Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1910-12-15
CHAPTER m.-contInued.

Orme leaped forward and swung his
cane. The stick was tough and the
blow was hard enough to send a man
to earth, but the robber had heard
Orme's approach, and looked up from
his victim Just in time. With a mo
tion indescribably swift, he caught
with ON hand the descending cane
and wrenched it from Orme's grasp.
Then he crouched to spring.
At this instant Orme hi .,rd footsteps
behind him. A turn Of the head
showed a threatening figure at his
back. There had been four men in
That procession through the park
By a quick leap to n side, Orme
placed himself for the moment out Of
danger. His two assailants, moving
too fast to stop, bumped together.
They faced about for another spring
at him. And then there was a short
scratching sound, and in the hand Of
the man on the ground fiared a match.
"Hal" exclaimed the PROSTATE Al
~catrante, II thought sol"
Orme found himself looking into the
contorted faces of two Japanese.
Discovery was evidently the last
thing the hold-up men desired, for
they disappeared like a flash, diving
through the shrubbery behind them.
Orme, dazed and breathing hard, at
tempted no immediate pursuit. He
stepped quickly to Alcatrante and
helped him to his feet.
II am not hurt" said the South
American. when the mar threw me
to the ground, I feigned that I was
stunned. It is wiser not to resist q
thug, is 1t not so?" He brushed the
dust from his clothing with his hand
kerchief. Orme handed him his hat,
which had rolled to n side. The
minister rubbed 1t carefully with his
coat sleeve. "See," he laughed, nod.
ding at the ground, my cane Is
broken. / must have fallen on it."
"Since you're not hurt" said Orme
we'd better get after the thieves"
"Bah!" replied A~lcatrante. What II
the use? They are already far away
and they got nothing" He laughed
els 1t not always better to avoid no
&oriety, Mr.. Orme?"
"As a rule, no doubt-but in this in
stance"
NO." said Alcatrante, firmly, I"
really must insist that we let the mat
ter drop. AS for me, / shall return tt
my hotel. Perhaps you will walk along
with me-"
Orme hesitated. 81 don't like those
thieves to get off without a chase
senior"
"But, my dear Mr.. orme. they dit
me no harm"
Orme shrugged his shoulders. "Yo,
forget that there was n after me al
well as one after you"
mo, I don't forget that, But dom
you see, Mr.. Orme2 These two mer
were not after our valuables."
"Indeed2"
"Not at all. What they would like
10 my little friend Poritol's secret"
But why JapaneseT" orme wa
puzzled.
"Why, indeed7 A cunning japanese
might as easily have got wind Of it al
anyone else"
"But why did you say, I though
ao7'" persisted Orme.
did | say that? It must have beel
because I suspected that only a jap
anese could be so agile as my assail
ant. But all this Is immaterial.
should have warned you that PoritoI'
secret is dangerous. You should no
have left your apartments"
well, this certainly is a queer ket
tie nf fish," muttered Orme. He wa
beginning to feel Disguised with tn
situation. He did not like Alcatrante'
oily smoothness, and he wondere,
whether 1t would not have been bette
10 hand the bill over to Poritol at tn,
first demand. But it came to hi
mind that in a certain degree he stool
committed to continue the policy h
had adopted. He had sought adver
ture; 1t was coming to him in fnl
measure.
Together they walked back towar'
the park entrance. The ministe
seemingly exerted himself to regal
the ground he had lost with orma H