The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1911-02-16

man of his word, and he hurried back
to the Pere Marquette, for the hour
was close to ten. He was influenced
to some extent by the thought that
Poritol and Alcatrante, on learning
how he had been robbed of the bill,
might unwittingly give him further
clue.
No one had called for him. He
waited till ten minutes past the hour
before he concluded that he had full
filled his part of the bargain with
them. Though he did not understand
it, he attached no especial significance
to their failure to appear.
Once again he went to North Parker
street. Three forty-one proved to be
a notion shop. Through the win
dow he saw a stout woman reading a
newspaper behind the counter When
he entered she laid the paper aside
and arose languidly, as though Gus
toners were rather a nuisance than a
blessing. She was forty, but not fair.
Orme asked to see a set of studs.
She drew box from a show case and
spread the assortment before him.
He selected a set and paid her, offer.
ing ten-dollar bill. She turned to
cash register and made change
which included five-dollar bill.
Orme could hardly believe his eyes.
The bill which she placed in his hand
bore the written words: "Remewber
person you pay this to-"
He turned it over. In the corner
was a familiar set of abbreviations.
There was no doubt about it. The
bill was the same which had been
taken from him, and which he had last
seen in the possession Of Maku.
What an insistent piece Of green pa
per that marked bill was! 1t had
started him on this remarkable series
of adventures. 1t had introduced ex-
citable little Poritol and the suave
Alcatrante to his apartment. 1t had
made him the victim of the attack by
the two Japanese. 1t had brought
the girl into his life. And now it
came again into his possession just
at the moment to prove that he was
on the right track in his search for
Maku and the man who had the pa
pers. The queerest coincidence was
that the bill would never have come
into his possession at all had it not
been for his first meeting with the
| girl-who at that very time was her
self searching for it. The rubbing of
his hat against the wheel of her car
on so little thing as that had hinged
the events followed.
This is strange" Orme addressed
the woman.
1T doesn't hurt it any" said the
woman, indifferently.
Il know that. But it's a curious
thing just the same"
The woman raised her shoulders
slightly, and began to put away the
stock she had taken out for Orme's
benefit.
Who paid this to you?" persisted
| Orme.
How should I remember? | can't
keep track of all the persons that
come in the store during the day."
But l should think that anything
so queer as this" He saw that he
could get nothing from her except by
annoying her.
The woman glared. What you a
botherin' about? Why don't you leave
we'll enough alone?"
Orme smiled. Tell me one thing"
he said, do you know Japanese that
lives hereabouts?"
oh" said the woman, so you're
one of the gentlemen he was expectin',
eh? Well, it's the front fat two
flights up"
Thank you" said Orme. He walked
out to the street, whence a backward
glance showed him the woman again
concealed in her newspaper.
At one side of the shop he found the
entrance to flight of stairs which led
to the floors above. In the little hall
way, just before the narrow ascent be-
gan, was row of electric buttons and
names, and under each of them a mail
box. ga" had a card on which was
printed:
"Arima. Teacher of Original Kama
Jiu-Jitsu."
Should he go boldly up and present
himself as a prospective pupil? If
Arima were the one who had SO ef-
fectively thrown him the night before