Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-01-22

with only the outer half of his senses,
but-he could not have told how
into his effort to pierce his own tan
gle there crept sudden interest. a
sudden keenness OF scrutiny of this
minute, insignificant crack In the
stone He became aware that the crack
was singularly regular, preserving the
form Of the flower and the futing be-
meath kito, the Japanese, who was
sitting ut the far end of the court, con-
versing In amity with Haley, just here
rose and came to this particular pill
lar. The Irishman sat alone, trimmed
by the sunset gold, little spangles OF
notes drifting about him; for the mer-
est second Winters glance fingered on
him ere it went to the Jap. who passed
him, courteously saluting.
After he had passed, the colonel
looked again at the column and the
| crack-it was not there.
"Chito, chito!" muttered the colo
nell Carelessly he approached the
column and took the same posture as
lIlG jap. OuOUIl uSIVCly LILO AAhSSAo
strayed over the stone. He scratched
the surface; not stone, but cement.
He tapped cautiously, keeping his
hand we'll hidden by his body; no hol-
low sound rewarded him; but all at
once his cropping fingers touched a
little rousd object under the bold point
of an eight-pointed flower. He didn't
dare press on 1t; instead he resumed
This cautious tapping. He glanced
about him. Save for Haley he was
alone in the patio. He pressed on the
round white knob, and what he had
half expected happened: A segment
of the column swung on inner hinges.
disclosing the hollow center of the en-
gagged columns on either side. He.
looked down. Nothing but darkness
was visible, but while he stood. tense
ly holding his breath, his abnormally
sensitive auricular nerve caught dis
tinctly the staccato breath of that kind
of sigh which is like groan, and'a
voice said more YEARLY than angrily:
ooh, damn it all!
AlluOSL SAluulISIASOuoly, AAS AASesA Va SAAS
faint footballs of the men within; he
must replace his movable flower The
column was intact, and he was bend
ing his frowning brows on the stylo-
bate of another when Birdsall and
Mercer entered together, Mercer, with
shrug of his shoulders at the detect
ives logged suspicion, preceding the
latter.
"wen,' said the colonel, did you
get my aunt?"
Eyes, sub, 1 got your aunt herself"
responded Mercer, with his Virginian
survival of the formal civility of an
earlier generation. Eyes, sub; but l
regret to say Archie is not there"
"where is he?" The soldiers voice
was curt.
Honestly" declared Mercer, Il wish
I knew, sub, l certainly do. But"
MERGERS jaw fell; he turned sharply at
the soft whir of an electric stanhope
gently entering the patio through the
great arched gateway. 1t stopped
abreast of the group, and its only oc-
cupant, handsome young man,
jumped nimbly out of the vehicle. He
greeted them with polite removal OF
his cap, bow, and flashing smile
which made the circuit of the behold
ers. Birdsall and the colonel recog-
nized the travelling enthusiast Of the
Fireless Stove.
The colonel took matters into his
own hands.
81 think you're the young gentleman
who took my nephew away" said he.
"Will you kindly tell us where he is?"
"And don't got giddy, young gentle
man." Birdsall chimed in, because We
know perfectly well that you are not
the agent of the Peerless Fireless
Stove"
i've got one here on trial, and I've
come back to see if they like it, ex-
planned the young man. in silken &C.