The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1911-02-23
sympathetic with yours, we may count

II New Remained to FIND Something
Docu
sympathetic with yours, we may count
on your protection?"
Most assuredly!'
"Then-?"
Then we shall see. My fairness Is
clear in that l give you a sight OF the
document with myself. l might have
denied all knowledge of it."
Alcatrante smiled as II to say: Il
already knew so much that you could
not risk that"
The stranger turned to Arima and
said something in Japanese. Arima
replied, and the stranger explained to
Alcatrante: 81 asked about my man
Maku. The American struck him on
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.
What's 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 his
knee, and pushed 1t under the table
cover. 1t walked out into the room,
mewing plaintively.
"a coi5 I1noJy
Arima explained in English: 1T be-
longs to lady upstairs. Comes down
fire escape. Shoe! Shoo!" He clapped
his hands and the animal bounded to
the windowsill and disappeared up the
iron steps.
And now" began the stranger,
shall we examine the documents?"
One moment" said AlcatraEte 81
should first like clear understanding
with you-some words in private" He
moved to corner, and there the
stranger Joined him. They talked in
an undertone for several minutes, AL
catrante gesturing volubly, the stran.
ger nodding now and then, and inter
jecting q few brief words.
What was going on was more than
ever mystery to Orme. The
strangers reference to "the next con.
tract" strengthened the surmise that
the documents in the envelope were
connected with a South American
trade concession. Alcatrante had
plainly concluded that his interests
and those Of the Japanese were identi-
cal. He must have communicated
with the strange Japanese the first
thing in the morning. That would ac-
count for his failure to call at the Pere
Marquette at ten o'clock. Learning
| that the bill had been taken from
Orme, and that the coveted documents
were in the possession of the Japanese,
he had no object in keeping his ap.
pointment. AS for Poritol, he had be-
come a figure Of minor importance.
But OrIne did not let these questions
long engage him, for he had made a
discovery Where his head bumped
against the table, the board above him
solid as he had upposed-rattled
strangely At the moment he could
not Investigate. but as soon as the cat
had satisfied the suspicious of Poritol,
and Alcatrante and the stranger had
retired to their corner, he twisted his
head back and examined the wood
above him.
The table had drawer. From the
! room outside this drawer was con-
cealed by the cloth cover, and Orme
had not suspected its existence.
Now, the table was cheaply made.
The drawer was shallow and narrow,
and it was held in position, under the
table, by an open framework of wood.
When it was pushed in, it was stopped
at the right place by two cleats; there
was no solid strip to prevent its being
pushed in too far
Orme put his hand to the back of the
drawer. There was a space between
it and the tabletop.
Cautiously he pushed his hand
through the opening. His fingers
touched fiat object-a pad of paper,
or-the thought made his heart beat
a large. thick envelope. Could Arima
have used the drawer as a hiding
place?
Slowly lie got the edge of the object
between his first and second fingers
and drew it little way toward the
back of the drawer. A moment later
he had it under his eyes.
Yes, it was long envelope Of heavy
linen, and there were bulky papers
within. The gummed flap was toward
him. He was interested to note that.
important though the documents
seemed to be, the envelope was not
sealed with wax.
He remembered what the girl had
said: her fathers name was written on
the address side. He had only to turn
it over to learn who she was. In the
circumstances such an act might be
justified But she had not wished him
20 know-and he would even now re-
spect her wish and keep his own prom
ise to her first.
His first thought was to slip the en-
velope into his pocket but it occurred