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Show WC LASH of I CIRCUMSTANCE Wlmf y iiarry Irving Greene m hJJJ Author Q""Yosorxle of 1 be Wilderness" vVMfi HhjTrtKtlon jy rfognvi O. lCavMnar JfJCr wwwm nio r w,o,cmiii yT..ftrr. Tf. ' J wy j ,Jaaasg- -jiTJ ,'J",' S I I "If You Were My Wife, Sweetheart, I Would Be the Happleet Man In the World Today." ' It with a look of surprise aa I demanded de-manded that be tell me when and where he had gotten It I waa verj certain that I had not handed It tc him. "Something dropped upon my aboul der as we were coming down the lad der and 1 picked thla up at the foot of It when we atruck earth again. It must have worked out of your pocket aa we eame down while you were ualog your arms for climbing. Great way to lose anything smooth like that, especially from a Tent pocket Well, I gueea that la about all for tonight. If you will Just ex cuse me for the reat of the night 1 would like to do a little more experimenting experi-menting all by my own aelf. Much obliged for your assistance. If I land my party It will be becauae of the tip and cluea you have furnished me, and I won't forgot you." To tell the truth I wat not at all aorry to bava him make his request to be excused. I had had enough experience with him for one evening, and I bade htm good night with a sense of relief at the next corner. He waved his hand and turned Into the straggling line of passer by. w Pondering deeply over the events of the n'ght and with the Idea suddenly popping Into my head that I would do a little experimenting upon my own account, I continued upon my way for several blocks. An alley something similar to the one which the detective and I had explored lay before me, and I turned Into It with the Intention of traversing It and catching my street car homeward bound In the street beyond. Near the further end of the way I paused, atruck a match against the wall and lighting a clgsr. stood for a moment with the flame In my hands as I mado the Investigation that I had in mind. Then casting the blase away I passed Into the fan of light that was projected into the narrow nar-row way from the street Just beyond. As I turned once more into the regular regu-lar course of travel 1 alrrautt ran Into the arms of my friend whom I bad left but a few moments previously. With a mutual start we stepped backward. "I had not expected this pleasure again tonight," I saltt as I surveyed him up and down. He fingered his tigar apparently a trifle annoyed that I had Intercepted him; nevertheless answering me with a grin. "I Just made the second experiment which I mentioned to you, and It turned out quite successfully. Our man Is downtown tonight and Is mov-rig mov-rig about considerably himself. I am lust a little afraid that he is becoming nanny, Hnd I don't know as 1 can ilame him under the circumstances, tlll, should ho confess his guilt by light, the life of a hunted fox Is the jest he can look forward to, and 1 "Your real work la over, and all you have to do from now on Is play lookout while I Uke a smell around Inside. Just remain here and keep your eyes and rare open for trouble below. I will not be gone long." lie thrust his arm through the opening and slid the catch, raised the sash, and swung himself Into the blackness of the Interior. I saw the flash of bis electric pocket searchlight as he threw It over the room In a quick survey, sur-vey, then all within became as Inscrutable Inscru-table as ever. Alert of muscles, I stood nervously peering Into the gulf below, with my ears set to catch the slighter sound. As to what LePuc sought In the cavelike cave-like Interior where he now rummaged I hnd not the vestige of a notion. He had not seen fit to enlighten me of his own volition, and 1 had not felt like going further In an attempt to raise the screen that he had drawn between us. Bo far as I could analyze his sayings, he had been weaving his net about Uruce; and should that prove to be the case, I knew that when the final denouement came, I should, no matter the evidence he might be able to produce, array myself my-self with Clare In a desperate rally to the defense of the accused one. Together she and I would fight for him to the last. Perched as I waa 60 foot above the stones of an alley the bottom of which was shrouded In blackness Impenetrable Impene-trable to the eye, and actively participating par-ticipating In a deed the significance of which I was In Ignorance beyond I lie fact of being aware that despite Its object Its perpetration was a severe se-vere violation of the law, I began to grow both uneasy and angry as I awaited my partner's reappearance, i To make my position still more unpleasant un-pleasant I knew that we must descend I by the same means by which we had arisen; and no one perched aloft as I was could know Into whose arms i we might drop as we retreated down i the ladder. How long I.elhic was gone I I had but little Idea because of the J difficulty of Judging the. lapse of time t when one In situated as I was. While I It seemed a considerable period. It I was possibly not more than four or I Ave minutes before, bo reappeared. I I I believed that he bad centered bis I efforts upon Hruce and had built a ' wall of circumstantial evidence around i him, there waa also the sickening possibility pos-sibility that be bad learned things In other directions that were beyond my ken. However, I refused absolutely : to allow such a possibility to occupy any real place In my mind. 81111, ' there was a mystery about some of i his actions that utterly baffled me and caused me profound wonder; while as to my own experiment of the evening it bad failed absolutely. I went to sleep along In the gray of the morning no wiser than I bad been when I had wakened from my last sleep. CHAPTER XV, The next morning I found a note awaiting me which had arrived over night In the mall. It was from Mrs. Dace and said that she would be very happy to have me accompany her on a little shopping tour that forenoon, provided I could arrange without inconvenience in-convenience to be away from my place of business. I at once phoned her that I would go with her. I had never felt a greater aversion for my dally, half mechanical work at the office than I did this bright morning, and the Invitation to spend a day with the woman I loved so madly was an opportunity not to be Ignored. Moreover, More-over, as my wealth had rapidly Increased, In-creased, the fact that I waa still the dally employe of a soulless corporation corpora-tion at a nominal salary and must still give my attention to the petty details de-tails of Journal and ledger had galled me until several times I had been upon the point of resigning. This I now decided de-cided to do at once, and sitting down at my secretary forthwith notified tbem to that effect by means of a letter, let-ter, giving more important business as my reason and enclosing them a check for my overdrawn salary. This radical step having been taken, and with my bridges' how being burned behind be-hind me, I experienced some of the Joyous sensations of an onward marching Invader of a new continent. With nothing to hamper me now except ex-cept the keeping of an eye upon toy Investments, I could give myself over to the attractions that lay by the way without the ever-present and pleasure marring thought of early rising and uncongenial work uon the morrow. What my uncle wwnld say regarding this latest move of mine I did not know nor did I greatly concern myself. my-self. I was making my own fortune, and reveled In the thought of being able lu the not far dlHtant future to silence his taunts by proof that a man of brains could make money In ways other than those of a miser. Nevertheless Never-theless I decided to say nothing to him about It at this time. Any way. I was so deeply Involved In my speculations specu-lations that the matter of my salary was practically Inconsequential to me. If I continued to win I would soon tie In a position where I would be Independent In-dependent of everyone, financially; nnd If I lost, the fact of still having a Job would be a matter of small consolation. con-solation. I felt that I had risen above the office of cashier and that a broad er field of endeavor beckoned me to Its bosom. In the short time that bad elapsed since I bad struck out boldly for myself I had accumulated more than I would have saved In a lifetime at my salary, and my prospects had never been brighter than they were on this day of warmth and summer sunshine. The high play of Uie stock exchange had unfitted me for the drudgery of the pen. The automobile was at the entrance of the Arcadia; Mrs. Dace awaited me In ber apartments, and together we descended and entered the machine, i I gave It plenty of speed and we went i whirring down the wide artery that led to the heart of the city. I told her of my resignation from drudgery, and after a moment's reflection she voiced her approval of It. , "Tho position was but a stepping stone, and It Is hardly possible that It would have ever brought you more than a hard-earned living. And that Is the very thing that I am anxious that you should escape. You are rap-Idly rap-Idly becoming a man of affairs and jour future depends a great deal more on what you do with your head than with jour hands. I have confidence In you and bHIcve that you are able to bold your own among men who do big things. Your office position bound you to a desk and hampered you. Now that you are freed from It, you can get out among those who have had the opportunities that go with personal per-sonal liberty, mingle with them and avail you-self of the knowledge that Is bound to come from such associations. associa-tions. I congratulate you ipon your determination to devote yourself wholly whol-ly to the large things of the world rather than to the small. You ere too big a man to look graceful upon a stool. You were built for a large chair. Your self confidence strengthens strength-ens my faltb In you, and we shall win out yet." It was a glorious thing to be bumming bum-ming along with her in that early forenoon hour, her commendation ringing In my ears and the sweetness i of breer.es blown across fresh waters exhilarating my physical senses. My enthusiasm leaped onward as lightly as a bounded rubber ball, and despite i her Injunction to the contrary, I determined de-termined to make a cant towards the ' subject of our marriage. Hut I would make It Judiciously and If she cautioned cau-tioned me would Immediately turn i Into some other channel. I let one , hand fall upon ber gloved Angers. "If you were my wife, swtethtart I I would be the happiest man In the i world today." I ssld. tenderly.. "There i is en old and wise adage which says I we should live to our fullest today for tomorrow we die. And It sometimes some-times seems to me that we are partlal-I partlal-I tins' the most precious dave of SYNOPSIS. Ahner Halllday, a miserly millionaire. Is found gagged, hound nil Inaenallila In lila room, his snfn rifled and ItO.onO missing miss-ing The thread of the story U taken up by his nephew Tom. Living In the nn tinuim are other relatives; reckless Hruce llalltitay anil pretty Clare Wlnlun. Hruce, who la bond broker, haa been try In to raise IIO.OOO to put through a deal and ave himself from financial ruin. He haa applied to his miserly uncle ami to ol tiers for tha loan hut haa been refused. Tom ends for William I.eluc, an old-time friend connected with a detective K'-n y. In relating the atory Tom reverts to his acquaintance with Mrs. lnce. wealthy widow, whose huslneaa agent Is KUhard Mficknv, a honiller and political boea. Torn la Jealous of Mnckay and Is deeply tn love with Mrs. Iace. Uruce Halllday warna him to ahnn her aa an adventuress. Tom sees Mra. Iace and Mack ay logelh-r logelh-r He afterwards meets the woman at t home race, and, happening to mention thnt Hrnce had tip on the winner, she irlves him V,i m to place nn the race The tip roes wrong and she loses her money, l.elcr Tom Invests In stocks lie nwikes me money and returns the lost Ifmj to Mrs liitce. It Is at thla Juncture that the Iheft of the 4fl.o0n from old Abner Ifrtlll-dnv Ifrtlll-dnv occurs. n Imn meets Clare and Hnicn. He learns that the key which Clare had to the hone Is missing. Mar-kay's Mar-kay's dealings with Mrs. luice nmke Tom more Jealous. The detective Intimates a suspicion against Uruce lliillldiiv as tha fhh-f. Thla Clare Wtnton Indivnitatly re. Surilates. Mrs. Pace accepts Tom aa her mce, and encouragea Mm to Invest In l certain stock. Tom has a row with Mackny and the latter threatens revenge. The detective annoiincea that he has discovered dis-covered Important rlews aJt to the thief. CHAPTER XIV (Continued.) "Also, for the easment of your mind, I will tell you that you need not worry bout the criminality of the thing. I live yon my word as a detective, and therefore necessarily as a gentleman, J at what I am after has no Intrinsic value. It Is nothing but evidence, without value to the one who Is to furnish It, but Is of great value to me In proving my case. Moreover, the one from whom I will get It will know not Mug about It until the time conies for me to denounce him. There Is thin light rink about the transaction, bowever. If we should be detected In sur B'-t by some officer we would bo arrested, nnd that would probably involve in-volve the dlsngrenble necessity of our going to headquarters and making an explanation. Itut you need have no fear of Its going any further than that. Tho police nfllcliils know me. Hid I could readily satisfy them of our lulltl' ixneHs of anything more than a necessary technical offense committed commit-ted In the unearthing of a serious rrime. Hut It will be a forcible entry, en-try, and will have all the outside fuftnurkit of a malicious offense, and I need your help to put It through sue tesafully. Are you prepared for it BOW?" 1 told him that while such things were not txactly In my lino, that relying re-lying upon his assurances I would put myself In his hands, and he led me down a street that branched from the brightly lighted main thoroughfare which we had been pursuing Into a less lighted section. For several blocks we continued our way under the scattering street lights of a section sec-tion of the wholesale district which was practically abandoned of nights. In front of a darkness haunted alley we came to a standstill. On each side of It towered great buildings with darkened windows, and with a quick glance around to make sure that no one observed us, he motioned for me to follow Mm. "Keep your eyes open for private watchmen they are the fellows we have got to look out for," he whispered as we hastened through the gloom. Absolutely Ignorant of what h was about to drag me Into, I felt my heart beat faster as I trod close at his In els. Half w ay through the Mock h" stopped and I saw dimly before us an Iron fire escape that tig tugged Its way upward and disappeared disap-peared In the blackness above. "It Is a case of climb from now on. Just follow nie," he Instructed. Although not at all In love with th proposition. I grasped tho rounds of the structure txt mounted upward clone under him. At the fourth story be stepped nsltl upon a narrow platform thut branched cut from the ladder In front of a window. win-dow. The exertion had been quite severe, and we were both breathing rather heavily as I took my place by bis side. "p.est kind of exercise for the ap- 1 petite Ought to get up every morn- ing and do It for a couple of hours before breakfast." he panted. "This Is the place I want to get Into this window here." He tapied on the j glass before him with his finger. "And now comes the thing that I want you , to assist me In doing I have got to cut a circle out of that glass In order to raise the catch, and In doing It I , am going to show you a trick of the , cracksman's trade. Take this piece , of soft putty and press It firmly against the glass with your rtgbt , thumb while I cut out a piece of the pane around It. The putty will adhere to the class and to yrur thumb, and ; you can thus keep It from dropping and making a racket when It Is looe- ened. See the point? Now keep on pressing as I tell you " Placing my thumb tightly against the soft ball, ( 1 pushed steadily as with some In- : trument be scratched and grated barthly as he circled my bsnd. Ia perhaps five minutes there was a slight crack and he atruck the circle i a quick blow. The next Instant I , found elreular disk dangling from : Bay thumb. I "Good work Put easy now," he i whispered as be gently removed the glass and putty from my band auj I ellpped tbcuk into bis pocket i do not promise; I do not refuse; I simply demand a day of grace. You must let go of mo now." The finality of her tones told me that further pleading at this time would be more likely to Jeopardize my chances (ban help tbem, but feellt.g confident, nevertheless., that I had won, I released her. And that she had practically mado up her mind to yield I became more nnd more convinced con-vinced during every moment of the next two hours as I attended her In her purchases of dainty handkerchiefs handker-chiefs and other bits of lingerie an we wandered through the great stores. Never before had she smiled upon me so often or so sweetly, and her little detaining clasps upon my arm from time to time as she drew me aside for the Inspection of something that attracted at-tracted her attention were almost caresslike In their lingering wnrinth. And when she Anally made the excuse of wishing to shop alone for an hour among forbidden things, promising to meet me for lunch at the end of that time, I left her In an ecstasy that mortal man seldom attains, and even then for but a fleeting moment. It was 12 o'clock, noon, and I decided decid-ed to run over to my broker's for a little talk with htm while I was killing kill-ing the interval of her absence. My stock had closed strong the night bo-fore bo-fore after a substantial rise during the day, and there was absolutely no cause In sight for uneasiness on my part. That It would go at hast 20 points higher nobody seemed to doubt, for at last tho public was fairly apprised of Its value and the dally heavy purchases were sending It upward up-ward by leaps and bounds. The project proj-ect back of It was a tremendous undertaking; un-dertaking; the value of the franchise already practically Inestimable, ond that the enterprise would be tine of the greatest money makers of tho world seemed as certain as that the Inhabitants of the city would Increase and multiply. I knew that n ring of politicians had fathered the enterprise enter-prise In the shadow of a Mar chamber with curtains drown, yet they hnd been granted official sanction by the city council and that seemed to settle set-tle the matter. Whether the scheme bad been carried through by brltn ry or not was a mooted question. I(l h-ard h-ard Mackay had been arrested upon such a charge, but had escaped through a technicality of the law. Hut whether there had been chicanery back of It or not was a matter which did not concern me, and I saw no reason rea-son why I should not be swept tiling to opulence upon a tidal wave of some one else's creation ns well as any other man. It would have been a suia-r sensitive conscience that would not have taken advantage of such an opportunity. Certainly It was a beautiful beau-tiful world, a glorious world, and I one of Its greatest fortunates. tTO UK CONTINUE I J jmmm : P53Ei ' "Keep Your Eyes Open for Private Watchmen They Are the Fellows We Have Cot to Look Out For." our llws; camping, as It were, upon the border of the promised land and fearing to enter It I already have enough money to last us for years, and surely with the start I now have the rest will not be long In coming. I want you to tell me: Is there any reason why you desire the postponement postpone-ment of our marriage except that I am In the midst of accumulating more resources?" "None In the world. I am Interested heart and soul In your success and shrink at the thought of diverting your efforts. For once married, I know that I should claim your time Jealously." Jeal-ously." "And you could marry me one time as well as another?" "Tomorrow as well as any other day." Within arm's length of the prize which I coveted more then all else In the world combined, the woman for whom I would have waived my claims upon Immortality to have possessed pos-sessed at the point of yielding herself to my embrace, my tongue burst forth In an Impassioned appeal. "Then come with me tomorrow, sweetheart dearest! We will be quietly married and start at once for Europe. I can leave my interests In the bands of my broker, who will protect me fully. We will want for nothing. We will go to Paris, to Spain, to Algiers. We will crulHe through the Mediterranean. We will summer In the Alps. We will winter on the Nile. The world shall be ours. The papers and cable will keep me In dally touch with affairs here. If all goes well for a few months, as It surely must, we will not need to return, but will go on and on as you wish. None will be as happy as we, and our lives will be one long honeymoon. Nothing shall be denied you. Come." Carried away as I was by the Impetuosity of my passion, I firmly believed that I had forecasted our destiny as Infallibly as fate Itself ns I turned my glance from the flying fly-ing roadway to her face. She must have caught some of my enthusiasm, for her eyes were glowing and the fingers which I held entwined themselves them-selves amongst mine. "It Is what I have dreamed also. It Is what my life must be, and of late I have grown to picture you In my mind as the one who Is to share all those things with me. Put It would be terrible to awake lorae morning In the midst of our happiness and find It ruined. Therefore I wish you to be fully insured before embarking not that I would love you any the more If you had a million, but because the Ilfo you have Just portrayed Is what we both crave. And I believe that all you have said will come true. Hut while I m'ght wish very much to marry you tomorrow, I think It Is better to wait" I slipped my free arm beneath bers ind drew her to me. "Make It tomorrow, to-morrow, dearest," I pleaded, feeling that she swayed upon the brink of surrender sur-render and that could I have taken her In my arms she would ' have yielded completely. "When I think how happy we would be. It seems a shameful waste of time to deny ourselves." our-selves." Her bosom was rising and falling rapidly and I knew that the battle within her was raging sharply. sharp-ly. Her reply was both distress, d nd beseeching: "You must not press me any more, Tom. No woman Is more human than I. You are making It very difficult for me to resist, and it hurts me tn nay "no to you. Pit tttM please don't drive me so hard " "Tomorrow." I Insisted mercilessly, holdirg her still tighter and pushing try advantage to the uttermost. She averted ter face, a troubled b k baur.tirg It. "Then I will compron,!e In this sy, I will give you your answer to-morrow. to-morrow. 1 must have one day In hli-h to thibk It over M'nd you, 1 I hailed bis coming with a breath of re- t II. f I We went down In reverse order i from wblcb we had ascended. licDue I below me now and my feet closely fol- t lowing his hands. Ho far as we were ibte to Judge, no one bad entered the i kllcy since we had gone upward, and ) I felt much more at ease as upon the flagging once more I adjusted my dls- i krranged clothes. As 1 did so I saw my companion stoop and apparently i pick tip something as we turned and t hurried allently from the scene of our t efforts. Once more upon the street. I I ventured to ask what success be f had met with. His reply was pregnant preg-nant wl'h satisfaction. "I think I t have secured what I was looking for. I but cannot be certain until tomorrow. t will let you know about It then." I "And have you it with you?" I per- I listed, thinking It high time he con- I Reded a little more In me. In view of what I had done for him. lie patted his pocket. "Yee right here. If upon an loves- t ligation made under the proper con- t iillons by an expert It turns out as i I think it will, I will name your man I for you tomorrow And when I do I i km going to have you present as an I Interested party. Ily the way. here 1 Is your match box." He held out the a mentioned receptacle to me and I took i lon't believe he Is going to rnn. Hope have not got you fascinated with the illey habit by our experience tonight." surveyed him In distinct disapproval f his everlasting secrecy. "No danger of Its becoming chronic, re you going to tell me anything ret?" I addressed him rather shortly, itui as usual bis head wared its negative. neg-ative. "Not now. Put I hope tomorrow 1 nay be able to tell you everything hat I know. Meanwhile ou might eac In mind the old adan" ihat when gnorance Is bliss It Is f.y. and so orth." I turned abruptly vay. "Very 'well. I will eierme my pa-lence. pa-lence. Good night again." Stepping nto the street. I boarded passing ar add watched him frottj tse back )ltfortn for a moment as U d!ap-x-ared In an opposite direction Then found myself a sest. I weot directly home at4 te bed Uthoi.gh somewhat tired, m iper. nces of the evening had rendered ne thoroughly wide awake, ar- 1 pt rery little In the hours that later-cned later-cned between my retiring arj day-reak. day-reak. IIue had told me n.t ,a as positive that he knew bl rgan; iad assured me of bis confident that le bad secured the necessary prciof. ind I bad too much resp-ct for jug .billtj to bold tint lightly. And wbK |
