Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-08-30

her SO.
"Maku may have stolen it," she
said.
Orms slipped heavy wrench into
his pocket and closed the ktt-box.
With the girl, he avoided any refer.
ence to the possible presence of the
Japanese among the trees, but know.
ing that he was no match for them
unanmed, with their skill IN jiu-jitsu,
he resolved to be in some measure
prepared.
He walked through the gate and
began to pace northward, keeping
close to the fence and counting his
steps. Meantime the car followed
his course, moving along the side OF
the road just west Of the fence. Orme
counted his hundred PAGES north. then
turned east.
He saw that the 210 PAGES which he
now had to take would carry him
we'll over toward the lake. The girl
evidently had not realized how great
the distance would be. She would be
nearer him, if she turned back to the
corner and followed the Sheridan
road eastward toward the life-saving
station. but Orme did not suggest this
to her, though the car was within
twenty feet of him, the other side Of
the fence. If there should be strug-
gle, 1t would please him just as well
that she should be out of hearing,
for her anxiety. he knew, was al
ready great, though she kept 1t close
~ under control
No ri, fhA
trees. When he had covered about
half the distance he found himself
approaching the side Of large build
ing. There must be some mistake.
Had he deviated so widely from the
course? In leaving the fence he had
taken sights as carefully as he could.
Then the explanation struck him.
Walsh, the burglar, had probably
paced in eastward from the fence and
come to the building just as he had.
There was no good hiding-place APP
parent near at hand, and Walsh wo,:z0
hardly have retraced his steps.
What, then, would he have done?
Orme asked himself. Why. he would
have turned north or south.
Orme looked in both directions.
North and south of the building were
open drtveways. Walsh must have
gone around the building, then con-
tinued eastward. This is what Orme
now proceeded to do.
Remembering the number of PAGES
to the side of the building, he chose
the northward course, because there
was less light north of the building.
He Rugged the side of the building.
counting his steps, and. after reaching
the corner, turned eastward. He now
counted his PAGES along the northern
side of the building.
When he reached the corner of the
eastern side of the building, he
paced as far southwark on the east
ern side as he had gone northward on
the western side, and on reaching
point due east of the place at which
he had originally come to the build
ing, he added the number Of PAGES
from the fence to the building to the
number of PAGES he had taken along
the northern side of the building, and
continued eastward toward the lake.
At the two hundredth pace he
stopped to reconnoiter. Not more
than two hundred feet ahead of him
he could see dimly. through the tree
trunks, the expanse of the lake.
There was no sound, no evidence that
any other person was near.
He proceeded cautiously for ten
PAGES. Many trees were near him.
He would have to examine all OF
them, for it was hardly possible that
he had followed Walsh's course with
unerring exactness. If the tree was
within twenty feet of him north or
south. that was as much as he could
expect.
One thing was clear to him.
Walsh had probably chosen tree
that could easily be distinguished from
the others, either by its size or by
some popularity of form. Also, the
tree must have hollow place In
which the envelope could be con-
cealed Orne now decided that
Walsh must have found his tree first
and then paced westward to the fence.
The even number, 100 PAGES north
from the gate, could be only coinc1-
dence.
A little to his left Orme discovered
trunk much larger than its neigh
bors 1t ran up smoothly about eight
feet to the first limb. An agile man
could easily get up to this limb and
pull himself into the branches.
cavity such as are so common in oaks.
would furnish good place for hiding
the envelope away.
He looked up. Suddenly light ap-
peared among the branches. 1t was
short ray, striking against the trunk.
Before Orme could realize what was
happening a hand appeared In the
little bar Of radiance and was In
serted apparently into the trunk OF
the tree. A moment later it was
withdrawn. It held an oblong OF
white.
Involuntarily Orme took a step for
ward. A twig cracked under his foot.
Instantly the light went out
Orme drew the wrench from his
pocket and stood tense. There was
no other tree quite close enough for
the man above him to spring to It's
branches. He would have to drop
near Orme.
Standing there. the wrench IN bis