The San Francisco call., 1904-10-23

or the SnreWdeSC criminals
1T was not so bad" said Kent III
it should ever be charged that he took
money from RumfOrd. here is a plain
business transaction to account for 1t.
The deed as recorded has nothing to
say of the enormous price paid. The
phrasing is the common form used
when the parties to the transfer do not
wish to make the price public: For 81
to me in hand paid and other valuaola
considerations. Luckily we are able to
establish conclusively what the other
valuable considerations were"
TT seems to me that these documents
arm and equip you for anything you
want to do" said Loring. polishing his
eyeglasses after his ingrained habit.
Kent shook his head.
NO: thus far the evidence is all cir
cumstantiaI But I picked up the final
link in the chain-the human link-yes-
terday. One OF the detectives had been
dogging DuvaIi. Two days ago the
Senator disappeared, unaccountably- /
put two and two together. and late
last evening took the liberty OF break
ing into his house."
''AIone?" said Elinor. with the cour-
age-worshiping light in the blue-gray
eyes.
yes; it didn't seem worth willis
to double the risk / did 1t rather
clumsily, I suppose, and my greeting
was shot fired at random in the dark
ness-the Senator mistaking me Tor
a burglar, as he afterward explained
There was no harm done, and the pistol
welcome effectually broke the ice IN
what might otherwise have been
rather difficult interview. We had IL
out in an upper room, with the gas
turned low and the window curtains
drawn To cut a long story short, L
finally succeeded in making him un-
derstand what he was in for; that
his confederates had used him and
thrown him aside. Then L went and
brought him some supper
Ormsby smote softly upon the edge
of the table with an extended fore
finger.
'.Win he testify?" he asked.
Kent's rejoinder was definitive.
He has put himself entirely in my
hands. He is a ruined man, politically
and socially, and he is desperate. While
/ couldn't make him give me any OF
the details in the Transwestern affair.
he made clean breatst Of the oil-field
deal, and I have his statement locked
up with the other papers in the Secur-
ity vaults"
1t was Penelope who gave David
Kent his due need Of praise
''I am neither triumphant politician
nor successful detective, but 1 recog-
nize both when they are pointed out to
me-" she said. Mr.. Kent. Will you
serve these gentlemen up hot for din
ner, or cold for luncheon?"
YES" Portia chimed in You have
outrun your pace-setterS, and I'm
proud of YOU Tell US what you mean
to do next
Kent laughed.
''You want to make me say soms
melOdramatic thing about having the
shackles forged and swapping them
upon the GubernatOrial wrists, don't
you? 1t will be prosaic enough from
this on. 1 fancy we shall have no diff
flculty now in convincing his Excel
lency Of the justice OF our proceedings
to quash Judge MacFarIane and his re-
ceiver."
But how will you go about IL?
Surely you cannot go personally and
threaten the Governor Of the State!"
this from Miss Brentwood
Cant -" said Kent. Having the
score written out and safely committed
to memory that will be quite the
easiest number on the programme, I
assure you"
But Loring had something to say
about the risk
Thus far you have not considered
your personal safety-haven't had to.
perhaps. But you are coming to that
now. You are dealing with desperate
man, David: with gang OF them, In
fact"
That is So" said Ormsby. "And, as
chairman Of the executive committee,
shall have to take steps. We can't
afford to bury you just yet, Kent"
IT think you needn't select the pail
bearers yet WHILE" laughed the un-
daunted one; and then Miss Van Brock
gave the signal and the executive
committee" adjourned to the drawing
room. Here the talk, already so deeply
channeled IN the grove political, ran
aoeflHy 70 fOroQa ofinOa and r,rodfCffOua
for another electoral year; and when
Penelope began to yawn behind her fan.
Ormsby took pity on her and the party
broke up
1t was at the moment OF leave-taking
that ElinOr sought and found her
chance to extract promise from David
Kent.
II must have a word with you before
you do what you say you are going 70
do" she whispered hurriedly. VIII
you come to see me?"
Certainly. if you wish it. But you
mustn't let LOring's nervousness infect
you. There Is no danger"
There is a danger" she insisted, "a
much greater danger than the one Mr.
Loring fears. Come as soon as you
can, won't your"
1t was a new thing for her to plead
with him, and he promised in an access
Of tumultuOus hope reawakened by her
he was walking downtown with Lor-
ing, the episode troubled him little:
would have troubled him more IL he
had not been so deeply interested In
Loring's story Of the campaign In the
East
Taking it all in all, the ex-manager's
report was encouraging. The New
Englanders were by no means disposed
to lie down in the harness. and since
the Western Pacific proper was an In
terstate line. the advisory board had
taken its grievance to Washington.
Many of the small stockholders were
standing firm, though there had been
panicky defections in spite OF all that
could be done. Loring had no direct
evidence to sustain the stock deal the
ory; but it was morally certain that
the PlantagOuld brokers were picking
up Western Pacific by Titles wherever
they could find 1t.
II am inclined to believe we haven't
much time to lose" was Kent's COM