Show if 1 BLACK L A C wk p I 1 BAG A G I 1 by louis joseph vance copyright 1908 by batke the dibi merrill co a CHAPTER OROTHY did not move iler D pallor gre grew more intense and kirkwood saw her knuckles tighten beneath the glov es otherwise her mouth seemed to grow grov j more str light and hard dorothy cried the adventurer 1 w itil a touch of I 1 you heird me rue 1 I heard sou she replied 1 I little wcarl lv diore tinn thin a n latt little e bously don doti t mind wind him mr ir Kirk Kirkwo woodI with nith an appi aling ageg turo ture as kirkwood unable a to contain himself self luied moved restlessly it in hia 1 chair chrt to rise don dont t siv anything I 1 hive lile no intention er of going 1 with fill this tills man I 1 C Cil endara features twitched nerl lie hewed it n corner of his ills mustache the tile girl with a black stare 1 I pro presume 1 he lie rom irked aft art cr er i I 1 moment with nith dellal millon youre await that as your our fathie I 1 am in a position to compel compol to t ac colilli ally me tile 11 1 I shall not go 90 ith you iterated dorothy doroth in a ien level el tone 1 I ou mily th throated roaten me but I 1 shall not go mr ur Bruit wick and mr kirkwood tire fik vil ICK lug me to frio friends ads who will mill rive ghe me tile a home until I 1 cin und find a a to tike care of myself mv self that ii 1 all I 1 have to to 3 a au 1 bravo my dcarl dearl I 1 cried encouragingly mind find your business sirl thundered C alender ins 1114 4 fico fice darkening then to dorothy duroth you understand I 1 trust 1 whit thia this means I 1 be he demanded 1 I offer you a home houle and it good one lie ile fusia and you OU flork orl for bour our m ciril youve youe forfeited your lega a 1 I know knoll I 1 kanom aft told him tn in cold disdain I 1 at am content wont ou oil be kind to leave in aae 0 alone 1 I 1 lor or a breath calender CJ Ca lendir glowered oer her then 1 I presume he lie observed ob sered that all these lic heroics rolLs aru are by that do you 1 1101 that he a brass far thing to bl s 4 himself with nith I 1 I 1 hat hrit his h is that cried the airi ir tr if I 1 why it has e everything ery thIng to do N 1 I h me in mv child As bour our doting I 1 cant courent to 3 a our lit 3 ing lUE noth ing a eu tor for I 1 you to mirry tills mr I kirkwood don t a fol follow loLd td a little of lonce sl 1 title tho the N warm arni blood teamed lu ill tho the girl a faco face aud and the rl red d lips trembled aa as ahe she faced her tormentor thin with a quaver that escaped her control if air mr kirkwood aska asks we I 1 abill eh ill she vir itra simply tint that kirkwood is a completely understood 11 ills gize gaze bought her els eit s but she I 1 oled a aai awi 1 1 lou forget that I 1 am atil your fitler fitl nr no ered calendar I 1 and that 3 ou oil are a minor I 1 can call refuse ina a consent but vou OU U won oil t kirkwood kirk told him with assurance lite adventurer stared I 1 no he agreed after slight h illation no I 1 eliutt interfere lake her ray my boy if you want lur and rind I 1 fathers blessing into the bargain the lord I 1 ord knows knol Is ive troubles enough A parents lot Is 1 not no i whit ith its crack cracked ti up U to be paused leering ironic ironle but dellb bratel er erat atel cly 11 theroa theres still this tilts other ill amt ter of the gladstone glads tono bag I 1 don t mind abandoning my parental pi rental authority when my child childs s happiness is concerned but as for tuy property i it Is not your our property interrupted the girl it aa waa your rn mothers others dear child 1 its now mine 11 I 1 I 1 dispute that assertion kirkwood put in you may dispute it till the cows colls come home my boy 1110 fact will remain that I 1 intend to take my ray property with me when I 1 leave thia this room whether you like ille it or not now ar are 0 jou you disposed to continue the argument or may inay I 1 count on your being senat senst ble you may put away your revolver if what 3 ou mean said kirkwood we anly shant oppose you with violence but I 1 warn you that scotland yaru ou oh that be blowell blo tho the aden tur er snorted in disgust 1 I can sail cir cles round any tec that ever blew out I 1 cc of scotland bardl give gile me an boure hour tart start and youre free to do all tbt fanny business youve a mind to with scotland then yon you admit queried brent i vick wick ciolll that youve no loal legal title to tho the jewels lu in disputer dia look here mr friend chuckled calendar when you catch me admitting anything you arito it down don in nour little book and tell the tile bobby on the corner just at present ive vie got other business than to stand round admitting anything about anything caan leti have that bus bag of my ful daughters ere you are stryker spoke for the first time since entering the room taking the from beneath the chair and depositing it on the table well wo me shant take auy anything thing that belong to us laughed calen dar fumbling with the catch not even so small arnall a matter as my own childs traveling bag A small heavy gladstone bag ho lie grunted opening the valise and plunging in one greedy band hand will just about do for mine minot I 1 with which he lie produced the article mentioned this tills for the discard cap caan ho he laughed contentedly pushing the girls valise aside and rumbling with stentorian mirth stood belill be lining ng bi over the ass assem em bald comp my iny why he exclaimed this tills mom moment nt la Is worth all it cost mel I 1 my children I 1 for forgive giLb aou a freely mr sir kirkwood J jou cord lall on having secured a it most expensive alie really Y tl dou oll 1 know I 1 aftel ft el as it if I 1 ought to do a little solli something ething for you both I 1 1 1110 I he thick mottled fingers tore nervously lit ut the tile tell ho lie got the bag open those about the table bent forn ird all quickened by the prospect of for the tile first time behold ill lug the tr tsure 0 over er IN which blell the had fought for which they had bad suffered tred so long A heady and lusious lusi lus loua fous frn grince rince per padul the atmosphere exhaling from the open mouth of the big A silence sustained Impre impressed shed etheli iteck upon tile little aud audience lence a piuse ended eventually by a sharp snap of Culen calendars dars teeth alm emms ilm nil grunted the tile in ment ile began to pant abruptly ill his heavy hands delved into the tile contents of the b big ig like tin ells of a terrier r digging in ill earth 1 I 0 kirkwood Kirk woo 1 the air seemed temporarily thick alli tiling objects Ien cah hh lit ast ris a towel fell upon tl ti table a crumpled soiled towel tovel bear ill ing 9 on oil it its ding hem the inscription in ill ink I 1 hotel du commerce abets A tooth mug of substantial earthLy mato dropped to the floor with lith a crisli A slim haip dish of tho sime mallu manufacture facture slid across the table allot into Bren micks lap A battered bitt ered clock with never licer n tick tich left la in its libuser carcass ran rang na as it fell by the open bag the remain ter was nas cringes a dozen or mora round golden globes of rip ripe fruit per perhaps linIN a it shade ill overripe there fort fore tile more aronn tle the adventurer ripped out an nil oito malro ida V he lie raged in furl dono done up lit I 1 secarl swear doue done ba b tint infernal sneak me blind as a bit 11 lie ile fell suddenly allent the blood digesting in his ills face ns as suddenly broke forth again baraquin bara nuin tho the company why he out and aud bought those or bringes inges id a it think of it me bitting sitting in ill the hotel in antwerp and ill him lugging in by b the bagful bebau c he lie was fund of fruit NN when lien did le do it how ilov do I 1 know if I 1 know would I 1 be hero here and him the del 11 iknou a 9 1 w liere here this tilts minute when wilen in III bac bick was as turned of that a wh il lie was inas eo 0 hot hat about picking a tight fight on the boat eb ell wanted to get thrown off and take to the woods leaving me rue with litti aud and wh why he felt so awful done up he take n hand at hunting ou two to down hey ill camp on bis his trail for the rest of his natural born days ill bale his tits eyeteeth for to ill lie ile sw acir gibbering with rage bla tits countenance frightfully contorted bla his fat hands shaking stinking as be he struggled for and anti then while yet their 0 own n astonishment held ficia dorothy kirkwood brentwick and striker speechless charles tile moved suddenly upon the adventurer adien chere here followed two metallic clicks Calen calendar dayed ravings were abrupt ed as if his tits tongue had licen paralyzed ha kie fell baat a pace flabby jowls pale and slinking ehn kin ponderous jaw dropping on his breast mouth wide and eyed a crazed as he shook violently before him his tits thick fleshy wrists securely handcuffed simultaneously the bold deelia whirled abort bounded eagerly across tho the floor and ind caught stryker at the door bis his dexterous fingers twisting in the captains collar ns as be he jerk jerked ed him luck back and tripped him mr kirkwood he cried I 1 here please one moment take this muaril mana gun from him will youl you kirkwood sprang to bla his assistance anil without encountering much trouble lu in il v resting a revolver from Stry kera limp flaccid fingers cloughly bly the shook the mao man dragging him to ills feet now he ordered sternly 11 ou march to that corner comer stick your nose in it and be good you cant get away if you try I 1 ive e got other men outside waiting for you to come out understand trembling like a whipped cur stryker meekly obeyed hia instructions to tile no letter the with a contemptuous laugh leaving him strode back to calendar meanwhile whipping lna off his goggles and clapped a hearty ti hind ind upon the adventurer adventurers quaking dera ders well be cried I 1 and are you still sailing salling circles round the men from scotland yard simmons Si nimons or bellois or sanderson or calendar or Crumb stone or whatever cr name you prefer to sail under calendar glared at him aghast then heaved n profound sigh shrugged bis big fat shoulders and bent his head in thought an instant later he looked up you cant do it ha he informed the detect detective lic vehemently you got a u shred of evidence against met me hats there A pile of oranges and a peck of trash what of it ue be sides iio lie threatened if you ou pinch mo me have hale to take the girl in too I 1 sweir sacir that whatever stealing was as done lone she did it ill not be trapped this tilts way by her and let her off with nith out a squeal take me ta take ke her it d you 3 ou hear I 1 1 I think put in the clear bland blaud ac cents of brent ick I 1 N we e cin consider that mattel settled I 1 liae here m mv binau man nodding to the adventurer as its he took tool up the blick leather ballet 1 I irin hive e I 1 ere a little matter I 1 which litch mi nii clear up tip any lingering ring doubty is 18 to your 3 our standing which ini 13 be oll adli poal it present to entertain I 1 lie he extracted a slip of cardboard ind nt fit arms length llad it on oil the tible 1191 edge beneath the adventurers ayea 3 the latter bew beix fi dered bent over it for a filoni moment ent bri athing then d inck shook himself elf laughed with itla a mirthless note not and facci the tile its come 1 with I ith 3 ou oil now 1 guess bess uess he suggested su very quietly lite bannister warrant arrant id Is still out for you I 1 returned ro the man inan th be enough to hold aou a on oil till tion pipers arrive from the tile states stats oh oil ill wilvy those und and I 1 N wont on t 91 give P ou any trouble either I 1 reckon mused the adventurer jingling his manacles thoughtfully thoughtful ij im a bick number on I 1 ay 1 hen lien a wit hilt f grown girl a half b bekc il d L boy a flub like ille mul reidy and it clubfooted snipe from scotland yard can put it all over oler me tile this tills way why I 1 guess its up to me ill to go home and retire to m my country place up the hudson he ile sighed I 1 wearily earil yep time dine to cut it out but I 1 would like to be free iong ion enough to get in one good lick nt at that mutt mul read ready my friend you et your hands on him and ill squal al on oil him hini till I 1 m w blue in the face th its it a a promise 11 kiive 0 the tile chance ch ince before long rt piled the detec detective tIN e ne e ro eel it a telegram from the amsterdam police late this afternoon saying abe d ed up mr with a woman aniau named and were inere holding them on suP suspicion lelon it yepros turning tig to thea wire lre opening 1 lit nogo go tint tona foi fol the lite bile 1 nf of it lot of stones and seemed in suf ruih it a precious harry tint thit the sui cupl dons clung vere ere NN t c re bend belld lutr lut for them miss cah nolar ho u you L in make your mind e aisy is bout your jiw C els 13 you LOU 11 ha have e them b hick ick in ill a few fen dav s 11 think 3 you oti s tid the girl with ill an effort I 1 well the adventurer ad erd er d tila his pt pi 1 I am ani gl id to hour hear it 71 t 1 ve L u a square deal all adv other way ll 11 T ihen hen with N ith an all uner uncertain talu nod 1 comprehending the girl kirkwood and brant wick niel so lungi be said alla burnid with all baud un in der his arm and accompanied b by the thoroughly cowed colled stryker waddled out of the room kirkwood following the exodus closed the door with clab elaborate 0 C care at 0 and slowly deep in thought rL returned turned to the table brentwick had bad slipped down doun in ill bla chair re resting sting his all silvered vered lie ld upon its back and was nas smiling serenely up at the low 3 yellow bilow belling before him on the table hia his long white fingers warp e ro drumming an inaudible tune presently rousing ho he caught kirk woods eye and smiled sheepishly nice like a child caught in lit innocent mischief tho the y nger tiger man grinned broadly and you u were ere responsible for all that he commented infinitely amused am useI brentwick nodded twinkling self sat ts 1 I contrived it all he said neit Ne lit I 1 call it too his ills old eye brightened with reminiscent enjoyment inspiration he crowed softly inspiration in pi ration puro pure and simple id been worrying my tits wits for fully five give min lite before wotton settled the matter by telling me about the captains hir bir ins of the motor car then in a flash I 1 had bad it I 1 talked with charles by b r telephone lits name 1 Is really cf 1 l by the bye overcame bh ills nc about playing his ills fish wb they were already all nil but landed and settled the artistic details 1 he ile chuckled delightedly its the instinct ho lie declared emphatically the instinct for adventure I 1 know knew it was in me latent aut never neer till this da day r did it U got gt the op Ort unity ta assert itself A bora bom ad d what I 1 am ami you aee see it waa was essential that they should be we were frightened and runn fris iron them ahat ms aney would be to run after us u why we might ditre r s and failed bale baited a dozen rapa trap to lure them into my bouse house after that t tout knew bad had the chance to tell me the whole yarn odd I 1 chances you I 1 vuu you taking and charles asked kirkwood curl curiously 4 I 1 Vre precious clous few there was another altor from scotland yard trailing trall ln captain if they had run put or turned aside they would have been overhauled lu iti abort order INN hat I 1 dont understand contend ed kirkwood Is how flow you co corn minced need calendar tint thit lie get revenge by pressing press lus hai hl chaise against miss Cale calendar udar dorothy I 1 oh oil hi h I 1 mr air Hr entwick elevated his 10 fine white eyebrows and sat up briskly I 1 my dear bo that was nas the most delectable dish on the entire menu I 1 hie h ne been reserving it I 1 don dont t mind owning that I 1 might better enjoy the f full u I 1 i r relish |