Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-04-22
The Daily Story
stances or ms ulsmlssaI.

copyrighted 1918 uy Associated Literary Bureau


TN give you the same clew that the
others have. The papers are supposed
to have been taken by a small. dark
man who had been hanging around the
building for several weeks. He was
traced. the morning following the theft.
TO the railroad station, where he bought
a ticket for New Orleans. At that city
it was learned that he had bought a
ticket for some station further along
the line, but under what name il is not
known. The man is supposed to have
been employed by somebody-it's for
you to discovery John-and even if you
find him you may not be able TO get
track of the instigators of the theft.
The other fellows have eight weeks the
start of YOU couldn't cable. or I
would have done so. Now. go it,
So John Forrest started on his quest
to redeem his reputation. His search
was as thorough as it could be made,
and he found genuine satisfaction in
the knowledge that he had learned
more about his suspected man than
had his brother sleuths.
First he learned that the small. dark
suspect had been seen with a COM
pauion of the same complexion. but of
stouter build This man had not &C.
companied the first man on his flight
through the south. but Forrest learned
that the stout man had taken passage
on steamer sailing from New York
for Havana. from whence he had sailed
to a Mexican port. All this investiga-
ton took weeks Of valuable time. but
once settled on the trail OF Manuel
Corta. the stout man. fer Forrest had
even learned the mans name, the
Americans pursuit was unfiagging I'M
til at last it terminated in a small viii
lage in the heart of the Sierra des Bias
mountains.
Inn there was none, and because he
wore American clothing dark eyes
peered insolently at Forrest from
around adobe huts or from lazily
swinging hammocks under the pecan
trees If Corta had not moved on the
man would soon be appraised of the
Americans presence there and. taking
alarm. would be away. Forrest finally
found quarters in the home of the viii
lage water carrier. and because the
vendor of the precious fluid is always a
notorious gossip he soon learned where
Corta might be found. In a broken
mixture of Spanish. indian and here
and there an English word or a graph
ic gesture Forrest communicated with
the water carrier The generous sum of
money he thrust into the brown hand
made the man his slave.
Tho moan yuac SoftipO nvar tho qhouI-
der OF the highest mountain when the
water carrier slipped back through the
thorny underground and motioDed the
American to pass through. Forrest
pressed forward and saw IN the light
of a lantern three men. The first an
swered the description of the small
dark man who had been traced to
New Orleans: the second could be no
other than Manned Cortn who held Il
package wrapped in oilskin covering.
-, The identity of the third man caused
him to gasp for breath.
: Tall and thin, his white face showing
/ strained and haggard in the light, was
| the nephew of his old chief in the de-
| partment. Blake Finlay and he had
| been chums in the old days before For
rest had made his mistake. What was
/ Finlay doing here? Was he not conf
dental secretary to his uncle? For
| rests heart sank If Finlay's quest
/ was the same as his own he had failed
/ in his quest the eagIe's call had been
/ in vain, and Forrest might never have
another opportunity to redeem himself
| But now the loud and angry words
of the men fell on his ears. and he was
| conscious that the American had grasp
| ed the package and hidden it in his
coat while the dark men were ex-
postulating.
You have tricked u.s. sputtered the
/ man Corta. "Tou accepted our bribe
and secured the documents for us. and
now that we have made rendezvous
and are only waiting to deliver them TO
the general and receive the reward you
have tracked us down and want your
papers hack! Cowardr He drew a
knife and leaped at Finlay, ana his
companion snrang to his aid
II was FORESTS quick shot that sent
the knife spinning out of one murder
Gus hand. while the second report was
followed by yell of rage from the
small man and instant retreat. Blake
Finlay leaned against a tree and star
ed at his rescuer
You ought to he John Forrest he
said thickly. IF you have heard what
this man snys you understand the
situation. I've got the papers back
again. and I hope that will wipe ont
the offense. I can fix 1t so they Will
appear to have been mislaid: but. by
heaven. Forrest. it was narrow shave
for me. I must have been crazy to
have yielded to their suggestions"
Forests hopes sank. The papers
would go back to Washington and the
bottom would drop out Of the mys-
fiery. The detectives would he recall
ed. and there would be no opportunity
for Forrest TO redeem his reputation
There was only one thing 10 do-to
write to the chief that he had failed
In his quest and to return 10 China
and once more await the eagles call.
And he went