Polk County news-gazette. (Benton, Tenn.) 190?-191?, 1913-10-30

as YOUR wife. under the name OF
Fowler. at a country hotel up in New
York state. That's all Hardly worth
mentioning. hey"
AS he had talked. Blake had let
his gaze wander over the ceiling, the
waIls-anywhere except at Matthew
Standish. Yet he had missed not one
detail OF the younger mans express
sion. There was nothing, however. TO
be read in that expression. Standish's
heavy face was mask-like. blank, save
for a faint tinge Of polite bewilder-
ment.
But Blake was far too wise a reader
Of men to go by the sign in a~iace. lie
let his mildly wandering glance shift.
as IL by accident, to Standish's hands.
They were tight-clenched. So tight
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-todate conditions simply daz-
zIes me. That's what it does. Daz'
zles me-"
And now" pursued Standish'
turning to go.
And now" echoed Blake, we've
got you with the goods Don't BLUM
man. No bluff ever won a penny after
the cards were laid face upward. And
they're face upward now. You know
what | mean. And you know we've
got you dead to rights. Five years
ago you spent week with a woman at
hotel whose proprietor can and Will
identify you. Any expert can swear
that the registered name, Fowler, Is
in your handwriting 1t was In March
Congress was still in session. But
you gave out word that you'd gone TO
the mountains to rest We've got the
lates We've got ever fact proved
Man. cant you see I'm trying to help
YOU? Give me chance to-
Standjsh, his face still mask, was
staring at the floor. At last he raised
his eyes-:l,? dark TRAD eyes in whose
depths Sell amd Love and Happiness
had so long ago burned out. And turn
ing to Blake, he said evenly:
80 you have dug all that up, nave
YOU? | might have expected 1t. I'D
fact have expected it. But 1t hasn )
worried me Because you cant harn
me with such a story"
Nor" asked Blake. with real inter
est. why not?"
You know perfectly we'll why not
answered Standish, the story won
amount to the paper you would prinF
it on unless you can supply the nam"
of the Woman And you cant &c
that"
what makes you think we can
supply the Womans name?' demand
ed Blake. What makes you think
we haven't found herr"
Because" began standlsh; then ne
checked himself and said somewhat
lamely, because have good rea
sons for knowing you haven't.
HIN! Still keep as close In touch
with her as all that? Marks detectives
must be foolish-house graduates. wen
I'll admit we haven't found her-yet
But we will before midnight. You lei
some pretty easy clues and they re De
a,r followed. That's the trouble with
j man who has something to hide
He'll lock and double-bar nine doors
TO discovery; and leave the tenth vice
omen with a Welcome sign over II
And that's just what you did. why
SON." he went on, noting Standish
balf-smile of incredulity, IF | WASH
dead sure of getting her, would bt
auch fool as to tell you all this? Ano
whatever else Jim Blake's been called
no ones yet tied fool to his name.
foil Won once more, We'll have hel
name by midnight at the very latest
OF course she doesn't know we re
tracking her" he continued, chuckllnE
as at his own shrewdness. I've seer
To it that she hasn't the slightest sus
nicIon. And that makes our WORK al
the easier. She doesn't know. Ano
there's no one to warn her. It's
cinch!"
His voice trailed off into self-satls
fed laugh. Nor was the laugh wholly
assumed. For he saw Standlsh
hands slowly clench again. And rev
heads of sweat were beginning te
show themselves upon the insurgent''
! forehead.
CTO BE CONTINUED)