The independent-reporter., 1909-10-14
CHAPTER TX.
THE AMERICAN BAR.

l
/ ham. II was late In the even
- ing day or two afterward
Britt went into the booth. He was
not In there long, but when he came
out he found that Miss Pelham had
disappeared. The coincidence was sig
nif1cant-Mr. Saunders was also miss
ing from his seat on the window sill
at the far end of the long corridor.
Britt looked his disgust and muttered
something characteristic. Having no
one near with whom he could COM
municate. he boldly set off for the
hanging garden. where Deppingham
had installed the long idle roulette
paraphernalia.
Say" he said without ceremony,
.'the enemy's In trouble. Bowles just
telephoned. There's lot of excite
ment In the town. don't know what
to make of It,"
"Then why the devil are you break.
ing in here with itT growled Depping-
ham.
"This'll interest you. never fear.
There's been a row between Won Blitz
and the lawyer. and the lawyer has
numerically thrashed Won Blitz. Good
Lord. I'd like to have seen 1t, wouldn't
you. Browne? Say. he's all right,
isn't hep
"Wnat was 1t all about2" demanded
Browne.
"It seems that Won Blitz is in the
habit of licking his wives," said Britt
"Our friend the enemy met him this
evening and told him that no white
man could beat his wife, singular or
plural, while he was around. Won
Blitz Is big, ugly chap, and he nat
urally resented the interference with
his divine might He told the lawyer
to go hang or something equivalent
The lawyer knocked him down. From
the way Bowles tells 1t he must have
knocked him down SO necessarily in
the next FIVE minutes that Won Blitz's
attempts to stand up were nothing
short Of stutter. Moreover, he
wouldn't let Won Blitz stab him worth
cent Bowles says he's got Won
Blitz cowed, and the whole town is
walking In circles, it's SO dizzy. Well,
to make 1t short, the lawyer has got
Won Biitz to hating him secretly, and
the German has lot Of influence over
the people. 1t may be uncomfortable
for our good looking friend"
''If he should be In great danger
down there" said her ladyship firmly
perhaps consciously-"we must offer
fn rot In hn hot ~ ~
The others looked at her in surprise.
1--WE can't stand Off and see him muir
dered, you know" she qualified hastily.
The next morning a messenger came
up from the town with letter direct
ed to Messrs. Britt and Saunders It
was from the enemy and requested
them to meet him In private confer
ence at 4 that afternoon. II think 1t
will be for the benefit of all concerned
II we can get together" wrote the en-
emy In conclusion.
The messenger carried back with
him a dignified response In which the
counselors for Mr.. Browne and Lady
Deppingham respectfully declined to
engage In any conference at this time.
At 2 o'clock that afternoon the entire
force of native servants picked up
their belongings and marched out of
the chateau. The major domo. suave
and deferential, gravely informed Mr..
Britt that they were leaving at the in
stigation Of their legal adviser. who
had but that hour issued his instruc-
tions.
81 hope you are not forgetting what
! said about the American gunboats,"
said Britt ponderously.
"Ah." said Baillo, with a cunning
smile, "our man is also great AmerL
can. He can command the gunboats
too. sahib. We have told MIN rnar you
have the great power. He shows us
that he can call upon the English ships
As we'll. for he comes last from Lon
don. He can have both, while you
have only one. Besides, he says you
cannot send a message In the air with
out the wire unless he give permis-
sion. He have little machine that
catch all the lightning in the air and
hold 1t till he reads the message. Our
man is a great man-next to Moham-
med"
Britt passed his hand over his brow,
staggered by these statements.
"Say, he's smoother than thought
Most men would have been -
fools enough to say that It was all
poppycock about me sending wireless
messages and calling out navies, but
not bel And that machine for tapping
the air! Say. we'd better go slow With
that fellow. Shall call him up on the
phone and head or the striker
Anything, Mr.. Britt. to get back
our servants" said Lady Deppingham.
who had come up with Mrs. Browne.