F r A G li 4 41AJ.OXU r„r«i i t n r u i j w In the end however, I got up and , t e too Hwrui once tney walked round the room, examining It. i nly shamming. I thought that even if anyone wus "I? ended in my being sent to a watching ine from somewhere. It would i .natorlum at Bournemouth. I seem natural enough under the circum­ < mldn't make up my mind at first ^ A n n o u n c e m e n t stances. It was u^qunlld, dirty place. v hether It was a »hum affair or genu- «ISO S T R A D I V A R A , J Ä Ä ' S Ì — There were no winnows, which seemed L.e I think I almost hypnotized my­ queer. I guessed the door would be self. . 7 o t h t t y o o p / t o f T i a h t y a » i v i c in it y ¡ v r w i t h »(5 S T R A D I V A R I „ „ ................... $ 4 0 locked, but I didn't try it. There were "One night I was whisked off to to a n n o u n e o th e o p e n in g o f o u r t e i f t S h o p a n d some battered old pictures on the London at a moment’s notice. They Also one used B R U N S W I C K « « rx walls, representing scenes from Faust.” took me back to the house In Soho. ^ k i n a d e p a r t m e n t , - a ta o f t t e c t r i c a t S o o t f a Jane's two listeners gave a simul­ "They sent me In to wait on Mr. '7 n t h e g i f t a h o p y o u u > itt f i n d g u a i n t Yaaea, taneous "Ah!” The girl nodded. Beresford. (Of course I didn’t know "Yes—It was the placoU n Soho Lis name then.) I was suspicious— S B a a h e ta , S t a t u f a a n d o t h e r a r t ie t e a c o a tin g f r o m a Select your Victrola now. Our stock is complete. We sell on easy terms where Mr. B< resford was Irftu-isoned. I thought It was another trap. But and charge no interest feu> c o n ta to a a u a r a t d o t t a r a Of course, nt the time I didn't even 1 e looked so honest, I could hardly know If I was In London. One thing I elleve it. However. I was careful 7 h a S h i n a i a e t u d a a b o t h T i u v i t a n d n a d S n g i i a h . ~ /t/s o Was worrying me dreadfully, hut my In all I said, for I knew we cofild be a g o o d a d e e tio n o f S ia a a w a r e . heart gave a great throb of relief overheard. There's a small hole, high 415-421 West First street Albany, Oregon W . e o r t t i a l t g i n o l t o g o o i o t a l i u jh tn in d t t b a n g a n d when I saw my nlsfer lying carelessly i:p In the wall. over the back of the chair. A^l the "But on the Sunday afternoon a to o k o o t r o u r l in t o f g i f ta a n d d ia h ta , a n d a ta o a t t th t magazine was still rolled up In the no; -age was brought to the house. mouth Impulsively. "Yon know who b t n u t i f u t f u r n i t u r t u /t a r e d i a p t a g i n g looked curiously round the ding] pocket! They were all very disturbed. With­ Mr. Brown la. don’t you 7“ room. "I lny down on the bed ugaln, and out their knowing, I listened. Word ¡ f is /t e r * , V A r a ile n "Yes," said Sir James gravely. “I "It was here that our young friend by and by Mrs. Vandemeyer brought 1 ad come that he « a s to be killed. I have been morally certain of his Iden­ me some supper. needn't tell the next part,- because you tity for some time—ever since the waa confined for so long, wan It not?' he said. “A truly »leister room. You “That was an awful night. I’d made' hnow It." night of Mrs. Vandemeyer's mysteri­ notice the absence of windows, and She paused. my plan whilst I was waiting for her. ous 'death.” the thickness of the close-fitting door "Then the papers," said Sir James The papers were safe so far, but I “AhI” breathed Tuppence. Vhatever took place here would nevei couldn't take the risk of leaving them slowly, “are still at the back of the "For there we are up against the he heard by the outside world. there any longer. They might throw picture In that room." logic of facta. There are only two "Ton feel—as we all feel—THE "Yes," The girl had sunk hack on solutions. Either the chloral was ad­ thnt magazine away any m.nute. I lay awake waiting until 1 Judged It the soft exhausted with the strain of ministered by her own hand, which PRESENCE OF MR. BROWN. Yes" didn't think so. At first I had no sus­ —as Tuppence made n movement— must be about two o'clock In the the king story. theory I reject utterly, or else— ” picions, but on she boat to Holyhead “not a doubt of It—MR. BROWN IS morning. Then I got up ns softly hs Sir James rose to his feet. He " Y ear I began to get uneasy. There was one HERE . . ." I could, and f“lt In (he dark along the i looked at his watch. "Or else It was administered In the woman «h o had been very keen to j "In this house?’’ ; look after me. and chum up with me ! left-hand wnll. Very gently, I un- I “Come," he said, “we must go at brandy you gave her. Only three "In this room. You don’l people touched that brandy — you. ! generally—a Sirs. Vandemeyer. I re- understand? I AM MR. BROWN. Miss Tuppence. I myself, and one I membered thnt she’d been quite near Stupefied, unbelieving, they stared other—Mr. Julius Hershelmmer I” nie on the Lusitania when Mr. Dan­ at him. The very lines of h!s fact Jane Finn stirred and sat up, re­ had changed. It was a different mar vers gave me the packet, and before garding the speaker with wide, aston­ who stood before them. He smiled that she’d tried to talk to him once or ® ished eyes. Springing to her feet, she a slow cruel smile. twice. I began to get scared, but I cried out angrily: didn't quite see what to do. "Neither of you «111 leave thia room "One thing I’d done already as a “What do you mean? What are you alive I Shall I tell you how It will bel M 4 . W trying to suggest? That Mr. Brown Sooner or later the police will break precaution—ripped open the oilskin la Julius? Julius—my own cousin!" In. and they will find three victims o> pucket and substituted btnnk paper, and then sewn It up again. So, If “No, Miss Finn," said Sir James. Mr. Brown—three, not two, you under­ anyone did manage to rob me of It, “Not your cousin. The man who calls stand, but fortunately the third will ■ It wouldn't matter. himself Julius Hershelmmer Is no re­ not be dead, only wounded, and will “What to do with the real thing wor­ lation to you whatsoever.” be able to describe the attack with ried me no end. Finally I opened It a wealth of detail I The treaty? It la out lint—there were only two sheet)» ' 1 ■ ; ài ..V - CHAPTER XVII In the hands of Mr. Brown. So no —and laid It between two of the n 1- _____ _ •..... M C one will think of searching the pock­ vertlsement pages of a magazine. I Mr. Brown. ets of Sir James Peel Edgerton!” flimiiiiiimiiiiiimiimiiiiiiimiimiiuiG stuck the two pages together round Sir James’ words came like a bomb­ There was a faint sound behind him. (Coczrlsbt Dod \v • ’, s a'• >■ y turkev lie served properly. But, even as he did so. he felt him­ phe and Jane had merged themselves carriage—there wns quite a nice-look­ “As I waa saying to Miss Tup­ self seized from behind In a grip of In the crowd. ing man nnd Ills wife sitting Just oppo­ \ oil can a s‘i.re I he , u • • of i h : serving by providing ® pence,” resumed the lawyer, "I set to Iron. The revolver was wrenched from "It's only a step or two now.” snld site. So I felt almost happy about L <•«' p, well .J to do ® work to prove the Impossible pos­ his hand, and the voice of Julius Her­ Tuppence breathlessly, It until Just outside London. I hud sible. The great stumbling-block wns shelmmer said drawllngly; V Hand-ln-har.d, the two girls hurried leuned buck and closed my eyes. I X the work neatly. the undenluble fact that Julius Hera- "I guess you’re caught redhanded . . . . ® holmmer •long. guess they thought I wus uslefip, but ® was not an assumed name. with the goods on you.” ® U ( h-:ve s v -rai di.-fin".¡ye ; ilterns oi Win heater carving a my eyes weren't quite shut, und ’sud­ "It may be my fancy,” said Tup­ When I came across this paragraph The blood rushed to the K C.'s face, sets from nUieli to se'-.etj pence suddenly, "but I feel as though denly I saw the nice-looking man get my problem was solved. Julius Hera- but his self-control was marvelous, as there wns some one behind us.” something out of Ids bag and hand It helmmer set out to discover what hod he looked from one to the other of his Tuppence and Jnne took to their to Mrs. Vandemeyer, and as he did become of his cousin. He went out two captors. He looked longest at heels The house they sought was so he winked. , , . West, where he obtained news of her Tommy. some way down. Footsteps echoed be­ I can't tell you how that wink sort" "You,” he said beneath hla breath. and her photograph to aid him In his hind then*. Their breath was coming of froze me through and through. My ' search. On the eve of hla departure “You! I might have known.” • In choking gnspa as they reached Sir only thought was to get out In the ie cor- from New York he was set upon and Seeing that he waa disposed to offer Casseroles James" door. Tuppence seized the bell rldor ns quick ns ever I could. I got murdered. Hla body waa dressed In no resistance, their grip slackened. and Jane the knocker. up, trying to look naturol and easy. shabby clothes, and the face disfig­ Cooking L’lensila A man reached the foot of the steps. Perhaps they saw something—I don’t ured to prevent Identification. Mr. For a moment he hesitated, and as he know—but suddenly Mrs. Vandemeyer Brown took his place. He Railed Im­ Electric Toasters ami (¡rills did so the door opened. They fell Into said 'Now.' and flung something over mediately for England. Since then he the hull together. Sir James came for» my nose and mouth as I tried to had been hand and glove with those "Kitchen Cutlery Sets ward from the library door. "Hullo! scream. At the same moment I felt sworn to hunt him down. Every se­ What's this?" A three-piece set of genuine ® cret of theirs has been known to him. a terrific blow on the back of my Percolators He stepped forward, and put his arm head. . . Mack blag handles and ste rlin g ® Only once did he come near disaster. Roasters round Jane as she swayed uncertain­ She shuddered. Sir Jnmes murmured s.lver mountings. Eight-inch ® Mrs. Vandemeyer knew hla secret. It ly. He he If carried her Into the li­ something sympathetically« In a min­ was no part of hla plan that that huge Silverware forged chmme vauadiu m s t e e l ® brary, and laid her on the leather ute she resumed: bribe should ever he offered to her. couch. From a tantalus on the table "I don't know how long It was be­ blade. ® But for Mias Tuppence's fortunate Stainless Steel Knives he poured out a few drops of brandy, fore I came back to consciousness. I change of plan, ahe would have been -S ® J3,' aad forced her to drink them. With felt very III and sick I was lying On far away from the flat when we ar­ a sigh she sat up. her eyes still wild a dirty bed. There was a screen round rived there. Exposure stared him in and frightened. It, but I could hear two people talk­ the face. He took a desperate step, “Ira aU right. Don't be afraid, my ing In the room. Mrs. Vandemeyer was i trusting in his assumed character to child. You're quite safe.” ALBANY OREGON on« of them. I tried to listen, but at avert suapl. 'on. He nearly succeeded Her breath came more normally, and first I coa'dn't tnke much In. When —but not quite. the color was returning to her cheeks. at last I did begin to grasp what «-ns “Now we're ready. I know better Btr James looked at Tuppence quiz* going on—I was Just terrified! I won­ • J twb TViN C fffjT E R than even to suggest going without alcally. der I didn't aereaui right out there you. Miss Tuppence—” "Am I right In thinking that the and then. "I should think so Indeed I" Joint venture has ended la success, "They hadn't found the papers, ! Sir James' car drew up at the cor­ and that this'*—he turned to the girl They’d got the oilskin packet with the hooked one of the pictures from Its ner of the square and they got out. A on the couch—"Is Miss Jane FlnnF' Y"U have been followed her» policeman produced a key. They all blanks, and they were Just mad! Thev ,nall—Marguerite with her casket of once Jane sat up. didn't know whether I'd changed the Jewels. I crept over to my coat and --not n doubt of It. When we leave knew Sir James well. The three en­ "Yea." she said quietly. "I'm Jane papers, or whether Danvers had been te re d the house, pulling the door to took out the magazine, and an odd the house we shall be followed again, Finn. I have a lot to tell you." carrying a dummy message, while the envelope or two that I had shoved In but not molested, for It Is Mr. Brown's behind them. Slowly they mounted "When you are stron ger-" real one was sent another way. They Then I «'ent to the wnshstnnll, and plan that we are to lead him. But the rickety etalra. At the top was the "No—now I" In a low voice Jane •poke of"—she closed her eyes—"tor­ damped the brown paper ut the back the Soho house la under police super­ ragged curtain hiding the recess where began her story. turing me to find o u t! of the picture all round. Presently vision night nnd day. There are sev­ Tommy had hidden that day. Tup­ Quick as a Flash His Left Hand, thi "I cauie over <>n the Lusitania to Hand Which Bor« the Big Siqoe "I began thinking madly. What could I wns able to pull It away. I had eral men watching It. When we enter pence had heard the story from Jane take up a post In Purls. When the I do? I knew I wouldn't be able to already torn out the two stuck- that house, Mr. Blown will not draw In her character of "Annette.” She Ring, Waa Raised te His Lipa i ship was torpedoed, a man came up ataud up uguliist torture very long. together pages from the magazine, back -he will risk all, on the chance looked at the tattered velvet with In­ to me. He asked me If I was a pntrl- J Suddenly something put the thought of niu^ now I slipped them with their of obtaining the spark to fire his mlno. terest. Even now the could almost Quick as a flash his left halft, thi hand which bore the big signet ring otic American, and told me he was j loss of memory Into my head. The sub- precious Inclosure between the picture And he fancies the risk not great— swear It moved—as though someone was raised to his lips. . . . carrying papers which were Just life J Ject had always Interested me, and I'd nnd Its brown paper backing. A little he will enter In the guise of friend!" was behind It Supposing Mr. Brown ” ‘Ave, Caesarl te morlturl salu or death to the Allies. He asked me read an awful lot about It. I had the gum from the envelopes helped me Io Tuppence flushed, then opened her —Julius—was there waiting. . . . tanL' " he said, still looking at 1'oramy to take charge of them. I was to whole thing at my finger-tips. If only stick the latter up again. No one Impossible of choreel She must not Then his face changed, and with ■ watch for an advertisement In the I could succeed In carrying the hi iff would dfeam the picture had ever Í give way to thin foolish fancying— long convulsive shudder he fell for Times If It didn't appear. I was to through. It might save roe. I said a hern tampered with. I reining It on this curious Insistent feeling that Mr. I ward in a crumpled heap, whilst az take them to the American ambassa­ prayer, and drew a long breath. Then the wnll, put the magazine hack In 4 Brown was la the house, . dor. odor of bitter almonds filled the air. III I opened my eyes and started babbling my coat pocket, and < rept hack to bed. Hark! What w as that» A stealthy "Most of what followed seems like In French! "They wntched me constantly for footstep on the stairs? There was CHAPTER XVIII a nightmare still. I see It in my “Mrs. Vandemeyer came round the weeks. Sometimes they'd nsk me someens la the h ou se! Absurd I Shs dreams sometimes. . . . I'|| hurry screen at once. Her face wns so questions by the hour— I RUPM there was becoming hysterical. A Supper Party at the “Sav#y." over that part. Mr Danvers had told wicked I nearly died, but I smiled up was n> thing they didn't know about Jane bad gene straight to the ple- . The supper party given by Mr. Jullui me to watch out. He might have been at her doubtfully, and asked her In the third degree’ -hut •omet ow ! ture of Marguerite She unhooked It shadowed from J»’ew York, but he French where I was. managed to hold lnv own The strain with a steady hand. The dust lay "It puazled her, I could see She I fcl thick upon It and festoons of cobwebs called the man ahe had been talking of it w.is awful, though - lay between it and the wall. Sir James to. He stood by the screen with his that the horror- in store ter tue would handed her a pocket-knife, and ahe face In shadow. He spoke to me In SPECIAL and ripped away the brown paper from French He asked me ray name. 1 A beautiful flowering the back. . . , The advertisement said I didn't know—that I couldn't re­ page of a magazine fell out. Jane member anything at all. CHINESE L ILY BULB picked It up Holding apart the "Suddenly he caught my wrist, and frayed Inner edges, ahe extracted two began twisting It. The pain wns awful. carefully parked, with instructions thin sheets covered with writing! I screamed He went on. I screamed for growing No dummy this tim et The real and screamed, but I managed to shriek Ira thing t out things In French. I don't know Postpaid, 15c; 2 for 25c Elicici “W e ve got IL" said Tuppence. “At how long I could have gone on, but luckily I fainted The last thing I Paper while Ust. . . ." We have a fine assortment ol Sir James took IL and scrutinised heard was his voice saying That's Hyacinths, Tulips and other bulbs at It attenttTrtj, not bluff! Anyway. a kid of her age Plant Sweet Peas now "Yea." he said quietly, “this is the wouldn't know enough.’ Lot« of cul fl» an then,ui Ill-fated draft treaty!" "When I came to. Mrs. Vandemeyer carnaLot:*. etc » a s sweet as honey to me. She'd had " e T* succeeded." said Tuppence NEW GREENHOUSE her orders. I guess There waa awe and an almost won­ "By and by she went out of the HALI.'» Floral »nJ Music Shop, «Then the Papera," Said Sir James dering unbelief la her voice. room altogether. I was suspicious Sir Tames echoed her words as he Albany - wly. "Are Still at the Back ef the still, and lay quite quiet for some time folded the paper carefully and put It Albany Oregon Picture in That Room." ,WM _ In his pocket-book, then he Phonograph $80 Victrolas and V ictor Records Bartcher & Rohrbaugfi Furniture Company Albany, Ore. Third and Broadalbin sts. .... jg lt e • F o r a S u c c e s s fu l 1 h a n k s g iv in g ® Other Equipment for Thanksgiving ® » J Wl Roscoe Ames Hdwe. •®®@ ®&® ® • ® aroac ¡__________ •••••••••••• il nl! ¡i Victrolas Fall Bulbs H Y A C IN T H S T U L IP S N A R C IS S U S Victor Records New Records every Friday Woodworth Drug Co.