Gilpin observer., 1914-01-15

as youf wife. under the name Of
Fowler, at 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
walls-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 face. He
let his mildly wandering glance shift,
as If 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 it rather
old-fashioned to spring lies of that
sort? The public doesn't stand fol
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 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 bluff,
man. No bluff ever won penny after
the cards were laid face upward. And
they're face upward now. You know
what l 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
dates. We've got ever fact proved.
Man, can't you see I'm trying to help
you? Give me chance to-"
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:
| so you have dug all that up, have
you? might have expected it. In
fact have expected it. But it hasn't
worried me. Because you can't harm
me with such story"
"No?" 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
it on unless you can supply the name
of the Woman. And you can't do
that"
What makes you think we can't
supply the Woman's name?" 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"
Hin! Still keep as 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
a man who has something to hide.
He'll lock and double-bar nine doors
to discovery; and leave the tenth wide
open with a Welcome sign over it.
And that's just what you did. Why.
son." he went on. noting Standish's s
half-smile of incredulity. "if l wasn't
dead sure of getting her. would be
such a 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, we'll have her
name by midnight at the very latest.
OF course she doesn't know we're
tracking her." he continued, chuckling
as at his own shrewdness. I've seen
to it that she hasn't the slightest sus-
picion. And that makes our work all
the easier. She doesn't know. And
there's no one to warn her. It's a
cinch!"
His voice trailed off into a self-satis-
fed laugh. Nor was the laugh wholly
assumed For he saw Standish's 8
hands slowly clench again. And a few
beads of sweat were beginning to
show themselves upon the insurgents q
forehead.
GRO BE CoNTINUED)