The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1906-10-13
lla lIZzNIN EK


This Victor Deneau." said Valdez
mere. lis at last. am afraid. on the
right track-Ah. you do not under:
stand-well, you will in time. Our
order Is composed OF men upon
whose heads there are such prices set
as 10 tempt the genius of this man to
follow US to the uttermost ends Of the
earth: in fact. that man has followed
me round the world; he has fought
me in the dark, and l must confess
mat his tactics have somewhat con-
fused me-"
But you know his resources" I
said; "he can have no conception Of
yours"
All. that is where you err, my
friend-he is the only man alive who
Is acquainted with our methods. and
even his plans have thus far been en-
urely barren OF results-yet he is on
the right track. Heretofore his plans
have been open and plain to me. for he
has always confined himself to my in
diyidual movements, though l have
often suspected that he has many ac-
completes at work in other directions
this man is like devil-fsh and has
many tentacles. l have never before
seen him near this place, and his pres
ence here portends evil"
And yet, you are able through the
wonderful medium of Sista to trace
his every movement l can't conceive
how any living being can cope with
such phenomenal resources as you
have at hand. The power that human
ingenuity and cunning can reach--a
phenomenal degree of development
but they are as nothing when array
ed against the great hidden force
which you control and to which they
seem as nothing"
And yet we are traced to our very
last retreat, and Notwithstanding this
great power, this hidden mystic force,
you speak of. we are still in a meas
ure at the mercy of this mans tire
less pursuit"
How can that be?" I cried. when,
though unseen. you can follow his
every step; when through this won
derful medium you can trace step by
step, and keep his distance ever meas
pilgrimage? | can't see any hope for
his plans, however cunning they may
be, for his methods are human, die
tated by the mere deductions of an OBJ
servant mind, of a critical and ana
lytical brain. but his resources are ex-
hausted at the very point where yours
begin. He is following an ignis ia
tuus; he comes only in sight of the
quarry, never in reach of it. You
have pillaged mystery of all its
mighty secrets"
"Ah! Castleman, you reason with a
clearness that is commendable, but
let us assume that Deneau is not
alone; that is hardly credible-then
what? | tell you he is devil-fish.
Cut off baleful tentacle which
threatens you on one side, and then
another reaches for you on the other,
and while you battle with the second,
the first renews it's existence"
l reflected a few moments on his
strange words, then l said:
But let us allow him thorough
knowledge of the Order, its object, its
personnel g, its secret sessions, its
methods, its resources, it's facilities,
and even its place OF rendezvous,
would he then be able to utilize his
discovery; would he be able to make
his work practical, legal and effec-
tive?"
That depends" said valdermere,
thoushtfully; 'if he discovers our rem
devious; if he acquaints himself with
our numbers, our means of defense,
and the risks that would be incurred,
then he will provide means of max
ing such measures effective; he will
supply all the necessary force, strata
gem, and cunning that the human
mind can conceive; he will omit moth
ing to insure an effective and final
movements. But does he know our
numbers; does he suspect our re-
sources; does he properly estimate
the magnitude of his undertaking;
does he follow me as a means OF cap
turing the entire Order; does he cal
culate the possibility OF making his
capture effective, and of obtaining
the almost fabulous rewards that he
wcald receive? One false step; one
premature move; one error, and the
labor OF ten years. in which the effort
of his life has been expended. and all
is over-but Deneau is wise; he
knows how to wait; he appreciates
position; he knows the laws of every
land; he weighs the results in all pos
sible phases-hence he patiently fol-
lows me around the world, and once
he almost had his hand upon me.
Just as l was preparing to cross the
Amur river into Siberia, a man, a ma
tive presumably. contracted to guide
me to a certain point. We crossed,
and as my foot touched the land,
turned uddenly-inspired by an inner
prophecy-and his eyes were fixed
upon me. He sprang from the boat,
and placed his hand upon my arm.