St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1910-06-08

marking. suppose your master
makes much of them He would have
been handling Of them. too, and when
1 showed him the door-trusting L did
right, sir, even If he should happen to
be a client-he asked more questions
before going
what questions p quietly.
"Personal-lilxe But / put stop to
that
For a few moments John Steele said
nothing. His face on his temperance
In London had looked slightly paler,
more set and determined, not unlike
that of a man who. strongly assailed,
has made up his mind to do battle to
the end. With whom? How many?
''You will admit no one to my cham
bers during my absence in the future"
said Steele at length to the man stern
~, mo. one, you understand under
any pretext whatever even"-a flicker
of grim humer in the deep eyes-'.if
he should say he was client of
mine.'
The butler returned a subdued an
sWer, and John Steele, after a mo-
ment's thought, stepped to large safe
in the corner and, applying a some
what elaborate combination, swung
open the door. Taking from a COM
partment bundle Of papers carefully
rolled, he unfastened the tape, spread
them on a table and examined them,
one after the other. They made a
voluminous heap. Here and there on
the white pages in bold regular script
appeared the name of a woman. Her
life lay before him, the various stages
Of an odd and erratic career-at caba-
ret at Montmartre, at a casino in the
Paris bohemian quarter, in London
at variety hall of amusement. And
afterward-wastrel nomad! Through
out the writing In many Of the docu-
ments another name, too, a titled
name, mans, often came and went,
fitted e1usively from leaf to leaf.
The reader looked at this name,
wrote a page or two and inserted
them. But his task seemed to afford
him little satisfaction. His face wore
an expression not remote from dis
enlargement. None knew better than
of the material before him-the chaff,
froth, bubble Of the case! Almost con-
temptuously he regarded it. Had he
sought the unattainable?
He drew himself up suddenly as If
to shake off momentary doubt or de-
preston. Replacing his documents in
the safe and locking 1t, he walked into
a room adjoining. In a bare, square
place on the wall hung foils and broad
swords, and the only furnishings were
the conventional appointments Of
home gymnasium.
Here, having DOTTED his street
clothes and assumed the scant costume
Of the athlete, for an hour or more he
exercised vigorously, every muscle re-
spending to its task with an untiring
ease that told Of perfect system Of
training, which proved of service to
him and his well being, for one night
not long thereafter he was called upon
to defend himself from q number Of
footpads who set upon him.
The episode occurred in his own
street near a corner, where the shad-
ows were black at an hour when the
narrow way seemed silent and desert
ed. For block or more footballs had
sounded behind him, now quickening,
then becoming more deliberate, In uni
son with bis own steps, as from time
to time he purposely altered his pace.
Once he had stopped, whereupon they,
too, had paused.
John Steele seemed oblivious. He
moved into a doorway and, drawing
from his pocket cigar, unconcerned-
ly lighted match. The fellows looked
at him, at the tiny fame. It fickered
and went out They hesitated He
felt In his pocket, giving them time to
move by. They did not do so. In
moment the others from the main
highway would join them. AS If dis
appointed In not finding what he
sought, Steele, looking around, appear
ed to see for the first time the evil
looking miscreants who had come
from the direction Of the Thames and,
striding toward them, asked brusquely
for light. One Of the fellows thus
unceremoniously addressed had actual
ly begun to feel in bis shabby gar
ments for the article required when
his companion uttered short derisory
oath.
John Steele's heavy stick rang hard.
The way before him cleared. But
close behind now the others came fast.
His door, however, was near Now he
reached 1t. fitted the heavy key. Had
1t turned as usual the episode would
have been brought to a speedy conclu-
sion, but as 1t was the key stuck. The
foremost OF those who had been trail
ing fell upon Steele, but soon drew