The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-06-19
AnLLION
o. hudsoND ouslas

CHAPTER XIII
Why Millionaire Shook the Hotel
Du Palais.

$3.50 one comfortless, drizzilng
morning.
THE girls left Paris, and he
must have more money. At once
too! Paris has been too much for
him. And now he imagines he's
got me roped fast to grub-stake
him to finish!"
His beard and mustach were
bristling with rage. His eyes
blazed.
'I'll stake him. I'll stake him
SO that he won't move hand OF
foot when I've done with him.
"Wulf! Wulf! Are you there
Wulf? Run round to Richoff's
and tell them to send me a ticket
for Paris. Lowest rate, by the
very first boat"
Twenty-four hours later he sci
out on Seager's track, and for six
long days at sea did his wrath fer.
ment. He knew to a minute when
the period of grace allowed by
Miles Quaintance's will would ex-
pire.
He was in no pleasant humor,
therefore, when he reached the
Motel du Palais, and 1t was per-
haps Just as well for himself and
Dominic Seager that the latter was
not at hand when the irate trav-
eler arrived. 1t did not soothe
him to learn that Seager had re-
Gently been evicted from the ho-
tel, and still owed a lengthy score
there.
"Monsieur's friend has come
here once or twice since he left,
to inquire for a cablegram he ex-
pects," said the clerk. at seems
that, when it arrives, he will set
tie his bill and then sue the Hotel
du Palais for damage, on the
ground of wrongous ejectment. He
will doubtless, therefore, return,
and. IL monsieur cares to await
him
You may give me a room, IL
you have one available" he said
abruptly, land IL this-this per-
son should turn up, you'll find
means to detain him until you can
get word to me-"
GLADLY. monsieur. That will
nut D6 ullIlCuIL.
When Arendsen got to his room
he was almost on the point of ex-
|plosion. It would be doubly hard
now to sit there wasting precious
time and its irredeemable oppor-
tunities.
That day passed uneventfully,
and when he went upstairs again
at late hour, his sullen rage was
still mounting steadily. Twelve
more hours had gone by, and by so
much had his chances to a great
fortune diminished.
On the fifth afternoon of tho
Tuning watchers seemingly end
less ambush, Seager walked care
lessly into the vestibule of the
Hotel du Palais. =,
He did not see Arendsen, and
Arendsen did not spring from his
seat at the sight of him. The big,
Iblack-bearded man stayed still
where he was, watching his uncon-
scious accomplice swagger up to
the bureau, smiling sardonically
as he saw the clerk point toward
him in mute reply to Seager's as
| sertive inquiry. But If he had
| hoped that the other would show
any sign of dismay over his pres.
ence there, he was doomed to
lquick disappointment, for Seager
gave him back a look as black as
his own when their eyes met, and
bore down on him like a thunder.
bolt.
1t was In the expectation of see
ing Black Dfrck in Paris that he
had eked out wretched existence
OF late. rather than take any des-
perate steps toward a return to
New York. He felt hot against
the other for having left him in
such sorry plight and his opening
speech quite took the wind out of
Arendsen's sails.
Curse you, Arendsen! Why
didn't you reply to my wire?
There's only a week of the year
left now, and we may be too late
after all. What was the use of
|slinking over here after me? I
gave you the straight tip, but
you're such crook that you
couldn't take 1t for that, I sup
pose. You're robbing me, that's
what you're doing, and cutting off
your nose to spite your damned
ugly face"
Arendsen eyed him evilly, but
heard him out In silence, too much
taken aback by his unfeigned be-
lief that the grievance was all on
his side to break in.
What have you done with all
the money / gave your" he Kissed
through set teeth.
Curse you and the money you
gave me! Can't you get it into
your thick skull that it's millions
were after. Is this any time to
haggla about handful of small
change! l tell you. Arendsen, If
we fall down now I'll hold you re-
sponsible. Why didn't you cable
me the price Of passage? Would
that have cost you q cent more
than coming across?''
Arendsen was somewhat stag
gered by Seager's obvious belief
In his own blamelessness. A thou
sand dollars was certainly small
sum in comparison with the prize
they aspired to. 1t was no time
flor profitless dispute. Arendsen
recognized that fact and acted on
lit, sinking all his own pent up
luminosity In favor of a final effort
toward success.
Tell me what you found out
|about the girl" he ordered briefly.
Seager told him In few words
what he had been able to learn
from the two old maids in tha
Avenue Marceau.
And now comes the sore
point" he said Indignantly. "The
girls In New York, as / told you.
whatever she's doing there. And
/ met har. without knowing who