The Columbus journal., 1911-02-08
CHAPTER III.-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 mo-
ton indescribably swift. he caught
with one hand the descending cane
and wrenched it from Orme's grasp.
Then he crouched to spring.
At this instant Orme h .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 one side, Orme
placed himself for the moment out of
danger. His two assai!ants, 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 flared a match.
Hal" exclaimed the PROSTATE Al
catrante, Il thought so!"
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.
Il am not hurt" said the South
American. when the man threw me
to the ground. 1 feigned that I was
stunned 1t is wiser not to resist a
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 one side. The
minister rubbed it carefully with his
coat sleeve. "See," he laughed, nod
ding at the ground, my cane is
broken. l must have fallen on it."
"Since you're not hurt" said Orme,
wed better get after the thieves"
BAH" replied Alcatrante What is
the use? They are already far away
and they got nothing" He laughed.
as 1t not always better to avoid no
toriety. Mr. Orme?"
"As a rule, no doubtful in this in
stance"
NO" said Alcatrante, firmly, Il
really must insist that We let the mat
ter drop. AS for me, shall return to
my hotel. Perhaps you will walk along
with me-"
Orme hesitated. IT don't like those
thieves to get OF without a chase,
senor."
But, my dear Mr. Orme, they did
me no harm"
Orme shrugged his shoulders. "You
forget that there was one after me as
well as one after you"
mo, 1 don't forget that But don't
you see. Mr. Orme? These two men
were not after our valuables."
''Indeede"
mot at all. What they would like
Is my little friend Poritors secret"
But why Japanese?" Orme was
puzzled.
why, indeed? A cunning Japanese
might as easily have got wind of it as
anyone else"
But why did you say, I thought
so?'" persisted Orme.
Did say that? 1t must have been
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 Poritol's
secret is dangerous. You should not
have left your apartments"
We'll, this certainly is queer ket-
tie of fish," muttered Orme. He was
beginning to feel disguised with the
situation. He did not like Alcatrante's
oily smoothness. and he wondered
whether it would not have been better
to hand the bill over to Poritol at the
first demand. But it came to his
aind that in certain degree he stood
committed to continue the policy he
had adopted. He had sought adven-
ture: it was coming to him in full
measure.
Together they walked back toward
the park entrance. The minister
seemingly exerted himself to regain
the ground be had lost with Orme. He