The Delta independent., 1910-09-09

tHdt uc nave put tuC le odty
but would he not Immediately after
ward have given some signal to the
friend below? And would he not take
1t for granted that, were a 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 a favorable moment,
then alighting on the ground as far
from Orme as possible, make of at
top speed.
But now. to Ormes surprise, a fig
parently without haste. Once on the
ground, however, the stranger leaped
toward Orme.
An intuition led Orme to thrust out
his left arm. 1t was quickly seized.
but before the assailant could twist
1t, 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 a little moan. he
dropped to the ground in a 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 sickening 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 a scar on his
forehead. 1t was Maku.
He went through the unconscious
mans pockets. There was no enve-
lope such as he was looking for, but
he did find a folded slip of paper
which he thrust into his own pocket
discovery that interested him,
though it was not now important he
made by the light of a second match.
II was the marked fve-dollar bill. He
would have liked to take it as
souvenir, If for no other reason, but
time was short and Maku. who evl-
IDENTIFY 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 somethingr 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 Orme's liking. 1t might be
possible to explain the situation well
enough to satisfy the local authori-
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
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 chauffeurs seat.
"Well?" inquired the girl, eagerly.
Too late" said Orme. I'm sorry.
] caught Maku, but the man with the
envelope got away"
She laid a 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.
II 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:
"Listen!"
Orme stopped the car. Somewhere
from the distance came a faint hum.
Another carl" he muttered.
Yes" she said. "Oh. but l can do
no more. l am tired. Mr.. orme. We
cannot catch that car. even If it does
hold the man we want-and there is
no way of being sure that it does"
III there is any place to leave you.