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Show ii TVr "hflrs ye4-tr" - r$ By Randall !; 1I8 iviySCBi y Oi pamsh ; theSilverDagger "9 CHAPTER VII Continued. 11 "That's what's got my goat," Costlgan Cos-tlgan admitted grimly. "He Raid he'd b back In an hour, but he ain't howed up since, ner sent any word. I don't want to shove my nose into your affairs, but I'm getttn' a little nervous 'bout George, that's a fact." I Somehow the fellow gave me the Impression of being square honest ecordlng to his lights and intensely loyal to his friends. Of course, I could not Inform him as to the whole story, but It might be of benefit to give him some Inkling of the situation. situa-tion. "There's no harm, so far as I can see, In telling you a part of the plan Mr. Costlgan," I replied slowly, endeavoring en-deavoring to guard my words carefully. careful-ly. "I know Harris has every confidence confi-dence In you, so I'll take a chance. We're both on to a million-dollar pot easy money, It looks like " "Thfl Yi If IKnl'o oin,a l..lli T" money, and naturally reached out for It. He was the first one to get onto this particular game. They were using him, this Chilean gang, to pull their chestnuts out of the tire, and that's how be tumbled to this bunch of money floating about, begging somebody some-body to pick it up. He bad wormed himself inside, and knew it was coming. com-ing. But he didn't have nerve enough to tackle the game alone. He wanted somebody else to run all the risk, and then turn over his share. Do you get It now?" "Sure; be blew the lhlng to Harris." Har-ris." "In a way yes. He sent for him to come back from England, but without with-out explaining just what his graft was. (In the way over Harris picked up another end of the same net, and went after it himself. He wasn't under un-der any obligation to Waldron, and preferred to play bis hand alone." "And the Russian has found that parlor of the McAlpln, on the mezzanine mezza-nine floor a friend wishes to see you." "But really, I do not recognize your voice." "Which is not altogether strange, as I am only the clerk on this floor. I am making this request In behalf of a guest." "A man or a woman, may I asSr?" She luughed good-humoredly. "Really, I am not at liberty to say. You will come?" "Yes, of course " Before I had really finished my sentence sen-tence the connection had been severed. However, there was no doubt nw 'n my mind but that it was Harna. I took the subway and was at the entrance en-trance within twenty minutes, eager to learn what liad actually transpired during the past twelve hours. Without With-out using the elevator I passed un the marble stairs to the mezzanine floor, pausing in uncertainty at the ton to look about in search of some familiar cltedly leaning forward. "It don't come every day. I'll not explain details, or how the two of us run together on the trail, and agreed to split the pot. That's our business, you'll admit." "Sure; what was it? A bank job?" "Better than that South American revolution fund; coin sent over here from London to pay for arms, and maybe a murder or so. It is all in one bundle, and what we need to do is get our hands on it. We know where the stuff is, but we're still scouting around for a chance to grab it ; it's locked up yet." "I see. Ain't been handed over to the gink who's got to pay It out. That's what George Is a-tracln' out Dow, I suppose?" "No doubt that is what he started after this morning shadowing the fellows to whom It was to be paid, What gets me Is, why he doesn't return re-turn th guy Is dead." "Judas Priest ! How do you know that? What's happened?" "Why, It's in all the papers ; he was murdered last night over In Jersey City stabbed through the back In an automobile. You saw It, didn't you?" , 'ti 1! thnr cuv? He was n Chilean out, anu now lie mitts in. "That's the way I'd read the cards, Costlgan." He sat silent a long while, and I lit a cigar and watched him, his great hands closing and unclosing, as he slowly reviewed the situation. "Say. this guy whnt was bumped off did, whoever did it, get anything?" "His pockets were rifled, the papers say all but a little change." "Are you sure this fellow Alva didn't have that bunch of money along with him?" "No ! I'm not sure, of course, but Harris had been shadowing him for a month. Still, come to think, Alva was with Krantz the same night. He might have touched him." "With who?" "Krantz Adolph Kruntz the banker. bank-er. Kulb, Krantz and Company, over in Wall street," I explained. "Is he the same guy that 'K' stands for in the letter?" "No doubt. He and Harris had an Interview at 247 Le Compte street." "Le Compte, hey ! I wonder who lives there?" "Well, I can tell you it's Ivan Waldron." Wal-dron." His fist came crashing down onto gregated about the railed opening looking look-ing down into the lobby, while others were scattered around on convenient divans, or at small writing desks From the recesses of the ladles' room at the left came the strains of piano music, and the sound of a soprano voice singing. The song ceased to a clapping of hands. The faces I was able to distinguish were all strange and I moved forward in search. I had attained the opposite side of the room before I came to a halt, suddenly sud-denly arrested by a vision as startling as unexpected. Leaning over the rail, gazing intently down on the jostling crowd to the lobby below, apparently unconscious of all else, was Marie Gessler There could he no doubt ; I stood motionless, looking at her intently, in-tently, satisfying myself that I could not be deceived. No. It was certainly the same girl I had talked with the evening before, dressed more elaborately, elaborate-ly, changed somewhat in appearance by a more careful toilet, yet assuredly the same. She must have felt the Intensity of my stare and thus sensed my presence, for she suddenly looked about with a little start, saw me instantly in-stantly and arose to her feet. There was a second of hesitation, barelv per- the arm of his chair. "H I! That's all clear enough then. He and George are up to some deal ' - - - captain, or something. Yer don't think that maybe George bumped him off, lo yer?" "No; I know he didn't; Harris was with me all last evening." "And you haven't any notion who did 7" I shook my head negatively. Costlgan Costl-gan sat for some moments, his chin cupped In his huge fist, his pipe extinguished ex-tinguished and his forehead creased in thought. Then he looked up suddenly, sud-denly, a strange light in his eyes. "Say, Daly(" he asked In a hoarse whisper, "do you know if there was a Russian Jew mixed up in this affair - Friend at the McAlpln-The Dag- Frle Ber Hatpin. Bis unexpected question startled "me. i"'8 way lt wns an odd ecno of the vague suspicion which had been pursuing me ever since the early afternoon. aft-ernoon. Somewhere there was a mysterious mys-terious hand operating but whose hand? "A Russian Jew?" I questioned. "Why should you ask that?" "Well, I'll tell you. Maybe it don't amount to nothin' an' then again it might give us the right steer. A fel- ceptible, before she ventured a step forward, her lips smiling, her gloved hand held out. "You were very nice to come," she . exclaimed quietly. "Especially In response re-sponse to so ungracious a message of invitation." "It was you then who sent for me?" "Of course. Did you imagine some one else?" "I came rather blindly," I admitted, unwilling to mention Harris. "Your messenger refused to satisfy my curiosity cu-riosity even to the extent of telling the sex of the one calling." She laughed, quite at her ease now, and seemingly amused. "She was duly warned. 1 confess I ieared you might hesitate to respond If you once knew what awaited you." "No fear of that." "But I didn't know," her voice more earnest, her eyes on my face ques-ticningly. ques-ticningly. "You have not thought very well of roe, have you? Let us go over there in the corner, where we can talk without being overheard there are two vacant chairs." We reached there and seated ourselves our-selves in silence. I felt the necessity of restraint, the desire to permit her to lead the conversation in whatever direction she thought best. She appeared ap-peared younger in the bright light, understand what the horizon blues were so excited about. After ten days an American officer came to the front after them. They polished the company's com-pany's pots and pans for two weeks for their pnlns. Patterson finally found enough excitement. ex-citement. At Cnntigny he came through unscathed. At Solssons a machine ma-chine gun bullet got him through both ankles. At Selcheprey he Jumped info in-fo a shell hole on top of a German with a bayonet. High explosive which got him in the Argonne on October 4, 191 S, left his right leg stiff, tore open his Moulder and broke his nose. her face even more attractive than in my memory. "You are thoroughly puzzled, are you not?" she asked gayly. "Well, so was I, last night. It is only right I should pay you back In your own coin ; that is perfectly fair, I am sure. Now I know who you are, but I am still an enigma. You accepted me on blind faith before; I wonder if you are willing to do it again?" "I can hardly refuse." "Answered like a gentleman. But suppose I tell you nothing and yet ask of you a dangerous service? Would you risk your life for me, not even asking who I am or why I make the request?" There was a gTave earnestness to the voice, an entreaty In the eyes not to be Ignored. This was no Idle question ques-tion to be thrust aside with a smile. "1 believe I can make the pledge to you," 1 replied soberly. "It is very unusual, but " "But you are Philip Severn." she interrupted, with an expressive gesture. ges-ture. "Had yon not been I wou.'d have never asked." "It is very olce of you to put lt In that way. I sm sure, hut how do you chance to know that I am Philip So'-ern?" "uppose I insist fat also Is my secret? l'et surely yo- could not believe be-lieve I would be here with you. unless I knew? Yon must have faith In me. ; in spite of all." "Undoubtedly I do. I hardly hold it a reasonable faith, however. Jlore. a certa'n amount of curiosity sJiould be gratified, especially when a young lady asks unquestioning devotion to an unknown cnuse. You admit that?" (TO BR CONTINUED.! low they call 'Sly Levy' he's a cheap thief, a dip mostly blew in yere last eight with a note for Harris. He left lt with one o' the night barkeeps, an' seemed ter be in a h I of a hurry ter have lt delivered. The d d thing was sealed, but not stamped, an' there wa'n't no address on lt either. So I didn't think lns no penitentiary tenteaxeist .ynJr open, usin' a bit of eteam to loosen up the flap. But I ddln't find much, only two lines spelled out in print letters. 'Where you met K, eight tomorrow. Don't fail ; Important. Im-portant. I. W.' That was every d n word. Do yon make anything of hat?" "Yes, I do," I said heartily. "It's part of this job. Til explain after a bit. What did you do then?" "Sealed it up, an' give it back to Joe. I didn't see no harm in it. Do you happen to know who this 'I. W.' stands for?" "I can make a mighty good guess, Costlgan a Russian Jew. all right; Ivan Waldron." The scowl on his face remained fixed: evidently the name was unknown. un-known. "Don't knw the fellow? Likely enough not ; he doesn't operate in your line, but lie Is a crook Just the same. I nover saw him myself, but hTe heard abnjit him for a long while never ai.ythii.g good. He's un agitator, agita-tor, an anare'.iUf. a revolutionary orator; ora-tor; one of tlvve bugs who fight society so-ciety and govei nent, and hate everybody every-body fctit thoii'..olves, a loud-mouthed oilminoe " CoM'gan's ri tt "h w;i.- open. "Hay" he Ir.'.-rrupte.i. "what's i In: t I k nl nf guy ;..( i n io wlrl; George l.rr!s?" "Mf's en! )V fo '"o ' i h i:,-i- h"'s V!"' "' -ton. He 1 .. ':n ensv I Stood Motionless, Looking at Her Intently. In-tently. together. Say. 1 believe this Russian guy is the buck who got Alva." "Do you think so? Well, 1 am not so sure of that. But, anyway, what shall we do?" "Wait until George comes back. There ain't any cause for us to butt in yet. This is his game, as I see it. If it was you, Mr. Daly." be added grimly, "you wouldn't thank nobody to shove in uninvited would yer now?" I was unconvinced by his argument, yet knew of no way of answering it. He must have read my predicament in the expression of my face. "It'll come out all right. Daly," he volunteered. "I know George, an' he ain't the kind to he outwitted by no Russian Jew. Let's have a dr)nk an' we'll call it off for tonight. Y'ou leave me your telephone number an' if anything any-thing happens I'll let you know." 1 took a taxi back to the hotel, feel ing restless and dissatisfied, yet un able to decide on any definite action. As 1 asked for my key the clerk handed it over, together with a card in the box, which I read in bewilderment. bewilder-ment. "Mr. Philip Severn, C-145. Call Hotel McAlpin." Could this be Harris, Har-ris, endeavoring to reach me privarely with some message? Or was it merely mere-ly an acquaintance who had learned of my presence in the city? I found the McAlpin exchange number in the 'e'pnhone book end gained connection, my pulses throbbing with excitement. A woman's voice answered. "The McAlpin." "Tli's is I'bil'p Severn. You left a -all ' ere at the hotel for me." "Ch ve Mt Severn. I'm requested o vo'- to ciurifc at once to the |