The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1907-10-04
CHAPTER XVI.

trio. I'VE are fools to Oil
cuss such things here 1t !
your fault, Grenier. Why did you dro
this bombshell on me so unexpected
iy? You COMPOUNDED actors are Away
looking out for a curtain. You shoul,
not try the experiment on your chum
In crowded bar"
"Now, my dear Langdon, do be rea
sonable. How could l tell that tn
mere name Of Philip Arson would ere
ate scene? You look as sick as
man who has just been sentenced t
be hanged, and my old pal Hunte
seems to have suddenly gone mad"
Indeed, his words were justified
Mr. James Crichton Langdon wa!
corpselike In pallor, and Mason, alias
Hunter, though his tongue was stilled
bore every indication of a man en-
ragged almost beyond control.
"Come away, then" said Langdon
with a horrible attempt to smile in
differently.
mo, no. There are too many eyes
here that we should leave with the all
Of a set of stage murderers. Sit down
Let us have a nip of brandy. Tall
about racing, women, anything, for a
little while and then go out quietly"
Grenier was right. A detective had
already nudged an acquaintance and
whispered:
1.-THE pigeon seems to be upset. And
one of the hawks is in a rare temper
too. I'll keep an eye on that collec.
ton"
He watched them through a mirror
He saw Grenier exert hiIbeelf to put
his companions in better humor
When they went out, he followed and
ascertained from the commissionnaire
ut the door that they had gone toward
Shaftesbury avenue.
by walking rapidly he sighted them
again and saw them turn into a door
way.
"Grenier's chambers" he said.
"What a splendid nerve that fellow
has. Reports himself scoolly at Scot
land Yard every month and lives in
style not half a mile away. How does
he manage it? l must make some in
curry ABOUT the OtnerS.
Certainly the methods of the superior
scoundrels of London are peculiar.
Grenier knew that he was a marked
man In the eyes of the police. He
knew that the particular saloon bar
he affected was the rendezvous not
only of others like himself, but Of the
smartest detective officers Of the met
ropolitan force. Yet this was his IA
vorite hunting ground. Where the car
cass is there are the jackals. He would
never dream of honest endeavor in 4
new land to begin life anew. The feast
was spread before his eyes, and he
could not resist it.
But Grenier was careful rogue.
After boyhood Of good training and
education, he drifted into bad set
at the beginning Of his adult career.
Once, indeed, he endeavored to put his
great natural abilities to some reason.
able use by going on the stage. The in
dustrious hardship of the early years
Of an actors striving were not to his
liking, however. No sooner had he at
tanned a position of trust as manager
Of touring company than he tamper-
ed with moneys intrusted to his care.
He was not actually found out, but
suspected and dismissed. Then the reg
ular gradations of crime came natural
ly to him. Gambling, card sharping.
company frauds, even successful for
gerry, succeeded each other In their rec
Ognized sequence, until at last came
detection and heavy sentence, for the
authorities had long waited for him to
drop into the net.
Now that he was free, he did not in
tend to revisit any Of his majesty's
convict settlements n he could help it.
His wits were sharpened, his cool in
tellect developed by prison life and as
sociations. He personally would keep
clear of the law and make others sup
port him.
He would depend on two classes Of
contributors-fools, like Langdon, and
slow witted criminals, like Mason. Be
Ing really clever man, It would be
strange II his own middle path were
not kept clear of letters.
In the mystery surrounding Philip
Anson's influence over these two he
scented interesting developments. Be
ginning with young rake's attempt to
ensnare beautiful girl, he suddenly
discovered a situation pregnant with
the potentially Of gain to himself. 1t
did not matter to him who paid him.
whether Arson or Langdon. He would
betray one or the other or both i'm
partially.
Mason he liked. The mans rugged
strength of character, his sledge ham,
mer vilhiny, his logged acceptance of
the leadership of more skilled rascal.
appealed to him. Mason was tool.
and hard hitting one. He would use
him, safeguard him If he could, but
use him anyhow.
In the seclusion of Grenier's small
fiat Langdon poured out his spleen.
Arson was the bane of his life. His
stepfather was Anson's uncle, and the
old idiot recently found out certain
facts concerning the life led by his
stepson that caused a family rupture.
His mother endeavored to patch mat
tiers with III success, and the baronet
was intent on finding his sisters son
and atoning to him for years Of neg.