Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-02-09
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XIII You QtlJSH. wv. IDh N'oN
knows we got have that twenty-five
thousan dol. Yes. And now because
of such great expence it is fifty thou
san you shall pay. We did not mean
kill you dead only show you for sure
there is no place SO secret you can
Hide no place so strong can defend
you. Be Warn. You come with $780,
900 90 in 500 bills. You go or send
Mr.. Mercer to the Red Hat; ask for
Louis. Say to Louis For the Black
Hand. Louis will come to you. You
will be forgive all heretobafores. disc
ways you must die April 1920. This
IS sure You have felt our dagger the
other Is worse.
You well wishing Fren,
"rhe Black Hand"
Sounds like Atkins pretending to
be Dago," said the colonel dryly. i
could do better myself"
Very likely" said Keatcham.
Does he mean business? What's
he after?"
ITO get me out OF the way. He
knows he isn't safe until I'm dead.
Then he hasn't been cleaned out, but
ne has lost lot of money in this
Midland business The cipher he has
is OF no use to him, there, or In the
other things which unluckily he knows
about. With me dead and the cipher
In his hands, he could have made mil
lions; even without the cipher, if he
knows I'm dead before the rest of the
world. he ought to make at least a
half-million l think you will find that
he has put everything he has on the
chance told you he was slick. And
unstable. What do you anticipate he
will do? Straight, with no chaser, as
you say"
Well, straight with no chaser, l
should say bomb was the meanest
trick In sight, so, naturally, he will
choose bomb"
II agree with you. You say the
house is patroled?'
1.-The whole place. But we'll put
on a bigger force; I'll see Birdsali at
once. Atkins would have to hire his
explosive talent, wouldn't he?" ques-
toned the colonel.
ooh, he knows plenty OF the under
world rascals; and besides, for fell
low of his habits, there is big chance
for loot. Mrs. Millicent Winter tells
me that your aunt has valuable jewels
with her. If she told me, she may
have told other people. and Atkins
may know. He will use other people,
but he will come, too, in my opinion"
II see" said the colonel; ito make
sure they don't foozle the bomb. But
he'll have his alibi ready all right.
Mr.. Keatchem, did they send you
previous letter."
ooh, dear no; that's only port of tho
game; makes a better story. So is
using the hotel paper; if 1t throws
suspicion on anybody it would be your
party; you see Atkins knew Mercer
had grudge against me as we'll as
him. He was counting en- that. ]
rather wonder that he didn't fix up
some proof for you to find"
"By Joye!" cried the colonel; may
be he did"
And you dldnl nnd IL
well, you see was too busy with
you; the others must have overlooked
it. Hard on Atkins after he took SO
much trouble. wasn't it?"
81 told you he was too subtle. But
1t is not wise to underrate him, or
bombs either; we must get the women
and those boys out of the house
But how? You are not really ac-
quainted with my aunt, Mrs. Rebecca
Winter, take it,"
"You think she wouldn't go If there
was any chance OF danger?"
"You couldn't fire her unless out Of
cannon; but she would help get
Archie away; Mrs. Melville and Miss
Smith"
"Well-ur-N1iss Smith, am afraid.
will not be easy to manage; you see,
she knows"
knows? Did you tell herr" asked
Col Winter ansiously.
well, not exactly. AS the children
n.y. it told itself, There has been q
Kind Of an attempt, already A box
came, marked from a man know in
New York, properly labeled with ex-
press company's labels. Miss Smith
opened it; / could see her, because
she was in the bathroom with the
door open. There was another box
inside, wrapped in white tissue paper.
Very neatly She examined that box.
with singular care and then she drew
some water in the lavatory basin, half
opened the box and put the whole
thing under water in the basin. Then
1 thought it was time for me and
asked her if it was a bomb. Do you
know that girl had sense enough not
to try to deceive me? She saw that
/ had seen every move she had made.
She said merely that it was safe I'M
der water. 1t YVES an ingenious little
affair which had an electrical arrange
ment for touching off spark when
the lid Of the box would be lifted"
"Ah, yes. Thoughtful little plan to
amuse an invalid by letting him open
the box, himself, to see the nice sur
prises from New York. Very neat, in
deed. What did you do with the box?"
Nothing, so far. 1t only came
about an hour ago."
do you reckon sor1e of the Black
Hands are out on the street, rubber
ing to see if there are any signs OF
anything doing?"
Perhaps; you might let Birdsal
keen watch for anything like that.