The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1906-12-11


ecure sufficient number of them, he
, would have Creamer by the windpipt
and exact an enormous price for his
holdings.
Creamer's agents were secretly buy;
ing and SO We're Harwood's, and the
time came speedily when Creamf I
knew that some mysterious individual
was in the field against him. Then
began a series of operations That would
have furnished plots for half dozar
comic operas. Detectives were en-.
gagged by the score. They logged one
erything except the truth. Neither
Creamer nor HARDWOOD dared disclose
| the actual facts to any Of these
sieuths, and so they worked in dou-
BILE darkness, with the most amusing
results.
Meanwhile Harwood lived In q third
rate hotel in one of the capital cities,
his identity yelled under an alias and
his luxurious tastes repressed to fit the
character of a clerk out of job. He
had a partner in this enterprise, and
the partner was supposed to be an OBJ
ject of Creamer's suspicious. There
fore HARDWOOD kept aloof from him. and
| they communicated with each other by
telephone only.
One evening while. affairs were in
this condition HARDWOOD was sitting in
the Office of his hotel after dinner
|. when he was accosted by a man whom
he had noticed on several previous oc-
casions and had begun vaguely to sus-
pect of some secret design. The man
had eyed Iarwood from across the
room two or three times with a studi-
ausiy yeilel attention and once had
seemed TO, be discussing him with an
acquaintance.
Good evening" said the stranger.
and HARDWOOD responded courteously
with the tone Of Difference appropriate
TO the difference Of their years, for the
other was beyond middle life.
my name is Graham" continued the
stranger
and mine is Wilson," responded
Harwood.
''The clerk" said Graham. holding
over his shoulder toward the desk.
tells me that you're looking around
for something to do"
That's true" answered HARDWOOD,
with engaging frankness. land don't
seem to have much luck finding any
thing"
Graham looked at Ism steadily and
approvingly for some seconds.
Il think I've got something that
would suit you" he said. "Of course
don't know you, and l wouldn't give
4 cents for all the references in the
world, but it's my theory that a man
carries his character written on his
face"
Eyes, sir; l think so myself" 50.
HARDWOOD, raising his mild and l.
cent eyes to the countenance of {
ham.
Immediately Graham began to Civ,
haZy account of his business, whicl
seemed to he concerned with house
property and the management of es.
tates. His main office was In Chica-
so, but be had recently opened a
branch in this city.
IF Tou'H come to see me tomorrow
about II O'Clock" said he. writing an
address upon blank card, well see
II we can make some kind of a deal"
Eyes, sir" responded HARDWOOD CRATE
fully. Il will be here without fail"
During the remainder of the evening
he pondered deeply upon this occur
renee. and at 8 the next morning he
called up his associate in the Capital
Cities speculation. To him by tele-
phone he gave a description of Ora
ham and of the man who had been
with him when they had seemed to be
discussing HARDWOOD.
Il don't know Graham" replied the
partner. but l know the other man.
He has been here twice and has tried
to get information about the Capital
Cities. l had him followed, aud he
proved to be booilkeeper for con-
Germ downtown-Llngard & Co., job
bers in glassware | can't learn that
anybody In that firm Is connected with
Creamer in any way. The bookkeep-
er's name is Slade What do you make
of itY'
1T looks to me a. if this fellow Slade
may have got some sort of a private
tip, and, failing to work you. he went
to Dreamer. who bought him up and
put him on to some job with Graham.
who Is probs bly, one Of Creamer's reg
ular men. In my opinion, this is the
deepest game we've struck yet"
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