Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1913-09-18
hanged. Mrs. Medcroft and l>sat up

luSSlioA' H' idE as l am concerned. IL
is Of vital Importance that | should re-
turn to London tonight. but it is ever
more vitally important that the world
should say that ! am in Vienna. See
what | mrany"
mo I'm hanged if l do"
"Wh"' | Lave just heard from Lon
don iIe shudder to think Of the
aces if l go on east tonight.
| ana. AS well tell You that there is a
plot Oh foot to pelpetratp Il gigantic
fraud against the people The county
council Is To be hunlwinkrd out and
into moving fo:N. ri : tam build.
ing projects. involvln" uI,.!un> Of the
peoples money nuI niil. ,,!> opposed
a certain band oi CRITTERS n:ld when
! left ENGLAND il wnS pretty we'll set
tied thai we had blocked their game
They nave learned of my prolroSed alb
>rnce and intend to steal ii march on
us while an AWAY Without iiSSum
my too much credit to myself. | ma,
say that |, your old friend. Iioxbury.
| am the II man who has proved the
real thorn in the sides of these COM
drels With me out of the way they
feel that they can secure the adoption
of I'LL these infamous measures My
partners and the leaders on our side
have sent for me to return secretly
They won't bring the matter to issue il
they find that I've returned. 1t would
be suicidal Therefore it is necessary
that we steal I; march on 'em. | know
the inside workings of the scheme
If | can steal back and keep under
v as an advisory chief, so to speak.
we a we'll afford to let 'em rush the
matter through. for then we can spring
the coup and defeat them for good
and all. But. don't you see. old man,
unless they know that I've gone to
Vienna they won't undertake the thing.
That's why I'm asking you to go on
to Vienna and pose as Roxbury Med.
croft while l steal back to London and
set the charge under these demmed
b~loodsuckers. Really, you know. it's
a terribly serious matter, Brock. 1t
means fortune and honor to me. as
well as millions to the rate payers of
Greater London. All you've got to do
is to register at the Bristol, get inter-
viewed by the papers. attend one or
two sessions of the convention. which
lasts three days, and then go off into
the mountains with the Rodneys. The
society reporters will do the rest"
with the Rodneys? My dear fellow.
suppose that they object to the sub
stitution? Really, you know, it's not
to be thought Of"
"Deut4 take it, man, the Rodneys
are not to know that there has been a
substitution Perfectly simple. can't
you see"
"Im id if l do"
what a stupid ass you are. Brock!
The Rodneys have never laid eyes on
me. They know of me as Edith's hus-
band. that's all. They are to take you
in as Medcroft, Of course"
At this point Brock set up an en-
phatic remonstrance. He began by
laughing his friend to scorn; then, as
'Medcroft persisted, went so far as to
take him severely to task for the pro-
posed imposition on the unsuspecting
Rodneys, to say nothing Of the trick he
would play upon the convention of ar
chitects.
I'D be recognized as an impostor,"
he said warmly, land booted out Of the
convention. shudder to think Of what
Mr.. Rodney will do to me when he
learns the truth. Why, Medcroft, you
must be crazy. There will be dozens
of architects there who know you per-
sonally or by sight. YOU
My dear boy, if they don't see me
there they can't very well recognize
me, can they? If necessary you can
affect an illness and stay away from
the sessions altogether. Give a state
ment to the press from the privacy Of
the sickroom-regret your inability to
take part in the discussions and all
that, you know. Hire a nurse if neces-
sary. You might venture to express an
opinion or two on vital topics in my
name. | don't care Il hang what you
say. | only want EN- to think Pm
there. No doubt our enemies will have
a spy or two hanging about to see that
l am actually off for a jaunt with the
Rodneys. but they will be Viennese.
and they won't know me from Adam.
What's the odds, so long as Edith is
there to stand by you? If she's willing
to assume that you are her husband
Good Lordv' half shouted Brock.
Ieaping to his feet, wide eyed. You
don't mean to say that she is-is-is to
go to Vienna with me?"
"Emphatically yes. She's also invit-
ed. OF course she's going"
"You mean that she's going just as
you are going-by proxy?" murmured
Brock helplessly.
PROXY, the devil: Pom my soul,
Brock, you're downright stupid. She
can't have a proxy. They know her.
The Rodneys are in some way connec-
tons Of hers. and all that-third cou-
sins. If she isn't there to vouch for
you, how the deuce a you expect to-
"Medcroft. you are crazy! No n
but an insane man would submit his
U,ifa to WIN Good lord man him