Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-08-23
No MANS '
LAKD.A N@M]ANGE
4E5IOUIS JOSEPH VANCE
esI I11g Ss 1124:E !sayE..! ~ >%3.*
CHAPTER XIV.
ILLUSTRATIONS BY Z


CHAPTER XIV.
Look here. Handyside
Hoorhis give you any message for
met"
Blacimtock stood with his back to
ths stove In the farmhouse kitchen /:
hands in pockets. his heavy shoulders
lifted. 10 swayed all but imperceptibly
bn The balls Of his feet In the dull
ta6ron illumination Of two common
kerosene lamps. he doomed hugely in
The room. overshadowing and dwarf
ing the two mute. placid Chinese who
battered about. preparing = meal
having been routed out Of bed for that
purpose
Coast. dltfng back In kitchen
chair on the far side Of the table from
lBlackstock. considered quickly and
fled deliberately and wholeheartedly.
with full knowledge Of the conse-
nuences OF = misstep: Sooner or later
HE unmashng was bound to come,
whether he will It or no. He was not
Eager for It yet. but prepared against
pt at any time. Sooner or
later that word would fall from his
)ips-or from Katherine's-or some
hntoward happening would precipitate
the Notwithstanding him. an i'm
poster. The hour like the outcome
WAS On the knees Of the gods The
senss Of fatality was strong upon his
soul
There wasn't time" he said. Il
WAS olfduty and they rounded me up
bust in time to catch the midnight
train" ].
"And voorhis sent no word?" Black
btock demanded incredulously.
He said you'd be advised BY wire
less.
No more than that?'
only I'd md this Job after my own
heart. to do as l was told and mind
my own business and see nothing ex-
;oept what you showed under my nose;
1T would be worth my while, and he
knew he could depend on me. guess
he did, too guess he knows what
kind of man you need, Mr.. Black.
and Mr. Voorhis isn't the sort to pick
an operator out of the grab-bag for a
special purpose. Isn't that so?''
II know voorhis. 1t is." Black
stock rocked back and forth on bis
feet. pursuing his full. loose-lipped
mouth. II can tell more about you
in the morning" he said; we'll have
p talk and come to IN understanding :"
why net now?''
Morning will do" said Blackstock
decidedly.
For come minutes Blackstock did
mot speak. Coast glanced up at him,
land as II he were aware Of that fact
1.-THE man shook himself out Of what
had seemed profound abstraction.
How shout Mr.. Handyside's sup.
DER, John?s he asked.
"Leady vely soon." replied ono OF
the Chinese msekly.
Hurry 1t up. then; he's tired.
Guess I'll step upstairs and have .
|look at Chang" said Blackjack.
|''That's the fellow Power knocked
tout, you know" he added supsrfiuous.
lly - he left the room. moving lightly
with quick steps noisslsss in his rub
bsr.soled shoes.
Left alone. Coast fol- to the food
which one Of the Cinnamon presently
bet bsfore him. Although up to that
kline Sxcttementa had numbed him to
kho fact, b had tasted nothing since
nid-day, and was now excessively hun
gTy. The meal. plain but wsll-cooked.
proved .. great relief from the some.
what moootonous diet Of bacon and
jecEA 20 which he had been restricted
since the previous morning. He took
bis time over 1t. however, and toward
he conclusion began to wonder what
Baac,stock found to keep him 80 long
hbove-stalra.
Tho dishes were removed and the
Chinamen 80 about washing up. chat
ksSing 70 one another in low, expires.
h3onloss tones. Still Blackstock did
mot come down. Coast lighted his
jpipo. His thoughts revsrting to
katherine, In natural course swung
back to tie alp Of paper rsposing at
ths bottom Of bis pocket.
He looked cautiously round: the serv.
ants were intent upon their work.
xto,id,z .ocurious as to himself. to all
bppea1ances: from the upper floor
came reitsrations Of the high-pitohed
had qnsrulous accents of the wounded
man-a soand to which he had be-
como accustomed since Blackstock
had left him. He felt. consequently.
fairly safe.
Producing the scrap Of paper. he
btsalthily smoothed 1t out across his
knse. It bore q single sentence hur-
tiedly and lightly IN pencil:
Neither your life nor mine Is safe
i you persist"
v1ey thoughtfully - twisted the %.
psr into . little spill. lighted It over
he chimney Of one Of the lamps, ap-
blioA the fame 70 The tobacco In his
pipo, then held It while It burned.
Precisely what was one to under
bta1As1r that mssaAge7 That Kath-
hstns had awaksosd to the truth re-
kasAing the hlhaG ct Van Tuyl-or
0eeojy that she mistIusted Black.
ttock1 temper. should he by any
hhance b led to sWpect Coasts true
b6eaHity3 That she knew the truth
hboat Power? Or that through some
subtle process Of feminine intuition
HE had OWNED that Blackstock was
hot wholly hoodwinked by the At
k-~A>A Ane %ion ~ E3anAw.