The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-09-09

I chief wonder Of il all Law IN the fact
That only the day prior TO receipt of -
nrSt application the property had been
pll INTO the <Snls Of a public auc-
lOneeT. IEHk very afternoon Il was 10
DC sold under the hammer If m'eie-1
l Has Ieally interested TO purchase he had
me opportunity
But this other party2' suggested
CacOSan, carelessIy. Was re very
keen after the property
As 10 that, Lestranse was desoIatel
% DC unable 70 say The application
had come to him through an utter
stranger tthere vas a description Of the
mans appearance attached 70 tins
statement which Cadogan did not recoE-
NEE, the price at which the estate had
Deen held Tor thirty years had been
named, and nothing more heard Of the
matter. u sieu' LeSJranSe Would hazard
an opinion however. that the other
party had concluded TO wait q week IN
the nope OF securing the property for
lesser price on the auction block
Five thousand dollars was asked
when Il vas IN my hands. m sieu'-'
Ism { that a bit steep. considering the
I1aCCesSibiiity OF the island and the
Tulnous condition Of the house,
4 sudden gravity colored the express
sion OF the little attorney He paused.
seemingly thoughtful Then, with an
air OF one ConcedinE a point, he made q
surprising statement
M'sieu' was young he was strong. he
had health. wit and courage So much
man as m'sieu. If he would take the
word Of an old man for it the Cedar
Island estate might prove Z very profit
able investment There was an ernpha-
sis laid upon the might too strong TO
escape remark
Lestrange :oyed with his pen speaking
with deiiberatiOn- He would 90 further;
he would even say 10 Tu'sieu- that hard
Tor the property-within reason, within
reason
Wy nat, precisely. do you mean2-- asked
Cadogan, slowly, much mystified-
But LestranSe took fright and with
drew into the shell Of professional re
serve from which. ne protested. he
should never have emerged He would
say no more, not a syllable but he
would and did write out for CadOEan.
in shakily cOpper-plate hand. the firm
name and address OF the auctiOneeTE-
Then he bowed him, courteOusly but
with an air Of hnality, out Of the Office
Divided between amusement and in
tereSt- CadOEan walked slowly away.
bordering what he had Just heard And
the more he Dondered the less he under
stood, and the more he suspected 2
trick-a trap Of some subtle sort
Yet, why should he sniff suspIciousIy2
What cOmpulSion had been laid upon
him to seek out this eccentric attorney
Indeed. II had been all the other way:
determined attempt had been made
to prevent his acquiring the mans al
dress OF course. however he had not
the slightest intention Of bidding for the
property; he would find other means TO
Satiate his curiosity
Fate equally with his wandering.
needless footsteps. carried him TO Canal
street. and down that toward the river
front, and although he did not suspect
II. toward the railroad depot.
1t was 1890 o'clock The auction
vas scheduled t. take place at I
o'clock precisely CadOEan had thirty
minutes wherein TO make up his mind
as to whether he cared TO attend the
sale IN the capacity Of an cnlookeT-
At this JunctuTe in his TeveTie he
lifted his head and parsed He stood
opposite the railway terminus and
ward him. was Willing
a brave, boisterOus. clustering Will
ing this a sChOOlboy on q holiday.
man big with important affairs, a
jOcular person wiki a rare jest in the
back Of his mind that brought a rem
iniscent smile to mis- lips and a merry
twinkle to bis eye he passed within
three feet Of CadOEan, ObliviOus to his
existence sHouldering his way along
the sidewalk
On impulse, CadoEan turned, and
overta,klng him in a few swift strides,
tapped him lightly on the shoulder
willing he said, pleasantly.
The man faced about with 2 jump,
rudy cheeks suddenly pale. and ayes
startled In breath. however, he
had recovered his assurance.
Mr. CadOZan. By all that's stranEei
Lord out you gave me a START
The Continuation of This Story VIII
Be Found IA TOmorrOEy's
Issue OF The Times.