Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1910-12-08
CHAPTER III.
The Shad owe.

Orme walked north along the Lake
Shore drive, AS best he could, he
pieced together the curious adven-
lures of the day. The mystery of the
flve-dollar bill and the extreme anxi-
ETY. of Poritol seemed to be compli-
Gated by the appearance of the Japa.
nese ct the Pere Marquette. Orme
sought the simplest explanation. He
knew that mysterious happenings fire.
quently become clear when one def.
nitely tries to fit them into the natural
routine of everyday life. The jap
anese, he unused, was probably some
valet out Of a job. But how could he
have learned Orme's name. Possibly
he had not known it; the clerk might
have given it to him. The incident
hardly seemed worth second thought,
but he found himself persistently turn
ing to N surmise after another con-
corning the Japanese. For Orme was
convinced that he stood On the edge Of
a significant situation.
Suddenly he took notice of q figure
a short distance ahead of him. This
man-apparently very short and
stocky-was also going n~orthward.
but he was moving along in an erratiu
manner. At n moment he would
hurry his steps, at the next he would
almost stop. Evidently he was regu-
lating his pace with a purpose.
Orme let his eyes travel still farther
ahead. He observed two men actively
~conversing. From time to time their
discussion became SO animated that
they halted for q moment and faced
each other, g~esttculating rapidly.
Every time they halted, the single fig
ure nearer to Orme slowed down his
own pace.
The oblivious couple came under q
street lamp and again turned toward
each other. Their profles were dis.
tinct. Orme had already suspected
their identity, for both had high hats
and carried canes, and one of them
was in a sack suit, while the other
wore a frock coat. And now the pro
files verified the surmise. There was
no mistaking the long, tip-tilted nose
of the shorter man and the glinting
spectacles of the other. The two were
Poritol and Alcatrante.
But who was the man trailing them7
A friendly guard? Or a menacing en-.
envy? Orme decided to shadow the
shadow.
At a corner not far from the en-
trance to Lincoln park Poritol and AL
catrante became so apparently excited
that they stood, chattering volubly for
several minutes. The shadow stopped
altogether. He folded his arms and
looked out rel the lake like any cas-
ual wanderer, but now and then he
turned his head toward the others. He
seemed to be Indifferent to what they
were saying, though he was near
enough to them to catch fragments oil
their conversation, if he so desired.
The South Americans were probably
talking in that dialect of Portuguese
which their nation has developed.
Meantime Orme also stopped, taking
up a position like that of the shadow
He saw Poritol, with outstretched
questioning hands, his eyes fixed or
the face of Alcatrante, who seemed tt
be delivering his orders. The flashing
reflections of light from the ministers
spectacles indicated his authoritative
, mods of the head.
After a time Alcatrante evidently
completed his instructions. He re
/ moved his hat and bowed formally
Little Poritol echoed the salute and
l turning, shot off down a side stree
: with ridiculously rapid movements o.
ais short legs.
v When the South Americans separa
: ted, the shadow quickly came to life
He hesitated for an instant, as II II
| doubt which of the two to follow, ther
decided in favor Of Alcatrante, WHIT
I was moving in leisurely fashion towart
the park entrance, his head bowed IL
thought. Orme found himself wonder
ing what snaky plots were winding
through that dark mind.
S The procession of three silently en-
d tered the park. The shadow was abou
a hundred feet behind Alcatrante
f Orme kept the same distance between
e himself and the shadow.
The minister was in no hurry. u
!. different to his surroundings he mad
his way, with no apparent interest il
Q the paths he took. At last he turne'
|. into a dark stretch and for the me
ment was lost to sight In the night.
+ Suddenly the shadow darted fol
ward. orme hurried his own pace
d and in a moment he heard the sound
of a short; sharp struggle scuf1inl
g Of feet in the gravel, a heavy fall
There was no cutlery.
Q Orme broke into q run. At a poin
r where the path was darkest b
checked himself for an instant. A III
9 tie distance ahead a man lay fat o.
Q the ground, and bending over him wa
q short. stocky figure.
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