The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-10-30
"'Be seated Templeton said,l

icareleSSly.
"T beg pardon, but prefer to
remain standing said l, not caring
to 60 too far And l stood with my
back to the wall, for fear our steps
and conversation might have awak.
ened the servants.
HE looked sleepily about his
desk and the room. Naturally l had
the very cores of my eyes centered
on him. am sure l saw no fea.
ture of his face change as he walk
ed lankly over to the far corner OF
the room, and quick as a flash
turned a revolving bookcase into
the wall with a whirl. At the very
instant l heard grunt, and saw
two hands thrust up behind the
case.
"He had caught and jammed a
man directly to the corner.
"'Come out, now. quietly he
commanded, and keep your hands
where they are
"He pulled the case out and
Dave Mullen stepped out, like the
victim of a holdup.
"I believe you have had one
warming he said to Mullen, but
out of respect to present company,
shall let you go again. Show the
fellow to the door, Ohm
And a bullock-shouldered porter
took Mullen into the hall, and out.
Nothing more, sir?' asked the
porter from the door, eying me
hungrily.
Nothing said the novelist.
"sWill you have a bottle Of old
Chartreuse with me?' he asked.
cordially.
1T was then that sat down.
1--WE talked sleepily, and as the
wine went. fear, for myself, lit
tie indifferently, until he showed
me courteously to the door"
you don't mean to tell me that
is all, Ashton?" l cried. In honest
disappointment. when he had fin.
ished.
That's ALL" said he.
looked at him closely.
And now, what do you Think"
asked.
"That you are the man he
wants." said he, convincingly.
Then l have one question: Why
does he bait every crook in town
to get me?"
For a long time Ashton was ST.
lent.
ITO throw you off your guard,
perhaps" he said, finally.
We talked in desultory manner.
until he said:
Its late. l must be going"
Good night" said l at the foot
of the rear stairs.
Good night, old man." he an
swered, gravely.
= For the first time in our acquaint-
ance | felt intuitively that he was
hceDlH6 SOIuCthth6 pdSh.
Ashton, during the next two or
three days, labored under a strange
which he did his best to
conceal. Even mention of the
Morningside mystery failed to elicit
much more than an Indifferent
smile. l dragged from him finally
that he was not feeling well-the
weather was vilely hot.
81 believe, old man. he said,
"Ill run down to Aspenwall for a
couple of days, and get a bracing
up"
He had been gone three days
when l received a letter In cipher
from Carl Burgheim.
1t seemed that Ralph Dunsmeir,
collector of rare instruments,
had, some years before, obtained
possession of most wonderful
viola, and the old man, who was
wofully short on violas, was desir-
Gus that | obtain this one for him.
His offer was quite as liberal as
the one far the Bergonzi violin,
over which Ashton and l had made
such idiots of ourselves.
had been to Dunsmeir place on
similar mission some Ave years
before. Ralph Dunsmeir was a
reckless collector, who had ridden
his hobby till he had come to the
flag ends of a one time generous
fortune.
Ralph Dunsmeir himself ! had
never seen. He lived, when at
home, with a brother and niece,
but he was rarely ever at home,
and 1t was the irascible brother
who had so impressed me on my
first visit. / shall not soon forget
the circumstances of that first
meeting. | was half way across the
Dunsmeir grounds when the old
man, with snow white hair and
blazing black eyes, confronted me.
"Well?" he snorted. interroga-
lively.
II am looking for Mr.. Dunsmeir,"
l said.
(Which one?" he growled. 1.-THE