Show I 1 I 1 II 11 1 3 TIME im v mondS 1 LO LOCK IK walk chor I 1 of ac e blade 1111 e etc 10 a a ra SYNOPSIS nudolph rdolph van achten ayoung youn man of lit ciure 5 ure in astonished to see a man enter ph po III lilt a house across the str threet t from h powhatan tan club long unoccupied sz ed 4 boken of as a the home of matery Atra terY av ra 1 at regular interval intervals enter P NO lilt it an vechten expresses concern lo 10 hie t friend r i tom ph nIr the re a b 0 t of his couill and dance fiancee P a 1 1 carew A man an ie la forcibly 1 ejected fl from the house van V vechten e achten an and to tom follow the th man nian anil and dl d him dead in the tret treet van lochten lit attracted by tin tila a C a ef of A girl in the crowd ft ot ov onlooker lookers 5 grounding u the body later h he lucov era er the ho girl waxing at him with a look 0 of corn from the window of ot the my lystell stell otis house detective alint alia calls on van vechten tn to got et hi h bralon of the brair tra edy tom toni phinney goes alone on a yacht ink ing trip lie ile recognizes among aonie some per ions on in a motor boat two men whort he had neen seen enter the hoire of mystery lie seen one of them a mr cal call its on hore later and follow follows him tom Is 1 fined blindfolded and taken to a I 1 house lie ile hear hears a gi I 1 named jessie evl evi 1 ally the dau itter of the man in authority it V ili raptor A sweet voiced ter ati the roughness it nt his captors cap tore VanT Vechten calla calls on hi his tinell theodore van vechten hiff bix roan man n wll street and known as a the I 1 mun man of 0 iron I 1 in march search of information regarding carding rc the whereabouts of balgo carew detective mint shows how van vechten a koia 11 mean found in the house of mystery van reco ar it its belonging 1 to calffe carew the sweet vot girl helpa help I 1 T ton om rhinney phinney escape dit detective calve flint 11 10 tella van vechten he haa has ali a i theory bat that pala P its ha his been BOOK 11 A CHAPTER V s r r f r f 4 0 tom tam phinney return returns 0 durant Du rint this ride it occurred to van vechten that be he had seen nothing of tom ilac since tie bad cent him away brusquely bru quely ibe day before he wondered potla little at hi ble friends oada rt R r bro prolonged longed abedee bopa that tom waa was not huffy and finally conclude that he had tired of yr alting upon a uncertainty and had bid gone off upon oar SOW avat ot of his hi ova 4 4 the man 0 of faro harkened attentive ly bohat had bad to aay say but if it the narration prompted any misgivings he hewed showed them not at all adhe tHe VJ ered eved a moment after the younger man had fl gul alabed abol then ald said aty t Z One woman might drop from ram eight te in all a somber of wati wa bet but it U to too lor im 10 1 to believe that botn paige aa d could have baft made away with a ripple real ching the bl rt botn merit a stern tern rebuke althonia alth ouia I 1 apprehend that eri ri ova I 1 aa happened I 1 mcp aalf t 4 theodore va V ete r the subject nor would be he dle ft aya 1 k auy 1141 t 1 77 4 A eurid turtola waa was raging wheat the letter waa was ready to depart oe i M herfor wita with WM pow L 0 d at so coq to U toll 4 to a in ularie O 0 IL via is later man tea elma 1 S 1 I 1 q ka yav smi pa 1111 kedi too V 1 belleme 11 b hie 1 owa I oil etra 1 3 1 yoa young maa man hia gigold owlet wait is trifle Mo lOwly tt iton old estyr go te to twi bad ala al a do e IQ 1 I 1 heu wa vasi k that y 4 oa 04 ja 1 V it tal 4 1 4 it me a aim ac ian illi amsl thing en on lie mine mind so 10 in a Is t lik k nt lr 1114 nd you will find it U u bo etva taa rice before teven it V 7 4 1 I la 11 a OB ira irs no arde hip at all sir lr duct fer benan Youri vadon r auw a bit visual aaueda aau eua if it I 1 may allay be allowed to ay say ae no air t 1 mell ell 1 van vechten announced f 4 10 MB wa galas toe W tutu in now and I 1 trout A to be ax by avrea ivrea iii ar later 0 thAIN hIs aoker actually dually la in a 4 lound sound acra aber Ber BadJe bilake 40 he the bedroom bodro oro jeger la in a way war then at the a kiy kety evened the it carved door and a red maeef a ahlff peg of brandy with evident jfe glass cla slad bottlo botti vire were replaced a j tace I 1 closed and find locka loc tJ kJ and 1 1 moved with an air airoff ot to IQ the dk it abone ous AN i 1 be he bated 14 ud std if 1 task tee down the Iree elver for a number in Is a role voice so low a r le 0 t that be he wax was obliged to repeat it muffling the mouth mouthpiece piece with one band hand he held a long condonation all oll in a mysterious undertone in the coune course of which be he replied to numerous nume roua questions on the part ot at hia his unseen inter later followed several minute minutes of intent listening by Barril barnicle cle then be he aid said mr rudolph la to not a gentleman that howa allows la Is feelings feell dont y know and that Is a what makes roe me aure sure that whatever la Is bothering him ie to serious loue I 1 can teu tell when anything la in him and in ft a resentful tone E called me a satire E an a on IB mind to 0 a ai as yet a la 2 a slee sleeping PIn like a earthy blatant bla fant 1 l another pause I 1 understand some Borne time to komorow night I 1 waa was afraid for a whilo that I 1 could not find an art opportunity to call you tonight hid bin coming lame me so early and unexpected like dont and hia his being that concerned quite took me breath away replaced the receiver ai an noiselessly as a ha he had taken it down ani after witching switching aff the lights tole stole away to region regions beat best known to him elf self 16 it next morning bright and atiq early rudolph van vechten wae wag seated at bla his writing table while barnicle tall tali white haired cadaverous cada Terou df dt countenance but extraordinarily efficient eff ident moved quickly about hie his morning talk and so 0 o quietly that the young man waa was not aware of hie big presence van vechten waa was A hat hot of hia his frienda frien dand aud acquaintance la in London together with wit hauch such names of fri endis am a he could recall having maying completed this to hia his be he next directed hie his attention to the composition of a cablegram which he be would elicit news nw of balge or mr mrs benereaux ber Doy ereaux without too touch clament cot ament on the part pw of the if I 1 I S recipient 0 it faiwell wai wae well after tea ton when i he ti dished his icban andl departed the door Bru barnicle lele left ifft off at what he be happened to be doing it ilia time and suda tood listening to the footfalls footfall growing fainter in itt the hall be heard beard hie his maiter roice voice buttera utter a harp down 11 aa tank clack and clatter latter of f the lacova 1 r door and Barn lole broke brok into activity act litty again rw t hastening over to the writing table dewent he A deftly daftly through ft 06 buat cekot I 1 of paper papers A van vechten had left loft nor erat oral Tb datto of the cablegram and alo oae oat list of names one each ot those the carniela Barn Har lele niela selected carefully oare lully fully cold fold mi ad and placed la in his hi pocket fa lathe 4 araxi tatt the earest at wow celb atz oe wheres he ned like following abage directed to each isch OR kis 1 ana hav M himfy r cowin ca win W t write rito hea beam troia from me ai i rear irr she he jo UL caa cox you app aluff lyher lyber prent address he ho left loft that all repute ba be dolly del deldred Tred at tha the whither hd 04 betook cimett to watt wall barely had b he made mad himself connart comfortable coni art la in front of one of tho window thee tho tret treet when tha hall door ow again issain opened he looked round and befeld tom tow phinney duerring Ru erring hia his greeting until toe ton drew he waa was ahot about to afualo but something om ething ie to theat appearance and bearing abruptly truck him as a balag a bit cold he gava the truant a hart sharl 1 1 1 for one thing wait toonis 11 on trance waa was in to marked contract contrast to hia his cir tomary bolot ral pays and ind thoughtful eat sat upon him usually good goodhue ored cointe countenance nance and ad he waa was van veblen Ver with ft a tare vy ly tio took ik no to note hot of hie bin surroundings 4 seeming all at once to become aware of the figure over by the window tom halted uttered a it witt hullo huila ruddy abea edel to a chair beside van tans into khith he be aak unk deliberately era tely he oat torjus dreamily into the art as a inert em van awre him kiln flow time to time growing more and anit we put aleJaa the alnuten without aluad or aso from hie lite corn cow lt h wel MT he be dryly bro broke kethe the silence at 1460 1 it waa was an bow show erwe lost alsha i j A grant grint from T ton 4 witt the eole 2010 to rel tact he trouble to look around th thee vaa van vechten injected a note of lato into hia his next f bet it haa has turned delightful today uh buh troa from torn tom 11 h great the other im I 1 patiently patient lyt I 1 he the matter with you aro are you lilt fill or la Is it money or debat although he be knew tom to be a marvelously healthy animal and that neither of the other two bill ties tie had bad power powe to disturb hm willi la in the leeal toro now lowly slowly revolted amrol red his head bled and looked a vaa van Vech vechten tev sl assIly without replying he absently abee atly fell tall to ca reving one wrist to hl his companion to be somewhat awol len fen and fed van Vech tena tens curl olty mour W w 0 where have you beant ha he demanded tom answered anaw ered with poorly assumed carelessness over at rocky cove then unconsciously be began carew ing the other wrist which alio also waa was discolored and swollen van Vetch vechten ten observed rocky cove hl h ala m what happened to your ote tom flushed and tried to hid hide the telltale wrists but finding anding ahlis impost ible sible he came suddenly back to earth 1 ruddy tuddy I he be 1 abruptly ir announced I mean to flad and a job 0 A laudable ambition commented his friend still hlll eyeing him curiously curlo 1 I never had a job myself nor any guy desire for one which as haa boa been pointed out to me more mom than once la Is nothing whatever to my credit what do you purpose doing may I 1 inquire 1 I m serious loue returned tom scowling 1 I mean just what I 1 lay say I 1 intend to go to work think of 0 all the yeara years ive squandered in ld enea heaven forbid I 1 broke in bin friend 1 I can CAP imagine only one thinie thin that could set et you to reflecting upon the desolate dee dreary waste of your cile mis pent spent life lite and mirabelle lle dicku et at misu it baa has come at laatt aho vho to thia this para gen of at her sex that haa has quickened tom colored agala chucka 1 he growled sulkily aulk lly A tellow guht ju ht pr s well try talking seriously tp an idiot idiol I 1 believe me aid said van VOC vechten earnestly ear neatly 1 I never waa in A more were mood in my life lite I 1 be permitted some tent vent for my stupefy bont you appear here utterly unlike the chap know and lit sit for minutes minu tee about aa an garrulous garru loua aa an a corpse then overwhelm me with the amaxine anve that you are at t itin it in loret loyal tom lay my dear fellow I 1 fee feel aalto were participating ina miracle tell me m trank frankly lyall all about her t she haa has the kenderest ten derest eat boit MU albal roice voice la in the world sod id tom fervently y thata tats the genuine P poetic touch aid maid his friend j and aad her hair her eyes ye 14 I 1 abe she tall tell or short psyche or diana hebe or 11 II I 1 dont kloet 0 d tom t matt sif it f y tom twiste aa ad unea ally ju n hta his chair chall 1 A dabeh it ab ua I 1 blurton h at laati i 1 n woj an ass a for coming mrs I 1 might bay known that iud screw everything out of me ma when I 1 aay pay I 1 doat dont know what the look like I 1 mean moon just that bet but it maka me m out a blooml blooming lunatic luna tid but I 1 hf treat soon ea her bar I 1 idea what abe she looka looks like yet I 1 want to find and her woree worse than then ever iwanter I 1 wanted anything la in my me use v the other aspect grew grave enough 2116 III it waa plainly manifest that ald they bad parted bundar bun dan I 1 tom tad am kind that had bad erected kin profoundly f A i idaa 17 1 suppose aid sold big f hied vm ampa pal you OU tell toe all about her i and tom did he began with ilk day upon the waters of the bound COB ton eluding thil atae of at hie his adventure with an account of the motorboat and ad ita its 00 occupant a 1 at mention of at the white bat haired red vant van VOU violently but emanated to restrain atrain re the ejaculation that leaped to the tip of his hi konsuo HI his BOW now doubted daubl ed and he settled himself to barken harken to the narrative which be he followed thenceforward to the end with a con ton inspired tom to io genuine eloquence at the close of at the recital van vechten remained a long time absorbed in thought tto to thinkie think ha be said finally that you of all penona persons shadid hare have blur dermi derod alno aa ute luat but tommy ft it la is b u itow thakur that you 0 U pledged yourself not to hunt for the house I 1 suppose it occurred to yott YOU that theae these people are the gauge who whal occupied shirleen chii eoe I 1 to TON ln oid ild th then am G to thia this van lochten pursued during your absence balge 8 hence silence has assumed a really disquiet ing 1 aspect I 1 am now deeply concerned about ber even oven now am await ing in replies to a doxen dozen or more cab cable e grams I 1 eat sent off oft this loraing her gold sold purse wae wais found yesterday in that hoase house his friend stared at him blan blankly kif how the dickens did it get there i be exclaimed to be sure and what has happened to my cousin those are two questions that I 1 am extremely acx X lous to have answered as eoon soon as possible questions that must be an sir ared in fact do you not eee see bow your promise to the unidentified young lady has tied our out bands hands at a vital moi ment went you said paid that the girl who conduct ed ad iou you from the rocky cove house in mated that you might indeed gee her eoon under und some strange condl eions alave you any idea what she meant not the least replied tom only Y wish I 1 did out but she was mighty serious andi and clemn about it I 1 can tell YO you that 11 after much more consideration of tho difficulties confronting them van vechten offered the follo following ying proposal although you are bound not to search for the rocky core cove bouse house I 1 am not under any such restraint there Is in no reason why flint and I 1 should not run run over there and have a try at it it ruddy I 1 cant tand stand tor for it tom quietly but none the less man firmly objected look here tom tara van vechten all a at once grew very grare grave and there was ft a new now tone tons in bis his voice that caught toms attention 1 I am an interested te tere eted in oni ono of that girls as an you are am in the other fir naps hesitantly we aroi alboth interested in the same one 11 thia this most disclosure that tom had yet heard beard you he almost shouted bis his amazement 1 van vechten nodded 1 I aw flow her in th the crowd at the alley sunday and ag again alm at jl window across the street while we w were returning here whether she he la in the girl in the dark or jessie I 1 do not know but describe her tom eagerly interrupted she to Is slender ber her hair and eye eyes am ar dark she Is in very beautiful but TOBI torn was emphatically baking shaking his bead bood that except tor for the this beautiful part of it could not be the girl who came to me la in the dark darl I 1 dont aktor arky J n ow it but I 1 do but go so on with w what at t yon you started to say awad was going to any ay that I 1 am con can this girl any wm wrongdoing 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