Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-03-11

thing in this world.
During the remainder of the day
l found myself looking forward with
a feeling that was almost kin to
eagerness, to the interview | was to
have with Kitwater and Codd that
afternoon. If the two gentlemen had
faults, unpunctuality was certainly
not one of them. for the clock upon
my mantelpiece had scarcely finished
striking the hour of four, when 1
heard footsteps in the Office outside,
and next moment they were shown
into my w sanctum. Codd came
first, leading his friend by the hand,
and as he did so he eyed me with a
look of intense anxiety upon his face.
kitwater, on the other hand, was dig
nitied, and as impressive as ever. If
he were nervous, he certainly con-
cealed it very well.
Good afternoon, Mr.. Fairfax" he
said, as Codd led him TO a seat. SAC
cording to the arrangement we came
to yesterday afternoon, we have
come here to learn your decision
which you promised to give US at
four o'clock to-day. 1 trust you
have good news for u.s."
THAT depends upon how you take
it," 1 answered. 81 have made up
my mind to help you on certain CON
ditions."
"!And those conditions?"
Are that you pay my expenses and
the sum of $500, to which another
6 500 is to be added if l am successful
in helping you to the treas
ure of which you told me yesterday.
Is hat a fair o%ffer??"
"An exceedingly fair one" Kitwater
replied, while little Codd nodded his
head theoretically to show that he
appreciated it. "We had expected
that you would charge more. Of
course you understand hat it may
involve a chase round half the world
before you can find him? He's as
slippery as an eel, and, if he once
gets to know that we are after him,
he'll double and twist like a hare"
Hell not be the first man 1 have
had to deal with who possessed these
characteristics" l answered. "And 1
have generally succeeded in running
them to earth at the end"
Lets hope for all our sakes that
you will be as successful in this case,''
he said. "And now, if I may ask the
question, when will you be ready to
begin your search? We shall both
feel happier when we know you are
on his track"
81 am ready as soon as you like"
I rejoined. Indeed, the sooner the
better for all parties concerned
Nothing is to be gained by delay, and
if, as you say, the man has now been
in England two months, he may soon
be thinking of getting out of it again
if he has not done SO already. But
before I embark on anything, yo,
must answer me some questions"
, "a hundred, if you like" he re
turned. "You have only to ask then
| and 1 will do myebest to answer"
"In the first place, 1 must have
What is he like?"
"Tall, thin, with brown hair, an,
a short, close-cropped beard; he car
ries himself erect, and look
about 49,"
"You don't happen to have a photo
graph of him in your possession,
suppose?"
e NO." replied Kitwater, shaking hi
e head. "Gideon Hayle is not the sor
of man to allow himself to be photo
graphed, and what's more you mus
remember that when we reache
Nampoung, the station on the fror
tier of Burmah, we had scarcely
rag upon our backs. Any goods an
q chattels we might once have pos
I sessed were in the hands of the Oh
I nese. They had robbed us of every
- thing, except what that arch THE
Hayle, had already stolen from us.
g AS he said this, another look sue
: as l had seen on the occasion of hi
previous visit spread over his face.
II ''The robber, the thief" he hisset
almost trembling in his sudden e2
cess of rage; when / get hold of hi1
X he shall rue his treachery to the da
7 of his death. Upwards of a quartz
- of a million of money he stole frol
us, and where is it now? Where
. my sight, and where is Coddy's pow
err of speech? All gone, and he
free. Vengeance is Mine saith tn
T Lord, but l want to repay it mysel
l want to-"
: Here he leant across the table an
turned his sightless eyes upon me.
"This is certainly a curious sol
- of missionary" / said to myself as
watched him. "He may be smitte
y on one cheek, but ] scarcely fanc
he would be content to turn til
: other to the striker"
= At this moment Coddy leant 70,
- ward in his chair, and placed h
hand upon his friends arm. The e
feet was magical. His fit of impoter
rage died down as suddenly as it ha
sprung up, and Immediately he b
= came again the quiet, suave, smootl
J., spoken individual who had first Ell
~ tered my Office. 3
T (To be Continued.)
-