The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1913-10-03

as your wise, under the name OF
Fowler, at a country hotel up in Ne"
York state. That's all. Hardly worth
mentioning. hey?"
As he had talked. Blake had let
his gaze wander over the ceiling, the
walls-anywhere except at Matthew
Standish. Yet he had missed not one
detail of the younger mans express
sion There was nothing, however, to
be read In that expression. Standish's
heavy face was mask.like. blank, save
for a faint tinge of polite bewilder-
ment.
But Blake was far too wise reader
Of men to go by the sign in face. He
let his mildly wandering glance shift,
as IL by accident, to Standish's hands.
They were tight.clenched. So tight
that the knuckles showed white from
the convulsve pressure.
Another campaign yarn" smiled
Standish, and his voice was as mex
pressive as his face. isn't 1t rather
old-fashioned to spring lies OF that
sort? The public doesn't stand for
them nowadays. Proofs are needed. -
, Really" drawled Blake. why
Standish, sometimes your knowledge
, Of up-to-date conditions simply daz'
zles me. That's what 1t does. Da1
zles me-"
l. And now" pursued Standish
turning to go.
And now" echoed Blake. we've
a got you with the goods. Don't blum
7 man. No bluff ever won penny ate
the cards were laid face upward. AM
they're face upward now. You know
what l mean. And you know view
| got you dead to rights. Five year
| ago you spent a week with woman
| hotel whose proprietor can and wi
| identify you. Any expert can swea
that the registered name, Fowler
in your handwriting. 1t was In Marcl
Congress was still in session. Bl
= you gave out word that you'd gone
the mountains to rest. We've got tn
dates. We've got ever fact prove
4 Man, can't you see I'm trying to he
q you? Give me chance to-
Standish, his face still mask, W;
B staring at the floor. At last he raise
B his eyes-the dark tired eyes IN who's
II depths Self and Love and Happine
had so long ago burned out. And tur
al ing to Blake, he said evenly:
so you have dug all that up. ma
II you? might have expected it.
)" fact I have expected 1t. But 1t hasl
81 worried me. Because you can't hal
Oil me with such a story
MOI" asked Blake, with real int
d; est. "Why not"
81 "You know perfectly we'll why no
answered Standish, 1.-The story wo
amount to the paper you would pr
It on unless you can supply the ma
of the Woman. And you can't
Bal that"
S What makes you think we ca
g supply the Woman's name?' dema
} ed Blake. What makes you tn
Esl] we haven't found herr"
because" began Standish; then
1.-Two checked himself and said some"
lanely, because have good
was sons for knowing you haven't
Itch "H,m, Still keep as close in to
half with her as all that? Marks detect
rted must be foolish-house graduates. v
s to I'll admit we haven't found her
But we will before midnight. You
ne?" some pretty easy clues and they're
ing followed. That's the trouble
the man who has something to I
ants He'll lock and double-bar nine q
r for to discovery; and leave the tenth '
the open with a Welcome sign owe,
ding And that's just what you did v
nted son" he went on, noting Stand'
the half.smile Of incredulity, III l WI
mat dead sure Of getting her, wouid
over such a fool as to tell you all this!
whatever else Jim Blake's been ca
DUE no ones yet tied fool to his nam
wing tell you once more, we'll have
bust. name by midnight at the very Ia
az course she doesn't know
emile tracking her," he continued. chucl
"a at his own shrewdness. i've
Is I'D. to It that she hasn't the slightest
found nic,on, And that makes our wor
affair the easier. She doesn't know.
there's no one to warn her. !
], un- cinch!"
me is His voice trailed of into sells
fed laugh. Nor was the laugh W
me in assumed. For he saw Stane
here! hands slowly clench again. AND
e got heads Of sweat were beglnnll
that. show themselves upon the lnsure
affair forehead.
stored To BE CoNT1NUEDo