The Washington times., 1908-12-28
CHAPTER XXXV.

DO THEs DEAD TELL lALE4O.
wF Helene found Il mystery in her
maid servant to battle and elude
her. not less perplexed and at sea
were some other people over a GER
tain matter which cropped UP about
this time.
Cant Montague Northcote. leisuTeiy
and debonair as usual, strolled into Starr
Spencer's ONCE one morning, and quite
forgot TO in5ulge in the customary burst
Of expIetives which he claimed 10 use
as ''nlouth wash" to clear his throat
OF that bis,ak-blanked British drawl-'
He also IN his surprise retained his
'-gosh-dinged Lawrance D'Orsay pose'
and actuaIIy-greatest wonder Of all
stared at the other through his despised
and frequently berated monocle-
''Iauo, old chappie; my word. but
you look a hit seedy this mCrnin'," he
started to say, when he recOllecJed him
self and broke of into the vernacular.
BLANK my eyes, Spencer. 1 expected
to see you grinning all over your t2ce
this morning the way things are going;
but you sit there slum as a blank
blanket deaths head on monument
Nothing wrong with the business. is
.here?" This last in an accent Of sharp
alarm
The hnancier looked up Dnpatiently
and shook his head.
You're not sick, then, are your
Again that slightly annoyed negative
and again lapsing into meditation.
Captain NorthcOte tried a third shot
''F1ossy?-' he inquired.
"Oh, no. carelessly, that is moving
along all right. She writes me there
has been some little delay in the courts.
but it has all been cleared away now.
and she expects her decree in the course
of a few weeks
Then, why in Sam HID are you sit
ting there glowerirg at that desk. and
looking Ike a cross between Sherlock
Holmes and the Gravedigger in Ham
let?' Apparently. nothing has happened
to vex you, and
"Or. by GeorgeI'' he interrupted him
self TO explain. 'It isn't-it isn't one OF
the old scandals coming to light?"
Starr Spencer turned a moody gaze
toward him
Perhaps" he answered laconically,
That's just #! I can't tell"
Bailey psled perceptibly, and leaned
forward over the desk with both hands
on its fat top.
Not Santa Teresa, Peter he gasped.
Don't tell me. It's Santa Teresa?'
Yes" the other nodded graveIy- TITS
Santa Teresa-if it's anything"
Here" he picked up the morning
paper. and pointed to a small advertise
ment on the financial page-"you're re
prett. shrewd sometimes. What Go
you make OF that?"
Bailey took the sheet and read aloud.
Ia e. g,F
tonishment as he proceeded:
Persons holding stock in the Santa
Teresa Mining Co. of Durango, Mexico.
are hereby notified that they will re-
ceive par for same on presentation of
certificates at the office Of the Invinc-
ible Loan and Trust Co"
For a moment after he finished Bailey
was speechless, then he burst 1nto an
explosion Of bewidered profanity.
'TWell - what - do you - think -
OF - tNat7" he demanded
''The cry same question I asked Of
you,' -urned Starr Spencer ''The
man who makes that offer, unless he Is
a lunatic. has some purpose in view;
and what It is?'
'Perha ps the thing is a fake"
mo: I called up the Invincible Trust,
and they assured me II Is a bona fide
eTer, and the money is there to back It
up, altho Ign they decline to give the
name os the client for whom they are
acting"
But. Great Scott, Pete,'' scowIed
Bailey. what does any man. unless, as
you say, he's lunatic, want with Santa
Teresa stock, and want it enough to
pay par? In its palmiest days 1t never
went over 20"
Exactly assented the other. LAS /
told you, I'm staggered. II there was
any land there, or a prospect. or even
a concession such as we have in this
Brazilian scheme, I could understand
it. Some dreamer might think there
was a fortune TO be found. But in this
case there is absolutely nothing. and a
dollar a share is a pretty high price
for
wall paper" finished Mr.. Bailey,
with a graphic gesture
Fer a space they gazed at each other
in silence, completely nonplussed at
the development
Then Bailey's fertile brain suggested
another explanation.
do you suppose" he queried, ''that