Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-08-25

Nu1lnCu."
too, sahib. We have told him that you
have the great power. He shows us
that he can call upon the English ships
as well, for he comes last from Lon
don. He can have both. while you
have only one. Besides. he says you
cannot send Il message in the mir with
out the wire unless he give permits
sion. he have little machine that
catch all the lightning in the air and
hold 1t till he reads the message. Our
man is great man-ncXt 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 .ut navies. but
not he! And that machine for tapping
the air! Say. we'd better so slow with
that fellow. Shuli call him up on the
phone ard hend Off the striker
Anything. Mr.. Britt. to get back
our servants said Lady Deppingham,
who had.comel mp with Mrs. Browne.
When Britt .reappeared after brief
stay in the telephone booth he was
perspiring freely and his face was
redder, If possible. than ever before.
HE was very peremptory Mt first
and very agreeable in the end. said
we'd come down at 4:30. He asked
me to bring some cigarettes. Say, he's
n strenuous chap. He wouldn't haggle
for a second"
Britt and Saunders found the enemy
waiting for them under the awning in
front of the bank. He looked a man
from the top Of his head to the tips of
his canvas shoes. Every line of his
long body. Indicated power. vitality,
health. Both men were surprised by
the eager, sincere manner in which he
greeted them.
Glad to see you. gentlemen" he
said. He was head taller than
either, confess and hatless, a lean but
brawny figure in white crash trousers.
ITS very good of you to come down.
If you'll come to my shack III mix
you real American cocktail, mint
julep. a brandy smash or anything you
like In season. There's fine mint
bed up my way. just back of the
bungalow. It's more precious than a
ruby mine, let me tell you. And yet
I'll gladly exchange 800 carats of
mint. Mr.. Britt, for dozen boxes of
your cigarettes. Do you know. gen.
tlemen, l made the greatest mistake
Of my life in falling to bring ton of
these little white sticks out with me.
thought of Gordon gin. both kinds of
vcrlnuth. brandy. and all that sort of
thing. and completely forgot the staff
of life. ! happen to know that you
have million packages of them, more
or less. up ut the chateau. My spies
told me- dare say you know that !
have spies up there all the time.
| Don't pay any attention to them.
You're at liberty to set spies on my
trail ut any time. Here We are. This
is the headquarters for the Mine Own.
ers' Association of Japat."
He led them down a fight of steps
and into long. cool looking room
some distance below the level of the
street
"The Mine Owners association, gen.
tlemen, comprises the entire popula-
tion of Japat. Here is where receive
my clients. Here is where they re-
ceive their daily loaf, If you will par
don the simile. sit in the chairs;
they squat on the rugs. We talk about
rubies and sapphirss as if they were
peanuts. Occasionally we talk about
our neighbors. Shall make three
mint juleps? Here. Sellm! The ice,
the mint and the straws-and the bot
ties. Sit down. gentlemen. This is
the American bar that Baedeker tells
you about-the one you've searched
all over Europe for. | dare say"
Reminds me of home. just little
Bit" said Britt MS the tall glasses
were set before them. The English
man was still clothed in reticence.
"They shan't catch me mapping" was
the sober reflection of Thomas. Saun.
ders
The enemy planted the mint in its
bed of Clipped ice. 1.-THE sagacity that
Taswell Skaggs displayed in erecting
an ice plant and cold storage house
here is equaled only by John Wyck-
holmes foresightedness in maintain
Ing contemporaneous mint bed
imagine that you. gentlemen. are hop
ing to prove the old dodgers insane.
Between the three of us, and man to
man. how can you have the heart to
propose anything SO unkind when we
look. as we now do. upon the result of
their extreme soundness of mind?
Here's how!'
Selim passed the straws. and the
three men took n long and simultane-
GUS pull" at the refreshing julep. Mr.
Saunders felt something melt as he
drew the subsequent long and satisfy
ing breath II was the outer rim of
his cnutious reserve.
lfF think we'll take you up on that
proposition to trade mint for ciga.
rettes." said Mr.. Britt, mir. Browne