Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-05-31

eyebrows. He surveyed the room with
q humorous twinkle shining behind his
long lashes.
Well. well, we'll, well!" he re-
This is nice, jolly. Quaker meeting!
Why don't you get out and make q
noise and celebrate, like your friends
outsider"
Thought you'd ducked," remarked
Hallowell. The others said nothing,
but looked grave disapproval.
barrow laughed.
mo, / had to come back to see how
Eldridge 10 getting on" He cast .
glance at the scientist. How goes 1t,
old socks?" he inquired.
The mans manner, the tone OF his
voice. seemed as much out OF place In
this atmosphere Of solemnity as a
penny whistle in death chamber.
barrow refused to potice the general
attitude Of disapproval, but planted
himself in front OF Eldridge.
All in?" he challenged. "Or do you
still cherish any delusions that you
will get your man inside Of he
looked at his watch eleven
minutes?"
A visible stir ran through the room
at these words. Eleven minutes!"
murmured Lyons, and held his watch
to his ear. 1T has stopped" he said
aloud. 1T seems. gentlemen. that the
only possible hope for us lies in the
doubt as to whether or not this un-
known will carry out his threat"
-Hota -,
threats" observed barrow.
I'VE have done our BEST said
Lyons calmly. Let us compose our.
selves to meet everything or moth
ing-as the fates may have decided"
That's all right" agreed barrow.
with undated cheerfulness. but
Eldridge and had little agreement,
or bet. He Dragged he'd get this Mon
sieur X before I did. I'd like to know
how he feels about his end of 1t. Give
1t up?"
Eldridge looked at him rebukingly.
II have failed" he acknowledged
formally, from lack OF time to carry
out my investigation"
From lack OF brains" said barrow
brutality, "as believe you once said
in private conversation about my old
master, Doctor Schermerhorn Those
things are remembered. am delighted
to hand this back to YOU" He eyed
Eldridge, the brilliant smile still curv-
ing his lips.
Enough of this!" cried Lyons with
authority This Is unseemly in the
face Of eternity
Darrow looked again at his watch
- otlV "a ,l,,,, - 81
this is an affair of long standing, and
on which ] feel deeply. The score is
settled" he said with entire respect.
Il am now at your command. had
intended" he went on in frivolous
tone again, Ito kick to you on my gas
bill. 1t is too large. You. as RESPONSE
bic head, know It is. But somehow, you
to be here; you all have the facilities
know, the presence here Of you gentle
men has disarmed me. You don't need
to get away. Here you are! guess you
can charge a dollar and quarter for
gas il you want to-" He looked from
one to the other. while he carefully
wiped back the blood that was flow.
ing from the little wound in his fore.
head. "Eldridge acknowledges he has
failed" he repeated.
II fail to see how you have Inn
proved upon that failure" snapped
Eldridge. stung.
MOI" queried barrow. II call
Hallowell to witness that the game has
been fair. We had an event start;
the data have been open to both. He
raised his voice little. jack" he
called. h,
Immediately through the open door
from the hall outside came Jack War
ford, leading by the arm q strange and
nondescript figure. It was that OF q
small, bent, old-looking man, dressed
In faded suit Of brown. His hair was
thin, and long, and white; his face
sharp and lean. His gaze wac fixed
straight before him, so that every one
in the room at the Same instant caught
the glare OF his eyes.
They were fixed, those eyes, like an
owls; or, better, q Wildcats, as though
they never winked. From the pupils.
which were very small, the little light
colored lines radiated across very
large blue irises. There was some
thing baleful and compelling in their
glare, so that even Hallowell, cool
customer as he was, forgot immediate.
ly all about the mans littleness and
shabbiness and bent figure, and was
conscious only of the cruel, clever
watchful, unrelenting, hostile spirit.
AS Jack dragged him forward, the
others could see that one foot sham.
bled along the floor.
Gentlemen" observed Darrow In his
most casual tones, "let me present
Monsieur X"
Every one exclaimed at once. Above
the hubbub came Lyons voice, clear
and commanding.
THE proof" be Numbered. This is
too serious matter for buffoonery
The proof"
Percy Darrow raised his hand.
Through the roar OF the maddened
city the bell Of the Metropolitan tower
was beginning It's chimes. BY the
! third stroke the uproar had died a.
most away. The people were standing
still, awaiting what might come.
The sweet-toned chimes ceased.
There succeeded the pause. Then the
great bell began to boom.
One-two-three -four five six
came its spaced and measured strokes
Tho last reverheratiOns sank away