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About Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1903-1919 | View Entire Issue (May 17, 1919)
PAGE SIX THE DAILY CAPITAL JOURNAL, SALEM. OREGON. SATURDAY. MAY 17. 1919. V (Tf GREEN I A . mc nnrmrnxT j "vV, ?;vv "A chance remark of Mis Cameron's at lunch today. She wondered If Barnes could be the chap who wrote the article alsmt Peru ami the Iucas, ur something of the sort. and that net thfinjo looking up the back numbers of the Geographic Magazine Id Mr. Curtis' library. Not only did they flml thr? articles hut they found your pie-, tine. 1 IimiI no difficulty In deciding Hint you w ere one nnd the same. The atmosphere cleared hi a JitTv. It be came even clearer when It was discov ered lli.it you have had H few ances tors mid are received In Rood society linili here nnd abroad, as the late Fred eric Touusend Martin would Imve fa id. 1 hcrchy officially present the result of subsequent deliberation, Mr. Runes Is Invited to dine with us to nlKht." Karnes' heart win still pounding rapidly us he innile the rueful admis sion that he "didn't have a thing to w.-ar." lie couldn't think of nccept iii'.r Hie gracious invitation "If they'll lain mo as 1 inn," begnn R-irnrs, doubtfully. "1 say." railed out O'Dowd to the ! tfioiiff, Who WHS gazing longingly lit i 1h. horses tethered lit Hie botioni of the slope, "would ye mind lending Mr. liarnes' nag back to Hie Tavern? He is slopping to dinner. And, while I think of It, arc you satisfied. Mr. Sheriff, Willi the day's work? If not you will he welcome again at any time If ye'll only telephone a luilf minute In advance." To Karnes hesiild: "We'll xend you down In the automobile to nisht, provided It has survived the day. We're expecting the poor thing, to die in its tracks ut almost any In stant." Ten minutes later Barnes passed thrjugh the portals of (ireeu Fancy. CHA'TER IX. Tha Pint Wayfarer, the Second Way. farer and the Spirit of Chivalry Ascendant. The wide green door, act fur buck In it recess not tinlike a kiosk, wag opened by a ninn servant who might easily have been inlstakeii for a waller from liclnioiilco's or Sherry's. . "Say lo Mrs. Collier, Nicholas, that Mr. Ilarnes Is here for dinner," mild Ie Solo. "I will uiuke the cockluili tli'N evening." Much to Humes' surprise nnd dis appointment the Interior of the house l';i i led to sustain Ihe bewildering effect produced by Ihe exterior. The en trance hull ii nd the living room Into which lm was conducted by the two men were singularly like others that lie had seen. The loiter, for example, was of ordinary dimensions, furnished villi a IIioiikIiI for comfort rather Ihun elegance or even good taste. The couches and chairs were low and deep and comfortable, as If Intended for tneii only, and they were covered with liili, Ky materials; Ihii hangings at the window were of deep blue and Bold; the walls an iiaihtruslve cream r il ir, almost literally (hutched with etching. The stairs were thickly carpeted. At Hio top his guide turned to the left mid led the way down a long corridor. They piisscd at least four doors be fore O'Dowd stopped and threw open the fUlli on that side of the hall. There were still two more doors beyond, "Suggests a hotel, doesn't It?" Mid the Irlshmun, standing aside for Karnes lo enter. "All of the sleeping Mpartuiciils me on this floor, and the liufh and boudoirs anil what not. The garret Is above, and that's where we h'poslt our family hkclclons, Intern our grievances, store our stock of siiilefulness nnd hldo till the little devils thul must come Hiieiikltlg up from the city with tis whether we will or no. lnbon." iiihlresslng the man t'Ii-i bad quietly entered the room through the door behind them, "do Mr, Haines, will )e. and fetch me from Mr. Do Soto's room when you've fln Mied, I leave you to Iliibsou's tender merries. The saints preserve us! Look at the mans boon! Iiabsou, K"t out Jour brush ami dauber first of all. He's hern floundering in a bog." The Jovial Irishman retired, leaving Karnes to be "done" by the silent, i swift inoiliiK valet. Dabson was young and vigorous and exceedingly well trtlned. He made short work of "do In,'" the visitor; barely fifteen niln li! elapsed before O'Dowd' return. Presently they went downstairs to geltier. Lumps bad been lighted, ninny of them, throughout Hie house. A fire crackled In the. cavernous fireplace at the end of the living room and grouped about Its cheerful, guileful hlu9 were (he ladles of Hreeu Fancy. The girl of Ids thoughts was there, standing slightly aloof from the oth ert, bu) evidently amused by Ihe tale with whlili Te Soto wns regaling tle-m. She was smiling : Fames saw the tinpphlre llghls sparkling In her yes and experienced a sensation that orioy.tkln to cot.fiislon - I. r J " EANCY W GEOBGE WSi 1 v-uiuiiAjm oW "CRAUSTARK." THE H if 'HOLLOW OF HER HANDl-THP. A PRINCE OF CRAUSTARK." ETC 1 1 I !- J' mm 1 wa mm ''HW'i- life l W. W-JL Ii; - rf' 'MM She Wn There. l. in i'u'.iuio, . oVoTT' ipiHe nulp rnlly. He favored Miss Cameron with an uncommonly self-possessed smile ms she gave her hand lo liliu, nnd she In turn responded wllh one fnlntly sug gestive of tolerance, although It cer tainly would lime been recorded by it less jensltlve person than Ilarnes ns "ripping." In reply to bis perfunctory "delight ed, I'm sure, etc.," she said quite cleat ly: "Oh, now I remember. I was sure I had seen you before, Mr. Itnrnei. You are the tiuigle gentleman who sprang like a mushroom out of the earth early yesterday nflernoon." "And frightened you," he said; "whereupon you vanished like the mushroom Hint Is gobbled up by the predatory glutton." He had thrilled at Ihe sound of her voice. It was the low, deliberate voice of the woman of the crossroads, nnd, as before, he caught the almost Im perceptible accent. The red glenin from the blazing logs fell upon her shining JtuiW; It glistened like gnld, She wore a simple evening gown of white, softened over Ihe shoulders and neck with n full of rare viilencleunes lace. There was no Jewelry not even a ring on her slender, tapering fingers, Mrs. Collier, the hostess, was an el derly, licuvy -featured woman, decid edly overdressed. Mrs. Van Dyke, her daughter, was a woman of thirty, tall, dark and handsome In a bold, dashing sort of way. The Inckiidalsl cul geiillcmun wllh Ihe mustache turned out to be her husband. , "My brother In unable to he wllh us tonight, Mr. Karnes," explained Mrs. Collier. "Mr. O'Howd may hnve told y mi that he Is an Invalid. Quite rarely Is he well enough lo leave his room. He has begged me to p resell I his apologies and regrets to you, An other time, perhaps, you will give him the pleasure ho Is missing tonight." Ie Soto's cocktails came In. Miss Cameron did not take one, O'Howd proKsrl a toast, "To the rnsciils whr went gunning for the other rascals. Hut for them we should be short at least one mem ber of this agreeable cuiupniiy." It was rather atartllng. Karnes' glass slopped half way to his lips. An Instant later he drained If. He ac cepted the toast as a compliment from the whilom Irishman, and not as a tribute to the prowess of those mys terious uuirksuieu. The table in the spacious dining room was one of those long, narrow Italian boards, unuilsinktihly antique nnd equally mre. Sixteen or eighteen people could have been seated with out crowding, and when the seven took their places wide Intervals separated them. No effort had been made by Ihe hostess to bring her guests close to gether, as might have been done by using one "end or the center of the table. The serving plates were of sil ver. Especially beautiful were the long stemmed water goblets and the graceful champagne glasses. They were blue and white and of a design and quality no longer obtainable ex cept at Brent cost. The estheMo Ilarnes was not slovr to appreciate the rarity of the glassware and the chaste beauty of the serving plates. Thf ninn Nicholas was evidently the butler, despite his Seventh avenue milliner. He was assisted In serving hy two stalwart and amanlngly clumsy footmen, of similar Ilk and nationality. On teeing these additional men serv ants Ilarnes began figuratively to count on his fingers the retainer he bail so far encountered en the place, tii'idv- he scp.. ail of th.m powerful. "rugged" fellows. - It" S'rucS him as extraordinary, and In a way fiKuimaiiL, utai uirrv miuuiu ut wi many men at Ureen Fancy. Much to Ids disappointment he was not placed near Miss Cameron at table. Iudeed she was seated as far away from him as possible. There was a place set between him and De Soto, for symineti sake, Barnes con cluded. In this he was mistaken; they had barely seated themselves when Mrs. Collier remarked : "Mr. Curtis' secrets rv usuatl loins us here for coffee. He has his dinner with my brother, and then, poor man. comes In for brief period of relaxa tion. When my brother is in one of his bad spells poor Mr. Loeb doesn't have much time to himself." Loeb. the private secretary, came In for coffee. He was a tall, spare man of thirty, pallidly handsome, with dark, studious eyes and features of an unmistakably Hebraic cast, as his name might have foretold. Ills teeth were marvelously white and his slow smile attractive. More than once dur ing the hour that Loeb spent with them Karnes formed nnd dismissed a stulrfiorn ever-rwurrlng oiitiion that the man was not a Jew. Certainly he was not un American Jew. His voice, his manner of speech, his every action Mumped him as one born and bred In a land far from Broadway and Its counterpart. If a Jew he ii as of the east as It Is measured from Home the Jew of Ihe carnal Orient. And us the evening wore on there came to Ilnrnes the singular fancy that this mail was the master and not the servant of the house! He could no! put the ridiculous tik'U out of his 1 nil ml. i He was to depnrt at ten. The hour , drew near mid he bail had no opportu- i illy for detached conversation wltU ! Miss Cameron, lie had listened to her bright retorts to O'liowd's sallies, and marveled at the rase and comtaisure i Willi which she met the witty Irish man on even terms Not until the very close of the eve ning, and when he hail resigned him self to hopelessness, r.iil the opsirtu nlty come for hint to speak with her ilone. She caught his rye, nnd, to his imiizement. made a slight movement if her head, unobserved by the others mt curiously Imperative to him. There ivas no mistaking the meaning of the lirect. Intense look that she gave hlm. She was appealing to hint as a 'rlcnd as one on whom she could de lend ! The spirit of chivalry took posses ion of hlm. Ills blood leaped to the "Come and Sit Betide Me, Mr, Barnes," She Called Out Gayly. call. She needed him and he would not rail her. Am) It was with dllll culty Hint he contrived to hide the exultation that might have mined ev ery thing 1 While he was trying to Invent a pre text for drawing her apart from the ethers she calmly ordered Van Dyke to relinquish his place on the couch beside her to Karnes. "Come and sit beside me, Mr, Ilarnes," she culled out gnyly. "I will not bite you or scratch you or harm you in any way. Ask Mr. O'Dowd, and he will tell yon that I am quite docile. I don't bite, do I, Mr. O'Dowd?" "You lo," aald O'Dowd promptly. "You do more than that. You devour. Kcdnd I have to look In a mirror to convince mesclf Hint you haven't swal lowed me whole. That's another way of telling yon. Karnes, thnt she'll ab sorb you entirely." ror a reiv minutes sne entiled nim j Tor his unseemly aversion. He was beginning to think thnt he had been J mistaken In her motive, and thnt after ' all she was merely satisfying her van- 1 Ity. Suddenly, and as she smiled Into his eyes, she said, lowering her voice ; slightly; "IH not appear surprised at any thing I may sny to you. Smile as If re were nterlng the silliest nonsense. So much dVpends uisin It, Mr. Rarnes." CHAPTER X. Tha Prisoner of Green Fancy, and the Lament of Peter the Chauffeur, , He envied Mr. Ilushcroft. The barn stormer would have risen to the occa sion without so much as the blinking of an eye. He did hi best, however, and, despite his eagerness, managed to come off fairly well. Anyone out of earshot would have thought that he was uttering some trifling Inanity In stead of these words; "Xojuoar. trust .me. i hnve miTT'- lift p, t"t,al something was wrong' fiere" -j, u ilnpossib!e to elpUla now said. "These people are not my friends. I have no cue to turn to in , my predicament" i "Yes, you have." he broke In. and V0Ti or f,isn from hlm would b suf laughed rather boisterously for hlm. I fioient ,0 brlnf d'H nP the sh. He felt that they were being watched ; man wno h4 riskrtl ,lis ow n ln In turn by every person In the room, i '" Irretrievable words. The more "Tontght-not an hour ago-I began j hf "T ,of '!' J1 more fu,ly, ' to feel that I could call upon you for I heJ here was w,,hing help. I began to relax. Something h,,"?'' fm RWf whispered to me that I was no longer L , et"r, ",vfu"'T ov'r ! T' ."ODf- h' you wi" wrr ! I wow wnat it is to have your heart ! lighten as mine but I must control myself. We are not to waste word.' "Too have only to command me, m . . - mini vaiueron. no more man a aozen t words arc necessary. Tell me how I can be of service to yon." "I shall try to communicate with you la some way tomorrow. I lieg of yon. I Implore you, do not desert me. If I can only be sure that you will" "You may depend on me, no matter what happens," said he, and. looking lnt0 DeT was hound forever. 1 n"Te en thinking, she said. iieruay ninae the discovery that I that I am actually a prisoner here, Mr. Barnes, I Smile ! Say something , silly!" j Together they laughed over the ' meaningless remark he made In re-! spouse to her commaud. "I am constantly watched. If I i venture outside the house I am almost i Immediately Joined by one of these I men. You saw what happened yes-1 terday. I am distracted." j "I will ask the authorities to stop ! In and" "No! You are to do nothing of the kind. The authorities would never find me if they came here to search." (it was html for hlm to smile t that !) "It must he some oilier way. If I could steal out of the house hut that Is Impossible," she broke off with a catch in her voice. "Suppose that I were to stonl Into the house," lie said, a reckless uKht ln hl.s eyes. "Oh, you could never succeed!" "Well, I could try, couldn't I?" There was nothing funny in the re murk, hut they both leaned back and laughed heartily. "Leave It to me. Tell me where " "The place Ih guarded day and night. The slealtbJest burglar In the world could not come within a stone's throw, of the house." "If It's as bud as all that, we cannot afford to make any slips. You think you are In no Immediate peril?" "I am In no peril nt all unless I bring It upon myself," she sold signifi cantly. "Then a delay of a day or so vrill not matter," he said, frowning. "Leave It to mo. I will find a way." "Ke careful !" De Soto came loung ing up behind them. "Forgive mo for interrupting, but I uin under coninitind from royal head quarlers. peter, the king of chauf feurs, sends In word that the car is In an amiable mood and champing to be off. So seldom Is It In good humor that he" "I'll be off nt once," exclulmejl Burnes, arising. "Ry Jove, It Is hnff- past ten. I had no Idea good night, Miss Cameron." , He pressed her hand reassuringly and left her. She had arisen and was standing, straight and slim by the corner of the fireplace, a confident smile on her lips. "If you are to be long In the neigh borhood, Mr. Barnes," said his hostess, "yon must let us have you again." "My stay Is short, I fear. You hnve only to reveal the faintest sign that I may come, however, and I'll hop Into my seven-league boots before you can utter Jack Hoblnson's Christian name. Good night, Mrs. Van Dyke. I have you all to thank for a most delightful evening." The car was waiting nt the hack of the house. O'Dowd walked out wllh Burnes, their arms linked ns on a for mer occasion, Karnes recalled. "I'll ride out to the gate with you," said the Irishman. "It's a winding, devious route the road takes through Ihe trees." They came In time, after many "hnlr pins" and right angles, to the gate opening upon the highway. Peter got down from the sent to release the pad locked chain nnd throw open the gate. O'Dowd leaned closer to Barnes nnd lowered his voice. "See here, Karnes, I'm no fool, and for that reason I've got sense enough j to know that you're not either. I i don't know what's In your mind, nor I w hat you're trying to get Into It If It j ! Isn't already there. But I'll say this to !yoti, man to man: Don't let your j Imagination get the better of your common sense. That's all. Take the tip from me." "I am not Imagining anything, 0'lowd." said Karnes quietly. "What do yon mean?" "i mean Just what I say. fm giving you the tin for selfish reasons. If you make a bally fool of yourself. I'll have to see you through the worst of It and It's a Job I don't relish. Ponder that, will ye, on the way home?" Barnes did ponder It on the way home. There nas but one construc tion to put upon the remark: It was O'Dowd's way of letting hint know that he could be depended npon for support If the worst came to pass. O'Dowd evidently had not been de ceived by the acting that masked the conversation on the couch. He knew that Miss Cameron had appealed to Karnes, and that the latter had prom Ised to do everything In his power to help her. Suspecting that this was the situ ation, and doubtless sacrificing his own rftvnt Inti'Cwta ht h.tfl itttumd It.a Vague' buf timely waruiugTJTESrnoi The significance of this warning grew under reflection. Barnes was not slow to appreciate the position in which O'Dowd voluntarily placed himself. A uir i ' 't. uuiu iw in" ii ii t ii in. ni---jviit- tng to a sudden Impulse, Karnes low ered one of the side seats in the ton- . nean and moved closer to the driver. "How long have you been driving tm r-.. 1UI dtl. UIII9i Ever since he come up here, more'n two years ago. Guess I'm going to get the O. B. 'fore long, though. Seems that he's get I in' a new car an' wants an expert machinist to take hold of it from the start. I wisi good enough to fiddle around with this second hand pile o' Junk an' the one he hud last year, but I ain't qualified to handle this here machine he's expecttn. so he says. I guess they's been some Influ ence used against me, If the truth was j known. This new see'etary he's got raiu't stiimmick me." "Why don't you see Mr. Curtis and demand " "See him?" snorted Teter. "Might ns well try to see Napoleon Bonypurte. Didn't you know he was a sick man?" "Certainly. But he isn't so 111 that he can't attend to business, Is he?" "He sure Is. Pnryllsed, they say." "What has Mr. Loeb agaiust you, If I may ask?" "Well, it's like this. I ain't In the habit o' bein' ordered nrouu' as If I was Jest nobody at ell, so when he starts In to cuss me about somethln' a week or ho ago, I ups and tells hint I'll smash his head If be don't take It hack, lie takes It hack all right, but tha first thing I know I get a cull down from Mrs. Collier. Course I couldn't tell her what I told the sheeny, seeln' as she's a female, so I took It like a lamb. Then they gits a feller up lu re to wash the car. My gosh, mister, the durncd ole rattle-trap nin't wtith u bucket o' water all told. So I sends word In to Mr. Curtis that !f she has to be washed, I'll wash her. Then's when I hears about the new car. Next day Mrs. Collier Bends' fer me an' I go In. She says she guesses she'll try the new washer on the new machine when It conies, an' If I keer to stay on as washer In his place she'll be glad to have inc. I Fays I'd like to have a word with Mr. Curtis, If she don't mind, an' she says Mr. Curtis ain't able to see no one. So I guess I'm goln' to be let out." An Idea was taking root In Burnes' brain, but It was too soon to consider It If-ied. "You say Mr. Loeb Is new at his Job?" ' . " "Well, he's new nphere. Mr. Cur tis was down to New York all last winter belli' treated, you see. He didn't come up here till about five weeks ago. Loeb was workln' fer hlm most of the winter, glttin' up a book er somethln', I hear, Mr. Curtis' mind Is nil right, I guess, even If his body ain't." "I see. Mr. Loeb came up wllh him from New York." "Kerect. Him and Mr. O'Dowd and Mr. De Soto brought him up 'bout the Inst o' March. They was up here vls Itln' last spring an' the fall before. Mr. Curtis Is very fond of both of 'em." "It seems to me that I .have heard that his son married O'Dowd's sister." "That's right. She's n wldder now. Her husband was killed in the war between Turkey an' them other coun tries four er five years ago." "Really?" "Yep. Him nnd Mr. O'Dowd his own hrothur-lii-luw, y' know was light in' on the side of the Koolgnrlnns and young Ashley Curtis was killed." "Was this sou Mr. Curtis' only Jilld?" "So fer ns I know. lie left three lit tle kids. They was nil here with their mother jest after the house was fin ished." "They will probably come Into this property when Mr. Curtis dies," said -TV-, -c3 HI I .. . "V J". .7. "I I OT "She's a Widder Now. Her Husband Was Killed In tha War." Rarnes, keeping the excitement out of his voice. "More'n likely." "Wns he very feeble when you aw hlnvlaeJ" ' " - - 5 -'cti'--. f "V CSi j--v-.-.i I ''.IS- ) kr-C- 1 'Mr- Sprousa itVf-1 Early f " -" 73? I Xr.. . . . .. " 2S I 'TaTu't seen him In more'n six mouths. He was failin' then. That's why he went to the city." "oh. I see. You did not see him when he arrived the last of March?" I was visit lu' my sister up In Horn- vllle when he come back unexpected- like. This ijiot Loeb says he wrote me rn mmr -vm m nnnisn runs uui ii never ot the letter. Like as not the rtnrn I,.: rot the address wrong. I didn't know Mr. Curtis was home till I enme hack from mv sister's three days later. I wouldn't 'a' had It happen fer fifty dollars." Peter's tone was con vincingly doleful. "And he has been confined to hla room ever since? Poor old fellow! It's hard. Isn't It?" "It sure is. Seems like he'll never be able to walk ag'ln. I was talkln' to his nurse only the other day. He says it's a hopeless case" ir.,r,ntair t,t'aUtr rn he here with him." I "By gosh, she aiu't nothln' like him," confided Peter. "She's all fuss an' feathers an' he Is Jest as simple as you er me. Nothln' fluffy about him. j I c'n tell ye." He sighed deeply. "I in Jest as well pleased to go as not," he went on. "Mrs. Collier's got a lot o' I money of her own, an' she's got high- fulutin' New York Ideas thnt don't seem to Jibe with mine." Long before they came to the turn- nike. Karnes had reduced his hundred and one suppositions to the following ! nie, and In helping me you may be in concrete conclusion: Creen Fancy : strumentiil In righting one of the was no longer In the hands of Its orlg- i graves wrongs the world has ever Inal owner for the good and sufficient known.' reason that Mr. Curtis was dend. The ; "Will you be good enough, Mr. real master of the house was the man ; Sprouse, to tell me Just what yon are known as Loeb. Through O'Dowd he ! trying to get nt? I know nothing whnt hud leased the property from the wld-, ever against Mr. Curtis and hla owed daughter-in-law, nnd had estub- friends. You assume a great deal" ll-shed himself there, surrounded by ! "Kxcuse me, Mr. Barnes. I'll admit trustworthy henchmen, for the purpose , tlmt you don't know anything ngnlnst of currying out sonic dark und siuister project. I "I suppose Mrs. Collier has spent a grent deal of time up here with her brother." - j "First time she was ever here, so , far us I know," said Peter, mid Karnes promptly took up his weaving once i more. With one exception, he decided, thr , entire company nt Green Fancy was Involved in the conspiracy. The ex- j ceptlon was Miss Cameron. It was 1 quite cicar to nun mai sue una oeen misled or betrayed Into her present position; that n trap had been set fur her and she had walked Into It blind ly, trustingly. This would seem to es tablish, beyond question, that her cap ture and detention was vital to the In terests of the plotters; otherwise she would not hnve been lured to Green Fancy under the Impression that she was to find herself among friends nnd supporters. Supporters! That word started a new train of thought. He could hardly wait for the story thnt was to fall from her lips. "Ky the way, Peter, It has just oc curred to me thnt I may be able to give you a job In case you nre let out by Mr. Curtis. I can't say definitely until I have communicated with my sister, who has a summer home in the Rerkshires." 'Til be much obliged, sir. Course I won't say a word. Will I find you at the t'.ivern If I get my walkiu' papers soon ?" Yes. Stop In to see nie tomorrow If ! you happen to be passing." Karnes nuld good night to the man and entered the tnvern a few minutes later. Putnnm Jones was behind the desk nnd facing him was the little hook agent. "Hello, stranger," greeted the land lord. "Been sashaying In society, hey? Meet my friend Mr. Sprouse, Mr. Burnes. Sic-em, Sprouse! Give him the Dickens !" Mr. Jones laughed loud ly at his own Jest Sprouse shook hands with his vic tim. "I wus Just saying to our friend Jones here. Mr. Burnes, that you mok Uke a more than ordlnurlly intelligent mnn nnd that if I had a chance to buzi wllh you for a quarter of an hour I could present a proposition" "Sorry, Mr. Sprouse. but It Is half past eleven o'clock, and I am dog-tired. You will huve to excuse me." "Tomorrow morning will suit me," said Sprouse cheerfully, "If It suits you. CHAPTER XI. Abandon Literature at Hour In the Morning. j After thrashing about In his bed for seven sleepless hours, Karnes arose nn gloomily breakfasted alone. He was not discouraged over his failure to arrive at anything tangible ln the hnpe of a plan of nctlon. It was In conceivable thnt he should not be able In very short order to bring about the release of the fair guest of Green Fancy. There wns not the slightest doubt In his mind that International affulrs of considerable Importance were Involved and that the agents op eratlnir fit Green Fnncir nura .,.iu ueniiiie oraers. ITU - .. .. . iroom s he was taking his last swai-i ..,1. .-oi'jiise cniup inro ine n n nff , tow or coffee. j "Ah, good morning," was the blnnd little man's greeting. "Up with the lnrk. I see. Mind If I sit down here and have my eggs?" He pulled out a chair opposite Karnes nnd coolly sat down at the table. "You can't sell me a set of Dickens at this hour of the day," said Rarnes sourly. "Resides, I've finished my breakfast Keep your seat." He start ed to rise. "Sit down." said Spronss quietly. Something In the man's voice and man ner struck Barnes as oddly compelling. He hesitated a second and then re- gTtliig you, MK Barnes," said" the htth miyi. unsmilingly. "Don't get sore-. There are a lot of things that you don't know, and one of them is that I doat sell books for living. It's something; of a side line with me." He leaned forward. "I shall be quite frank with, Jo sir. I am a secret service man. , "P"ta!rs, and last night I took the lib- i tJ r pPynB "P00 J"0"- to "Ps. 'nlle J0" were a guest at Greea , Fancy. "The deuce you say 1" cried Barnes. "We will get right down to tacks." said Sprouse. "My government tfhlch Isn't yours, by the way sent me up here five weeks ago oa a cer tain undertaking. I atn supposed t out J"1" 's hatching up at Green ' ',cy- "ving satlsned myseir mat ; ? no' connected with the gang I un ,n'e 1 "rfully place myself la your hands, Mr. Barnes. You were at Green Fancy last night. So was L ! You had an advantage over me, how ' ever, for you were on the Inside and I was not." I "Confound your Impudence! I " I "One of my purposes ln revealing myself to you, Mr. Barnes, Is to war , you to steer clear of that crowd. You ! may flud yourself In exceedingly hot water later on if you don't. Another j puriMise, and the real one. Is to secure-. I If possible, your co-operation in hent- : lnK "" P eTe- lou a ne,P them, but you suspect a whole lot. TV begin with, you suspect thnt two men were shot to death because they were In wrong with someone nt Green Fancy. Now I could tell yon who these two men really were and why they were shot. But I sha'n't do anyr thlng of the sort nt lenst not nt pres ent." Karnes was Impressed. 'Terhnps you will condescend to tell me who you nre, Mr. Sprouse. I nm very much In the dark." "I am a special ngent hut not a spy, sir of a government that Is friendly to yours. I ntn known la Washington. My credentials nre not to be questioned. At present it would he unwise for me to reveal the name of my government. I dare say If I can afford to trust you, Mr. Rarnes, you can ufford to trust we. There la too much tit stake for me to take the slightest chnnce wllh any man. I nm ready to chnnce you, sir, if you will do the same by me." "Well," begnn Barnes deliberately, "I guess you will have to take a chance with me, Mr. Sprouse, for I re fuse to commit' myself until I know exactly what you nre up lo." "In the first place, Mr. Karnes," said j Sprouse, suiting his eggs, "you have been thinking that I was sent down from Green Fancy to spy on yoa. Isn't thnt so?" "I am answering no questions, Mr. Sprouse." "Yon were wrong," said Sproase, as " Rnrnes had answered In the nfllr- matlve. "I nm working on mr own. You tuny have observed that I did not accompany the sheriff's posse today. I was up In Hornvllle getting the mini word from New York thnt you were on the level. I telephoned to New York. Kleven dollars ,nul sixty "eats. Yoa were under suspicion until I aung up the receiver, I may sny." "Jones has been talking to you," bald Rnrnes. "Rut you said a moment ago that you were up at Green Fancy lust night. Not by invltution, I take It." "I Invited myself," said Sprasse suo clnctly. "Are you inclined tt favor my proposition?" , "You haven't miide one." ' "By suggestion, Mr. Rnrnes. It la quite impossible for me to get inside thnt house. Xou appear to hnve th entree. You are working in the dark. guessing at everything. I nm guess ing nt nothing. Ry combining force we should bring this thing to a head, and" ; "Just a moment. You expect me to 'abuse the hospitality of" ' "I shall hnve to speak plainly, I see." He leaned forward, fixing: Rnrnes with a pair of steady, earnest eyes. "Six months ago a certain royal house In Europe was despoiled of Its Jewels. Its privy seal, Its most precious state documents and Its charter. They have been traced to the United States. I nm here to recover them. That la the foundation of my story, Mr. Barnes. (Continued next Saturday.) , . .. . . , . You bctcrraacquaintGdwun ourWint s-llieywillbrinA yd1, results nomatterwhat your want may bai Yoa expert the local mer chants to take your produy. Hrlp them do it with Jour pat ronage Build up Marion coua-tv.