Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1913-09-26

ss yuuf wife, under the name O.
Fowler, 1T . country hotel up in New
York state. That's all. Hardly worth
mentioning, hey7"
AS he had talked, Blake had lei
his gaze wander over the ceiling, the
walls-anywhere except at Matthew
Standish. Yet he had missed not onC
detail of the younger mans express
sion. There was nothing, however, to
be read in that expression. Standish'a
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 face. He
let his mildly wandering glance shift
as If by accident, to Standish's hands
They were tight-clenched. So tigh!
that the knuckles showed white from
the convulsive pressure.
Another campaign yarn" smiled
Standish, and his voice was as 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"
"Really?" drawled Blake. why
Standish, sometimes your knowledge
Of up-to-date conditions simply daz
zles me. That's what 1t does. DAG
zles me-"
And now" pursued Standish
turning to go.
"And now," echoed Blake, we've
got you with the goods. Don't bluff
man. No bluff ever won a penny after
the cards were laid face upward. And
they're face upward now. You know
what I mean. And you know we've
got you dead to rights. Five years
ago you spent week with woman al
hotel whose proprietor can and will
identify you. Any expert can swear
in your handwriting. It was in March
Congress was still In session. But
you gave out word that you'd gone tc
the mountains to rest. We've got the
dates. We've got ever fact proved
Man, can't you see. I'm trying to helI
YOU 1lFc lIlO u CuduC0 w.
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 ell that up, have
you? l might have expected 1t. In
fact / have expected it. But 1t hasn't
worried me. Because you can't harm
me with such a story"
Nor" 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
1t on unless you can supply the name
of the Woman. And you can't &c
that"
What makes you think we can't
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 have good rea
sons for knowing you haven't"
"H'ml Still keep az close in touch
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 left
some pretty easy clues and they're be
ing followed. That's the trouble with
man who has something to hide
He'll lock and double-bar nine doors
to discovery; and leave the tenth wide
open with Welcome sign over it
And that's just what you did. Why.
son." he went on, noting Standish'i
half-smile of incredulity, IF I wasn't
dead sure of getting her, would be
such fool as to tell you all this? And
whatever else Jim Blake's been called
no ones yet tied fool to his name. ]
tell you once more, wen have hel
name by midnight at the very latest
OF course she doesn't know we're
tracking her." he continued, chucklina
as at his own shrewdness. 1--WE see1
to it that she hasn't the slightest sus
picion. And that makes our work al
the easier. She doesn't know. AMI
there's no one to warn her. It's
cinch!"
His voice trailed OF into self-satis
fed laugh. Nor was the laugh wholly
assumed. For he saw Standish'a
hands slowly clench again. And few
beads of sweat were beginning to
show themselves upon the insurgents
forehead.
(TO BE CONTINUED