The Jasper news., 1907-03-21

lhOuoduQ WOTtu vi 6cluS Ou
your person tonight
shrugged The accusation was SO
impossible that my confidence re-
turned.
"Mr. Haggerty, you are making a
stupid mistake You are losing time,
besides. am not the man for whom
you are hunting. My name is Richard
Comstalk"
"One name or another, it does not
matter
Plenty of gall" murmured one of
the minions Of the law, whom after
ward learned was the chief of the vii
lage police.
"The card by which you gained
admittance here" demanded the great
Haggerty truculently.
surrendered it. A crowd had by
this time collected curiously about u.s.
could see the musicians on the stage
peering over the plants.
'''rhe thief you are looking for has
gone" said l. "He escaped by the
coal window" BY this statement my
feet sank deeper still. ~
What did tell your" cried Hag-
gerty, turning to his men. "They had
an accomplice hidden in the cellars"
Il beg to inform you that you are
making mistake that win presently
cost you dear."-thinking of the polit-
ical pull my uncle had in New York.
Il am the nephew of Daniel Wither.
spoon"
, Worse and worse! said the chief
of police.
I'VE shall discuss the mistake later
and at length. OF course you can easily
explain how you came to impose upon
these people, ironically. Bah! the
game is up. When you dropped that
card in Friard's and said you were go
ing to masquerade, knew your
game in minute, and laid eyes upon
you for the first time since I began
the chase. I've been after you for
weeks. Your society dodge has worked
out, and I'll land you behind the bars
= for some time to come, my gay boy.
Come, roughly.
Il request Mr.. Hamilton to be called.
He will prove to you that you are
greatly mistaken Everything looked
pretty black, / can tell you.
You will see whom you please, but
only after you are safely landed in the
lookup. Now, Madame" - turning
swiftly upon the Blue Domino, what
is your part in this fine business?"
ut certainly has no part in yours"
--icily.
Haggerty smiled. "My skin is very
thick. Do you know this fellow?"
She shook her head. He stood un.
decided for space.
Let me see your card"
II decline to produce ,"-haughtily.
Haggerty seemed staggered for a
moment. Il am sorry to annoy you,
but you must be identified at once"
And why?"-proudly. WAS 1t for
hidden to go into the club cellars for
such harmless things as apples?"
Apples! / looked at her admiringly.
"Apples?" repeated Haggerty.
Couldn't you have sent a servant for
them?"
She did not reply.
You We're with this clever gentle
man in the cellars. You may or may
not be acquainted with him. l do not
wish to do anything hasty in regard to
yourself. but your position is rather
equiyocal. Produce your card aud be
identifled-if you really can"
81 refuse!'
Then shall ask you to accompany
us to the room up stairs till the police
patrol arrives"
II will go,"--quietly.
"Nonsense!" l objected. "On my
word of honor, / do not know this
lady. Our presence in the cellar was
perfectly harmless. There is no valid
reason for OBTAINING her. 1t is an out.
rage!"
u am not going to stand here argu.
ing with you" said Hagerty. Let
the lady produce her card; let her dis
close her identity. That is simple
enough"
Il have already given you my deter
mination on that subject" replied the
girl II can very we'll explain my pres.
ence here, but / absolutely decline to
explain 1t to the police"
didn't understand her at all. She
: had said that she possessed an alibi.
Why didn't she produce It?
So the two Of us left the gorgeous
ballroom. Every one moved aside for
us, and quickly, too. as II we had had
the plague. looked In vain for Ham.
ilton. He was a friend in need. We
were taken into the stewards ofiice