The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1906-03-06

} ana, Dy your leaVe, Neu, L Will ting
and have him up"
Il accept your theory" l answered.
"Let us have him up, certainly"
Sheppard rose and when the man
/ returned ushered him with some cera-
mony to the table. "a chair for Mr..
Hood" he said where will you sit,
/ Mr.. Hobby the captain? That's
right. Please make yourself comforta-
BILE. We have just enjoyed an excellent
1 dinner very well served, Mr.. Hood. but
! ] fear you are too late. Montgomery,
/ glass of wine for Mr. Hood. Bust
/ ness is business, and / never conduct
piece without the usual sherry"
If this elaborate irony disturbed Ser
combe, as it seemed to do it had no
effect upon Hood.
''Thank you, sir. I will stand, sir
No wine, thank you. sir" Such was
his brief reception of the courtesies.
He assumed a place at the back Of
iae captain, commanding q view &c the
laDle. Sercombe spread his hands up
/ CT the table.
Gentlemen, let US show our cards.
! he said.
There was a momentary silence, ana
! then l was. conscious of a slight bus
tie of excitement that stirred the room
into sound. Sheppard looked nj ME.
and Montgomerys gaze was rivetea
upon the captain. Sheppard coughed
gently and slipped his wine.
THAT is d very proper demand. Cap
| tain Serc0mbe." | said, seeing that il
Is what we are here for. but | hardly
yet see my way clear to table all my
tricks. Let us understand one another
better
The captain did not color, as he
| might well have colored under this inn
plicit distrust. AS | have said. he was
singular in the partial hold he kept
upon his gentility. Instead he laughed,
but somewhat awkwarlly
Il see." he answered and looked
down at his hands, appearing to con-
slider. He lifted big and somewhat
| clumsy hand and scratched his swoll-
| en- check, smoothing a long wisp Of red
hair across his naked crown. Il can
| not pretend TO misunderstood you he
| declared at last and shot glance
aside at Hood. who had fallen slightly
away from the table ana stood i'll
tcntly watching the scene But /
think it is somewhat unnecessary, Mr..
GreatoreX." he said again very awk-
waTdly. and lie laughed shortly. and
again his eyes few to Hood, directing
at~him, as it seemed to me i'll that
light, glance of warning, of appeal.
even of fear.
No doubt" said I in return, but
you must remember that l have al
ready had experience of your posi-
bilitieS. But come; we shall get no
| further unless we can strike a compro-
mise. If you will produce your frag
ment of the document
You assume that have it, he broke
in. with his diScordant- laugh. You
are taking a good deal for granted
II assume nothing" said l. do not
let us handy words
Sercombe lifted the decanter which
stood at his elbow and filled his glass
with hand that shook He drained
it at a draft and turned to Hood The
| innkeeper glded to his chair, and
something passed from hand to hand.
Sercombe put the torn fragment upon
the table before him. He looked at
me, as if inviting me to similar DEM
onstration. We were to proceed by
moves, then
Il have no evidence that this is the
document" l objected.
Nor l, in your case he retorted
Very we'll" l assented. I'VE will
take it point by point. but 1 fear we
shall find it tedious job
l drew the paper from my pocket and
laid it before me. AT the other end of
the table | could see Sercombe's green
| eyes bullying in his head as they fasten-
ed upon the white thing under my
hand. His mouth dropped, and por-
! ton of the glow receded from his face.
Montgomery stared A tense feeling
stitfened the attention of ALL I felt my
heart throb in the silence, and then
suddenly there was sharp exclama-
ton from Sheppard, and the next mo-
ment | was conscious of q clatter and
two figures struggling beside me. The
affair lasted but few seconds, and
then Hood was hurled deity back
against the window, and Sheppard
| flung upon the floor with crash a long
Spanish dagger
| A hush fell on the room. Sercombe
turned pale, andf his eyes shifted uI-
easily Had it been murder that was
intended? If so, | could have sworn
| that Sercombe was no party to it.
1T appears that we can't do quite
| without the law" said Sheppard. plac-
| ing his heel upon the weapon Hood,