The Huttig news., 1910-10-08

the tree would not have gone on guard so quickly, if his confederate were near at hand. It was natural that he should have put the light out but would he not immediately after ward have g4ven some signal to the friend below? And would he not take it for granted that. were stranger near, his watcher would have man aged to give warning? No, the other Japanese could not be on guard.
 Perhaps, thought Orme, only one of them had come on this quest He hoped that this might be the case. He could deal with one.
 The man in the tree was taking his own time to descend. Doubtless he would await favorable moment, then alighting on the ground as far from Orme as possible, make off at top speed.
 But now, to Orme's surprise, fig ure swung from the lower branch ap- parently without haste. Once on the ground, however. the stranger leaped toward Orme.
 An intuition led Orme to thrust out his left arm. It was quickly seized. but before the assailant could twist it, Orme struck out with the wrench. which was in his right hand. Swift though the motion was. his opponent threw up his free arm and partly broke the force of the blow But the wrench reached his forehead never theless, and with little moan, he dropped to the ground in heap.
 As Orme knelt to search the man. another figure swung from the tree and darted northward. disappearing in the darkness. Orme did not pursue it was useless-but a siekening in- tuition told him that. the man who had escaped was the man who had the envelope.
 He struck match. The man on the ground was moving uneasily and moaning. There was scar on his forehead. It was Maku.
 He went through the unconscious mans pockets. There was no enve- lope such as he was looking for. but he did find folded slip of paper which he thrust into his own pocket. A discovery that interested him. though it was not HOW important. he made by the light of second match. It was the marked fiye-dollar bill. He would have liked to take it as souvenir, If for no other reason, but time was short and Maku, who evi- dently was not seriously hurt. showed signs of returning consciousness.
 Another occurrence also hastened him. A man was strolling along the lake short, not far away. Orme had not seen his approach. though he was distinctly outlined against the open background of lake and sky. The stranger stopped. The striking of the two matches had attracted his attention.
 Have you lost something?" he called
 No" Orme replied.
 The man started toward Orme as if to investigate, and then Orme no- ticed that outlined on his head was q policeman's helmet.
 To be found going through the pockets of an unconscious man was not to Ormes liking It might be possible to explain the situation we'll ties, but that would involve delays fatal to any further effort to catch the man with the envelope.
 So he jumped to his feet and ran northward. then turned to the west. Circling about, he made for the gate at which he had entered His pur- suer either took the wrong lead in the darkness or stopped to examine Maku. for when Orme went through the gate and doubled back, outside the fence, to the car. there was no sound of steps behind him. He jumped to the chauffeur's seat.
 "Well?" inquired the girl. eagerly.
 "Too late." said Orme I'm sorry. I caught Maku. but the man with the envelope got away"
 She laid hand on his arm. Are you hurt?" There was unconcealed anxiety in her voice.
 To say the things he yearned to say! To be tender to her! But he controlled his feelings and explained briefly what had happened. at the same time throwing on the power and driving the car slowly northward.
 T only know that the fellow ran northward" he said. He may have worked back or he may have gone on. He may have climbed another tree and waited"
 By this time they had come to the northern limits of the grounds. but he had seen no one.
 Suddenly the girl exclaimed: "Listeni'
 Orme stopped the car. Somewhere from the distance came a faint hum. Another carl" he muttered
 "Yes." she said. "Oh, but I can do no more. | am tired. MT. Orne We