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Show iiMirioiDiiiii ROBERT SMES BENKET o O "YOU BLACKMAILER!" SYNOPSIS. Alighting from a triiin at Denver a traveler is greeted greet-ed as "Will" by an elderly lay and gen tit; man, who stop iheir auto to speak. He imagines it a case of mistaken identity and Introduces In-troduces himself as '"Richard Clinton," Clin-ton," on his way to the coast. The couple appear greatly surprised, and learning he is to be in town until midnight, the lady, introducing introduc-ing herself as Mrs. Kirk land, and her husband as Doctor Kirk land. Invites him to dinner, explaining the action by his truly remarkable resemblance to a friend of theirs. At the Kirkiand home he meets a young lady who greets him as tier fiance. She is KUen Kirkland. and plainly is greatly hurt by his assertion asser-tion that he is Kit-hard Clinton. At dinner Clinton learns that his hr.-U Is a medical specialist and that i.e is believed to be Will Lowry, a young man wh had been suuVr-Ing suuVr-Ing from a nervous breakdown and had gone East for medical treatment. treat-ment. Lowrie had had in his possession pos-session bonds of the value of JhA-000, JhA-000, belonging to the bank where he was employed, which have disappeared dis-appeared and of which he has no recollection. With Doctor Kirkland Clinton goes to the Towrie home, the doctor being satisfied that Amy Ijowrie, Will's sister, will convince Clinton he is really Lowrie, suffering suffer-ing from loss of memory. Amy declares de-clares at once he is her brother, and insists on treating him as such, to his great embarrassment. Doctor Doc-tor Kirkland sends a telegram to the sanitarium where Lowrie is undergoing un-dergoing treatment. Elien and Amy-try Amy-try in vain to convince Clinton he Is Will Lowrie. They manage, however, how-ever, to prevent his s-ung. Bemm, a suitor .of Amy and an agent of tho bank, moves In tiie matter of the missing bonds. T!.e sanitarium telegram proves nothing. Bemm wants Amy to marry him as the price of shielding Will in the bond matter. Amy goes to Clinton at night to tell him about Bemm and make him brush her hair. Clinton temporarily convinces her he is not her brother. He starts to leave Denver and ,1s arrested. He declares de-clares they are all crazy or else there is a conspiracy. o o CHAPTER IX Continued. . 9 "As n friend of the that is, of Mr. Lowrie," he remarked, "may I be permitted per-mitted to surest thiit this idea of his nhiiut a conspiracy rather supports Doctor Kirkland's theory of irresponsibility." irrespon-sibility." Clinton set his jaw and stood silent, evidently resolved to say no more. Doctor Kirkland smiled approval. "That is better, my hoy. Keep cool. Over-excitement is good for no one. May I see the warrant?" The official produced the warrant. The physician glanced through it with an experienced eye. "H'm embezzlement embezzle-ment of the bonds Will Lowrie, alias Richard Clinton." "Pardon me," remarked Bemm somewhat some-what diffidently, "i wish to say I happen hap-pen to know that the er party representing rep-resenting the bank in this matter is inclined to accept my theory that our friend disposed of that is to say, misplaced mis-placed the bonus while mentally irresponsible." irre-sponsible." "Then why have they acted so outrageously out-rageously to him?" demanded Amy. "Had he not attempted to leave town, y' know " "That is the worst of it!" exclaimed Mrs. Kirkland. "The publicity! The scandal !" "Madam," reassured the odicial. "there has been no pubheity so far: and there need be none if Mr. Lowrie can account for the bonds. We here nre the only ones who know of his arrest, ar-rest, except the plain-clothes man wlm caught him at the depot. lie won't leak." "One moment, ollircr. if you please," interrupted Doctor Kirkland. He fixed his keen gaze on Clinton. "If released from custody would you leave town?" Clinton looked at Amy. and sudden- , ly bis anger v:in:hed. lie even sinMed ' us he answered : "Those who dunee must pay the piper. I could have telegraphed tele-graphed for my proofs: I could have I told you all about my life. I'.ut i wa too stubborn to do cither. Ileuim and this ollicial t!'use to heiiove my full j sJateiiifiit about myself and my busi- ! ness. Theref'-re I now rt fust- to t-!e- ( graph or say anything more, except j that I no longer have any wish to go nwny. I wish to stay, even tlaaiL'h it ' be in jail, until yr.'.i have disproved this ridiculous cba."U'- and I am fre to " i I He looked at Any, peeled and strolh-d over to ;;i7.i at a pbofo.ura i !i in the far corner of Mo- loom. Amy glieb'd al't'T him. to s;;'iid by his si.le and fondle bis hand in silent sympathy. sym-pathy. I! Ion looked luitLMr.;: v at the coi!e, but linger. l to l,.,r what her, father was s-: r I r : lt to the ollicial. "This rhar.:', of ennspirttey clearly Indicates bis delusional predisposition. You have niy word. -, That he was tind is mentally Irresponsible for his actions, in the full legal senses of the term." The ollicial looked his conce:Ti. "Sor ry., doctor, but In the case of a warrant war-rant " "Very true," agreed the physician. "Pie must be kept In custody, unless admitted to bail. That does not prevent pre-vent you from deputizing me and placing plac-ing him in my custody. What he requires re-quires is sanitarium treatment. Confinement Con-finement in jail would probably shatter shat-ter his mind beyond all hope of recovery. recov-ery. The sanitarium, on the contrary, con-trary, may restore him to his old self and enable him to remember how lie lost the bonds." Bemm smiled suavely at the police official. "Ah. In that case I venture to request you to accede to Doctor Kirkland's suggestion. I feel sure you may safely intrust Mr. Lowrie in his custody. Consider me as the doctor's second in the matter er what is the term? his guarantor, if I am considered consid-ered to have any standing." "H'm." muttered the ollicial. "It's a queer case. Well. I guess I'll take the responsibility of deputizing Doctor Kirkland and entrusting the' prisoner to his custody. There's no precedent for it; but considering the circumstances circum-stances and the fact that the doctor has often helped out the department with expert advice, I'll risk it." The physician bowed iu acknowledgment acknowledg-ment and walked over to Clinton. "My boy." he said, "we cannot compel you to give over your fancied Idea of a conspiracy against you. However, our friend here has agreed to set you at liberty on my recognizance. All I ask of you is your word as a gentleman that yon will remain in Denver until cleared of this charge." Clinton turned and impulsively held out his hand. "Doctor, I beg your pardon par-don for my suspicion. It was the only way I could account for the persistency persis-tency of everybody in identifying me with Mr. Lowrie. I see that I must have been mistaken. I give you my word that I will not leave town until I am cleared of this false and ridiculous ridicu-lous charge." "We shall stay with Amy until her your mother returns," .rather hastily remarked Mrs. Kirkland. She covered cov-ered the betrayal of the doubt that troubled her with a smile, gracious and cordial : "And now you and Amy must come home to lunch with us." "And Charlie, too." added Ellen. "He was so thoughtful, phoning to us." "Will is my best friend " said Bemm, looking at Amy. She gave him a grateful grate-ful glance. He started for the door. "Count on me. I'd like to go with you, but I shall hunt up Will's suitcase and take it home for him on my way." CHAPTER X. Blackmail. When Bemm drove up to the Kirkland Kirk-land residence In his big touring car he found Clinton dozing ill a swing-bench, swing-bench, and the girls on guard over him. Each had her charming nose in a magazine that she might not he templed to chatter and thereby disturb dis-turb the repose of their drowsy charge. Bemtn's arrival roused Clinton, and for some time the four talked on impersonal im-personal topics. At last. Ellen and Amy went inside. Bennn promptly 1 1 fJ I "That Was Rotten Their Serving You With a Warrant." shifted to a seat near Clinton and remarked re-marked in a sympathetic lone; "That was rotten their serving you with a warrant. I'.ut I suppose, tliey thought they were justified, when you started to leave town." "I suppose so," acquiesced Clinton. "The fact, however, Is that nothing was further from my thoughts than those Lowrie bonds." "Frarxkly," said Bemm, "what puzzles puz-zles me Is that you wished to go at oil. You had agreed to stay, and we were all trying our best to treat you well." "I presume the police searched my suitcase," Irrelevantly observed Clinton. Clin-ton. To tell Bemm about Amy's visit to his room was unthinkable. Bemm took out a cigarette before replying: re-plying: "One can usually count on their committing such impertinences, I take it. Though. If they opened your case, they must have been rather clever clev-er in their work. It seemed to be securely se-curely locked." "You left It at Miss Lowrie's?" "Yes." "That was very kind of you." "Don't mention It I say, old man, I've been wanting to talk with you about your er about Miss Amy." "I fail to take you." said Clinton. "You forget that I am not your friend, Will Lowrie." "Friend I" muttered Bemm. He forced a smile. "You're the one that has forgotten your identity. But. unluckily un-luckily tor me, you still retain an impression im-pression or, as Doctor Kirkland would say. a subconscious memory of your opposition to me." ".Must I repeat " "No. Yet you cannot deny yon have this feeling, this prejudice against me, with regard to Amy." "You refer to Miss Lowrie, I presume." pre-sume." "Deuce take It!" exclaimed Bemm. "Haven't I stood your friend in this police affair? Am I not entitled to some consideration from you:" "Very well," said Clinton. "Now if you will kindly proceed to elucidate what you are driving at." "liighf-O! We're getting down to bedrock," replied Bemm. "You're listening to me as her brother; you have my word that I am nut so frivolous friv-olous or fast as I am said to be: and you know how I regard your sister. sis-ter. I may not be as desirable a match as some ; but I am eligible, as you know, and though I seem to be doing nothing, I really am engaged in a serious and ambitious vocation." "One moment." said Clinton. "You 'insisted that I play the part of Miss Lowrie's brother; but I have not asked for any confidences from you. Kindly remember that you are speaking to a stranger." "Indeed? Beally now, you can't fancy you cu shunt me off the track at this stage of the game," scoffed Bemm. "A man in your situation might he expected to catch at hints. Perhaps your head really is addled. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt." "Thanks," said Clinton. "If it is not atldled, you certainly are a cool one," rejoined Bemm. "Don't you realize what a hole you are in over those bonds? Admitting for the sake of the argument that you remember nothing about them, I will explain that I know enough of what you did to put you through." "Most kind of you to tell me, Mr. Bemm." Bemtu's gray-brown eyes lost their deceptive shallowness. Clinton looked into their depths and saw the man behind the jester. His steely glance struck Hint instead of rubber. But Bemm's voice was very soft: "You see. old man, it is still a matter mat-ter between friends. All you need do is to find the bonds, or their equivalent equiva-lent in money, if they have been disposed dis-posed of. Doctor Kirkland believes you were irresponsible. If you have used any of the er proceeds, there's no doubt he will advance you the amount. If that is done the bank reimbursed, re-imbursed, y'know the bank will accept ac-cept his theory of your mental condition, condi-tion, and will allow the matter to be hushed up. This Is provided I forget certain facts that. If recalled by me, would knock the doctor's hypothesis into a cocked hat." "So you remember certain facts?" muttered Clinton. "My dear Will, let us say that I do not now remember them, (hie may easily forget, where a friend is concerned. con-cerned. All I ask is that you. in turn, show your friendship by intimating t lie situation to Am er Miss Lowrie. Nothing raw, y'know. Just a hint. She admits that she likes me. and you Know how she is. A word from you in my favor, and she would at once " For all his quickness. Bennn was not quick enough to elude the hand lliat shot out to clutch his collar. He pulled hack to free himself. In Ihe same insiaiit Clinton rose over him, white with anger. Without a word. Clinton jerked him to his feet, whirled i i i i ii around and rushed bini lo the head of the porch steps. Clinton's shoe assisted his Might down the steps. The audacity even more than the suddenness of the attack bad paralyzed para-lyzed Bemm's power of resistance. The spell was broken by the shock of his landing on ihe hard cetnonl walk at the foot of the steps. He scramble l to his feet, his lace twitchim; with fury, lie put iii.s hand to bis hip. "Drop that band." ordered Clinton in a tone barely above a whisper. Bemm's furious glance fell before the look In Clinton's eyes. His hand slipped down, away from ihe hip-pocket. hip-pocket. Cl'mon descended a step, and spoke in the same low-piteiie I ton: "You blackmailer you cur! (let out of here!" Again Bemm tried to face the other's oth-er's look, and ai:ain his glance wavered wav-ered and fell. He turned and walked hurriedly down to the curb. The tires of his big car tore boles in the street surfacing, so violently did h" throw on the full power of tin- engine. A girlish exclamation caused the tense watcher to look about. Amy stood In Ihe doorway, staring after the swift-flying car. "Why, it's Charlie!" she cried. "Whatever Is the matter? Oh ! Will I your fare! You look as If as If " She flung herself at him He sprang to meet and sweep her buck into the house. "No not out here!" he muttered "Private, where none can see or hear till he comes back The curl the' d-darned cur!" "Hush I hush, dear!" urged the girl, putting up a hand over his mouth. "Oh, Will !" cried Ellen In the entrance en-trance of the druwing room. "You swore !" "The scoundrel! The the " Clinton Clin-ton choked with wrath. Between them, the girls hurried him Into a secluded room where he could not be beard. There he found voice; but the words that hurst forth were so incoherent with rage that neither girl could understand what he said. Overcome with dread of his wild outburst, Ellen fled to tell her mother that he had become violently insane. Mrs. Kirkland hastened to telephone the calamitous news to her husband. As soon as she received his promise to at once come home, she started to the rescue of Amy. timidly followed by Ellen. With a trepidation that by contrast con-trast emphasized her moral courage, "Drop That Hand," Ordered Clinton. the lady opened the door of the room in which Ellen had left the maniac. No sound came from within. Her pallor pal-lor increased. Shuddering with dread of what might be within, she rushed into the room. Ellen followed, still more fearful of what they might find. Clinton was reposing In the depths of a big "sleepy-hollow" chair, as peaceful and still as if asleep. Amy, perched on the arm of the chair, was stroking his forehead and closed eyes. She looked about at the intruders and touched her lips for silence. But her patient had opened his eyes. At sight of the frightened ladies, he captured cap-tured Amy's hand and sat up in the chair, his face red with embarrassment. embarrass-ment. "Ob keep your seat! Do not disturb dis-turb yourself! Be calm!" urged Mrs. Kirkland. Amy freed an arm and slipped It about his neck. "You are calm now. Aren't you. dear?" she soothed. "Y'es yes, of course," mumbled Clinton, Clin-ton, hut his color deepened. "But, dearest." murmured Ellen, "you must be dizzy. You look so queer." Clinton's expression became still more peculuir. His features were convulsed. con-vulsed. He waggled his hands. "Thi this " he gasped. "Whatever I ! Don't you Chocolate Soldier?" They looked at one another in acute alarm. There now could be no doubt as to his condition. He sought to explain: ex-plain: "The the opera." "Opera?" repeated Amy. "Oh. yes yes, we understand, dear. You are reminded of that opera, when the hero comes into the castle and the ladies make such a fuss of him. Yes. dear, we understand. So now hush and be quiet." But instead of obeying, he filing himself him-self back in the chair and hurst into a roar of laughter. The outburst was far more violent than the first. It d!d not end until he lay helpless from spent emotion, tears rolling down his cheeks, and bis hands feebly beating the arms of the chair. Mrs. Kirkland hovered over him. ready with the bottle bot-tle of lavender stilts. On either side of hitn knelt Amy and Ellen, each with her arm about his neck, her head a::ainsi his shoulder, and a hand stroking strok-ing his face. "Stive save the pieces!" he panted. The girls redoubled their tender caresses. Mrs. Kirkland hold her bottle bot-tle under bis nose. He took a whiff, and groaned: "Alas! Who shall deliver de-liver me out of the hands of mine my Iriends?" They exchanged anxious glances, aid Mrs. Kirkland whispered: "Hysteria "Hys-teria !" lie pulled himself together, oauudit the girls' hands and his breath, and re anrked in a conversational tone: "My dear Mrs. Kirkland. will you oon- si i i j- it hysterical if 1 observe that a cup of tea " "lie's coining to himself!" shrieked Ellen. "lie has come to himself!" shrieked Amy. : ii . r Clinton enjoyi "relaxation 1 I I nnd quiet." 1 : 1 O u i;i-: C'U.N 1 1 N LLP.) I |