Polk County news-gazette. (Benton, Tenn.) 190?-191?, 1910-12-08
CHAPTER III.
The Shad ows.

ne Snao oWS.
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
| five-dollar bill and the extreme anxi-
ETY. of Poritol seemed to be compl-
Gated by the appearance of the Japa-
nese at 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 one 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 a figure
short distance ahead of him. This
man-apparently very short and
stocky-was also going northward,
but he was moving along in an cratic
manner. At one moment he would
hurry his steps, at the next he would
almost stop Evidently he was regu.
lating his pace with 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 a moment and faced
each other, gesticulating rapidly.
Every time they halted, the single fig.
ure nearer to Orme slowed down his
own pace.
The ohliyious couple came under a
street lamp and again turned toward
each other. Their profiles 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 frock coat. And now the pro-
files verified the surmise There was
of the shorter man and the glinting
spectacles of the other. The two were
Poritol and Alcatrante.
But who was the man trailing them?
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
He folded his arms and
looked out over 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
we're saying, though he was near
enough to them to catch fragments of
heir conversation, if he so desired.
The South Americans were probably
alking in that dialect of Portuguese
which their nation has developed.
Meantime Orme also stopped taking
Up a position like that of the shadow.
lie saw Poritol, with outstretched,
hands, his eyes fixed on
he face of Alcatrante, who seemed to
re delivering his orders. The flashing
objections of light from the minister's
pectacles indicated his authoritative
ods of the head.
After a time Alcatrante evidently
ompleted his instructions. He re-
moved his hat and bowed formally.
little Poritol echoed the salute and,
urning, shot off down side street
nth ridiculously rapid movements of
is short legs.
When the South Americans separa-
ed, the shadow quickly came to life.
lie hesitated for an instant, as If In
oubt which of the two to follow, then
ecided in favor of Alcatrante, who
as moving in leisurely fashion toward
lie park entrance, his head bowed IN
fought. Orme found himself wondee !.
lg what snaky plots were wind
trough that dark mind. ~
The procession of three silen1
red the park. The shadow waR
hundred feet behind Alcaf
rme kept the same distance b.
mself and the shadow.
The minister was in no hurr
fferent to his surroundings -
s way, with no apparent -
@ paths he took. At last
to dark stretch and for
ent was lost to sight in a.
Suddenly the shadow d.
ard. orme hurried h!n.l,
ID in moment he he1
a short, sharp strHAA-,
feet in the gray kNa |