The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1911-01-27


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 a 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 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 eff
fectively thrown him the night before
he would certainly remember the man
he had thrown and would promptly
be on his guard Also, the woman in
the shop had said, you are one of the
gentlemen he was expectin'." Others
were coming
ceal himself in an entry across the
street and keep an eye out for the
persons who were coming to visit Ari-
ma. He assumed that their coming
had something to do with the stolen
paper. But he had no way Of know
ing who the athletes guests would be.
There might be no one among them
whom he could recognize. And even
il he saw them all go in, how would
his own purpose be served by merely
watching them? In time, no doubt,
they would all come out again, and
one of them would have the papers in
his possession, and Orme would not
know which one.
For all he was aware, some of the
guests had already arrived. They
might even now be gathering with
eager eyes about the unfolded docu-
ments. No, Orme realized that his
place was not on the sidewalk. By
some means he must get where he
could discover what was going on in
the front fiat on the third floor. Stand
ing where he now was there was mo-
mentary danger of being discovered
by persons who would guess why he
was there Maku might come.
Orme looked to see who lived in
IA" the fiat above the Japanese. The
card bore the name:
Madam Ala, Clairvoyant and Trance
Medium"
81 think l will have my fortune
told" muttered Orme, as he pressed
Madam Alias bell and started up the
stairs.
At the top of the second flight he
looked to the entrance of the front
apartment. 1t had a large square of
ground glass, with the name "Arima"
in black letters. He continued up
ward another flight and presently
found himself before two blank doors
one at the front and one a little
at one side. The side door opened
slowly in response to his knock.
Before him stood a blowsy but not
altogether unprepossessing woman of
middle years. She wore cheap print
gown. A gypsy scarf was thrown over
her head and shoulders, and her ears
held loop earrings. Her inquiring
glance at Orme was not unmixed with
suspicion.
Madam Alia?" inquired Orme.
She nodded and stood aside for him
to enter. He passed into cheap lit
tie reception hall which looked out on
the street, and then, at her silent
direction went through door at one
side and found himself in the me-
diums sanctum.
The one window gave on a dimly
lighted narrow space which apparently
had been cut in from the back OF the
building. Through the dusty glass he
could see the railing of fire-escape
platform, and cutting diagonally across
the light, part of the stairs led to the
platform above. There was a closed
door, which apparently opened into the
outer hall. In the room were dirty
red hangings, two chairs, a couch, and
a small square center table.
Madam ALA had already seated her
self at the table and was shutting a
pack of cards. "Fifty-cent reading?
she asked, as he took the chair oppo-
site her.
Orme nodded. His thoughts were on
the window and the fire escape, and he
hardly heard her monotonous SEN
fences, though he obeyed mechanically
her instructions to cut and shuttle.
You are about to engage in a new
she was saying. you will
be successful, but there will be some
trouble about a dark man. Look out
for him. He talks fair, but he means
mischief-There is a woman, too
This man will try to prejudice her
against you" And all the time Orme
was saying to himself, How can per-
suade her to let me use the fire es-
cape?"
Suddenly he was conscious that the
woman had ceased speaking and was
running the cards through her fingers
and looking at him searchingly. "You
are not listening" she said, as he met
her gaze.