Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-09-29
CHATTER /
m. Owner a. New Yor,t.

Tho ownsr o. New Yesss.
Percy barrow, q you1g man Of Dcfen-
tito training, INDECENT manners. e1em-
InaNs appearance, hidden energy, and
absolute courage. lounsed through the
doors Of the Atlas Building. Since
his rescue from the volcanic island
that had witnessed the pirattcal MUIR
der Of his old employer. Doctor Scher>
mafhorn, the spectacular dissolution
Of the murdersrs, and his own impri0-
onment In q cave beneath tho very
roar Of m eruption, he had been nurs-
ing his shattered nerves back to their
normal strength. Now he felt that at
last he was able to 60 to work again.
Therefore. he was about to approach
q man Of inhuance among practical
scientists. from whom he hoped fur.
thsr occupation.
A. the. express elevator shot upward,
he passed long slender hand across
his eyes. The rapid motion confused
him still. The car stopped. and the
metallic gates changed open. Darrow
obediently stepped forth. Only when
the elevator had disappeared did his
upward glance bring to him the knowl.
edge that hs had disembarked one
floor too soon. 7Sc' b'Es
Darrows eye fen Oh I lettered sign
outside the nearest door. He smiled
q slow red.lippeG smile beneath his
small silky mustache, -~.A dropped his
black eye!ashes In q flicker of reminis-
cence. hesitated moment. then step
ped NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. opened the
door The sign ipdioated %he head.
quarters OF the verNrmodest commits.
,sionership behind whfch Mccarthy
chose to work. Mccarthy. quite sim.
ply. 1T that time owned New York.
Al barrow entered, Mccarthy hung
up the telephone receiver with
smash. and sat glartng at tho iustru.
small bright eyes toward the new.
conner.
Hello. Perc." he growled. "Didnr.
see you. Say. I'm 30 mad my skin
cracks. Just new some measly little
shrimp called mo up from public
booth. What 70 suppose he wanted,
now? Oh, nothin'! Just told me In
80 many words for me to pack up my
little trunk and sail for Europe and
never come back! That's all! He
give me until Sunday. too. Mccarthy
lbarked out . short laugh. and reached
:fof cisarbox, which .he Ield out to
1D6frow.
/! Percy shook his head. $50 hs wants
you to 20 to Europe?''
wants me? Orders mel Says ]
got to-" Mccarthy laughed. Lovely
thought"
F, He pulled out cloud Of smoke.
"Says IL don't obey orders he'll
send mo sign to convince met"
went On the boss. "He's got = mean
voice. He ought to have tag hung
on him and get carried to the morgus.
He dive me the shivers. like dead
man. I never hear such unholy
thing outside . graveyard ct mid.
night"
Percy barrow was surveying him
with leisurely amusement, . slight
smile playing over his narrow dark
His sign. he pron1asas, .uk te.bs
"a bomb" observed Darrow.
Hes nutty, all right" Mccarthy
agreed. hut when he said that. he
was doing tho tall religious. He'sssot
"a bug that way Y as.s
"Your affair" .sslld~ADarrow. 'S'Jssa|
tho same. I'd haya. An outer once.
Outer oflce-s0e! said the bo5A
i"An outer once Just gets cluttsred up
with people waiting. Here they've got
ito say right out in meeeins> III I Eant
lem to. What's the good word, Pefc7
What can do for you?"
Derrow smiled. You know very
well, my fat friend, that the only rea,
ison you like me at all Is that I'm the
ono ana only man who comes into
this once who doesn't want one sin.
lgle thing Of you.'
Il suppose that's It," agreed Mo
Carthy. The telephone rang. He
,snatched down tho receiver. listened q
moment. and thrust forward his heavy
FOWL. mot on your life!" he srowled
in answer to some question. While
he was still occupied with the receiver
Percy Darrov nodded and sau1tsred
out. .ss
CHAPTER II.
The Shadow Of Mystery.
barrow walked up the ono flight Of
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