The Washington herald., 1908-03-23

forts.
The past history Of Jean Adam. alias
John Adams. had been one of amazing
ups and downs and clever chicanery. He
knew that Samuel Statham held him in
awe. and was now playing upon his
fears and glOating over the success which
must inevitably be his whenever ne
Thought fit TO deal the blow. It would be
Irresistible and crushing. He held the
millionaire in his power. But before he
moved forward TO strike he intended that
Max should be induced 10 go abroad.
And II he went-Well. when he thought OF
his victims departure his small near-set
eyes cleaned. and about the corners Of
his mouth there played an expression OF
evil
MY decision does not require any re-
consideration, said the young fellow
after pause. Il shall remain in Lon
don.r
And lose the chance of lifetime, eh?''
exclaimed Adam. as though perfectly un-
concerned.
Il have some very important private
matters 10 attend to-"
Il. too. used to have when I was your
age"
'They do not concern the lady" Max
said. quickly. 1T is purely a personal
matter"
''of business? why. you'd make as
much in an hour over this railway busi-
ness as you'd make in twenty years here
in London" Adam declared. Besides.
you want change. Come out TO the
Bosphorus. It's charming beside the
Sweet Waters"
"All sounds very delightful: but even
though I may let the chance OF a fortune
slip through my fingers, 1 cannot leave
London at present"
But why?'
~ purely private matter" was his re-
ply. for he did not wish TO tell this man
anything concerning the strange disap-
pearance CT the doctor and his grave sus-
picions Of Charlie Rolfe. Il can tell you
nothing more than that"
'Well, I'm sure the lady. If she lx;ew
that II was in your interests 10 90 to
Turkey would urge you to go" declared
Adam. she would never keep you here
If She knew that you could pull of such
deal as have put before you"
"She does know
"Oh. And what does she say?"
'She suggested that 1 should go with
you"
Then why not conner
Because, as I've already told you. il is
impossible. I am kept in London by
something which concerns the welfare OF
a very dear friend" Max answered. You
must put il before somebody else I sup
pose the affair cannot wait?"
II don't want to put it before anybody
else II we do business. 1 want you and
l to share the profits"
Very good of you, I'm sure: but at
present l am quite unable TO leave Lon
DON
Max was wondering for the first time
why this man was so pressing II the
thing was a really good One-as II un-
dOubtedly was, according TO the friend
he had consulted in the city-then there
could not be any lack Of persons ready to
go into the venture. Was IL sheer luck
that had led this man Adam 10 offer to
take him into It. or had the man some
Interior motive? Max Barclay was no
fool. He had sown his wild oats in Lon
don. and knew the ways Of men. He had
met many a city shark and had been the
poorer in pocket through the meeting.
But about this man Adam was something
which had always fascinated him The
/ pair had been drawn together by some
/ indescribable but mutual attraction. and
the concession by the Sultan, which must
result in great profits. was now within
/ his reach. Nevertheless. he felt that in
/ the present circumstances it was impos-
sible to leave London. Before doing so
/ he was desirOus of solving the problem
of the disappearance OF Or. Petrovitch
and clearing up the question Of whether
or not there had been foul play.
Roife's denial Of the previous day had
complicated matters even further He
was convinced, now that he had reflected
calmly, that his friend was concealing
| something from him-some fact which
had an important bearing upon the as
founding affair.
Was Charlie playing a straight game?
After long consideration he had come
again to the conclusion that ne was not
In his ear was the voice Of the tempter.
Jean Adam. Fortune awaited him in
that sunlit city of white domes and min
arets beside the Bosphorus-the city OF
veiled women and OF mystery had al
ways hoped TO visit. Would he not spare
| fourteen days, travel there. and obtain it ?
It was a great temptation. The conces-
sion for that railway would. indeed have
been a temptation to any man. Did not
the late Baron Hirsch lay the foundation
Of his huge fortune by a similar trade OF
his majesty the Sultan7
The man seated in the deep armchair
with the cigarette between his lips looked
at his victim through his half-closed
eyes. as snake watches the bird he fas-
cInates
Jean Adam was an excellent Judge of
human nature He had placed there a
bait which could not fail 70 attract: II
not to-day. then to-morrow--or the next
day He had gauged Max Barclay with
precision only given to those who live
upon their wits.
To every rule there are. Of course. ex-
ceptions- Every man who lives upon his
wits is not altogether bad Curious
though il may be. there are many ad-
venturers 70 be met with in every capital
in Europe who. though utterly unscsupu-
lous. have in their nature one point of the
most scrupulous hOnor-one point which
redeems them from being classed as utter
blackguards.
Many man who will stick at nothing
where money can be made is loyal hon
est, and upright toward a woman: while
another will with one hand swindie the
wealthy and with the other give charity
TO the poor Few men. indeed. are alto
gether bad. Yet when they are, they are
alasl outsiders indeed.
Adam was a man who had no compupc-
ton where men were concerned. and very
little when a woman stood in his wav
His own adventures would have made
one of the most interesting volumes ever
written. Full Of ingenuity and tact. fear
less when IL came 10 racing exposure. and
light-hearted whenever the world smiled
upon him. he was marvellous admixture
I of good fellow and scOundrel.
He knew that his clever story had fas-
cinated the man before him, ana that II
was only question OF time before he
would fall into the net so cleverly spread
when do you anticipate you could go
East-that is, providing I can get the
matter postponed?' asked Adam at last.
as he placed his cigarette end in the ash
tray.