The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-02-20

hASNP
assault secret, not even mention
that Mr.. Keatcham is I'LL; and very
likely he or some one else will come
straight on here. Meanwhile, young
Arnold can open the house, hire some
servants who won't talk-I can get
them for him; we all say nothing Of
the magnate's presence. And the bull:
market will come all right"
After little reflection the colonel
agreed that the bold course was the
safest. Thus 1t came about, with
amazing rapidity, that the haunted
house was opened; that sleek, smiling
Cinnamon whisked brooms and clean
ing cloths at open windows; and Haley
and Kito frankly told any CURIOUS in
quirers who hailed them over the lawn
and the f1ower-beds that young Mr..
Arnold was coming home and going to
have house-party Of friends. The
servants had been carefully selected
by Mrs. Winters powerful Chinese
friend; they had no dread of white
spooks, however they might cringe
before yellow ones. Mrs. Winter and
Randall left their hotel, after all the
appropriate ceremonies, amid the law
ish bows and smiles of literally paid
bellboys and porters. They gave out
that they were to visit friends; and
the colonel, who remained, was to take
charge of their mail: hence. with no
appearance of secrecy, the trail took
to water and was lost, since the motor
car which carried them was supplied
by Birdsall and driven by a safe man
Of his own.
Regarding the detective, Rupert
Winter had what he called "a stiff
think" he could not afford even the
remote risk of his going with the pic
turesque assortment of information
which he had obtained about Casa
Fuerte and Mercer, into Atkins EN-.
ploy; therefore he hired him. still,
himself. He made partial but alb.
solutely truthful statement of the
case; he said frankly: "Birdsall, I'm
going to treat you fair. for I'm not 60
ing to tell you all know, because
well, for one thing, don't feel sure
how much do know myself. But all
I'm going to ask of you is to watch the
house, day and night, without seeming
to watch it. You will oblige Mr..
Keatcham as well as me. There is
big game going on, but it isn't what
you thought. Mr.. Keatcham's best
helpers are right in that house. Mer-
Ger and I and young Fireless and
Arnold are doing our best to guard
him, not hurt him. Now. there is big
money for you If you will watch out
for U.S."
Dirdsall reflected moment before
he did answer. screwing up his face:
Il don't like these jobs in the dark;
but I like. you, colonel, and it's a co."
keatcham's valet was next sum-
noned from his vacation and became,
In .Tracy's phrase, "a dandy subnurse."
The Tracys' family physician came
twice day. He was known to ba
visiting one of the guests who had
fallen i'll. Mercer sent three or four
kilograms day to Seattle and to New
York, to Keatcham's associates. Sew.
eral times he held a conversation Of
Importance over the telephone with
the man who acted as distributor Of
intelligence. Warnebold, himself, came
on to San Francisco from Seattle, and
was received with every courtesy. He
questioned Kito, questioned Mercer,
questioned the colonel. Tracy had
effaced himself and was in Pasadena
for a day or two.
The colonel was the star witness lat
least this was young Arnold's verdict).
~ }Hya To $1nA
he had gone out to see Mercer, who
was family connection; no, he was
not alone, he had young friend with
him; confidentially. he would admit
that the friend was Mr.. Tracy's son;
and, while he could not be sure, he
had reason to suspect that he, young
Tracy" had been conducting some
delicate negotiations with Mr.. Keatch-
am. At this point the interlocutor
nodded slightly; he was making the
deductions expected and explaining to
himself Keatcham's astonishing COM
munication over the telephone. So, he
was -surmising shrewdly, that was the
clew; the old man had been making
some >sort Of a deal with Tracy
through the son; we'll, they were pro-
tected, thanks to Keatcham's orders.
Likely as not they never would know
all the reasons for this side-stepping.
az understand, them" he said. as one
who holds clew but has no notion of
letting it slip out of his own fingers.
you and young Tracy got here and
you found Mr.. Keatcham? How did
you get in? Did Mr.. Mercer let you
in? How did it happen he didn't dis
cover Mr.. Keatcham instead of you,
or did you come in on the side?"
Mrs. Winter, who was in the room,
had a diversion ready, but 1t was not
needed: the colonel answered unhesi-
tatingly, with frank smile: mo, We
came in ourselves; young Tracy had
key. -.
"Oh, he had. had he?" returned
Warnebold, with shrug Of the shout.
ders.
HE is a great friend of young
Arnold's: they were at Harvard to-