The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1909-01-15


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70 give ay partners, nnynow.~
He was pcerlng at MERGERS face be.
hind his glasses. but the pallld. tired
features returned him no clew to the
thoughts IN the head above them
what have yon done with Mr.. Keatch,
am3" he eaneludei spdqchlN
The question bfousht no change of
expression. and Merccr answered read.
ty "I put bin oh BY hlpteH. where
he sees no Gno and hears nothing.
| read coed dead about prisons and
the most eifectual way of tanning men.
and solitary confinement is recon.
nendod hy all the authorities. His
meals are handed 70 him by--by q me.
chanlcal device He has electric light
some Of the time. turned on from The
outside. He has comfortable room
and his own showcrbath lie has
comfortable meals And he is supplied
with reading"
Reading repeated the colonel hia
surprise In his voice
For the first time he saw Mercer
smile. but Il was hardly pleasant
smile Yes sub. reading" he said.
II haye had typewriter copies made
OF all tie eases which / discovered In
regard to his atealing our company. /
reasoned that when he would get alb
solutely tired Of himself and his own
thoughts he would just naturally be
oblighed to read, and that would be-
ready for him. He tore up one copy"
Hmm can't say wonder What
did you dor
y sent him another | expected he
would do that way. After while he
viii 20 back TO Il, because II will draw
him He'll hate It, but he will want
to know them all. ! know his nature,
you see"
What are you going to do with
hint"
Let him 20, after he does what we
want and promises never 10 molest
any Of us"
but can you trust hlm3"
He never breaks his word" replied
Mercer, lndifferently, "and besides. he
knows he will be killed II he should.
He isn't given 10 being scared. but
he's scared OF me. all right"
what do you want him TO dof"
Promise TO be a decenter man and
to let Mr. Tracy alone in future; mean
while. to send a wire in his secret code
saying he has changed his mind II
will not surprise his crowd lie never
confldes III them, and he oxpects ;ham
to obey bllndly anything IN that code
language, reckon oihey telegrams
are just for show and they don't no.
tice them much"
The colonel took a turn around the
room to pack away this information
IN an orderly fashion In his mind. Mer-
Ger waited patiently; he had said
truly that he was used 10 waiting, Per-
haps be supposed that Winter was try
Ing the case In his own mind. but IN
reality Rupert was seeking only one
clew. as little diverted from his pur-
pose as 4 bloodhound lie began TO
understand the man whose fixed pur.
pose had his own quality, but sharp
ened by wrong and suffering. This
man had not harmed Archie as much
as bis warped and fevered soul could
feel softer emotions, he was kindly
intentioued toward the lad Who had
carried him away, ihen7 Or was he
Of on his own account really, this
time? Or suppose Atkins, the missing
secretary discharged at Denver, com,
ing back fer another appeal 10 hIs em-
ployer finding Keatcham gone, but. lot
one say, stumbling on sume truce Of
mystery In his departure; suppose
him tofeunslder the chance OF his hag-
ing hts past canduned and o rosy III.
ture given him if his auspicl0ns should
prove true and he should release tho
captive wouldn't such d prospect spur
on a man vho was as cunning as he
was unpflncipled7 Mightn't he have
watched all possible clews, aud might.
Mt he have heard about Archie ana
plotted TO capture the child thinking
he would be easily pumpedg THAT
would presuppose that Atkins knew
that Archie was AZ the Arnolds' orr
no. he might only have seen the boy
on the street: be knew him by sight.
the colonel remembered that several
times archie had been with him in
Keatcham'a ear II was worth con
aidering. anyhow He spoke out Of
his thoughts DO you think Keateh-
am could have told the truth. and that
code Of his be lost or stolen7 Why
couldn't Atkins have stolen ~ lie
had the chance, and no isn't hampefed
hy principle. you say
Mercer frpwned. \ was plain the
possibility had IT'S argument for him.
'fIe might. he conceded, hut doubt
81, Why hasn't he done something
with itg He hasn't. They wouldn't
have postponed that meeting II he had
wired his proxy and his directions IN
the code, He'd have voted his en-
ployers stock, He's got too much at
stake ihappen to know he thought Il
q sure tip to sell short, and he has put
almost an he has on II You see.
Keatcham was banking on that; he
knew Il He thought Atkins wouldn't
dare give any Of his secrets away or