THE HEBMlSTOSr XCBAAU), HEHMISTOM, ORJBQOM.
^■RECLUSE
»/FIFTH
yAVENUE
^WYNDHAM MARTYN
COPYRIGHT in f lit UNITED STATES
because McKlmber bombarded him
with questions and made Innumer
able notea. He wan a glirewd and
hard-beaded man. Matet took the mid
night train back to Mew York feeling
he had made a friend, ltobln’s changed
attitude was amusing. He listened
with the greatest deference to Malet's
remarks and thrust something Into
hlg hands a« he hoarded the train.
“Thank you," Mnlet aatd, “but I
don't deserve a tip."
“It’s a letter for her." Robin flushed
a little.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
On Thursday evening, which was for
ever afterward memorable In the lives
of Peter Mllman'* guests, Paul ltaxon
walked down Fifth avenue wondering
A French M a n se rva n t A d m itte d H im .
for what purpose he had been asked
to confer with the recluse. Over the
telephone Mllman had said It was a
matter of urgpnt Import and had to do
with his political amhltlona. Ordi
narily Raxon would have suspected
danger, hut not where Peter Mllman
was concerned.
The Mllmans had been a great fam
ily Intermarried with those who
wielded Immense flnanclal power.
Their prestige was undoubted In New
York. Perhaps Peter Mllman, brood
ing over hit misfortunes, had some
scheme to utilize the Influence of his
kin. The message was given In such
• way as to enlist Raxon’s lively
Interest. It was Impossible to think
of a visit to this austere mansion as
In any sense perilous,
A Trench manservant admitted him
The financier was shown Into a splen
did drawing room. The brilliant group
which Malet had done many years be
fore took Raxon’s eye Immediately,
although he was Ignorant of the sculp
tor's name. He was examining the
group closely when Peter Milmnn en
tered. Raxon looked nt him Intently
He saw a slim man of late middle age
wearing the correct garb for the eve
ning. * There was a coldness about
Peter Mlluian’g manner that was not
reassuring. It was almost as If the
presence of Raxon were an offense.
Mllman looked toward the sculptured
group.
"I see you are Interested In that."
"I am,’’ Raxon responded. “Who
did It?”
“One who should have been our
greatest sculptor but for on unjurt ac
cusation which ruined him." MJmau
saw R sxon s eyes narrow. “»'I«»yd
Malet."
"MsletT*’ Raxon repeated »lowly, as
I f searching his m em o ry, “oh yea, I
think 1 call his case to mind. Wasn't
he mixed up In a studio orgy where a
woman was killed, or died uuder mys
terious circumstances?*’
“Something of the sort," Mllman an
swered. He pointed to a seat, “Please
alt down, Mr. ltaxon.'*
“I'm wondering what you can pos
sibly have to say to me."
Peter Mllman smiled.
“I'm qttlte sure you are. It has to
do with your political future mainly.
It seems you wish to go to the senate
from thia state. My grandfather was
a senator for many years, and I still
retalu an Interest In politics."
“You didn't ask me to call Just to
hear that," Raxon said bluntly.
"There Is more to come, much
m ore."
The door opened and Fleming brad
uey came In. He had been compelled
to shave off his few days* growth of
beard. Raxon looked up at hint,
frowning,
"Profeasor Bradney." said Mllman
genially. "One of our great physicists
now brought down by unkind circum
stances to being footman In the hnueea
of leaser men. Mo, not In thia bouse.
•Mr Raxoa. Here Profcsnor Bradney
1« an honored guest." M'lman turned
to Bradney "Thia Is Mr. Panl Raxon.
who aspires to high offlee."
Paal Raven turned on Ids host with
• snarl,
11« had been trick ,4.
W.N.U. SERVICE
“I f you are harboring a dismissed
servant of mine who left under cir
cumstances which point to his dis
honesty, let me remind you It’s a dan
gerous thing to do.”
“After a lifetime of orderly quiet
one welcome« such dangers.” Peter
Mllman s eyes peered Into those red
flecked ones of his guest.
The door opened again and Nee-
land B a n tu , in evening dress, en
tered.
“This Is Mr. N'edand Bnmes,” said
Mllman. "Perhaps you know him best
under his name of 'Enry. He tells me
he enjoyed every minute of his stay at
your delightful home."
Paul Raxon, who had staged so
ninny unhappy scenes for the men be
hud enmeshed, was now to experience
the unpleasing sensations of the vic
tim. He saw, very plainly, that he
must suffer what these men chose to
Inflict and hear what they chose to
say. He had not the physical power
to escape. Mot Idly had lliey saun
tered Into this room.
“Ah," said Meeland Barnes, with n
large gesture, “this Is the little fellow
I had to throw off the pier ul Narrn-
gausett years ago. It was my Inten
tion to drown him as one does unwel
come kittens, but some misguided
Samaritan of the sea defeated my
purpose."
Raxon said nothing. But he had not
come to his present eminence by be
ing physically above the average. He
luid rlseu been use of a brain more
skilled In craftiness and cunning than
the majority. These were not the sort
of men to hurt him. He must keep
his nerve and let them commit them
selves to verbul follies.
Barnes had hardly finished when
another entered whom he recognized,
despite the absence of mustache and
Imperial, as M. le Ylcomte Itaoul de
Oulllaln.
“This Is Mr. Floyd Malet," said
Peter Milmun. "1 think yrru nre In
debted to tils knowledge for rl .u.n<
your house of period forgeries.”
Paul ltaxon rose to his feet.
"This reception," he said, stlniulat
ing a yawn, "grows wearisome. I
seein to be a guest at a manserve
club. What Is it staged for? Money?
If so, there's absolutely nothing do
ing."
“Sit down,” said Peter Milmun
suavely; “you will be told when to go.”
The next to enter was Sneed, who
had been Ids own butler, ltaxon saw
clearly that by some ruse yet to be
discovered his house had been entered
by a band of confederates. They had
defeated him there.
“Mr. John McKlmber,’’ Sneed an
nounced.
When ltaxon had seen McKlmber a
week before he had looked upon a
crushed man from whom ambition had
tied. The McKlmber who came In was
again the big, dominating type, radiat
ing confidence, sure of himself and his
position.
This bearing could only
mean that McKlmber knew of the
theft of the stolen page from the reg
istry and the letters. He understood
that the weapons with which Raxon
had threatened him were gone. The
aura of danger was about Paul Raxon,
and he comprehended his posltlou with
horror. Somehow or other they hnd
tricked him, but he would pay them
hack. What a scandal it would be
which would Involve Peter Mllman In
a conspiracy of this sorb
"This Is the Raxon who wished to
go to the senate,” Mllman explained.
"Wished,” Raxon repeated. "Who
Isn't to be kept out of It by the fool
tricks of you amateurs."
"lie's trying to keep Ids courage
ip," Barnes volnrt -ered. "He knows
I he's beaten. Yes can see It In his
1 face. The man’s white us chalk.”
placed In charge. Mr. Schoenfeld's
work, being regional in character,
w ill require that considerable time
be spent in Seattle.
For a number of years the bureau
hag maintained several local offices
In the Pacific northw est serving that
im portant agricultural region with
crop and livestock production fore
casts, shipm ent and market price re
ports, fruit and vegetable inspect
ion, and for the enforcem ent of the
United States grain standards act
the United S tates warehouse act.
The new office w ill render further
service to th is region w hich is stead
ily Increasing in Importance as an ag
ricultural area.
Mr. Schoenfeld w ill devote his
attention particularly to developing
and coordinating economic research
work of th e bureau in the states of
Oregon, W ashington, Idaho and Mon
tana. He w ill cooperate with state
Institutions, research and agricultu
ral extension agencies, farmers co
operative associations, chambers of
commerce, and other commercial
“ It ’s A ll Right,’’ Said Robin Glee associations and civic bodies. The
fully.
establishm ent of the office at Port
land follow s the establishm ent of a
he added, seeing McKlmber's face
sim
ilar office at San Francisco to
break Into a smile.
“Do you know what you've done?" serve-the Pacific southwest.
McKlmber demanded. “You’ve burned
up the mortgage I hold on this house.
Early Cradle Formed
Yes, sir, I bought It yesterday, and ,
now can’t collect.’*
From H olloaed Leg
“Really,” said Peter Mllman, red
Cradles, lu their earliest form, were
Jenlng, “I could not possibly accept merely logs, scooped out to form more
such a thing—no, Indeed.”
or less comfortable resting places for
McKlmber waved his hands. “You babies. They were without rockers,
can't help yourself. I’ve more to say. since the natural shape of the logs
I’ve had my lawyers going through made their use unnecessary. Cradles
the Hazen Brewer affairs, and you have varied with different inodes of
didn't lose all your money. There will living and reflect In their diversity ol
he enough saved out of the wreck for form and adornment the progress of
you to live on here." For a man who the cabinetmaker's art. The Romans
prided himself on his word, McKlmber are said to have used crlidles of eon
lied with prodigality and fluency. slderable refinement, but after the de
"Loddon trimmed you, but Brewer was cline of the empire, accompanied us
honest.”
tt was with the decay of living, the
McKlmber turned to Bradney. He cradle, with other furniture forms, as
elt like a super-Santa Claus handing sutued a crude und humble aspect
One of the early forms of the cradle
out presents for the deserving young.
“You may not know It, professor, was the oaken chest without a lid
Baskets of osiers were sometimes
out I’ve a lot to say In the manage
nent of a small up-state university.” used, In which the dill«*, wrapped in
Ie did not tell then) he was Its most swaddling clothes, was placed. The
nunlficent donor and chairman of American cradle of oak In the Metro
rustees. “We want to specialize In politan museum In New York dates
ne thing which \vill put us ou the from the early Seventeenth century.
ducatlonal map tn a national sense. Fabulous wealth and the skill of the
I've suggested your name, and that greatest craftsmen have been lavished
,vus approved, too. AH you have to do on the cradles of royal children
s to signify your acceptance or re throughout history. These Important
beds have been gilded and carved. In
action to me.”
“Rejection?” Bradney cried, his eyes trlcately Inlaid with gold and gems,
ightlng up. “Mr. McKlmber, you are upholstered in the choicest silks und
fitted with the most sumptuous of cov
»ITering me my career.”
“As for the father of my future erings of velvet and fur.—Dorothj
laughter-in-law, if he cares to run my Bent, In Art and Decoration.
stock ranch near Sacramento, I want
i good man at once. He can go as
oon as the wedding Is over. What Dog» R eadily D etect
bout It?"
U nreality of “M ovies”
"Mun," said Meeland Barnes earn
Cats, birds and snakes respond to
?stly, “there isn’t one chance In a motion pictures as if they were real,
trillion I II refuse.” He turned to the but dogs cannot be fooled, according
ithers. “And how 1 hated him for the to tests made by a German scientist.
ce water he drank I”
The dogs paid no attention even when
Floyd Malet, standing In the back pictures of other dogs were shown.
ground, saw another man reborn in The only exception was when a little
the former 'Enry. Not again for Nee
dachshund ran up to the screen
¡and Barnes would there be the life sniffed at the people shown on It and
it little things and dally flnanclal wor then suddenly lost Interest, apparent
ries, Malet looked on the scene with
ao spirit of envy. That there was no
place in McKlmber's plans for him
seemed of little consequence. Nlta had
won her happiness, and that was
enough.
He looked up as the girl came to
ills side.
“Dearest of my uncles,” she whis
pered, “do you think I don’t know who
gave me my Ilobln?" She kissed him
before them all.
“My friend Floyd," Mllman an
nounced, “Is going to live at his house
near Florence, where he will do the
great things we expect from lilui.”
“My house?" Malet cried.
“Your house," said Peter MUroan
firmly. “The deed of gift will be
drawn up ns soon ns possible. It is
useless to me. I—I shall remain here."
Mllman looked about him. “There are
some tree's that cannot be transplanted
and gome men who die if they are up
rooted.” He embraced the others tn
his gaze. “I wish I could tell you
what a different man you leave from
the one who asked you to Join him.”
Never before had Peter Milmnn been
TYarti srr s«s«I«W» for farf« «afa
so genutucly affected. The envelope
farne«« m the Redwaler VaUey
will marry him you'll make me hap upon which Raxon had looked wUb
pier than I ever thought to be rgnln.’ such horror, that envelope containing
Choice of 590,000 acres
Someone put a strong, firm hand oi the affidavits tlwit would forever hold
his shoulder. It was Robin.
him inactive, Peter Milmnn threw into
o a fe $ ia te $ 2 0 a n a c re
the golden Are. McKlmber saw the
“It's all right," said Robin gleefully
“She Is going to do It."
action too late. There was no posal
it.,.la th e r looked up at his son and billty now of saving Infinitely 1m
D A P I D development of the great
smiled.
portnnt documents,
■Ev farming country in the Red
"11. j h ,” he said, “never forget what
“Man," he cried, "don't you realize
w ater Valley of Southeastern M on
you o n e tn Mr. Mllman. I can Dever wliat you have done?"
t a n a is seen in t h e o p e n in g o f
“Better, perhaps, than you,” said
j repay him, never.”
1,000,000 acres b y a new branch line
McK'.iuber took from his pocket a Peter Mllman, smiting. “I have de
T run-
long, legal envelope. lie balanced It stroyed an envelope containing a
163 miles from Glendive.
dozen sheets of blank paper."
j In his hand a moment.
Here the Northern Pacific w ill sell
! "It would give me great pleasure.
[THE END.]
direct to farmers a half million acres,
Mr. Mllman. If you would throw that
obtained from the U . S. Govern
on the back of the tire. It’s something H E W F E D E R A L A G E N C Y IS
I want to get rid of."
ment, a t prices ranging from only
ESTABLISHED
IN
PORTLAND
"Certainly," said Peter Mllman
$10 to $20 an acre, w ith 20 years to
courteously. "It «cents to amuse yon."
pay. Taxes are extremely low —only
afraid Joii ws
« lit t le careless
In guarding the sanclty o f your home.
Un one occasion you- mistook an op
erative for a sewer rat. 'Enry here
was greatly afraid lest you should
shout."
“I don't believe It," Raxon cried
hoarsely.
,
"I thought you would not. Perhaps
you will realize your mistake when
you hear a few paragraphs."
Raxon listened In distressed silence.
There was no doubt that someone had
been listening and had taken the con
versation down accurately. He had
no room to doubt. The place where
he had heard what he thought was a
rat, the place where he bad been
thrust, bound and gagged, had been
prepared for one end—his downfall.
Raxon saw McKlmber open the en
velope and look at the page cut by
I taxon's private detective from the reg
ister. This page, never to be replaced,
together with the letters bought from
relatives of McKImber’s first wife,
were torn into little pieces and
dropped in the blazing fire. Then Me
Klmber turned to hts enemy,
“You'll get a whole lot of help from
me now,” he Jeered.
“You daren’t run for office,” Raxon
cried. “You've nothing on me.”
Mllman waved his hand warnlngly
and elevated the Incipient verbal war
fare to a higher level.
"You shall Judge," he said urbane
ly. "I may tell you this embodies the
work of years. It cost time and
money, again Mr. Raxou's own words,
but tt was money well sp en t I have
here, for example, an affidavit from
Thomas Minuerly, form erly. elevator
boy In the studio apartment where
that poor girl died. He says, under
oath, that you pnld him money for
services the details of which are set
forth. There Is also the confeaslon of
Patrick Ford, once a well-known
jockey, but later a stableliand at Pim
lico, who was badly burned In a Arc
there und died later from injuries
He Implicates a trainer named Ache-
sou and Paul Raxon In the plot wldcb
disgraced Meeland Barnes.
And I
have the testimony of Edward Ny-
gren, who was the go-between in the
matter o f offering a bribe to Professor
Bradney. In all I have seven docu
ments, each one of which will prevent
you ever from running for office. Do
you care to see them? I dure not
put them Into your hands for fear tliut
you might throw them Into the fire,
but Mr. Barnes will no doubt secure
your arms while I show them."
ltaxon waved the suggestion aside,
and Barnes sat down disappointed.
“And there are other things,” Mil
man went on. “Your attorney Lod
don, when heated with wine, has been
more than Indiscreet. I have had his
conversations transcribed. If I were
yotg I think I would employ another
lawyer, one not given to boasting ol
his Influence over his chief client
Truth, you know, lives under a cork.
Kaxon said no word. This man Mil
man, whom Loddon hated, had tricked
him In the end.
“We shall see about It," he said
striving for calm. “I'm not the'sori
of man that you can try this sort of
game on. What 1 know about McKini
her I know and the world shall lieai
of It."
"Would that be wise?" Mllman asked
solicitously. “You see, you have no
evidence. In order to give credence to
your story you would have to explain
the ordering of that page to be cut
out. Very awkward, Mr. Raxon, as
you will find, to tamper with vital
statistics. That Is not all. If Mr
McKlmber finds you are acting ncalns;
him, either directly or Indirectly, hi
will see that the opposition papers
get copies of the affidavits In this en
velope. You nre defeated at every
point. Salvation for you lies In nhnn
loping of all political ambition.”
Paul Raxon knew Mllman spoke
the truth. Here, definitely, once for
ull, was tlie end Of his ambitions. Ho
realized as lie went down the stone
steps Into the avenue that he dare
make no move against the men who
had Invaded his home and brought
him low.
McKlmber, sitting before the fire,
felt as one might whose death sen
tence hnd been respited at the last mo
ment. He hnd been told to cotne as
though he already kuew he was victor.
And If he had deceived Rnxon he had
not convinced himself. There were
tears In his eyes when Mita came In
"My dear." he said, “you are too
good for any son of mine, but If you
an
“One can't blame him for trying to
bluff It out." Brndne.v exclaimed Im
partially. "The coruered rat tights,
Invariably,”
"Gentlemen, gentlemen," Peter MU-
inan said, "remember that at the pres
ent minute Mr. Raxon has no Idea that
he Is beaten. I can see him scheming
a thousand plans of revenge, all of
which se, ui reasonable because he has
no idea what we hold over him.”
"You don't hold anything," Raxon
snarled.
“In the Interests of truth I must
contradict you," said Ids host. Mil
Kina lock from his pocket a blue
manllln envelope.
“1 have here,” Peter Mllman weni
on, "those documents with which you
threatened Mr, McKlmber.”
"You stole them,' Raxon cried, “anil
that's a penitentiary icYenae,"
"Stole llnm?" Mllman returned 1
“You pain me. Sir. Raxon. They were -
offered to me for sale Just as the>
were offered to you. Yon bought then
In the first instance, I in the second
You are not yet aware that every wore Send us th e p ric e o f a y e a r ’i
o f that h ag Interview In your towel j
with Mr. .McKlmber was taken ilmrtt | ¡ubscnpticp if you are in arrears
In shorthand by an expert und Iran
scribed I have three coplea, of whirl >
the one In this blue envelope Is oalj j W e N e e d t h e M o n e y
s carbon (m e copy vyili be given t I
Mr. McKlmber. and the original la In )
my safe deposit vault at my bank. I Herald Want Ads Bring Yon Results
D O IT N O W
V, satisfied •’>»» »he figures » ere ..o.
real, relates Popular Mechanics M ag
azine. Cats bristled deflunce when a
large dog appeared en the screen,
domestic fowl showed fright at the
sight of a hawk hovering over a field,
and wild birds showed different de
grees of Interest.
Au excitable
rooster flew repeatedly at an imag
inary enemy on the screen. When
pictures of files and worms were
shown In their natural size on a white
screen, 'various reptiles snapped at
them and evidenced astoulsbuient
when they caught nothing.
Saving Search
The kind woman noticed an old
man. whose right leg was gone, stand
ing on 8 street corner with a per
plexed look on his face.
"My poor man," she suld, "are you
lost7”
“No, ma’am,” he replied.
“I’m
looking fer a feller that got his left
'eg shot off lu battle.”
“What Is his name?”
“I don't know that," was the reply,
hut he wears a number ten shoe."
“For heaven’s sake, If you don't
mow who he Is, how do you know he
wears a number teft shoe?”
“I ain’t sure he does, but It stands
to reason thet if he don't, one or
'other of us Is going to have trouble
with his bunions. Lady, I’m looking
for a right-legged feller to go partners
with on a new pair of shoes.”
In the Hand» of Love
To know that Love alone was the
beginning of nature and creature, that
nothing but Love encompasses the
whole universe of things, that the gov,
erning Hand that overrules all. the
watchful eye that sees through all. Is
nothing hut omnipotent nnd omniscient
Ixive, using an Infinity of wisdom, to
save every misguided creature from
the miserable works of Its own hands,
and make happiness and glory the per
petual Inheritance of all the creation.
Is a reflection that must he quite rav
ishing to every Intelligent creature
that Is sensible of it, writes William
Law, the English mystic of the Eight
eenth century.
F ield of P eterloo
The Field of Peterloo is a name pop
ularly given In England to the syene
of an attack by the yeoman cavalry
upon a political meeting held in S t
Peter's field, Manchester, on August
Ifi, 1S19. The meeting was attended
by <50,000 persons, nnd In the clash
with the cavalry eight persons were
killed and many wounded. The word
Peterloo was formed from the name
of the field In burlesque imitation of
Waterloo, the scene of Wellington’s
famous victory over Napoleon, wod
four years and two months before the
dash at St. Peter's field. Manchester.
Effort A lon e Get» R em it»
Character Is the individual’s pecu
liar way of dealing with life. Char
acter Is to life what efficiency Is to
working. Indolence plays a persistent
hand in human nature. Effort Is the
sole reality from which any definite
result can be expected. If failure
comes. In spite of added knowledge,
nothing remains but further effort.
We have only to renew effort In the
light of still better knowledge.—Psy
chology Magazine.
MONTANA’S RICH REDWATER VALLEY
OPENED BY NEW RAIL LINE
Bureau of Agricultural Economics
Has Contact Man to Work
With Northwest.
A regional office to serve as a con
tact station between the bureau of
agricultural economics. United State«
Department of A griculture, and pub
lic and private m arketing and re
search agencies in the Pacific north
west has been opened ia the new post
office building at Portland. W il
liam A. Schoenfeld, formerly aaaiat-
aat ch ief of the bureau ha« been
10to l6cen tsan acre. Special advan-
arc available to neighbors and
es desiring to settle together.
a
Diversified or mixed farming is
successful th ro u g h o u t th is a re a .
Corn has increased by hundreds of
thousands o f acres in the last few
production has grown rapidly. AU
classes o f livestock are raised. The
dairy industry isgettmgagood start.
Communities already are estab
lished. Churches have been built.
Schools are open. There is progress
ahead. W ith the coming of the rail
road markets w ill be closer. More
farmers will come in. Land values
w ill increase.
The Northern Pacific Railway w ill
help fanners in getting started right.
Settlers are wanted who seek a real
chance for themselves and their fam
ilies. The Northern Pacific wiU send
a representative to talk the m atter
over, i f desired. Investigate this op-
port unity. Letus send
you booklets, prices
a n d easy p a y m e n t
plan. All sent free.
MAIL COUPON!
J. M . H artes. U nrl i
Northerr Pacific Railway t o .
D raw« I*, S t. Paul. Minn.
Without oNication on my part r ' n
wnd all information about Redwater
Valley Crain try.
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