Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-01-20

8uranCe lHal iHey WSiO aioHo III wv
house; he insinuated his suspicion
that they were there for no honest
purpose; finally he was willing to
search the house II they would stay
whore they were.
II am not often mistaken In people"
was the colonels rather oblique an.
swer, land think you are gentle
man who might kill me il you had
chance, but would not break his word
to me. II you will promise to play
fair with us, do no harm to my nephew,
take this letter and bring me an an
swer-if you find any one--on your
word Of honor as Japanese soldier
and gentleman, you may go; we will
not signal the police. Is 1t bar.
gain?"
The Jap gravely assented, still In
the language Of the east, saving his
face by the declaration of the alb
sence of his principals. And he went
OF as gracefully and courteously as II
only the highest civilities had passed
between them,
Wont he try some skin game on
u.s." the detective questioned; but
Winter only motioned toward the tele-
phone desk. Listen at it," he said.
you can tell II the wires are cut;
and he knows your men are outside
hiding, somewhere; he doesn't know
how many. You see, we have the
advantage OF them there; to be safe
they don't dare to let many people
into their secret. We can have a
whole gang. We haven't many. but
they may think we have"
Birdsall, who had lifted the receiver
to his ear, laid it down with an ap-
peased nod Immediately he proceeded
to satisfy his professional conscience
by search in every nook and Granny
Of the apartment. But no result ap-
peared important enough to justify
the production OF his red morocco
notebook and his fountain-pen. He
had paused In disgust when the colo
mel sat UP suddenly. erect in his chair;
his keener ears had caught some
sound which made him dart to all the
ViAoOWS IA 6NbSOoSAOhs LAG SoAAS0
Haley {whom he had posted outside to
guard the door, and dispatched him
across the hall to reconnoiter. Il am
sure 1t was the sound of Wheels" he
explained, but Haley will be too late;
we are on the wrong side of the
house."
AS he spoke the buzz Of an electric
bell Jared their ears. Somebody Is
coming in the front door," hazarded
Birdsall.
Evidently" returned the colonel,
dryly. "Howican our absent friends get
in otherwise-at least how can they
let us understand they have come in?
] think we are going to have the pleas
ure Of an interview with the elusive
Mr.. Mercer"
They waited. The colonel motioned
Birdsall to a sent by the table, within
breathing distance of the telephone.
He himself nuttered the loose journals
and. magazines. his ironic smile creas-
ing his cheek. Our Japanese friend
reads the newspapers" he remarked.
Here are to-day's papers: yes, Elk
aminer and Chronicle, unfolded and
smoked over. Cigar, too, not cigarette.
for here is a stump-decidedly our
cherry-blossom friends are getting CIV
ilized!"
ooh, there is somebody in here all
right" grunted Birdsall. Say, colo
mel, you are sure Mrs. Winter has had
no answer to her ad.? No kind Of
notice about sending money!"
Il haven't seen her for few hours,
but l saw Mrs. Melville Winter; she
was positive no word had come. She
thought my aunt was more worried
than she would admit, and Miss Smith
looked pale. although she seemed
hopeful"
"She didn't really want to give me
the letter, thought" said the detect
i've. The colonel gave him no reply
save black look. A silence fell. A
football outside broke 1t, firm, in no