The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-07-01

chuckle at the discrepancy between the
haste Of the bellboy's summons to the
suite and the delay in receiving him.
To his mind the position was clear. Mrs.
the polite fiction of her innocence to
the end, yet Ziegler was apparently
not prepared to go forward with the
business without an opportunity of con-
sulting her. She had come up to town
for the express purpose of advising, perl
haps supervising, her colleagues at an
important crisis, and was doubtless on
her way to the hotel after the diversion
he had created, so that it was necessary
to get him out Of the entrance-hall be-
fore she passed up to her suite.
ct shouldn It wonder if she ism t the
boss of the show, with Zeigler, who is
probably her husband, as fgure-head, -
Forsyth told himself.
Benzon, with polite excuse, had res
tired into an inner room; but his place
had Immediately been taken by a well-
dressed but cadaverOus Individual whom
Forsyth recognized as the man in cleri-
cal attire whom he had seen descending
BILE entry into his chambers, the mis-
creant who later on the same eventfuI
night had called at Beaumanoir house
in the character of disguised police
officer.
There was evidently no disposition to
so give him chance to open the outer
door and witness Mrs. Talmage Eglln-
ton 8 arrival in. the next suite. So
| twenty minutes passed, and Forsyth was
| specializing as to how communications
would be carried on with the female
partner during the forthcoming inter
view, when Benzon returned and an
nounced that Mr.. zeigler was awaiting
him. He could not help observing how
much better suited was this bowling,
Sinking American swindler to the role
of a superior turnkey than to that of
British cavalry officer.
| The next moment he found himself
in the principal reception-room of thel
suite, face to face with frail old man
of unpleasant appearance, who, For.
syth noticed with quick intuition, was
reclining on couch that had beenl
drawn across closed door. There was
lanother-open-doo leading into the,
bedroom, but the closed one must be the
same which from the other side of it
had confirmed the general s. suspicious
/ of the occupant Of the adjoining suite.
/ FORSYTH could picture to himself Mrs.
Talmage Eglinton's shell-like ear glued
to that door. it's fair owner prepared to
tap gentle signals by the Morse code. on
the panels if things did not go to her
liking in the audience chamber.
His conjectures were brought down
to the bedrock of fact by the croaking
voice of the invalid on the couch. Mr.
Ziegler's repulsive aspect, his purple
cheeks and green-shaded eyes suggested
, some horrible cutaneous affection, tho
FORSYTH was not so ingenious as to
accept the Disbursements as genuine.
; ct am sorry to have detained you,
SIR Ziegler began, and then paused
abruptly Forsyth wondered if he had
, been brought up with a round turn
t by tap on the door close to his ear.
There seemed something tentative, as
!, tho the speaker were trying his ground,
| in.that first disjointed utterance.
CIT does not matter, Forsyth replied,
: and then in his turn came to sudden
;. stop. His diplomatic training at the
/ foreign office had taught him the adj
III vantage of allowing the other side to
t open the proceedings. He who has the
: first word is seldom the one to have the
s last.
Q But it appeared that Mr.. ziegler
J. was also alive to the value of reserylng
a his fire. 81 presume that the Duke OF
/ Beaumanoir instructed you on the ma
i tufe of the business you were to trans
n act with me9o he said, and there was
o a firmer ring In the curious metallic
!, voice than when he made his first brief
apology.
i sOn the contrary. he left me quite
p in the dark about it, Forsyth made
:, answer. "All ] understood was thai
q I was to fetch something which yot
o would hand me in person.
:. ITO Be Continued Next Saturday.