The Stanford interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1911-1912, 1911-05-30


mcnt
The girls smile began 10 fsda
Rather grimly she interrupted him.
mo. I don't see at sli.- was her an
nouncement. She moved away from
the desk.
"weli, Miss Lane. r.
The telephone bell rang at his desk
He bent forward and put the receiver
TO his ear. As he hung up the re-
ceiver a clerk entered.
"will you have the cash nowT' the
employee asked.
in a few minutes"
No sooner had the clerk made his
exit when a messenger boy entered
bearing n telegram. Valentine tore
II open. apologizing to Rose as he did
so. The girl saw that the assistant
cashier was very busy. She deter
mined to leave him for the present.
As Valentine dismissed the boy she
announced that IL the press of busl-
ness would not continue all day she
would return. Valentine assured her
that In a half hour he would be at
leisure and that he would sacrifice
everything else in order TO talk to her.
She started toward the door, assuring
him that she would return. As she
opened the door she turned and cast
smile in the direction of the assist
ant cashier.
But Valentine did not notice IT, He
did not see IT, His eyes were glued TO
the slip OF yellow paper that he held'
| In his hand. The girl saw that as he
read the telegram an expression Of
tenseness, of unsubdued excitement
crept across his face. Wonderingly
she softly closed the door A few
steps carried her before Valentine.
who looked up in surprise. thinking
she had gone.
| What is it-that telegram" she
gaspcd "It's bad news for you-vesy
bad" she went on. II must know"
Valentine. undergoing n pronounced
shock owing 10 the contents OF the
message which he held In his hand
was almost completely unstrung by
the interruption of the girl he loved
Was Z. not fate that prompted her TO
appear before him at the very moment
when
"Oh. Il is nothing" he said weakly
Merely a little business tangle-that
! IL all"
He stepped ont from behind his
rcsE. crumphng the rateruI telegram
in his hand, and gently led the girl to
the door. Remember" he said, 81
have al engagement with you in
half hour"
II will remember"
Unconvinced. mystified and thor
oughly agitated by his nervous man
ner. Rose Lane went out of The office.
Valentine. smiling as best he could
under the circumstances. closed the
/ door behind her. He crossed TO her
chair. sank into 1t and fiattened the
wrinkled telegram before him. Again
he read 1t from end TO end:
Look out" he read. Doyle viii be
in town this afternoon at 4 to see you
about an important matter"
The assistant cashier dropped his
chin into his palm and stared vacant
ly at the opposite wall,
Doyle" he muttered - George
Doyle. He said he'd get me IL it took
ten years-a lifetime. Well, perhaps
he can; then, again. perhaps he can
not. At any rate, he can probably ruin
my career. my hopes, my standing here.
where ] have friends who believe In
me-"
Valentine leaned hack meditatiyeiy
In his chair. The fatal telegram drop
ped unheeded to the floor. His mouth
set determinedly. A new fire blazed
In his eyes, the fire that had consumed
him and had spurred him on when In
the days and nights of the past he had
ventured forth on a desperate enter
prise.
He would give George Doyle a race,
that he would. He would match his
wit against that of the skilled sleuth.
He already had laid the basis for what
now must be his course OF procedure,
and he believed that it would with
stand even the cunning and force Sf
George Doyle. At any rate. he could
try.
Valentine leaned forward and press
ed button. A clerk entered. The as
sistant cashier hesitated moment,
then spoke quickly.
Tell the Waterman IL come here"
he directed -. ,.a
The clerk nodded and went out I'm
search OF Red Flanagan-yes, Red .
none other than the one time accom-
plice OF Jimmy Valentine. whom the
latter. true to his word. had taken
with him In his attempt TO go IL
straight" 4.
Flanagan must be told Of the com.
ing OF Doyle. who was his sworn enc
my also. In addition, Red would have
TO assist the assistant cashier. now
known as Mr.. Randall. In the maneu-
yer which the latter was about TO ex-
ecute.