The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-12-08
SYNOPSIS.

see man enter No. 1878 house across
the street from the PoWhatan club. TIL,
house has long been unoccuped and i!
spoken of as the House of Mystery.
CHAPTER II-Several persons at regu
lar intervals enter No. 1873
full, pretty cousin like Paige. But by
the same token | am no more resigned
to sit twidding my thumbs in this
bake-oven of a town until she chooses
to come home-or at least let me know
about when to look for her."
Just the same" insisted Tom, "if
she was my cousin I'd be worrying"
i am, Tommy-for myself, though;
not for her. But l was going
to say that we would better let this
matter drop: the affair is none Of
ours"
But Tom Phinney, once his head
was set, was not easily turned aside.
mo telling what devilish conspiracy
is afoot, Ruddy." he urged; cts our
duty as good citizens to interfere if
we have some reason to think that"
"Slush!" remarked Mr.. Van Vech.
ten without feeling. II am not good
citizen. According to Paige, l belong
to the least desirable class of all-the
spenders, the MASTERS Of substance.
And / toll not, neither do I spin"
Tom snorted his disgust at such SEN
timents.
What buffers girls are!" declared
ne from the lofty height Of twenty-five
years accumulated wisdom. I'll bet
Miss Carew don't believe any such rot
as that. Can't man do as he pleases
with his own money"
She says not. A mans money is
not his own; he is merely holding it in
trust"
Tom, however, had never met Paige
Carew, who had lived most of her
twenty years abroad, and he had no
more tolerance for her opinion than
he had for anybody else's that did not
agree with his.
They may be plotting to rob
bank" he abruptly bent the talk back
to the paramount topic.
Van Vechten regarded him with a
far-away look.
Or starting a dramatic school," he
added. "or condemning vivisection or
woman suffrage, or something equally
Drop it, Tom; that's my ad.
vice. Sitting comfortably at window
and waiting for whatever surprises our
House Of Mystery may have to dis.
close, Is one thing; actively interfering
with something that does not In the
least concern us, is quite another. II
there really is any mystery, and 1t is
TO be dealt with at all, it calls for a
thin, keen blade, not a bludgeon."
IF that's some of your pink.tea WITT
srowled Tom, "a bludgeon is mighty
good thing to have when you are deal.
ng with Crooks
"Doubtless-when the crooks do not
light with rapiers. I'll give you a
'hance to break even; you don't want
o owe me hundred, suppose?"
The troubled look, result of unwont.
"a mental effort, was instantly erased
rom the handsome boyish face.
mo, don't. I'm on, if you're bet
ing nobody will show up at one"
Either end you like. A hundred t
avs no man will enter thirteen. thir. ,
cen at one o'clock" .
Which was very decent and accom-. r
1odating of Van Vechten, considering t
hat he would have been rather sur. s
rlsed than otherwise if one o'clock e
anne and went without bringing i
resh arrival. And there was another s
rival, and he was surprised-very a
luch surprised. And Tom Phinney
'st his second wager, too, which he a
ould Ill afford to do. :"
This was the way of it. &
II was very close to one when they
'sumed their seats. Alexander, with v
atent disappointment, reported that m
othing at all had happened. Then el
le clock struck the hour, and a taxi W
10 whlrled madly up and came to a In
Kidding stop in front of Number 1913. s,
A lady hastily descended. a fashion. +,
by gowned lady, who fairly ran up W
70 steps; and before she had time a,
zen TO touch the bell the door swung W
zen and she darted through the open.
6 and was swallowed up. he
Tom was indignant and disguised. "h
Now what do you think of that,"- ST
wing the exclamation the slangiest
TT of information. He was, of course T,
mixing only of the outcome Of the ha
t. -
But Van Vechten had not heard The w;
'tant the woman appeared at the top be
the stoop-until then the cab had DO
rtally concealed her-he startled
m into forgetfulness of his disap. c,e
by bounding from his chair an
the same time he smothered an OK. ott
which, although inarticu. ipr
g, was a good deal more Indicative ,
agitation and amaaement than
ms had been. al,
What the dickens!" Tom cried wa
IAN Vechten slowly sank back into ~
seat again. tor
ii thought-for a moment" he ing
ttered vaguely. IF I did not posi-. \
Fly know to the contrary, l should sto,
- seo