Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-09-06
ILLUs ATroNs BY
RAY w A l. T E r s
(Cppyriaht, lgU, BY Dodd, Mead T. Uompsn
CHAPTER WI.
Thu Trail OF Maku.

When for the second time that night
he babe the girl adieu and saw her
enter the house OF her friends. Orme
went briskly to the electric car line.
He had not long to wait. A car
stopped at his corner. Swinging
aboard at the rear platform. he
glanced within. There wore four pas.
sengers-a man and woman who, ap-
parently, were returning from an eve-
ming party Of some sort, since he was
in evening dress and she wore ar
opera cloak; a specialized man, with
black portfolio In his lap: a seedy
fellow asleep in one corner, his head
sagging down on his breast, his hands
In his trousers pockets; and-was It
possible9 Orme began to think that
Fate had indeed changed her face
toward him, for the man who sat
huddled midway Of the car, staring
straight before him with beady. ex-
pressionless eyes, was Maku.
Under the brim OF his dingy straw
hat white bandage was drawn tight
around his head-so tight that from
It's under edge the coarse black hair
brfstled out in distinct fringe. The
blow Of the wrench, then. must have
cut through the skin.
Well-that would mean one moro
scar on the face Of the Japanese.
Tho other scar, how had Maku come
by that? Perhaps In some battle with
the Russians in Manchuria. He
seemed to be little more than a boy.
but then. one never could guess the
age Of japanese, and for that mat
ter. Orme bad more than once been
told that the Japanese had begun to
impress very young soldiers long be-
fore the battle OF Mukden.
While making these observations,
Orme had drawn his hat lower over
his eyes. He hoped to escape recog-
milton, for this opportunity to track
Maku to his destination was not to be
missed. He also placed himself in
such position on the platform that
his own face was partly concealed by
the cross-bars which protected the
windows at the end Of the car.
In his favor was the fact that Maku
would not expect to see him. Doubt
with his aching head than with any
suspicion Of pursuit, though his
somewhat indeterminate profile. as
visible to Orme, gave no indication of
any feeling at an. So Orme stood
where he could watch without seem
ing to watch, and puzzled over the
problem OF following Maku from the
car without attracting, attention.
The refusal Of the other Japanese to
accept the girls offer of money for the
papers had given Orme new idea OF
the importance Of the quest Maku
and his friend must be Japanese gov
eminent agents-just as Porltol and
Alcatrante we're unQuestionably acting
for their government This. at least,
was the most probable explanation
that entered Orme's mind. The syndt
cate, then-or concession. or what.
ever It was-must be of genuine inter
national significance.
Though orme continued to smother
his curious questionings as to the
meaning of the secret. he could not
ignore his general surmises. To put
his confidence in the girl-to act fox
her and for her alone-that was
enough for him: but It added to his
happiness to think that she might be
leading him into an affair which was
greater than any mere tangle Of pr1
upon the mesh Of private interests
public interests are usually woven
The activity of Russian syndi