davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-02
81 u
THE BLACK BAG.
BY LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE.
lCopyright-By Bobbs, Merrill Co.


Your very bearing breathes of Ro-
nance. There must be an adventure
forthcoming, Philip; otherwise my
disappointment will be so acute that
shall be regretfully obliged seriously
to consider my right as a householder,
to show you the door,
But Mr.. Brentwick-!"
"Sit down, sir" commanded Brent
wick with such peremptory note that
the young man, who had risen, obeyed
out of sheer surprise. Upon which
his host advanced, indicting him with
a long white forefinger. "Would you,
sir" he demanded, "again expose this
little lady to the Vaccinations of that
corpulent scoundrel whom 1 have
just had the PLEASURE of shooting off my
premises. because you choose to re-
sent an old mans raillery?"
81 apologize Kirkwood humored
him.
81 accept the apology in the spirit in
which it is offered. y I repeat. now
for the adventure Philip If the
story's long, epitomize. We can con-
slider details more at our leisure"
Kirkwood's eyes consulted the girls
face; almost imperceptibly she nod
ded him permission to proceed.
Briefly, then" he began haltingly.
"the man who followed us to the door
here, Is Miss Calendars father"
ooh? His name, please?'
George Burgoyne Calendar"
"Ah! An American: l remember,
now. Continue, please"
&c horp6iro cir with tho
intention Of stealing some property,
which he caused to be stolen, which
veto put it bluntly-stole from him,
to which he has no shadow of a title,
and which, finally, we're endeavoring
to return to it's owners"
my dear!" interpolated Brentwick
gently, looking down at the girls
flushed face and dropping head
"He ran us to the last ditch" Kirk
wood continued; I've spent my last
farthing trying to lose him.
But why have you not caused his
arrest?" Brentwicl1 inquired.
Kirkwood nodded meaningly toward
the girl. Brentwick made sound in
dicating comprehension, click of the
tongue behind closed teeth.
1--WE came to your door by the
merest accident it might as well
been another. I understood you were
in Munich, and 1t never entered my
head that we'd find you home"
"a communication from my solici
tors detained me-" explained Brent
wick. And now, what do you intend
to do?"
"Trespass as far on your kindness
as you'll permit. In the first place,
i want the use Of few pounds with
which to cable some friends in New
York, for money; on receipt Of which
can repay you
Philip" observed Brentwick, "yor
are a most irritating child. But for
give you the faults of youth. Yor
may proceed, bearing in MIND, if yor
please, that I am your friend equally
with any you may own in America"
You're one of the best men in the
world" said Kirkwood.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-02
CHAPTER XXvI1I-Continued.l

{CHAPTER XXV1II-Continued)
RrentWicl removed his glasses, run
he'd them and blinl1ed thoughtfully at
the girl. "My DEAR" he said sudden
ly with a peculiar tremor in MS
voice "you resemble your mother re-
markably. Tut should know! Time
was when was one of her most ar
dent admirers"
"You-y-you knew my mother!
cried Dorothy, profoundly moved.
did l not know you at sight! MY
dear. you are your mother relncarnate'
for the good of an unworthy word.
She was a very beautiful woman, my
DEAR
Wotton entered with silver serv-
ing tray, offering it in turn to Dorothy,
Kirkwood and his employer. While ne
was present the three held silent
the girl trembling slightly, but with
her face aglow; Kirkwood half stupe-
fed between his ease from care ana
his growing establishment, as Brent
wick continued to reveal unexpected
phases Of his personality; Brentwlck
himself outwardly imperturbable and
complacent, for all that his hand
shook as he lifted his wine glass
you may go, Wotton-or. wait.
Don't Won feel the need of breath of
fresh air, Wotton?"
"Yessir, thank you, sir"
''Then change your coat, Wotton,
light your pipe, and stroll out for half
an hour. You need not leave the
street. but if either the tall thin black
guard with the seafaring habit, or the
short stout rascal with the air of
mystery should accost you, treat them
with all courtesy, Wotton. You will
be careful not to tell either of them
anything in particular, although
don't mind your telling them that Mr..
Brentwick lives here, If they ask.
am mostly concerned to discover If
they purpose becoming fixtures on the
street corners, Wotton."
"9uite SO, sir"
''No you may 60 y d Wotton,' con
tinued his employer as the butler took
himself off as softly as cat, grows
daily more valuable mechanism. He
Is by no means human in any respect,
but I find him extremely handy to
have round the house. y And now,
my dear" turning to Dorothy, with
your permission | desire TO drink TO
the memory Of your beautiful mother
and to the happiness of her beautiful
daughter"
But you will tell me"
"a number of interesting things
Miss Calendar, If you'll be good
enough to let me choose the time.
beg you to be patient with the 1diosyn
crasies of an old man, who means nc
harm, who has reputation as ar
eccentric to sustain before his serv
ants. 8 And now" said Brentwick
setting aside his glass, now, my
dear boy, for the adventure
Kirkwood chuckled, infected by his
hosts genial humor. How do 70,
know"
How can it be otherwise counter
ed Brentwick with trace Of asperity
"Am to be denied my adventure
Sir, refuse without equivocation
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-02

effrontery with which he operated
against them His fear of the police
might be genuine enough, but he was
never for an instant disturbed by any
doubt lest his daughter should turn
against him. She would never dare
that.
Before they left the house, while
Dorothy was above stairs resumlng
her hat and coat, Kirkwood and Brent
wick reconnoitered from the drawing
room windows, themselves screened
from observation by the absence OF
light in the room behind.
Before the door a motOr-car waited,
engines humming impatiently, me-
chanician ready in his seat, an uncouth
shape in goggles and leather garments
that shone like oilskins under the
street lights.
At one corner another and smaller
car stood in waiting, its lamps like
baleful eyes glaring through the night.
In the shadows across the way, a
lengthy shadow lurked: Stryker be-
yond reasonable question. Otherwise
the street was deserted Not even that
adventurous bobby of the early eve
ming was now in evidence.
Dorothy presently joining them,
Brentwick led the way to the door.
Wotton, apparently nerveless be-
meath his absolute immobility, let
them out-and slammed the door be-
hind them with such promptitude as
to give cause for the suspicion that
he was a fraud, sham, beneath his
icy exterior desperately afraid lest the
house be stormed by the adventures.
Kirkwood to the right, Brentwick to
the left of Dorothy, the former carry,
ing the treasure bag, they fastened
down the walk and through the gate
to the car.
The watcher across the way was
moved to whistle shrilly; the other
car lunged forward nervously.
Brentwick taking the front seat, be.
side the mechanician, left the tonneau
to Kirkwood and Dorothy. AS the
American slammed the door, the cal
swept smoothly out into the middle OF
the way, while the pursuing cal
swerved in to the other curb. slowing
down to let Stryker jump aboard.
Kirkwood put himself in the seat by
the girls side and for few. moments
occupied with the arrangement OF the
robes Then, sitting back, he found
her eyes fixed upon him, pools Of in
scrutable night in the shadow of hel
hat;
"You aren't afraid, Dorothy?"
She answered quietly: 81 am witt
you, Philip"
Beneath the robe their hands met
$50
Exalted, excited, he turned and look
ed back. A hundred yards to the real
four unwinking eyes trailed them
like some modern Nemesis in mon
strous guise.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-02

watch at the corner, Captain Stryker
had temporarily made himself scarce.
However, we need feel no anxiety con-
corning his whereabouts, for he reap
peared in good time and motor-car
From which it becomes evident that
Won have not overrated their peril
nacity; the fiasco OF the cao-chase Is
not to be reacted
Resolutely the girl repressed
gasp of dismay. Kirkwood stared
moodily into his cup.
"These men bore me fearfully,' ne
commented at last.
"Aand So" continued Brentwick,
bethought me of counter-stroke. IL
Is nv good fortune to have friend
whose within it is to support touring
car, chiefly in innocuous idleness. Ac-
cordingly I have telephoned him and
Communicated the use of his ma
too Though
not a betting man, am willing to FISK
few pence in support of my conten-
ton, that of the two, Captain otry-
ker's car and ours, the latter Will prove
considerably the most speedy.
GIN short, suggest" he concluded
thoughtfully lacing his long white
fingers, that. avoiding the hazards OF
cab and railway carriage, we motor 10
Chiltern: the night being fine and the
road I am told, exceptionally good.
Miss Dorothy, what do you think!
Instinctly the girl looked to Kirk
wood; then shifted her glance to thelr
host. 81 think you are wonderfully
thoughtful and kind" she said simply.
"And you, Philip"
"It's an inspiration" the younger
man declared. 81 can't think OF any
thing better calculated to throw them
off than to distance them by motor
car. 1t would be always possible TO
trace our journey by rail-
"Then." announced Brentwick, max
| ing as If to rise, 1--WE had best go. II
| neither my hearing nor Captain Stry,
ker's car deceives me, our merry char,
lot is painting at the door.
A little sobered from the confident
spirit Of quiet gaiety in which they had
dined, they left the table. Not that, IN
their hearts either greatly questioned
their ultimate triumph but the?
were allowing for the element of error
so ant to set at naught human calcutta
tions Calendar himself had already
been proved fallible. Within the
bounds Of possibility, their turn &c
stumble might now be imminent.
When he let himself dwell upon 1t
their utter helplessness to give Calen
dar pause by commonplace methods
/ maddened Kirkwood. With another
scoundrel it had been SO simple mat
ter to put period to his activities b3
a word to the police. But he was hel
father; for that reason he must con
tinually be spared Even though
in desperate extremity, she shoult
give consent to the arrest of the ad
venturers, retaliation would follow
swift and sure. For they might no
overlook nor gloze the facts that hers
had been the hands responsible for the
theft of the jewels; innocent though
she had been in committing that lar
ceny, cat's-paw guided by an intelli
gence INSCRIPTIONS and malign, thu
law would not hold her guiltless were
she once brought within Its cognl
zance Nor possibly, you'd the Hal
lams, mother and son.
! Upon their knowledge and their fea
| of this, undoubtedly Calendar wa
i reckoning: witness the bareface'
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-02

j. 2. ~ u s GO ~
Resolutely he turned his face for
ward, striving with all his will and
might to forget the temptation of her
lips. weary as they were and petuiant
with waiting; and so sat rigid in his
time of trial, clinging with what
strength he could to the standards of
his honor, and trying to lose his
dream in dreaming of the bitter strug-
gle that seemed likely to be his future
portion.
Perhaps she guessed little Of the
fortunes of the battle that was being
waged within him. Perhaps not
Whatever the trend of her thoughts
she did not draw away from him
Perhaps the breath of night
fresh and clean and fragrant with the
odor of the fields and hedges, sweep.
ing into her face with velvety caress,
rendered her drowsy Presently the
silken lashes dropped, fluttering upon
her cheeks, the tired and happy smile
lowered about her lips. g -
In something less than half an hour
of this wild driving, Kirkwood reused
out OF his reverie sufficiently to be-
come sensible that the speed was
slackening. Incoherent snatches OF
sentences, fragments of words and
phrases spoken by Brentwick and the
mechanician, were flung back past his
ears by the rushing wind Shielding
his eyes he could see dimiy that the
mechanician was tinkering (apparent-
ly) with the driving gear Then, their
pace continuing steadily to abate. he
heard Brentwick fling at the man
sharp-toned and ENORMOUSLY impatient
question: What was the trouble? His
reply came in a single word, not dis
tinguishable.
The girl sat up, opening her eyes,
disengaging her arm.
Kirkwood bent forward and touched
Brentwick on the shoulder; the latter
turned to him face lined with deep
concern.
Trouble" he announced super
fuously. 81 fear we have blundered.s
What it is?" asked Dorothy in
troubled voice.
Petrol seems to be running low.
Charles here Che referred to the me-
chanician) says the tank must be
| leaking. Well go on as best we can
| anu NY " uAu oil I'LL. L
most of the inns nowadays keep sup
plies for just such emergencies
'.Are we? Do you think-?'
ooh. no; not bit of danger of that"
returned Brentwick hastily. They'll
not catch up with us this night. That
is very inferior car they haveso
4 Charles says, at least; nothing to COM
pare with this If I'm not in error,
| there's the Grown and Mitre just
ahead; we'll make it, fill out tanks,
and be off again before they can make
up half their loss"
Dorothy looked anxiously to Kirk
wood, her lips forming an unuttered
query: What did he think?
Don't worry; we'll have no trou-
ble," he assured herr stoutly;" the
chauffeur knows, undoubtedly
| None the less he was moved to
stand up in the tonneau, conscious of
the presence of the travelling bag,
4 snug between his feet, as well as of
the weight of Calendars revolver in
| his pocket, while he stared back along
the road.
j There was nothing to be seen Of
i their prosecutors.
Ito be Continued.l
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-02

ders, watching his chance, biding his
time with sinister patience until the
moment when, Wearied, the vigilance
should relax. #*
To some extent he reckoned with
out his motor-car. AS long as they
travelled within the metropolitan
limits, constrained to observe de-
corous pace in view of the prejudices
Of the County Council, it was matter
of on difficulty whatever to maintain
his distance. But once they had won
through Shepherds Bush and, paced
by huge doubledeck trolley trans,
were flying through Hammersmith on
the Uxbridge Road; once they had
run through Acton, and knew beyond
dispute that now they were without
plexion of the business was suddenly
changed
Not too soon for honest sport; Cal
endar was to have (Kirkwood would
have said in lurid American idiom) a
run for his money. The scattered
lights of Southall were winking out be-
hind them before Brentwick chose to
give the word to the mechanician
Quietly the latter threw in the
clutch for the third speed-a and the
fourth. The CO leaped forward like a
startled race-horse. The motor lifted
merrily into it's deep-throated song OF
the open road, its contented, silken
humming passing into sonorous and
sustained purr.
| kirkwood and the girl We're first
Jared violently forward, then thrown
together. She caught his arm to steady
herself; it seemed the most natural
thing imaginable that he should take
her hand and pass it beneath his arm
holding her so, his fingers closed
above her own. Before they had re
covered, or had time to catch their
breath, mile of Middlesex had drop
ped to the rear.
Not quite so far had they distanced
Calendars trailing Nemesis of the four
| glaring eyes; the pursuers put forth a
gallant effort to hold their place. Al
intervals during the first few minutes
a heavy roaring and crashing could
be heard behind them; gradually il
subsidized, dying on the wings Of the
free rushing wind that buffeted theil
faces as mile after mile was reeled of
and the wide darltling English country
side opened out before them, sweet
and wonderful.
Once Kirkwood looked back; in the
winking CT an eye he saw four faded
disks of light, pallid with despair, tor
a distant rise and glide down into
darkness. When he turned, Doroth!
was interrogating him with eyes whose
melting, Swallowed loneliness, revealed
to him in the light of the far, still
stars, seemed TO incite him to tina
madness which he had babe himsei
resist with all his strength.
He shook his head as if to say
They can not catch us.
His hour was not yet; time enough
to think of love and marriage Gas
he were capable of CONSECUTIVE
thought on any other subjects! )-tim
enough to think Of them when he ha,
gone facl1 to his place, or rather whel
he should have FOUND it, in the rank
of bread-winners, and SO have prove,
his right to mortal happiness; tim
enough then to lay whatever he Nigh
have to offer at her feet. Now h
| could conceive of no baser treacher
: to his souls desire than to advantag
: himself of her gratitude.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-02
CHAPTER xxx.

At steady gait, now and again
checked in Difference to the street traf.
fic, Brentwick's motor-car rolled with
resonant humming of the engine
down the Cromwell Road, swerved in
to Warwick Road and swung north,
ward through Kensington to Shep,
herds Bush. Behind it Calendars car
chung as if towed by an invisible cable
never gaining, never losing, mutely
testifying to the adventurer's unrelent
ing grim determination to leave them
no instant's freedom from surveil
lance. to keep for ever at their shoul
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-26
LOCAL MENTION.

Manv visitors to this city, remark
] upon the excellent telephone service
given by the Independent system. To-
| peka certainly should be proud of re-
| marks like this.
Colonel T. Bent Murdoch, who was
| going to stay home and not "galllVant
around any more is in Topeka again
watching the legislature and the work
of tearing down the Copeland hotel.
| These long winter evenings when
one enjoys the comfort of a big arm
chair by the CRATE, nothing adds more
to the comfort and ease than a good
cigar. Eagles Rose Tint fills the bill.
The Midwinter exposition offers an
attractive evenings entertainment for
out of town friends and has received
extensive patronage from these sources.
DR., c. E. Hulett, OSteopath, S13 Kan.
ave. Ind. Phone 318. Lady in office.
Referring to the well patronized hos
telries of Topeka: The city Jail was
filled to capacity last night and fur
nished lodgings for 35 transients, who
also breakfasted at the expense of the
city.
James Riley occupied a cot in the
county jail last night, but that no
wrong inference may be drawn the ex-
PLANTATION is made that it was not the
''Hoosier'' poet of the same name.
Kansas Is to receive a present or
Pawnee Rock on the 18th of January
and a Joint session of both branches
of the legislature has been called Tor
thar day The presentation is to be
made by the members of the Women's
Kansas Day club. the president of that
order delivering the deed to the rock as
we'll as the address. Governor Stubbs
will make the speech of acceptance
on behalf of the state
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-26
LOOKS BAD FOR STOUT.
Democratic Representative May Lose
His Seat.

The counting of the votes in the
Broiller-Stout contest case was com
pleted by a committee from the mem
bership of the house today with the
exception of sixteen votes which were
not brought to Topeka. This contest
comes from the Stevens Morton dis
trict where ]. S. Stout the present rep
resentative was declared elected on
the face of the returns by four votes.
]. s. Stout is a Democrat and the
present count by the committee in
dicates that he has lost his seat by
one vote. He was a member of the
house in 1904 and though the present
count shows that he is one vote be-
hind he will fight until all of the votes
have been counted and have shown
him to have lost.
E. R. Kinney, county clerk of Stew
ems county has been ordered to re-
turn home and secure the 16 missing
votes and return with them and pre-
sent them to the contest committee.
They will then be counted and upon
the result will depend the findings of
the committee. The attorneys for
Stout are Albert Hoskinson of Garden
City and A NJ. Harvey of Topeka; Mr..
Broiller is represented by T. W. Mar
shall of Ulysses and John Dawson of
Topeka.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-26

day which makes it unlawful for any
person or corporation to manufacture
offer for sale or transport bIeached
flour in this state after July Is next.
In describing the flour in question the
terms "bleached, whitened or color
ed are used in the bill.
Foley, Democrat, of Rice, was called
to the chair today while the house was
in committee of the whole. The fol-
lowing resolution by Howard of Shaw
ness was considered and laid over I'M
der the rules:
Whereas, There is a growing senti-
ment in Kansas and all other states of
the Union in favor of the election of
the United States senators by direct
vote of the people, therefore, be it
Resolved, BY the house of repre-
sentativeS. the seante concurring there
in, that our United States senators and
members of congress from this state,
be requested to introduce and support
a measure for the amending of the
constitution of the United States, so
the wish of the people may be carried
into effect in the election of United
States senators.
Resolved, That the chief clerk of
the house be instructed to forward
copy of these resolutions to each of
our members of congress and our
United States senator's
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-26
MAKE A BIC HIT.
New Vaudeville Bill at MidWin-
ter Good One.
Singing Canary Takes ImpOr
tant Part in Performance.

| A bird solo from a little canary bird
in a gilded came accompanied by vary
| ing strains on a mandolin delights the
| thousands who attended the Midwinter
| exposition at the Auditorium daily.
| This sweet singing little canary plays
a prominent part in the act of Lessik
| and Anita who are the head-liners in
the bill at the exposition this week.
Judging from the interest and APP
prOval voiced by the clapping of hands,
the bill at the second week of the Mid
winter is popular far beyond the Wild
| est dreams of Manager George w.
| Banter, who went to great expense in
securing this weeks bill And the bill
ought to be a good one. good bill,
one of the kind that you hear talked
about on the streets can be secured for
| $500. Manager BANTER this week pays
his performers $1,625 for their work. 1t
can be said that the performance is
| secured cheap at this price, for the
about for quite a while.
LesSik and Anita are repeatedly en-
cored. They didn't receive any curtain
calls for there are no curtains on the
stage. And this was the only reason
Their marvellous feats of juggling.
Douglass and Douglass have rough
Douglass and Douglass have a rough
and tumble comedy act of the aero
battle order which goes we'll, and makes
a decided hit with the audience as soon
as the team appears
The Murdos have a great perform
ance. There are four of them, two,
however, being dogs, well trained and
we'll groomed.
The Arisato family do balancing
and tumbling acts. Their work is
somewhat of the same order as the
famous Pacheco family which appeared
here several years ago and Which was
the talk of the town.
Despite the many present counter at
fractions the attendance has reached
the high water mark of the present
show.
One of the managers of one of the
most prominent booths at the MtdW1n-
ter who wears genuine diamond scarf
pin, walked over to the Lucios Diamond
booth yesterday evening and in the
presence of the State Journal repre-
sentative and Mr.. BANTER, the man
ager of the Midwinter exposition; MT.
Rubenstein, who is in charge of the
Lucios exhibit. made the prominent
booth owner the proposition that IT ne
would take off his scarf pin and place
it among three of the Luc1oS stones
and he could pick out his pin he would
treat the cigars to the crowd. The
prominent booth owner refused as he
was afraid he could not tell his own
from those of the Lucios. After haV-
ing refused to allow Mr.. Rubenstein to
place his diamond among the other
two stones Mr. Rubenstein took two
stones from the case and handed them
to the man and he could not dis
ting1lish the difference between his ana
the genuine, they being OF the same
size.