The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-01-16

passive pol1teness. where ia N
Mercer?" said he.
The Jap waved his hands In m 81
quent oriental gesture. He assur
the honorable questioner that he d.
not know any Mr.. Mercer. There VI
no one in the house.
The colonel had seated himself In
priceless armchair in Cordos
stamped leather; he no longer look,
like an invalid. "Show your SITS
please" he commanded Birdsall, al
the latter silently flung back the lap
of his coat.
II ought to tell you," continue
Rupert Winter. that the game is d
1t would do no good for you to ri
that poisoned bit of steel ofiyours In
me or into any of us; We have only
stay here little too long and the
lice of San Francisco will be down c.
you-oh, know all about what so
they are, but we have money to sper
as we'll as you. You take the note
shall write to Mr. Mercer. or whatew
you choose to call him, and bring h
answer. We stay here until he comes
Having thus spoken In an even, &c
tie voice, he scrubbed few words c.
a piece of paper which he took out,
his notebook. This he proffered
the Jap.
On his part, the latter kept his sci
respect; he abated no jot of his
surance that they were alone in tt
house; he insinuated his suspicio
that they were there for no honel
purpose; finally he was willing I
search the house II they would sta
where they were.
Il am not often mistaken in people,
was the colonel's rather oblique al
swer, land think you are gentl.
man who might kill me II you had
chance, but would not break his wor-
to me. If you will promise to pla
fair with lis, do no harm to my nephew
take this letter and bring me an al
swer-if you find any one-on you
word OF honor as Japanese soldie
and gentleman, you may go; we wi
not signal the police. Is it a bal
gain?" =
Tho Jap gravely assented. still l.
the language of the east, Saving hi
face" by the declaration of the al
sence Of his principals. And he wen
off as gracefully and courteously as
only the highest civilities had passe'
between them.
Wont he try some skin game OF
u.s." the detective questioned; bu
Winter only motioned toward the tele
phone desk. Listen at It," he said
you can tell If the wires are cut
and he knows your men are outsid,
hiding, somewhere; he doesn't know
how many. You see, we have tn.
advantage OF them there; to be safl
they don't dare to let many peopl,
into their secret. We can have !;
whole gang. We haven't many, bu
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 sons
sound which made him dart to all the
windows in succession. He called
Haley (whom he had posted outside to
guard the door) and dispatched him
across the hall to reconnoiter. II 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 IL
coming in the front door," hazarded
Birdsall.
Evidently" returned the colonel,
dryly. How can our absent friends get
in otherwise-at least how can they
let us understand they have come in !
I think we are going to have the pleas
ure OF an interview with the elusive
Mr.. Mercer" I
They waited. The colonel motioned
Birdsall to seat by the table, within
breathing distance of the telephone
He himself fluttered 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, Fix
aminer and Chronicle. unfolded and
smoked over. Cigar, too, not cigarette
for here is stump-decidedly oul
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!"
II haven't seen her for few hours
but I 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"