The Washington times., 1911-03-20
THE TIMES DAILY SERIAL STORY
Mllady of the Mercenaries
VANCE
NIlnseY ompa
BIZ LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE
Copyright. The Frank A. NJ

the cafe. and warned Lazard earnestly;
The man laughed, cursed Jimmy, and
made as if TO draw a gun This was
manifestly foolish; Curlce was very
| tered the mercenary.s shoulder.
Now we soa are quits ,,ne he to told the the
you down like the. dog you are!"
Jimmy had friends who were infuen-
| tiaI; they hushed the matter up, and
! got the American out of town. He took
horse and went on his way back to
| Gods country-which is much further
north.
And now, since it was Lazard. un-
doubtedly more dcvilmcnt was afoot
What was, IL; None, of his affair,
Curtice decided. Nevertheless - he
scratched his chin thoughtfully Some
how he wished that that woman wasn't
mixed up in it. What part did she play
in Lazard's calculations? Who was
she? Whittier bound in such company?
Jimmy yaWncd and dismissed the sub
jeCt. His thoughts took a new trend,
and he mentally reviewed his life
from the time Of his leaving Mexico to
his advent in New York. There had
been year or so of cattle-punching on
a Texas range. followed by a period of
wandering before he landed at San
Luis. California, and met Mike CLANCY.
Clancy was the genial proprietor Of
the leading newspaper of the Slope,
iilt Sdl LUIS news llcIlI, tlSIl pages,
mostly patent inside. Curtice was even
then deliberating his resolution to get
out of the newspaper business alto
gether, in order to stick to straight
fiction'-tho stock ambition of every
good newspaper man in America: but
he wanted to get to New York, so he
suffered himself 10 be installed for a
time in the editorial chair Of the News
Item. Besides, Clancy insisted, and Of
fered generous wages.
Here Jimmy stuck for several months.
inwardly chatting and finding an outlet
in burning, SCathing editorials to the
trust evil" which were demaded by
the policy of the paper. He used TO sit
and marvel how the trusts managed to
exist when the News Item was showing
them up in all their sinfulness; but
somehow they did. Mike Clancy ap-
plauded, paving CurtiCC one-half, pre-
cisely, of his salary, every month; he
always explained that all arrears would
he cleared off before the next pay day.
Then he would take Curtice out and
buy him a drink and play poker with
him until most Of the money had re-
turned 10 the prOprietor's pocket.
Jimmy enjoyed It all, and would not
have cared had he not always had with
him the thought of the East, and what
It held for him. But one night the
tide turned: Clancy lost alarmingly.
CurtiCe awoke the next morning the
sole proprietor of the News Item. 1t
was a white elephant. CurtiCe sought out
his erstwhile employer and explained
that never in all his dreams of avarice,
had he asplred to such unbounded
wealth: he did not know what TO do
with it Would Mr.. Clancy exert his
influence and procure for Mr.. Curtice
San Luis and New York? In considcra-
ton of such action on Mr.. ClanCy's part,
Mr. Curtice would be pleased to convey
to him the title and goodwill of the
San Luis News Item.
Would Mr Clancy? Indeed, he be-
stirred himself nightly. A week later
Jimmy was on his way East, rejoicing,
but well-nigh penniless-
A month in the city had reduced him
to the verge Of starvation. He believed
that he had 75 cents left. To be sure,
he had sold several stories to the va
rious syndiCates and magazines: buZ
most Of these have md agreeable habit
of paving upon publication only; and
Curtice had not been fortunate with the
blessed minority He found himself cor
ing 1t out until he starved, or of pre-
senting his letter TO a certain editor
and resuming newspaper work.
He was accustomed TO making quick
decisions. Being now suddenly struck
with the fact that he must decide, and
that quickly. he ran his hands through
all mis- pockets and definitely confirmed
his estimate of the financial situation
Then he became aware that he mad
longer to live In good lodgings, to ex-
perience once more the repletion which
comes from a proper and sufficient
meal, to know the comfort of well-cut
coat upon his back.
Whercupon he arose and boarded
south bound car, serenely unconscious
thai he was being closely followed by a
rather underslzed and very dark person
who had been watching him from a
convenient distance. Indeed, TO an un-
edjudiCed observer 1t would have
seemed that General Lazard had mani
tested a consuming interest in Jimmy
actions for several days past
But now. as the American swung
himself easily to a cross seat in an
open car. the Spaniard plainly showed
his Indifference by turning his back and
showing his white teeth in an unhOly
grin, the while he nOnchalantly twist
cd his determined, bristling black mus
tache. A moment later he retraced his
steps across the park and stepped off
briskly into a side street.
Continuation of This story VIII BE
Found in TOmOrrOw's Issue
u6o TfnnaaN