The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1912-04-13
Mr.. JOHN LUCK

n waiter Drought tne caro- 10 lne
Eitting.room door OF the suite of
rooms which the semi-paraly2ed gen.
tleman had engaged, and gave It to
Tho valet. The valet took 1t in to his
loaster, Mr.. -, appropriately named
by prophetic parents, Napoleon"
Prince. Mr.. Napoleon Prince was
having 'reakfast, It being only
eleven O'Clock of hot August morn
ing His sister, small and slim, with
her hair dressed la Josephine, and
.hlgh,waisted frock, so that together
they looked rather like an impression
Of the First Empire. was with him at
che table. He passed the card to her
with silent laugh-not smile
and she read the inscription. She bit
into her red lower lip with little
white teeth, and grew paler
: f"Bring the gentleman up, Dapper,"
I said Mr. Prince to the valet.
DappeT who was really one of those
incorporates so rare among the class
that ministers, a complete fool, had
noticed nothing Of the Josephine
girls agitation. Descending to the
lounge he found the visitor waiting
In a seat beneath the palms Mean.
while Napoleon was saying TO his sis.
ter:
There is really cause for nothing
but amusement here, Ellen" tapping
the card
She smiled and helped herself to a
peach
There was shown into the room a
tail, fair young man. burned red and
brown by foreign suns. He wore fan
mel shirt and breeches. long boots the
worse for wear. but scrupulously pol.
ished, softly flaming tie, and carried
. a cowboy hat in a fnanicured hand.
He had presumably made what con.
cessiops he was able 10 the aconven-
tons OF al call by the boot-cleanihg
nnd the nianlcurlng. There was about
MIN; IN spite o. the cploriRl oG'Ht. an
,rir sof English universities and creamy
rocietyT He GOD just inside the
door and bow,l. as II ua,c.ta.r OF
ir reception.
--- ''You may 20. Dapuo"." s'ld Napo.
leons TO the servant who Withdrew
-SHe. leened back on his w..eol chair
and looked; a, Mr john i-ucl: fy ia
joor
'"Glad to see you. Mr. Luck" seld
he Very glad, indeed. Let me see
1--WE met, thinlI, about three wee!.s
Dgo, In Bung Creek, q remarkably
q nasty little mining town in North
vest Canada WIN you breakfast, or
Laye you breakfasted? Do come fur
ther In sit down. and never mind the
hour of your call. | love informali-
ties You must have come over on
the same boat as my sister and my
self"
"Steetage." said Luck, coming for
ward. (which accoants for our not
meeting on board. You had Just re-
lleyed friend OF mine In Bung
Creek OF his responsibilities .."
"Of the Barney Collection" said
NA3oleon, with his noiseless laugh.
''Jiist 90 And have you followed me
to compel me to disgorge? That will
not be possible, | am afraid, since the
collection Is already scattered among
a hundred dealers In Europe and
Asia, Its value, may add, is gath
cred together, and lodged at my
bank"
Luck put his elbows on the break
fa& table, helped himself to fruit, bit
into 1t. and replied, looking across at
Napoleon from pair Of daredevil
"Let the Barney Collection 60
hangl | want to be taken into part
Napoleon did not reply, but turned
20 his sister.
ELLEN" he asked, shall we2"
! She nodded.
,"I told you in Bung Creek" she
said TO Luck, that you were a foo
10 scrape along on a peppercorn re
mittance from home"
1aiWe'll take you into partnership.
Napoleon added. His incautioT
about the arrangement was superb
"Ill put you at once on a trial job
can plan, but | can't always do. NJ
infirmity renders me so helpless, a
we'll as bringing me into conspicuity
We are not In London for nothing
Ellen and l, as you may surmise. W.
are never anywhere without purpose
Id this undertaking shall De mead
Won my hands Ellen"
: SsI home that Miss Prince" said Lucl
quickly may in future be able I
avoid personal risks. Surely yo,
and -"
NAPOLEON looked at him with
ahrnce like the flight of an arrow.
aMay be, may bel" he agreed. =
sea your view. Meanwhile. will 20
work, II necessary. blindfold?"
Luck, assented.
"Wheif know you better" said M
poieon. II shall, OF course, give yo
more confidence. You're the kind .
man I5ilke. 1 wouldn't work with
cad You are gentleman. don
want 10 know your story, or you
Intecedents. You carry your brit
mark II the world has used 20
hardly, so much the better You wi
nave no scruples about hitting bac
aa hit. Scruples of any sort mui
go--my partners may have honor bl
not honesty; pride, bnt no prime
Dles; manners. no morals. You 70
low me?"
'I'm your man." replied john
Lack simply,
"Undoubtedly you are" said Nap
leon, Have you any money!