The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-01-01

I eyes and held out one hand.
well, good night to you, old boy
sleep well-and be good till we
meet again!"
II fancy Sir Chas. Venner had
never been submitted to a more
intolerable piece of degradation.
To be commanded to shake hands
with ones blackmailer! His eyes
were simply murderous, but he|
obeyed. 1t was only a form of
course, for our fingers barely
touched, but his involuntary
shiver of repulsion was communi-
Gated to my frame even in that
swift contact.
Five minutes after he had gone
left my room and strolled to the
head of the stairs. AS l had ex-
pected, a gentleman was seated
upon the lounge that faced the,
door of the elevator. His face
was concealed behind a newspa-
per. But 1 had marked on incon-
gruous circumstance in his appar-
ell. He wore evening dress al d or
binary street boots of black
leather. I am afraid I was so vul-
gar as to permit myself the indul-
gence OF a wink. I passed him
and leisurely descended the first
flight of stairs. OF a sudden Il
! stopped, and turning about ran
upstairs again at the top of my
speed, taking three steps at a
time. My gentleman had al
ready begun to descend the
stairs. l passed him without a
glance, swearing in low but aud
ible key at my forgetfulness. In
another moment was back in my
room pressing the electric button.
"So!" thought I, "they have emu
ployed detective to shadow me.
Well, we shall see!" II
Presently knock sounded on
the door and the waiter entered
who had shown Sir Charles out. :
"Shut it," / said. He obeyed.
Look here" said I, my old
friend Sir Chas. Venner had just
bet me a hundred pounds that l
cannot succeed in getting out of
this hotel in some disguise with
out his suspecting me, during the
next half hour. Now he is waiting
in the vestibule, is he not?"
The waiter grinned. mo, sir,
just inside the coffee room door.
I was wondering what he wanted.
He gave me half a crown, SIR"
Half crown!" I sneered. |
Look here, Martin-"I select
ed two brand new G5 notes.
when was young man, before
I made fortune out of mining, I
was on the stage. With your help,
my man, I'll do Sir Charles up, do
him brown-and these notes will
be yours for helping met
Martins eyes almost burst out
of their sockets. Cali right, sir!"
he cried excitedly. what do you
want me to do?"
Exchange clothes with me for
10 minutes. All I'll have to do to
win my bet is to slip out of the
house and return. Hurry up"
But he had already begun to
slip off his coat. The bank notes
were tightly clutched between his
teeth, so he could not reply. II
induced him to remove even his
boots and in five minutes I was to
all appearances a hotel waiter.
I then strobe down the corridor
and turned the corner with the
brisk step and manner of a waiter
going on an urgent message. My
gentleman spy was again seated
on the lounge that faced the ele-
vator and once more intrenched
behind newspaper.
He threw at me one quick
glance over the edge of the jour-
nal and his face vanished. Run
ming down the stairs l reached
the vestibule, which to my delight
was thronged with guests. A mo-
ment later, having given the cof-l
fee room a wide berth, / passed
through the open hall door and
gained the street. A gentlemanl
was standing on the footpath pay
ing off a cab from which he had
just alighted. 1 sprang into the
vehicle and drove to Piccadilly II
circus. A second took me to Mar
BILE arch and third to Bruton st.
Feeling assured that I had not
been followed 1 slipped upstairsl
and into my room.
An hour later Brown, Sirlf
VIM. Dagmar's discreet valet,
stepped out of an omnibus before
the general postoffice, letter in
hand, addressed to Sir Chas. Ven
ner. The letter, in printed char
acters, contained these words:
Tomorrow afternoon, at 4:30,
inquire at Bolingbroke hotel, Pic
cadily, for DR.. Rudolf Garschagen.
Bank of England notes alone ac-
ceptable. Dagmar H." ii
slept that night at Burton st.