The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1905-10-19

looking object his joints relaxed and his
head swan and his eyes were dazzled. He
stretched out shaking hands toward it,
but Monboddo leered knowingly and drew
it further away.
us it any good?'' he asked.
"Good.' gasped his companion. 'The
man who owns that and knows what it
means"
He was unable to finish his sentence
and broke off short with an agitated
groan. He made a great effort and pull
ed himself together
You needn't be afraid of me. doctor"
he said. Il can tell you what to do with
| that lot Let me have closer look
at it,
$50 you SHALL" said Monboddo He
was great artist, and he knew how, if
the stakes he pretended to play for had
| been real, the stress of this moment
would have braced and sobered him. $50
you shall. But this is business. Stand
over there"
The other obeyed word and gesture in
stantly, and he and Monboddo were sep
arated by the length of the room. The
doctor drew the revolver from his breast
bic. 1t was unloaded, but it looked as
imposing as if there had been six mems
lives within it. and Monboddo was not
fond of loaded firearms. He drew 4
single leaf of parchment from the
satchel, and then, taking the weapon in
his right hand, he held out the leaf
Come and take this he said, land
go back to look at It."
Plain Mr.. Smith advanced, looking
Monboddo in the eye. The doctor had
not the appearance OF man who was
conspicuously brave, and plain Mr.. Smith
was blood-stained desperado, who had
carried his life in many lands as men
in a spoon-race carry an egg in a tea
spoon. He walked up to Monboddo very
slowly, quelling him with his eye as he
advanced, and Monboddo's rubies lost
their vivid color and took tones Of mauve
and magenta. And plain Mr.. Smith
walked right up to the pistol barrel end
took the shaking leaf from Monboddo's
hand, and then, without a word, possess
ed himself Of the satchel, which still lay
| upon the table.
Now" said he contemptuously, well
have a look at these, and then we'll talk
business. Put that thing down." he add
ed. indicating the revolver. IF it's load
ed you'll be doing mischief with it"
He stretched out his hand with such a
perfect GOODNESS of mastery that Mon-
boddo allowed him to seize and take away
the weapon. He opened it at the breech.
spun the chambers, and seeing that it
was empty, threw it to the seat of an
armchair a yard or two away, and be-
gan to examine the contents of the
satchel.
.Yes." he said, 'I've seen all these be-
fore. They're right enough"
He had been as cool as a cucumber in
his defiance of Monboddo's revolver, but
he broke out in blotches of perspiration.
and his hand trembled visibly as he han
died these little leaves of parchment.
which to his magination gave their OWE
| er the cue to uncounted millions.
do you know what to do with theseT'
he asked, and he was so brusque and in
tense that he fairly frightened Monboddo.
who could shink of nothing better to say
"A sort of a general season ticket fer an
idiot asylum" said plain Mr.. Smith. do
you know how to find the key to the
I
man who can understand emp
YES" said Monboddo, II know
enough" He heartened himself by a
great exercise of resolution. I'll thank
you to give me my property back again. "
'.All in good time," said plain Mr.
Smith. You sit there, and don't you
trouble yourself"
So Monboddo sat and unused within
himself as to what he should do with
this bold and overbearing adversary. He
had won in a measure. He had persuad-
ed Jethroe's pursuer that he had found
the thing of which he had been so long
in search, and Monboddo was fairly sat
| isfied, further, that the man no longer
doubted Jethroe's death. But if he had
perhaps succeeded in this enterprise SO
far as his employers interests were con-
cerned, he had no doubt whatever as to
the completeness of his failure with re-
| gard to his own. Jethroe had signined
4 means through which a few loose thou
sands might be made by swindling the
unprincipled. Plain Mr.. Smith was not
in the least likely to part with any thou
sands for what he held in his hand
already, and it began to afflict Monboddo
10 think that Mr. Smith might even de-
tect the fraud which had been played
upon him, and take personal vengeance
upon his deceiver. He was, indeed,
bound to find out the truth sooner or
later. Monboddo wondered why he had
not estimated this certainty at its full
value earlier. He felt very, very sorry
for himself and he wept a few tears. 1t
was his time of day for being low-spir-
tied, for one thing.
I'll tell you what" said plain Mr..
Smith; you and neil go up to Chicago
together and get an expert to solve these
problems. Here's a plan of the chess
board with the key on it. When we've
got the message plain and straight well
go out to South America together
How do you know it's South Amer
lea? 2" asked Monboddo.
"Ohw his companion answered with
jeer. I've known that much q year
or two. When shall you be ready to
come to ChicagoT
But / don't want to co." said Mon
boddo tearfully. Il want my property
back again. that's what / want"
You can please yourself, you know, -
said Mr.. Smith. "I'm going, and I'm go
| ing tonight I shall start by the mid
night mail"
IF you don't give me my property, -
said Monboddo, handkerchief in hand and
tears in full flow, 81 shall call in the po-
| lice"
"Oh, dear, no." said Mr.. Smith. you