Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1909-02-17

The Jap waved his hands in an elo.
quent oriental gesture. He assured
the honorable questioner that he did
not know any Mr.. Mercer. There was
no one in the house.
The colonel had seated himself in
priceless armchair in Cordova
stamped leather; he no longer looked
like an invalid. "Show your star,
please" he commanded Birdsall, and
the latter silently flung back the lapel
OF his coat.
81 ought to tell you" continued
Rupert Winter, that the game is up.
1t would do no good for you to run
that poisoned bit of steel of yours into
me or into any of us; we have only to
stay here a little too long and the po
lice of San Francisco will be down on
you-oh, | know all about what sort
they are, but we have money to spend
as well as you. You take the note ]
shall write to Mr. Mercer, or whatever
you choose to call him, and bring his
answer. We stay here until he comes"
Having thus spoken in an even, gem
tie voice, he scribbled few words on
a piece of paper which he took out Of
his notebook. This he proffered to
the Jap. ~
On his part, the latter kept his self
respect; he abated no jot of his as
surance that they were alone in the
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
where they were.
Il am not often mistaken in people"
was the colonels rather oblique an
swer, land think you are a gentle
man who might kill me if you had
chance, but would not break his word
TO me. If you will promise to play
tair 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 a Japanese soldier
and gentleman, you may go; we will
not signal the police. Is it "a bar
gain?"
The Jap gravely assented, still in
the language of the east, Saving his
race" by the declaration of the alb
sence of his principals. And he went
of as gracefully and courteously as If
only the highest civilities had passed
between them.
Wont he try some skin game on
us?" the detective questioned; but
Winter only motioned toward the teie-
phone desk. Listen at it, he said.
"you can tell If the wires are cut;
and he. knows your men are outside
hiding, somewhere; he doesn't know
advantage of them there; to be safe
they don't dare to let many people
into their secret. We can have
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
windows in succession. He called
Haley (whom he had posted outside to
guard the door, and dispatched him
across the hall to reconnoiter. 9I am
sure it 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. How can 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
BirdsaH to seat by the table. within
breathing distance of the telephone.
He himself fiuttered the loose journals
and magazines. his ironic smile creas-
ing his cheek. "Our Japanese friend
reads the newspapers" he remarked.
Here are to-dsy's papers; yes, Ex-
aminer and Chronicle unfolded and
smoked over. Cigar. too, not cigarette.
for here is stunp-decidedly our
cherry blossom fr.el : are getting civ
ilized,"
"Ohs theze is scmehady in here all