itnl i'he .detect vet so. softly that the colo' nel knew "he did not believe any more than Mercer suspectefk "Of course, I believe you; but I don't know what to n tip nmp. 'lo, It guess it's I've Up to you to throw a little linht. called the boys off twice already and wait an'hour or a half-hou- r longer. 1 got to see th,e colonel." "I can trust. "my intuitions, or I can trust the circumstantial evidence." thought the colonel. He jumped up and began 'to pace the court. 4 Set'mi 1q 3iQ Jilo a game of b, idse before, one can see the dummy,' he complained; and, as so often hapens in the crises of life, a trivial illustration struck a wavering mind- with the His - thoughts force "of an argument. reverted- - whimsically.... to .the card-table- ; how many times bad be heti-tateover the first lead between even ly, balanced suits or lour;, and now f often had he regretted, or won, depend ing solely upon whether his card instinct had been denied or obeyed! It might be instinct, this be a sum"card .Instinct," or ming up of logical deductions so swift - tri wer4-,-'and- 1. 1 - ah" roiuim'tton hii'li lie hud kldti.tinng. plol, hl Tim reveali'd to party arrived in San FrnnctB( 0.- It --whs hi.. tlioueht that thei'e..were liiif - Arrlit mVnU'rU ifanR. jv2hlf' -rittHIt tltsiMilwartrd-.- f rtiltli ml Si'in I'TPWHffoonducted lor Archie. Blood In a iicht by room at the hotel raum-- ftiu-- Jur thp boy 'ir life. No headway whm mudil In flie anarch ifnrArr-hvt& heard (iwr. .tlie.Jeli'ptione;"4nwt,vw. aod i"oliVtfiiU of ft minute Inter a woman Mirb Hijilth, f'ol Wlntfr Hmt u drleetlxe - ot out for the ini)ty tiiriHioti, fiwnnt) hv Harvard graduate. Ttn-- were Arnold, mot with a terrllile detonation. Indirat- Inn un within, The party ' ruahed tntaexplualim the house. --n- ot ...i.i 1 J ftriknr'laT inatrnatf It Kdwtn rt. Kmilclmni On appram hi itg Carv. MircKfc-Un-fuon- rl, Kw inunum. winter. hold-u- p nr- - ah ih n on rleverly M train. Itklntr in Miw t(Kik a grt-a- l - . illyrUt t. -- - v .iik-imn- latr, In fblcimA in Winter overjiinrd ("arv Mht. . s - :, n.ud-- C Three year t'ol. t Col. his beariiis? at ("ant bridge., thrtie years bofore. Hl!. U J3iSJiisJIi!lU!litx:iJi saiii, rt'turning .the .btw. but uuferwhiih hung downJ. d. HT.dinj; sliiok iiiid fiii;.;y. at hi.s sld;. ' I am glad you recognized me this Mr. Mercer." lime, ' ' 1 jam (rry that 1 did not recopnizc you before," answered Mercer; "WiJl be fseatt'd? I am not the owner of the house nor Jils son; I ' am not even a friend only-casual acquaintance of the young man, but 1 8prrrto he jatJierriirhfTipasithm vl host; so will you be seated, and may I offr yott some Scotch and Shasta Mr. "Mr. Horatio IJIrdsall of the Illrdsall & Gwenv Detective ''agency," Interposed Filrdsall bowed. Mercer Winter, howed, "Excuse me if I decline for us both; our time Is' limited no, thank either.you. Now, Mr. Mercer;, to cotne"ToTTie point, T want my nephew. I understand he is in this " ' Ju)hse.'L' v "J"oaare quite xnlht'aJujC-JSlerjc- ei esjionded, with unshaken calm. "He is not," v "Where is he. thon?".. "I do not know, Col. Winter. What I should recommend is for you to go toarlTCfrnie PaiaceT'andnfyoOo" not find him there why, come and shoot us up again!" His eye strayed for a second Ja the blackened, reeking mass ' " on the great stone hearth. . : ''Have you sent him home? Is that what you" mean to imply?" "I Imply nothing, colonel: I don't (fare to with such strenuous flghtera. as you gentlemen; only-gand see, ajud. Jljunh-daJladthe young jceiule- man has had ho 111 treatment, no scare only a little adventure such as boys ttkerr.hope you will come out here; -- jre-talne- 1 bas-relie- -- -- ; - ;- msplace-la-movable-flowerr-Th-e ;- , 1 Jt ttffrfflfg;i"'''- , - .V--.-......--Jaoer.airtteryoang - -- d-weTC - - - e -- - ." ; , I |