The Columbus journal., 1911-02-08

ment declined the OTTER. again insist.
ing that he didn't understand what ]
was talking about 7 took the other
things. miss.' he said. and I suppose
IN get time for It. But SO help me. I
didn't see no papers,"
The gin paused and looked 1t
Orme. This seems like wasting min
utes when We might be searching"
Orme was pleased to hear. the we"
WELL" she went on. II knew that
the man was not telling the truth. He
was too hesitant to be convincing. So
l began to promise him money. At
every offer he looked past my shout
der and then repeated his denials.
The last time he raised his eyes had
an intuition that something was going
on behind me. I turned quickly.
There stood Mr.. Poritol. extending his
fingers In the air and forming his
mouth silently into words. He was
raising my bids!
1T flashed upon me that the papers
would be of immense value to Mr..
Poritol-for certain reasons. II only
I had thought of 1t before! spoke
to him sharply and told him to 60 out
side. 1t always seemed natural to
order him about, like little dog"
However. little dogs have the
sharpest teeth" remarked Orme.
THAT Is true. He replied that he
couldn't think Of leaving me alone
in such q place. So there was moth
ing for me to DO except to 60. I would
have to return later without Mr..
Poritol Come along said. My er-
rand is done
Mr.. PoritOl smiled at me In q way
I didn't like. The burglar, meantime.
had gone to little table at the back
of his cell. There was an ink bottle
there and he seemed to be writing.
Looking into the cell, Mr.. POritOl
said: The poor fellow has very IN
pleasant quarters Then he said to
Walsh: Can't We do something to
make your enforced stay here more
comfortable. my dear sir?'"
Orme smiled at the unconscious
mimicry of her accent.
walsh came back to the grating
He held in his hand a five-dollar bill
the one that has made SO much
trouble. 1t had been smuggled in to
him in some way. You might get
me some "baccy,"' he said, thrusting
the bill through the bars and grinning.
Now understood what was going
on. l reached for the bill. as though
It were intended for me. but Mr.. Po-
ritol was quicker. He snatched the
bill and put it in his pocket.
Il didn't know what to do. But
suddenly Mr. Poritol seemed to be
frightened. Perhaps he thought that ]
would have him arrested. though he
might have known that there were
reasons why couldn't. He gave me
a panicky look and rushed out Of the
corridor. Afterward I learned that
he told the guard I had sent him on
an errand.
"Welr'-she sighed-"of course. I
followed. after a last glance at Walsh.
who was peering through the grating
with q look of evil amusement. He
must have been well paid, that
burglar. But then" she unused. they
could afford it-yes. they could we'll
afford it.
when l got to the street. Poritol
was just disappearing in my car! l
can only think that he had lost his
head very completely. for he didn't
need to take the car He could have
mixed with the street crowd and gone
a-foot to the hotel where"
"Alcatrante?"
"Yes. Mr.. Acknowledgements he was
and have waited there. But
Mr.. Alcatrante was playing golf at
Wheaton. and Mr.. Poritol seems to
have thought that he must go straight
to him. He cannot escape from being
spectacular, you see.
He ran out through the western
suburbs. putting on more and more
speed. Meantime l set a detective on
the track of the car. That Is how !
learned what l am now telling you. |
As for the car. Mr. Poritol sent it back |
to me this morning with hired chauf- |
feur. He wrote note Of abject apol-
ogy, saying that he had been beside
himself and had not realized what he |
was doing.
After setting the detective at !
work. went out to our place by train |
I dreaded confessing my failure to IA
Their, but he took it very well. We
had dinner together In his study.