“ P eril and the P rice”
( Continued from page 7 \
some unexpected tricks, and the next
thing I knew I was lying wide awake with
the sunlight shining through the window.
There was the natural start of surprise
at my unaccustomed surroundings, and
then I arose and began very deliberately
to make my toilet, keeping back, so far as
possible, my natural inclination to try to
anticipate coming events.
I could hear somewhere a clock striking
the hour of nine, and then there was a
knock and. through what appeared to be
the opening of a speaking tube, I heard
the woman’s voice bidding me prepare
for breakfast, which would appear in a
few minutes. It came, tenderloin, eggs,
rolls, toast, fried potatoes, everything the
best possible, together with a great,
Steaming not of coffee.
“Seems you liked the sandwiches,” she
said, grinning as she removed the empty
plate. 'Mcbbe you’l like the breakfast,
too. There’s lots worse places to stay
than here.”
“No doubt.” I said briefly, as I sat down
to the breakfast with an appetite which,
thanks to youth and health, nothing could
long keep away.
“An’ there’s a better dinner cornin’,”
she grinned. “T h^boss told me to go the
limit in fixin’ up a Thanksgivin’ dinner
for you. an’ what he says goes.”
“When will I see the boss?” I asked as
amiably as I could.
“Well, now !” the woman said. “I’ll
be when he is good an’ ready an’ not be
fore. He never allows any questions.
What I told yon last night he told me to
tell an* that’s all. But lie’s a powerful
nice man when you do what he tells you,
an’ when you don’t, well! You’d just bet-
tef look out, that’s a ll!”
She left me, and in due time returned
for the dishes. About four o’clock the
dinner came, an elaborate affair with the
inevitable roast turkey and a bottle of
champagne. With it came several morn
ing papers and a handful of cigars, the
latter of which were of no use to me. I
finished the dinner and retired to the sofa
to read the day’s news. But the paper
soon fell from my hand as I sat staring,
staring at the face of Lucy Dean. Jt
showed her a few years older than I had
known her. but there was no mistaking
the face which had been in my dreams,
sleeping or waking for seven long years.
The mystery of that portrait in that house
of crime was no less than that of my de
tention there.
I rose and paced about the room in
wild excitement. Not only was there mys
tery upon mystery, but the floodgates were
open after all those years and. for the first
time in my life. I was in love! No longer
was it a vague and soothing sentiment,
but a burning passion, an absolute devo
tion. an unutterable, longing, an overmas
tering desire. I would hunt for her until
I found her, and I would make her mine.
Unless-----! The thought came to me and
for a moment clutched my heart in a grasp
of ice. Then I flung it fiercely away. She
was living, she was unwed, she would be.
should be mine!
The door opened softly and closed.
A gigantic person, whose purple face
indicated many years of luxurious living,
stood before me.
“I hope you enjoyed your dinner,” he
said, in soft, well modulated tones.
"I am your prisoner. Why do you waste
courtesy upon me?” I answered, with
anger almost choking me.
“You are my guest,” lie suavely an
swered. “May I take a*chair? Thank you!
I will admit that my invitation for you
to spend Thanksgiving Day at m* home
W II a trifle informal, but it WAS suffi
ciently pressing, as you must admit.”
“I am helpless and must submit to your
insults, as I did to your criminal attack
upon my liberty.”
“Insults? Not the least in the world.
You are my guest because I chose to have
you come. Have you had reason to com
plain of your treatment? Would any ho
tel in New York have given you better
food? Have you ever slept in a better
room or in one with more interesting
pictures ?”
He shot a glance at me as lie asked the
last question, which came very near its
evident intention of surprising me into a
confusion which would tell that I had
recognized the portrait.
“Other than being unwarrantably and
unlawfully deprived of my freedom, I
have no complaint to make,”. I answered,
coldly.
“For that deprivation of liberty I mean
to compensate you,” he said, ‘.hist be
reasonable and you will regard your com
ing here as one of the luckiest things of
your life. Try another of the cigars.”
“I don’t smoke,” I answered shortly.
“You miss one of the greatest blessings
of life,” he said, reaching for a cigar.
“You don’t mind if I smoke? Thank
you !”
He lit a cigar and leaned back with his
eyes upon the ceiling.
“ Pardon me if I seem personal,” he
said, “but 1 presume that your salary is
somewhere between one and two thousand
dollars a year?”
“That is a matter concerning myself and
my employers.”
“To be sure! To be sure! And, par
don me, it concerns me also, for I have a
mind to offer you double your present
salary, whatever it may be.”
“You have taken extraordinary means to
bring your offer to my attention.”
“Necessity, my boy, necessity! I did
not wish, by any chance, to have any one
else hear of my offer. And I did not de
sire to take any chance of having my offer
refused.”
“But I do refuse it!” I said, emphat
ically.
The man smiled.
“I expected to hear you say that/U-he
said. “Of course you refuse, and that
proves the wisdom and necessity of bring
ing you here. If I had made the offer at
your lodgings you might have refused and
persisted in your refusal. Now you will
have time to reflect.”
“Your talk is useless,” I said. “Restore
my liberty and then, if you have any prop
osition to make, I will hear you.”
“Really,” said the other, “I thought I
had just this moment made it clear to you
why that course is impossible. If I did
that you might refuse. As it is,” he added
with a meaning look, “you will accept.”
“And why,” I asked, “do you think I
would be useful to you in your business?
I am very sure that I should not.”
“I have my reasons,” lie said. “What
do you think my business is?”
“I think,” I said, very deliberately, but
shaking a little at my own hardihood
“that you are some kind of a thief.”
The man flushed a deeper purple.
“ I hat is a pretty rude word,’’ he said.
“And sometimes, I may say—sometimes
and under some circumstances—a dis
tinctly dangerous word.”
“No doubt,” I said, “but I stand by my
belief. If you were an honest man I
would not be here. And a man who is
not honest, is a thief, according to his
necessity and opportunity. Not all thieves
are pickpockets or porch-climbers.’
• “To be sure,” he said, suppressing the
anger which had started at the word,
“there are gentry and vulgarians among—-
among-----”
“Thieves.” I suggested.
“I don’t like the word,” he said, knock
ing the ashes off his cigar. “But I will
sav that among the class you have in
mind, as well as among others.”
SEND NO MONEY-NO STAMPS
ps*££g &&
w rite u s a p o s ta l, if y o u p refer. W e will th e n m a il y o u th is g r e a t boo k , n o w fresh
fro m th e p re s s e s , p ic tu rin g m o re th a n 3,000 new -style th in g s fo r th e ho m e. A p a r t o f th e
p ic tu re s a re in a c tu a l co lo rs. T h is book sh o w s a g r e a te r v a rie ty o f F u rn itu re , C a rp e ts
an d H o u se fu rn ish in g s th a n Is sh o w n in an y re ta il s to re in C h icag o . O n each a rtic le it
q u o te s a price lo w er th a n y o u ev e r saw . It sh o w s th e n e w e st c re a tio n s in fu rn itu re,
d ra p e rie s , etc. A nd it offers y p ife re d it on ev ery th in g . H a v e w h a te v e r y o u w an t, a t o u r
lo w e st c a sh p ric e s, a n d p a y u s a little ea ch m onth.
WE TRUST YOU FOR ANYTHING
USED IN THE HOME
W o a r il gooflo o n c r e d i t a t lo w e r p ric e s t h a n
e v e r w e re q u o te d f o r r u s h . Y ou c a n h a v e th e* «
h o m e c o m fo rt« now , a m i ite g in a t o n c e t o e n jo y
th e m . N o n e e d t o w a it f o r t h e m o n ey . S im p ly
p ay R8 yon c a n . W e c h a r g e n o i n t e r e s t am i ask
n o s e c u rity . O u r d e a lin g * a r e a l l c o n f id e n tia l.
A ny p e r s o n w h o w a n ts t o m a k e h o m e m o re
a t t r a c t i v e in t h e r i g h t s o r t o f p e r s o n , a n d h is
c r e d i t i s g o o d w i t h us.
O VEU A Y E A R TO P A Y
P r.v a few c e n t« d o w n o n e a c h d o lla r . T h e n
t a k e t h e g o o d s, u s e *■•! e n jo y t h e m , a n d pay ns
a l i t t l o o u ch m o n th . O n t h e a v e ra g e , w e a llo w
n y e a r t o p a y . O n p ia n o s , tw o year*«. I f m is
f o r t u n e co m e s, o r lo -s o f w o rk , w e d o w h a t wo
c a n t o h e l p o u t. O u r w h o le e f fo rt, fro m t h e
t i m e >ou firs t d e a l w ith u s, is t o m a k e y o u a
p e r m a n e n t c u s to m e r . A n d yo u w ill lie. You
w ill n e v e r b u y h o u s e f n r u i s h in g s e ls e w h e re , a n d
p a y o t h e r s ' p ric e s , a f t e r you o n c e d e a l w ith u s,
30 P A Y S ’ F R E E
CUT OUT THIS COUPON
PI**«»* >1« i t n o w — lH»for© yon f o r g e t i t .
«•rr<iit *««*t* y o u i t * , t h a n <«*h. _
-M-h
« ta lc o -
L e t u s p ro v o a t o n c e t h a t
I S P IE G E L . M A T , STERN CO., 1*M 3S tb S tre e t, C h i c o
9 P le a se m a il m e the c a ta lo g s m a rk ed .
J
-----Geoeral Cataloz.
— Piano Catalog.
I
-— S to v e Catalog;.
— -G ru p h o p h o se B ook.
I
I K am a
..................................................................................
•
TR IA L
W h a te v e r you s e l e c t c a n b e u s e d f o r o n e m o n th
b e f o r e yo u d e c i d e t o bu y i t . E v e ry a r ti c le is
s e n t o n a p p r o v a l. Y ou n o t o n ly se o I t, b u t u s e it.
Y o u c o m p a re i t w ith o t h e r s i m i l a r a r tic le s , a n d
c o m p a re o u r p r i c e s w i l h o th e r* . I f t h e a r ti c le ,
f o r a n y re a s o n , is u n s a t i s f a c t o r y , s im p ly se n d i t
b a c k . Y ou a r e u n d e r n o o b lig a tio n . T h e
m o n t h 's u s e w i.l n o t co a t you o n e p en n y .
FA C T O R Y C A S H P R IC E S
C ash m a il o r d e r h o u s e s w ill t r y t o c o n v in c e
von t h a t c r e d i t c o s ts m o ro t h a n c a s h . S e e fo r
y o u rs e lf i f i t d o e s . 0 » -t o u r c a ta lo g a n d c o w -
re th o p ric e s . S eo w h o s e lls t h e low«**t. T h o
t is. w e s e ll o n cvijvUt e x a c tly ns low a s fo r
cash. O u r ca sh n M tc u ta n g e t n o t a penny i
d is c o u n t. T o «II w e s e ll a t f a c to r y price *
o u r . o ___
n « .»mail
e m a il n p ro ro n f t. it. N N o o m m idd
id le
d le m e n o f ai
ro f it o n ou r ----------
goods. \S e defy a n y oth<
nd g e t p -----------------
s h o i o n e p r ic e a s low «a wo
m a il o . r d e r h o u s e t o show
o ffer o n a s i m i l a r p ic e e .
K.1
SA V IN G O F IS TO
| P ostofficc
S u te .
-
-
_________________________ ____
50 %
W e g u a r a n t e e o n e v e ry a r t i c l e a s a v in g o f 15
t o 50%. W u d o n 't r e f e r to y o u r lo c a l s to r e price«.
f o r th e y n r e e n o r m o u s ly h ig h . W o r e f e r t o cat*
« lo g h o u s e s , s e llin g f o r c a s h , a n d c l a im i n g t o
umler*>eli us. G e t o u r g o o d s o n t r i a l . I f you
d o n ’t fin d th a t, wo u n d e r s e l l e v e ry o n e e ls e ,
s im p ly sem i o u r g o o d s buck- A sk o th e r s t o se n d
g o o d s o n a p p r o v a l, a s w e d o , a n d k e e p th o s e
w h ic h c o s t t h e le a s t.
C A P IT A L $ 7 ,0 0 0 ,0 0 0
T h i s is t h e l a r g e s t c o n c e r n o f i t s k in d In e x
is te n c e . O a r c o m b in e d c a p ita ) is |7,OUO.OOO. W e
h a v e 450.000 c u s to m e r s . O u r m a il o r d e r b u i l d -
In g s c o v e r six n e n w o f g ro u n d . I n a d d i t i o n , we
o w n 25 m a m m o th P etto I s to r e s , i n t h o h e a r t o f
t h e la rg e s t «dties, w h e r e w e m e e t t h e fie r c e s t
c o m p e titio n i n A m n rie a . T l i e o n l y wav in w h ic h
w e h a v e g ro w n t o t h i s s s a i i r r e i is s by u n d e r s e l l in g a ll
com pef.it io n . Now w e d o m in u te t h e fie ld . W o
c o n tr o l t l ie o u t p u t o f seor«»s o f f a c to r ie s , a n d
°.u r .en o rm o u s buy m g p o w e r e n a b le * ti* t o p r r e -
ti e a l l y fix o u r o w n co s ta . I t w o u ld b a n k r u p t a n y
le s s e r c o n c e rn t o a t t e m p t t o m e e t o u r p rice * .
You nuiy pay c a s h i f y o u w a n t to , b u t w e h a v e
n o d is c o u n t fo r c a s h . Y o u m ay a s w ell bu y o n
c r e d i t , a s h a l f o f t h e W orld ia d o in g . Y ou g u in
u o t h i u g by p a y in g c a s h .
•
FO U R F R E E C A T ALOGS
O u r G e n e r a l C n t n l o g g iv e s p ic tu re s , p rice « ,
S o il
° f f v e r y tJ h in c f o r t h o h o m e -
c f d.COO th i n g s l i k e th e s e :
F u r n i t u r e , C h in a w a r e . Rewin*? M a c h in e * ,
r.trp e t* . b u g s. S ilv e rw a r e , W a s h in g M ac h in e * .
.D rap erie s, L u m p s, C lo c k s , B ab y C uls , e tc .
O u r R tn-ve f 'n t a l a i r sh o w s 70 id l e s o f E m p ir e
s to v e s a n d ra n g e s , c o s tin g fro m »■> up. A nv o.ne
f t tb c e o sto v es w ill p ay f o r i u * J I l a i a e l tu v in g
b e f o r e yo u fin is h p a y in g u s.
O u r P la n o C a t a l o g * h ™ , th e r e r - « v e st
g ra d e s o f p ian o * . a s low a* 1144.50. W e a c c e p t n o
uirm ey d ow n, b u t s im p ly sen** t h e p ia n o an«l 1< t
I t s e li it s e l f , f h i s b o o k w ill ative you a t le a s t
$100 on a n y p ia n o y o u w a n t.
C o l u m b i a G r a p h « p h o n e * a r e sh o w n i n a
s e p a r a t e c a ta lo g —a l l e ty ie s a n d n il re c o rd s . W e
w ill s e n d you a m a c h in e w ith U r«cor«l* o n 30
d ay s' fr e e tria l.
SPIEGEL, MAY, STERN CO., 1694 35th Street. CHICAGO
“And your assistants, who received me
last night, belong to the class of vulgar
thieves?” I queried.
“Undoubtedly. I don’t use the word,
as a rule. It offends more than one sen
sitive acquaintance of mine. But those
fellows are, by no stretch of courtesy, any
thing but vulgar thieves. I must apol
ogize for having forced such low com
pany upon you.”
“Don’t mention it,” I said, sarcastically.
“You will see no more of them,” he
said. “I have need of them and many
others. I am, if my modesty will per
mit me to say it, something of a magnate
in my line. I have need of your services,
as well as of the services of those very
different persons. You will perceive the
high compliment I pay you in the estima
tion I place upon your moral qualities. If
I should want—just supposing, of course—
a citizen knocked down, a safe broken or
a house burned, I would have only to say
the word and those fcjlows would under
take it for a compensation which you
would he bound to confess very reasona
ble. They will even, at my instigation,
kidnap and bring to me an honest and
virtuous young man whom I desire to see.
In your case I have to take all precau
tions to prevent your excessive virtue
from getting the best of your proper
sense of self-interest.”
“What do you want of me?” I asked,
bluntly.
“There is a safe in your office of which
you have the combination,” he said. “Now,
now,” he added, waving his hand in a de
precating manner, “don’t attempt any lies.
I know and denial will do no good. I
want the combination of that safe.”
“That safe,” I said, “contains not one
cent of money at any time.”
“I know that,” he answered. “And if
there were, it would not be touched. You
can make an inventory every day, so long
as you remain in the office, and nothing
will be missing. Nevertheless, I desire
and intend to have the combination to
that safe.”
"" “You will not get it from me.”
“You say#tliat I will not. I say that I
will. Give me the combination to-night
and you can be at your desk in the morn
ing ia thousand dollars richer than you
are now. Keep silent three months and
another thousand dollars will be yours.”
“And if I refuse?”
“Then your employers probably will be
making inquiries as to what has become of
you.”
“What you ask,” I said, excitedly, “is
dishonorable, and I will never do it.”
“Take your time/’ said lie. “There is
no hurry. Mr. Whitwood, I know, is in
Europe, and the combination will not be
changed nor the safe opened until he re
turns. Meantime, until you have acceded
to my request, you will remain my guest.”
“My determination is made,” I said.
“I will unmake it when the time comes,”
he answered, in smooth, even tones. “Now,
before bidding you good-night, I will tell
you a few tilings. If you attempt to climb
out of the window you will get a bullet
through your leg and be carried back to
this room for treatment. If you attempt
to set your room on fire you will be de
tected instantly and some of those vulgar
thieves we were talking about will give
you their undivided attention while others
are extinguishing the fire. ‘ We are not
amateurs and not easily frustrated. Now,
good-night!”
His towering bulk stood before the door
for an instant, his dark face wreathed
with a wicked, cynical smile. Then I was
again alone.
I sat ¿own and thought of the difficult
and dangerous position in which I was
placed. The safe, to which access was
demanded by the criminal chief was one
containing papers only, and those chiefly
of a confidential nature, relating to the
character and whereabouts of clients and
persons with whom they were involved in
business matters.
Many papers were
sealed and had remained thus for many
years. Some of these the criminals, for
reasons known to themselves, desired to
inspect. Their purpose was evil. Some
body must suffer if they succeeded. I de
termined to be strong as I could and at
least never willingly agree to the dishonor
of breaking my tru^t, nor accept the
Judas price. But my blood ran cold at
the thought of the |x»ssibility of torture,
which I knew woifld be unsparingly ap
plied.
The fat woman brought my supper of
toast and hot milk.
“How do you like your room ?" she
asked. “I fixed it up myself especially for
you. Them pictures an’ books an’ the
Bible was all up in the garret, where
there’s lots of other old stuff. The boss
lias had new pictures in all of his rooms.
He’s a real sport, he is. When you come
[Continued on page *3)