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Show CHAPTER IX Continued 19 Both Sutton and she were surrounded sur-rounded with evening papers. Mrs. Kinney, on her shopping expedition, had been startled to see her beloved piaster occupying his position of unusual un-usual eminence. Mademoiselle Dupin was now as beautiful ns ever the "Countess" had been. Trent's heart warmed towards Mrs. Kinney and her taste in dress. The housekeeper had carried out her Instructions admirably. Trent was kept busy for an hour in answering questions about the exploit of the past night and supplementing the newspaper stories. "What do they make of my disappearance?" disap-pearance?" Mademoieslle Dupin asked later In the evening. "I haven't heard a mention of It. There was a lot of uneasiness they had to conceal. Those mysterious letters let-ters were most upsetting." "They worked, then?" Sutton demanded. de-manded. "They drove him almost frantic with fear. He hated to be alone. He gave Tip golf. He drank by day and took drugs at night One evening be came very near to telling me what was on his mind. He'll tell yet, for the reason that I am breaking down bis morale." "What good would a confession do If It were forced from a man not sober?" the "Countess" exclaimed. "When the time comes," Trent told her, "he will be sober and in full possession pos-session of his senses. And I shall not force a confession from him; he will beg for the opportunity to make it. 1 suppose no plot Is original when It comes down to it, but my scheme won't seem hackeyed when Grant sees it, and the whole story Is written for him." Trent did not get the opportunity to speak alone with Mademoiselle Dupin :until Sutton, proud of the new accomplishment ac-complishment of making Welsh rarebits rare-bits which Mrs. Kinney had taught him, went to prepare some as proof of his boasted skilL "Tell me," she began abruptly, "why did you take such a risk in seizing that ship when you could have caught Pierre in the gardens?" "Several reasons," he said. The, idea of bringing the steamer back to the very place Redlich thought never to see again appealed to me. That was one reason. Another was that I thought lie would be convoyed down that path to the sea. He had already been assaulted by an unknown man there. I assumed he would take these elementary precautions. What chance hail I against three or four of those cutthroats I saw in court this morning? morn-ing? Absolutely none at all. I should have been knocked out or killed, and he would have got away with the jewels, and if he had, you would never have felt safe. There wasn't as much danger dan-ger as you think." "But it was more risky than it you had captured him in the garden," she Insisted. "Why did you do It?" "I suppose it's vanity if you analyze It," he returned; "but If 1 shared an adventure like this with anyone else, i I should only get 50 per cent of the thrill. I have always played games ; like' this alone. You'll admit it was better to get the ship and the crew? I've no doubt that a lot more missing property will be found aboard. They were searching it when I left Deal." "How 1 should like to see it," she explained. "There's no reason why yon shouldn't,'' he said. "1 can rent a launch at Dykeman street with a couple of men to run her, and we can creep right along the shore and see everything. You can wear a veil, and when you're olT Deal you can see everything through the windows of the little cabin, I've used the launch before. The owner knows uie, and I don't think there's any danger. 1 wish I dare take Captain Sutlon, but they're too hot on his trail to make II worth while. Meanwhile, he conies with those things which banish sleep." "I don't want to be flattered," said Sutton, with the modesty of a man who knows his own worth, "hut .lust tell uie what you think of these. Mrs. Kinney refuses them solely on the grounds that her teeth are artificial and insecurely anchored." "In the trenches," Trent said, trying try-ing one, "men would have fought for them." "Do you know," Sutton said In genuuusly, "I used to think they were difficult to make. They're simple and they're Interesting." Trent was delighted to tind that Sutton Sut-ton had lost much of his gloominess and depression. It chanced he was passionately fond of music and had no Idea, before meeting Mademoiselle Dnpin, that he liked the classics. She played a great deal of the modem Russian school. Presently Sutton found himself describing de-scribing his motion picture adventures In Fort Lee. He told his hearers how-sets how-sets were built, and of the illusions created for effects. "I've talked for an hour," he said apologetically, "and we might have been having some music. Why didn't you stop uk, Trent? You've been bored to death " "I've enjoyed listening." Trent as sured him. "l must get back to my lonely luxury on the fashionable side of the I'ark now. By the way." he added, turning to Mademoiselle Dupin. "that exclusion will have to be put off for a day. Weld Is lunching with me tomorrow, and it's business, althnugh he d'n-'sn'i km-w It yet." I By WYMDHAM MARTYN Copyright by Barse A Hopklna WNU Service "What time shall I be ready?" "I'll call for you at nine," he said. Weld was very glad to see Anthon Trent. He was leaving for the family fam-ily summer home at I'rides' Crossing next day. He rarely stayed In the city during the hot months. Trent knew very well that a roof garden goddess was the present attraction. Weld ad-, mired her In his detached, superior way, but was not heartbroken at learning learn-ing that she had accepted an offer to star in a picture about to be made In Hollywood. "There's nothing to keep me In town now she's going to California," said Swithin Weld, "so I'll run off to the north shore." "I thought you were going to that Adirondack camp to fish?" "My mother is In a forgiving mood," said Weld, "and I have been extrav- Both Sutton and She Were Surrounded Surround-ed With Evening Papers. agant. If you want the camp, let me know and you're welcome." "I hoped you'd go, too," Trent said. Weld's Massachusetts trip was disastrous dis-astrous to the success of his scheme. Sooner or later he had determined to take Smithin Weld into his confidence. confi-dence. He took the sudden resolve to do so now In this quiet corner of a restaurant little patronized during summer. Weld was a slim, blonde man, with belligerent blue eyes and a little fair mustache. He liked few people and made no secret of his prejudices. In the war he had done brilliantly, and was turned into sullen anger when his family would not allow him to remain iff that branch of the service. If he could not work as he chose he would not work at all. Trent knew he was dissatisfied and judged, shrewdly, that he would join in any adventure which could be undertaken without undje risk of the law's penalties. Trpnf had his rrinmnhp In 'Weld s unqualified admiration for the exploits which were still the main theme of the morning papers. "I'd give an ear for the chance to get into that sort of thing," he reiterated. re-iterated. "Nothing ever happens where I am." "You've to seek adventures," Trent said slowly. "I've had a great many, and I've sought them all. That relation rela-tion of yours, Mrs. George Bixel, said you wondered why 1 bothered with the Grants." "She shouldn't have repeated It," he said. Hushing. "It was no business 01 mine, hut I thought it must seem awfully aw-fully slow and tame there. But now I've read the papers 1 see why you went." "No. you don't," Trent told him. He leaned over the table and looked close at his friend. "I did go for a very unusual reason, and one the Grants have no Idea of." Weld spoke with a little hesitation "You give me the Impression thai you don't like the Grants.'' "1 loathe them both." Trent said "I have never before gone to any man's house and enjoyed his hospitality hospi-tality with the definite idea of doing him a bad turn. But that's Just what I did at Deal Beach. I went there because I've sworn to put I'ayson Grant behind prison bars." "What's he done?" Weld asked es-citedly. es-citedly. He felt vaguely that he was near an adventure. "This Is not the time to tell you," Trent said. A waiter was hovering about the next table. "But wheo 1 do you'll do what I ask." "What's that?" "It Isn't a one-man Job," Treut returned. re-turned. "I shall want several props, and that camp of yours for a week." "It's yours," Weld exclaimed. "Can't 1 be in on It?" "How long will yon be at Prides Crossing?" "Not more than two weeks. That's about my annual limit. I'll cut It short If you like." "That suits me all right. By the time you leave I shall have everything In readiness. This is what I want you to do. Go to the camp and send a wire to me at the Grants' place at Deal Beach. I'm going back there for a week. Ask me to come up for a few days. I shall wire back asking li I may bring Payson Grant because he's sick and the change will do him good.'' "Righto!" Weld exclaimed. "I'll do it. What date shall I send that wire?" "As early on the fifteenth as yon like. What sort of a place Is the camp?" "It's a big old place," Weld said, "with a smaller camp for the help. There must be twenty rooms In It Really It belongs to my uncle, but 1 call it mine. It's miles from everywhere. every-where. "It wouldn't be hard to hide two men I must bring with me?" "Not unless Grant Insists on exploring explor-ing the old shack." "I'll swear he won't do that He won't venture to do any sort of exploring. ex-ploring. It's not fair to keep yon In ignorance, but I'm not yet certain how the thing Is to be worked. Trust me till I get up there, will you?" "You bet I will," Weld sale heartily. Swithin Weld went off feeling pleas-urably pleas-urably excited. He could endure two weeks of the north shore all the better for what was coming after. Anthony Trent walked westward until he came to that block on Forty-sixth Forty-sixth street where so many motion picture concerns flourish. From the address on an envelope he discovered that the "Horace Weems Productions" was situated In a large building on the south side of the street This Horace Weems had been at Dartmouth with him and had left without graduating. Weems was oi. that ebullient salesman type who has either just made a fortune or Is about to do so. Once he had cleaned up a quarter-million In steel, and was for patronizing the college mate he admired. ad-mired. Then a market crash had cleaned him out and since then Trent had loaned him varying sums of money. His card brought Weems scurrying out. Weems was always overweight and Inevitably perspiring. He looked at Trent a moment and then rushed hack, shouting loudly, "Hey, girls, this is the guy I said I knew!" Weems returned with two pretty girls, whom he Introduced as the lead and heavy In his celebrated two-reel comedies. Weems was ever a fluent talker, and he ran over Trent's good points In the manner man-ner of a showman. "If you can't make a big noise yourself," was one of Weems' sayings, "grab somebody else's thunder." The Deal Beach episode had stirred him to rapture. "We've got to take him to Fort Leo and show him .hat we're doing," Weems decided. "Got your auto?" he demanded. "1 can send for It," Trent told him. Weems looked at It enviously when it came. A man who could keep a car like this, a chauffeur In livery, and stay with the Grants at Deal Reach must be highly prosperous. Weems look a sudden resolve. He was seated in a curious little bucket seal In the rear with the chauffeur who. Weems imirgined. despised him. 'Anthony, my hoy." he said leaning forward, "you're a full partner In the Horace Weems Productions. All assets as-sets and no liabilities!" (TO BE CONTINUED.) |