The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1913-08-16

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 q 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 convulsive pressure.
Another campaign yarn" smiled
Standish, and his voice was a. 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.
Realty" drawled Blake. why,
Standish. sometimes your knowledge
of up-to-date conditions simply dax-
zles me. That's what 1t does. Daz-
zles me-"
And now" pursued Standish.
turning TO go.
And now" echoed Blake, we've
got you with the goods. Don't blun,
man. No bluff ever won penny after
the cards were laid face upward. And
they're face upward now, You know
what / mean. And you know we've
got you dead to rights. Five years
ago you spent week with woman at
hotel whose proprietor can and viii
Identify you, Any expert can 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 see I'm trying to help
you? Give me a chance to-"
Standish, his face still 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 it hasn't
worried me. Because you can't harm
me with such a story"
MOI" asked Blake, with real inter.
est. why not?"
"You know perfectly well why not,
answered Standish, the story won't
amount to the paper you would print
it on unless you can supply the name
of the Woman. And you can't dc
that"
What makes you think we cant
supply the Woman's manner" demand
ed Blake. What makes you think
we haven't found herr"
Because" began Standish; then he
checked himself and said somewhat
lamely, "because-I have good rea
sons for knowing you haven't"
HIN! Still keep as close in toucf
with her as all that? Marks detectives
must be foolish-house graduates. Well
I'll admit we haven't found her-yet
But we will before midnight. You lef
some pretty easy clues and they're be
ing followed That's the trouble will
man who has something to hide
He'll lock and double-bar nine door
to discovery; and leave the tenth wild
open with a Welcome sign over IL
And that's just what you did. Why
son." he went on, noting Standish'
halfsmile of incredulity, eff l WASH
dead sure of getting her, would l b
such fool as to tell you all this? An
whatever else Jim Blake's been called
no ones yet tied fool to his name.
tell you once more, We'll have he
name by midnight at the very lates
, Of course she doesn't know we'r
tracking her" he continued, chucklin
as at his own shrewdness. I've see
to it that she hasn't the slightest SUI
picion. And that makes our work a
!, the easier. She doesn't know. An
, there's no one to warn her. It's
cinch!"
, His voice trailed off into a self-sati
fed laugh. Nor was the laugh who'll
assumed For he saw Standish
hands slowly clench again. And fe
4, beads of sweat were beginning
, show themselves upon the insurgent
: forehead.
ITO he pnntiOlnd \