The Huttig news., 1911-01-14
and expressionleSS.

and expressIonless.
 .Senor,r exclaimed Orme, "does your trade include murder?"
 Not at all Why do you ask, Mir. Orme?"
 Because only lucky Intervention has saved you from the murder of a young lady and myself"
 You are exaggerating. my dear sir. " Alcatrante laughed.
 "Is it your custom to lock people into alright chambers?"
 "Air-tight?" Alcatrante was clearly disconnected. T did not suppose that 1t was air-tight Also, did not dream that the young lady was there But his game is a serious game. Mr. Or,ee. Yon do not appear to understand. When one is working for his country, many strange things are justified"
 Even murder?"
 Even murder-sometimcs
 Orme had an inspiration Thank you for the truth. senor," he said. "f. too, am working for my country. If
 
 sume that you have murder in yodr mind, and 1 shall act accordingly"
 Alcstrante smiled coolly.
 This is fair warning" continued Orme.
 He glanced to the drug store and saw the girl coming out of tho te'e- phone booth. Fastening across the street, he met her at the door
 If father had had any idea of such comp icatfons when we came west" she said, there would have been pien- " of men near by to help us. As 1t is. we shall have 10 act alone. l. is not matter for detectives-or for the police. I-I almost wish 1t were" she faltered
 Orme wondered again whether this father could have realized what dan. gers the girl was encountering. But. as if divining his sudden anger against the man who could let his daughter run such risks. she added: "He doesn't know, of course the details of our ad. ventures. l have permitted him to think that it is simply a matter Of searching"
 And now he Is reassured?"
 Yes. Oh. you have no idea yet how important it is" You were long time in the booth" :" he said
 mysterious smile filtered across her face. "i thought of another person xxfit he'd n foiE hard to get"
 Long distance"
 "It proved necessary to use long dis. tance."
 Then she caught glimpse of the fig Ire across the street. There's Mr AL estrante," she exclaimed.
 Yes. have just had talk with him"
 Her face showed concern
 Don't let him worry you, dear" he added He will try to bslk us. We must expect that. But think I can take care of him.
 ''I believe it. she said. softly.
 He wondered whether she could guess how relentlessly he was plan. hing to deal with Alcatrante. Would he justify the course he had in mind As to her attitude, he felt doubtful. Perhaps she did not agree with the South American that murder was ometimes necessary in the service of )ne's country.
 Moreover, while Alcatrante was un- doubtedly serving the interest of his country Orme had no real certainty that he himself was in similar posi- tion He had every reason to infer that the papers were of importance to the United States government. but after all he could only go by inference The affairs of some private corporation in the United States might have seri. ous bearing on problems in South America and the far east He decided to sound the girl for information that would be more definite.
 But first the question as to their next move must be answered.
 Do you know where we can get . motor?" he said.
 "No"-she prolonged the word doubt fully. We may have to take motor cab"
 Tt would be safer than the railroad or the electric line" Then he asked with great seriousness: Girl. dear. don't know much about the meaning and value of these papers in my pock- ct. and I don't care to know any more than you choose to tell me. But let me know just this much: Are they as i'm portant to you as they are to our enc mics? Have you really been justified in the risks you have run?"
 You have seen how far Alcatrante and the Japanese have been willing to go," she replied. gravely. T am sure that they would not hesitate to kill us, If 1t seemed necessary to them in their effort to get possession of the papers. Now, my dear, they are even much more important to my father
 Tn his business interests?"
 Much more than that"
 They were walking along the glim- mering canyon of La Salle street. which was now almost deserted in the