The Irish standard., 1909-03-06

| nceman, genuine Omcer, not GRIM
tnal in disguise, who had been Atkins
instrument in KIDNAPPING Archie. This
man, whom Birdsall knew how to ter
Yify completely, had confessed that 1t
was purely by chance that Atkins had
seen the boy, left outside in the motor
car. Atkins, SO he said, had pretended
that the boy was tool of some enc
| mics of Keatcham's, whose secretary
! he was, trading, not for the only time.
| on his past position. In reality, Bird
sail had come to believe Atkins knew
that Keatcham was employing Mercer
in his place.
why. he knew the old gentleman
was just of quietly with Mr.. Mercer
and some friends knew they were
all friendly, just as we'll as you or
me-" declared Birdsall. He had seen
Archie on the train. for, as the colonel
remembered, he had been in the Win
ters' car on the night of the robbery.
Somehow, also, Atkins had found out
about Archie's disappearance from the
hotel.
II can't absolutely put my finger on
his information" said Birdsall: "but
suspect Mrs. Melville Winter; I know
she was talking to him. for one Of my
men saw her.The lady meant no harm.
but she's one of the kind that is al
ways slamming the detectives and be-
ing took in by the rascals."
He argued that Mrs. Winter and
Miss Smith knew where the boy was;
for some reason they had let him go
and were pretending not to know
where he was. Amt that so?" the
detective appealed to Aunt Rebecca,
who merely smiled, saying: you're
wonder, Mr.. Birdsall!" According
to Birdsall's theory, Atkins was puz-
But he believed could he find the
boys present hosts he would find Ed
win Keatcham. 1t would not be the
first time Keatcham had hidden him
self. the better to spin his web for the
trapping of his rivals. That Mercer
was with his employer the ex-secre-
tary had no manner of doubt, any more
than he doubted that MERGERS scheme
had been to GUST him and to build his
own fortunes on Atkins ruin He
knew both Tracy and young Arnold
very we'll by sight. When he couldn't
brighten Archie into telling anything.
probably he went back to his first
plan of shadowing the Winter party
at the Palace. He must have seen
Tracy here. He penetrated his dis
guise. Giles as sharp as the devil,
l tell you, Colonel.~ He either fol-
lowed him himself or had him fol-
lowed; and he heard about the tele-
phone. ("Somebody barking in the
next room. most likely.') Knowing
Tracy's intimacy with Arnold, 1t was
not hard for so clever and subtle \
mind az Atkins to jump to the con-
clusion and test 1t in the nearest tele-
phone book. cat least that is how l
figure it out, Colonel."D Birdsall had
traced the clever mechanic who was
Intercepted by the eastern gentleman
about to build; this man had given the
lavish and inquisitive easterner plan
of the secret passages-to use in his
own future residence. Whether At
kins went alone or in company to the
Casa Fuerte the detective could only
surmise. He couldn't tell whether his
object would be mere blackmail, or
robbery of the cipher, or assassination.
Perhaps he found the insensible man
in the patio and was tempted by the
grisly opportunity; victim and weapon
both absolutely to his hand: for 1t
was established that the dagger had
been shown Tracy by Mercer as 4
curio, and left on the stone bench.
Perhaps he had not found the dag
ger but had his own means to make
an end Of his enemy and his own ter
ror. Birdsall believed that he had &C.
completes, or at least one accomplice,
had lain in ambush watching until
they saw Kito go away. Then an
entry had been made. Most like"
Birdsall concluded, "he Jest flung that
dagger away for you folks to find and
suspect the domestics say Kito, cause
he was away" But this was not all
that Birdsall had to report. He had
traced Atkins to the haunts of certain
unsavory Italians; he had struck the
trail, in fine. To be sure. 1t ran under
ground and was lost in the brick
walled and slimy-timbered cellars Of
Chinatown which harbored every sin
and crime known to civilization or to
savagery. What matter? BY grace Of
his aunt's powerful friend they could
track the wolves even through those
noisome burrows.
EYES," sighed the colonel, stretching
out his arms. with resonant breath
of relief, we're out OF the maze; all
We have to do now is to keep from be-
ing killed. Which isn't such plain
proposition in Frisco as in Massa-
chusetts! But reckon we can tackle
It! And then-then, my darling
shall dare be happy!"
He found himself leaning on his
windowsill and staring like boy on
the landscape, lost in the lovely hal
lucinations of moonlight. 1t was no
scene that he knew, 1t was vision Of
old Spain; and by and by from yonder