Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1912-03-15
man. It came and went, as a fash OF

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The chimney! His heart missed q j
beat. He had forgotten the chimney.
The reaction affected him like a blow.
A snarl twisted his mouth. What was
the chimney to any other man: Only
be Of all men knew. And yet here
was some one stealthily AT work. fore
stalling him, knocking the bottom Out
Of his great dream. There was noih.
ing pleasant in the growing expression
In his face. II was the tiger. waking
There could be only one way.
Swiftly he dashed to lis trunk. knelt
and examined the lock, unscrewed IL
and took out the documents more
precious to him than the treasures Of
a hundred Captain Kids. Instantly
be returned to the window. Nothing
was missing. But here was something
he had never noticed before. On
the face Of the slip Of parchment-a
diagram, dim and faded-was an oils
thumb mark. The oil from the lock,
nothing more. Doubtless he himself
had touched II. How many times had
he found an unknown touch among
his few belongings? How often had
be smiled? Still, TO quell all rising
doubts, be rubbed his right thumb on
the lock and made a second impress
sion. The daylight was now INSULT
cient, so he turned on the electricity
and compared them. Slowly the scars
deepened till they were the tint Of
cedar. Deaths hand itself could not
have fascinated him more than the
dissimilarity of these two thumb prints.
he said nothing. but q queer little
strangling sound came through his
lips.
Who? Where? His heart beat so
violently that the veins in his throat
swelled and threatened to burst. But
he was no weakling. He summoned
all his will. He must act and act at
once, Immediately. Fitzgerald? No,
not that clever, idling fool. But who,
who? He replaced the papers and the
lock. A hidden menace. Question as
he would there was never any answer
He practiced the pleasant deceit that
the first mark had been there when
the diagram had been given to him
It was not possible that any one had
discovered his hiding place. Had he
not with his own hands contrived 1t
alone and without aid. under that ac
cursed mansard roof? Not one of hi:
cOadventurers knew. They had ad
o vanced him funds on his word Hi'
other documents they had seen. Thest
had sufficed them. Still back it came
with deadly insistence. Some one wa'
digging at the bricks in the chimney
The drama was beginning TO move
Had he waited too long?
Mechanically he proceeded TO dress
for dinner. Since he was to sit at th'
family table lie must lit his dress ant
manners to the hour. He did not re
sist the sardonic smile as he put on hi
fresh patent feathers and his new din
ner coat. He recalled Fitzgerald's hal
concealed glances Of pity the last tim
, they had dined together.
In the room across the corridor Fit
gerald was busy with a similar occupa
ton. The only real worry he had wa
the doubt of his luggage arriving be
fore he left. He had neither TENN
clothes nor riding habit, and these tw
pastlmes were here among the regula
events Of the day. The admiral bot
played and rode with his daughter
She was altogether too charming. Ha
she been an ordinary society girl b
!, would have stayed his welcome thread
i bare perhaps; but, he repeated, she wa
q not ordinary. She had evidently bee
brought up with few illusions. Thes
she possessed would always be bers.
$50 much for suggestions and anal!
sis" painted Fitzgerald. reknottiDg hi
silk tie. "As for me. | 60 to the arr
s tic, cold, but safe. have never falle
s In love. have enjoyed the society q
t many women, and to some I've bee
silly enough to write, but | have nevC
$ been maudlin. I'm no fool This
, the place where it would be most lik,
C " 10 happen. Let US beat an orderl
:. retreat. Now, my boy, you have give
: yourself due notice. Take carew
II He slipped his coat over his shou
l. ders-and passably sturdy ones the
T. were-and took a final look into Ii
" glass, not for vanity's sake. Sometime
4. 4 mans tie will show above the COLI
+ Of his coat.
HIN! III wager the trout are risir
d about this time" He initiated a cal
'e which was supposed to land neatly
t. the corner. "Ha! Struck you thI
'e time, you beauty" All Of which prove
u to himself concluslvely that he was
J. normal condition. 81 should get a VII
&c tomorrow about Breitmann. hate
y do anything that looks underhand, b.
he puzzles me. There was somethir
., about the chimney today. don't kno
u what This is no place for him, nor I,
Is me either" was the shrewd suppl
U ment
u Laura tried on three gowns, to Il
- very great surprise Of her maid. Us
&c ally her mistress told her in the NOR
ing what to lay out for dinner. He
- there were two fine looking your
y men about. and yet she was for {
q lantinO tho cimnloct trnrrn NJ fha fhre