The Climax-Madisonian. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1914-1917, 1914-11-04

"Spider" Beggs gasped, 1t was SO
unexpected; but at the same time al
most instinctively he plunged head
long through the window. and the bull
let which followed shipped lock OF
his hair. He threw himself on the
yeranda and scurried across the lawn,
zigzag fashion. But no more oulets
followed
Jones turned on the lights and in
vestigated the room, but he could not
find anything disturbed, and naturally
came to the conclusion that the IN
truder had been interrupted before he
had begun his work He turned OF
the lights and sat up the major part
l,of the night. Nothing more happened
Florence came down, but he sent her
hack TO bed, explaining that some one
had attempted to enter the house ana
he had taken a shot at him.
Spider" Beggs had a letter to write.
He was in high feather. He had
tackled a difficult job and had come
away without a scratch. But he had
the misfortune to write his letter to
the secret service officials in hotel
often freouented by Norton. And so
Jim, on finishing his own letter, blotteo
1t and casually glanced at the blotter.
A single word caught his eye. Being
an alert newspaper man, always on the
hunt for stories, he examined the dot
ter with care. It was an easy matter
for him to read writing backward,
having fooled away many an hour In
the COMPOSING rooms. The word which
had awakened the reportorial sense
in him was counterfeit" He held
the blotter toward the mirror and
read enough to satisfy himself that
the Black Hundred had become active
once more. And this was one of the
best ideas they had yet conceived.
Hargreave had always been some
thing of a mystery to his neighbors.
Where he had lived in other days was
unknown: neither had any one the re-
hottest idea from what source his
riches had been obtained. And moth
fng was known of Jones or the daugh-
fer. II was a very shrewd method
of clearing every one out of the house
and leaving it to be examined at leis-
ure. And he had fallen upon this
thing; he, Norton, all because his
tailor had written him q sharp note
about his bill and he had been pro-
voked to reply in kind Counterfeit
money. There was quite furry these
DAYS over certain issues of spurious
paper. It was so good that only ex-
perts could detect it. There were two
plates. one for a ten and another for
twenty. For a while he was pulled be-
tween duty and love. Well, it would
only add another interesting chapter
TO the general story when he published
IT. He started out to Riverdale to ac-
quaint Jones with the discovery.
"Humphi" said Jones; mot a bad
idea this. So that's what the sneak
was doing here last night. I've been
wondering and wondering. Let's have
a look"
He went through the books and at
length came across the three volumes.
These held a thousand in excellent
counterfeit.
Mighty good work that. What
are you going to do?' asked the re-
porter.
Jones rubbed his chin refectively.
How long may a counterfeiter be
sent up?"
Anywhere from ten to twenty
years"
That will serve. My boy, this time
we'll go and take Mr.. Black Hun
dred right in his cubby hole.
You know where it is?"
Every nook and corner Of it. Now
you go at once to the chief Of the local
branch Of the secret service and put
the matter to him frankly. I, Flor
ence, Susan, and the rest of US must
be arrested The wretches must be-
lieve that the house is empty. They'll
rove about fruitlessly and will return
to their den to report the success Of
the coup. All the while you and
some detectives will be in hiding up
stairs, dictagTaph and all that. When
the time comes you will follow. This
will not reach the heads, perhaps, but
it will demoralize the organization in
such way as to make it helpless for
several months to come. There is a
tunnel from the stables to this house."
What. tunnel?"
Yes, Mr.. Hargreave had It built
several years ago. don't know what
his idea was; possibly he anticipated
an event like this. You and your men
will find entrance by this method.
1t can be done without exciting the
suspicious of the watchers"
Looks as If my yarn wasn't going
to be delayed SO long after all Jones,
you ought to have been in the secret
service yourself" admiringly.
Jones smiled and shrugged. 81 am
perfectly satisfied with my lot-or
would be if the Black Hundred could
be wiped out of existence"
"Tll see the secret service people at
once 1 stand in well with them all"
And good luck to you. Wen need
good luck"
Norton was welcomed cordially by
the chief The secret service men
trusted him and told him lots of tales
that never saw light on the printed
page. The reporter went directly to
the point of his story, without elabora-
ton, and the chief smiled and handed
him the original letter.
Norton, I've been after this gang
of counterfeiters for months and they
are clever beyond words. I've never
been able to get anywhere near their
presses. And for moment thought
this note was from squealer. I've
a dozen men securing the country.
They find the bogus notes, but never
the men who pass them You see,