Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1911-01-26

Docun
been stronger" The Japanese smiled
family.
But" continued Alcatrante, with a
slight grimace, "the activity Of your
men made that impossible. / have no
~lieutenants such as yours" He shot
an ugly CLEAN at Poritol, whose sud
den assumption Of fearsome humility
was in strange contrast to his usual
self-assurance.
AS we hold the documents"-the
Japanese spoke with great distinctness
-"you will necessarily admit our ad-
vantage. That means, you will un-
derstand, a smaller commission on the
next contract"
Alcatrante twisted his face into the
semblance Of a smile. mot too small,
or we cannot undertake the work." he
said.
mo, not too small" the stranger
agreed calmly, but smaller than the
last. You must not forget that there
are others who would gladly do the
same work"
Eyes, but at best they cannot get the
terms we get"
Possibly. That Is a matter still to
be determined. Meantime we have as
sumed that our interests in this docu-
ment are identical. Let us test It."
"One word first" said A~lcatrante.
81 take it that, If Jul interests are
sympathetic with yours, we may count
on your protection?"
Most assuredly.'
"Then-?"
Then we shall see. My fairness is
clear in that I give you a sight of the
document with myself. | might have
denied all knowledge of it,"
Alcatrante smiled as If to say: 81
already knew so much that you could
not risk that"
The stranger turned to Arima and
said something in Japanese. Arims
replied, and the stranger explained tt
Alcatrante: Il asked about = my mar
Maku. The American struck him OF
the head last night and injured him
But he is recovering. He is trouble
some-that American"
Orme started. His head bumped
against the table.
Whats that?" exclaimed Poritol
advancing. There's something under
that tablet" He stopped to lift the
cover.
One chance flashed into Orme'S
mind. Quickly he seized the cat
which was still sleeping against hi
knee, and pushed 1t under the table
cover. 1t walked out into the room
mewing plaintively.
"A cat" said Poritol, drawing back.
Arima explained in English: 1T be
longs to lady upstairs. Comes dow
fire escape. Shoe! Shoot" He clappe'
his hands and the animal bounded t.
) the window-sill and disappeared up tn
iron steps.
! And now" began the stranger
shall we examine the documents?"
"One moment" said Alcatrante. ="
should first like a clear understandin
. with you-some words in private" H
moved to a corner, and there tn
I stranger Joined him. They talked /
I an undertone for several minutes, A
catrante gesturing volubly, the strar
ger nodding now and then, and intAl
jecting a few brief words.
0 What was going on was more tina
ever a mystery to Orme. Tn
q strangers reference to 1.-THE next col
5 tract" strengthened the surmise tina
q the documents in the envelope wer
i connected with a South America
p trade concession. A~lcatrante ha
7 plainly concluded that his interest
and those of the Japanese were ident
Y cal. He must have communicate
with the strange Japanese the frs
thing In the morning. That would a
count for his failure to call at the Per
I Marquette at ten O'clock. Learnin
that the bill had been taken frol
n Orme, and that the coveted document
were in the possession of the Japanes
d he had no object in keeping his a.
& pointment. AS for Poritol, he had b
Y, come a figure Of minor Importance.
But Orme did not let these question
1t long Engage him, for he had made
I discovery. Where his head bumpe
ID against the table, the board above hi
y solid, as he had supposed--rattlt
strangely. At the moment he cou
70 not investigate. but rs soon as the O