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Show The Return of Anthony Trent by Wyndham Martyn CoTTlg-ht by Barse & Hopklni WNU Service E u, p. CHAPTER XIV Continued 29 "It would take more than one ot your hints to move Anthony Trent 1 wish Heaven would give you the sense to recognize the people I like to see and those who bore me. Anthony Trent's by way of being a celebrity. Send him in." "I've persuaded bim to see you," said the secretary to the visitor. "Yes, I know. I overheard you," Trent smiled. Mr. Hill wrung Anthony Trent's hand warmly. "What has dragged you from Europe's Eu-rope's gilded salons?" he demanded "Business mainly, and a desire to know whether what you told me In London holds good In Washington." Hill was a shrewd man and one accustomed ac-customed to believing that he was a good judge of human motives. Yet this keen-faced visitor had puzzled him for years. Mr. Hill had hesitation hesita-tion In classifying bim. He only knew that he liked bim and thought under some circumstances he might fear Anthony An-thony Trent "Sit down," he said cordially, "and tell me what's on your mind." "Do you remember what yon said to me In London?" "I asked you to lunch, 1 think, and naturally tallied about men and things. One doesn't have to carry luncheon conversation as mental baggage." "I expected you to fence," said Trent smiling. "I'll recall It, You may have forgotten that It was 1 who found that William, prince of Missei-bach, Missei-bach, was hiding in a certain Croatian castle although he had been buried with all the pomp due to bis rank." "Certainly I remember It," said the ex-ambassador warmly, "It was a very useful piece of Information for us and we were able to discount the lies that Count Michael Temsevar was telling us. Why It was one ot the most extraordinary feats I ever heard ot It was Invaluable to the Allies." He looked at Trent keenly. "Tell me, Is your life made up of these amazing amaz-ing doings? I've been hearing a lot about your capturing a pirate ship and sailing her over dry land Into Guggensohn's old home." Trent ignored Deal Beach. "In London," he said, "you made a sort of veiled promise to me." "Are you sure?" Hill retorted. "1 am not noted for veiling things." "I am sure, and you did veil It In this Instance. You said that our government gov-ernment had no such way of repaying those of her citizens as rendered her special and meritorious service. Your very words, Mr. Hill. You said If 1 had been English I might have had my name in the 'Birthday Honor Ll3t" You likened me to a 'mute inglorious in-glorious Milton' and then made a most extraordinary statement "Did I?" Mr. Hill queried. "1 was a diplomat then Qew enough at the game to believe In esoteric utterances. Just what do you remember me to have said?" "That if ever I got into a tight place 1 should have something to trade with. Have you forgotten?" "No," said the cabinet officer, "1 re-- .ember the whole thing very vividly. That still goes. What tight place are you in?" Was he at last to learn something more definite about this amazing Anthony Trent than the mere hypothesis he held that the man had some secret manner of life? Mr. Hill had known Trent slightly for ten years. He remembered one of the editors of a magazine he had wued being enthusiastic concerning the detective de-tective stories written by a young Dartmouth athlete named Anthony Trent. The series after a year or so was discontinued. Hill learned that the former writer had inherited a fortune for-tune from an Australian uncle and wrote no more for gain. Then Trent hr.d turned up In England, as an Intimate In-timate friend of an aristocratic and exclusive family, causing much heartburning heart-burning among some of his own fellow fel-low countrymen who were denied the privilege. The ambassador who had observed Trent closely In London had come to the conclusion that he was always on guard. It seemed as though his muscles mus-cles were tensed as if for a struggle nnd his mind singularly alert as though danger were near. Mr. Hill had several times asked himself why a young American with money and friends need adopt this attitude. He hoped that lie was about to learn the reason. "None," said Trent. "I've come to ask you to help a friend." Mr. Hill was conscious of disap pointment "What's the nature ot the trouble?" ! "As you' were In London In UH.i I you know all about the secret visit j of a certain royal righness who came j over here to hasten our entrance into i the big scrap." I "New how the devil did you know j that?" Hill exclaimed. The visit had been kept unknown for political reasons. rea-sons. "I also know," Trent went on, "that the wonderful diamond given the prince by the mabarajah of Lepitalla when they shot tigers together was stolen from him In Washington and has not been recovered." "I don't see how that could have leaked out," said Mr. Hill, "but yon are quite right The well-known crooks were rounded up and either locked up or else sent out of the District Dis-trict of Columbia. Washington was thought to be as safe as, let us say, Carmel-by-the-Sea, and yet the jewel was taken. It was u blot on our secret se-cret service." "Is it known who took It?" "They know the woman but they have lost her as well as the stone." "The woman may be lost" Trent remarked, "but as '.o the diamond 1 think you exaggerate." He tossed the little leathern bag on the other's knee. "I'm hoping it's going to bring me good luck." Mr. Hill stared at it, fascinated. "Where did you get It from?" he demanded. "Not In Washington or from his royal highness. You can consider it taken in a way not usual but hardly illegal." "Why bring It here? You must know a large reward was offered for it?" "That part of It doesn't Interest me. I brought It here because I want to make a trade with you." "You are acting for your friend?" "I am. I'll return this diamond, cancel the reward, If you'll have the warrants which are out against the woman who took this quashed. I'll turn over the Nizam's diamond If 1 have your official word that she Is to be free from police Interference In future." Mr. Hill was still staring at the gem. He had never seen so large a diamond at close range. He saw him- SB "You'd Better Keep It," Said Trent. self at a cabinet meeting tossing the gorgeous thing on the table with some such remark as, "The prince's bauble, gentlemen 1" "In other words," he said slowly "you want us to give this expert the opportunity to go on working with the pleasing knowledge thai the police won't Interfere." "Nothing of the sort," Trent corrected, cor-rected, "I'm not fool enough to expect ex-pect a bargain of that kind. I merely want your assurance that the warrants war-rants now in force will be quashed. If she does anything in future to bring herself within reach of the law she Is prepared to suffer for It. I may as well tell ' you she never will do anything any-thing crooked." "You must have supreme confidence Ln her." "You couldn't have expressed It better. bet-ter. I have." "I must remind you that your confidence con-fidence may be dictated by some purely pure-ly personal liking which has nothing to commend Itself to me. You must not expect me to be swayed by sentiment senti-ment How can I assure myself or my colleagues that your Impressions of hef are not false?" Mr. Hid smiled at the younger man kindly. "Don't be offended when I say that the police considered her at the time of the loss of this diamond one of the cleverest women working outside the law. She perhaps set out to persuade you she was deeply wronged. She may have campaigned to get your sympathy She was said to have been very bean tlful. Think over what men have don In the past for lovely women and then blame me If yon can for doubting hei repentance." "I can't blame yon," Trent said slowly. "It seems a trait of human nature to try and keep people down rather than to help them. What dc you know about her, Mr. Hill?" "I am told she Is an aristocrat talking talk-ing a dozen languages and used to all the ways of high society. She Is said to dress beautifully and talk with a slight foreign accent There was something unforgettable about her. I think It was her eyes. What color are her eyes?" "A deep brown, almost black," said Anthony Trent promptly. "Trent," said Hill smiling, "they're as green as Jade and you know it" "Few people see color In the same way," Trent reminded him. "But few confound green and brown. Be frank with me. Why should I believe that the 'Countess' 1 think that Is what the police call her wants to go straight?" Anthony Trent's face grew sterner. There was a curiously dominating personality about the man. Mr. Hill admitted. "Heaven may rejoice over the salvation sal-vation of a sinner," he said, "but the world evidently does not. I'll prove what I say. Yesterday afternoon I saw her. She had no prospect ahead but drudgery, so I tempted her with relative luxury. I told her I would have that diamond there cut in half and give her a hundred thousand dollars dol-lars for her share of It I begged her to take It I reminded her of the life woman-convicts lead In our barbarous prisons. She turned the opportunity down cold. I tell you If ever the devil was watching for a soul there was his chance. Literally she wouldn't bear of It. Her one Idea Is to make reparation." "Was it fair to tempt her?" Hill asked. . "1 can never fully explain to yon Just why I did It. One of the reasons was I wanted to assure myself that what 1 believed was true. I don't think I ever suffered more than when I was trying to shake her resolve." There was a new tenderness In his voice which Mr. Hill did not miss. "I don't think I've ever felt prouder than when she turned my proposition down and thought me a renegade." "You must take an uncommon Interest In-terest In this brown-eyed lady," the former ambassador said slowly. "I do," Trent admitted, "that's why I'm here." "1 might point out," suld the other, "that you have put your head ln the mouth of a lion perfectly able to snap it off close to the collarbone If he chooses. It's true you have the diamond dia-mond ln your pocket for the moment, but what's to hinder me from ringing a bell and having you and it seized?" "If you observe," said Anthony Trent, "you will see I am occupying a position of strategical advantage." He was sitting lna leathern armchair arm-chair by the side of an open fire in which some oak logs were burning. "Hammer blows may not hurt diamonds dia-monds but heat does. I have only to drop this Into the flames and the Nizam's gem will never sparkle again. Carbon to carbon. It would distress me very much to have to do this, Mr. Hill." "You are resourceful," the other admitted. After all, it was not likely that the man who had outwitted Michael Mi-chael Temesvar would be caught napping. nap-ping. "I've got to be," Trent conceded. "What Is the answer?" "I don't want the diamond destroyed. I hate wanton waste. If 1 can I'd like to help you. You gave your govern ment very important information dur ing a period of unrest after the war. Some consideration Is due to you. if I can arrange the matter that Is the factor upon which I shall count L!ut remember this, Anthony Trent. You are using up your credit to pay the debts of some one else. I ask you is It worth while?" ."It is," said Trent quickly. "When do you leave Washington?" "As soon as I get your answer. I'm hoping to go at noon tomorrow." "All right. Call me up here tonight between twelve and half past. I'll give you my private telephone nunibei What's this?" he demanded, as Trent thrust the little chamois leather bag Into his hands. "You'd better keep It," said Trent. "Aren't you inclined to be overconfident?" overcon-fident?" Mr. Hill demanded. "You can't put It ln the fire now." (TO BE CONTINUED.) |