Lower coast gazette., 1913-10-04
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walls--snywhere except at Matthew
Standish. Yet he had missed not one
detail Of the younger mans expires
sion. There was nothing, however, to
be read in that expression. Standish's
heavy face was masklike, blank, save
for q faint tinge Of polite bewilder
ment.
But Blake was far too wise a reader
Of men to 80 by the sign in a face. He
let his mildly wandering glance shift.
as II by accident, to standish's hands,
They were tight.clenched. So tight
that the knuckles showed white from
the %conyulsive pressure.
another campaign yarn" smiled
Standish, and his voice was as mex.
pressive as his face. isn't it 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. DAG
zles me-"
"And now" pursued Standish,
turning to go.
AND now" echoed Blake, we've
got you with the goods. Don't bluff,
man. No bluff eve won a penny aftey
the cards were laid face upward. And
they're face upward now. You know
what l mean And you know we've
got you dead to rights. Five years
ago you spent a week with a woman at
a hotel whose proprietor can and will
identify you. Any expert a swear
that the registered name, Fowler is
IN your handwriting. 1t was in March.
Congress was still in session. But
you gave out word that you'd gone to
the mountains to rest. We've got the
dates. We've got ever fact proved.
Man, can't you e I'm trying to help
you? Give me a chance to-"
Standish, his face still a mask, was
staring at the floor. At last he raised
his eyes-the dark tired eyes in whose
depths Self and Love and Happiness
had so long ago burned out. And turn
ing to Blake, he said evenly:
$50 you have dug all that up, have
you? l might have expected it. In
fact I have expected It. But 1t hasn't
worried me. Because you can't harm
me with such a story"
MOP" asked Blake, with real inter-
est. why not?"
"You know perfectly we'll why not"
answered Standish, "the story won't
amount to the paper you would print
it On unless you a supply the name
Of the Woman. And you can't do
that"
What makes you think we can't
supply the Woman's name?" demand
ed Blake. What makes you think
we haven't found herr?
Because" began Standish; then he
checked himself and said somewhat
lamely, "because-1 have good rea-
sons for knowing you haven't"
HIM! Still keep as close in touch
with her as all that? Marks detectives
must be foelish-house graduates. Well,
I'll admit we haven't found her-yet.
But we will before midnight. You left
some pretty easy clues and they're be-
ing followed. That's the trouble with
q man who has something to hide.
He'll lock and doublabar nine doors
to discovery; and leave the tenth wide
open with a Welcome sign over it.
And that's just what you did. Why,
son." he went on, noting Standish's
half-smile Of incredulity, III I wasn't
dead sure Of getting her, would / be
such a fool as to tell you all this? And
whatever else Jim Blake's been called,
no ones yet tied fool to his name. I
tell you once more, we'll have her
name by midnight at the very latest.
OF course she doesn't know we're
tracking her." he continued, chuckling
as at his own shrewdness. 1--WE seen
to it that she hasn't the slightest sus-
picion. And that makes our work all
the easier. She doesn't know. And
there's no one to warn her. It's a
cinch!"
His voice trailed OF into a s~elf-satis-
fed laugh. Nor was the laugh wholly
assumed. For he saw Standish's
hands slowly clench again. And a few
beads Of sweat were beginning to
show themselves upon the insurgents
forehead.