Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1914-09-26


that the house was familiar to him
was eyinced by the air with which he
| manipulated the latch and admitted
| himself.
The little hall was stuffy and i'll
lighted by a single gas-burner in a
| wire cage. and from the rear room
came the odor OF cooking. But 1t was
not these facts that caused the man
! to stop short, the crease between his
| eyes deepening as he stood listening
In the hall above Leigh's footstep
could be plainly heard. The man be-
low approached the staircase with alb
solute noiselessness, and ascending
part way managed to get a good look
at the sculptor without allowing him
! self to be seen. All unconscious, the
latter continued to tramp up toward
the attfcs, and with muttered oath,
| quickly suppressed, the watcher re-
| turned to the basement as cautiously
as he had assembled. At the door of
the front room he tapped discreetly,
| and after a brief interval, during which
there was a scurrying sound within
| and the muff1ed closing of some inte-
rior door, that before which he stood
was opened a crack while a smooth
voice, with only a slight foreign ac-
|
at Is only me. Open up. Ricardo"
| replied the man in the hall. At which
the door was thrown back, revealing
( a tall, bearded man who waved an
invitation to enter.
Ah, YZnagai" he exclaimed In
| Spanish. $50 it is thoui Enter, my
friend, but 1 beg you will remember
that in this house 1 am Mr.. Rowe
Mt
must not be made in the public hallsi"
Ever cautious!" exclaimed the WIS.,
| itor. Now l am not even to speak
aloud! Well, you are wise! 1 obeyi"
! He seated himself beside the table
and mopped his face with thin silk
| handkerchief A fine figure of a man,
almost noble in bearing, and excep-
| tionally well dressed beneath his
shabby overcoat- Rowe brought out
| glasses and a decanter, pouring for
his guest and himself.
THE house is at your disposal" he
said, after the Spanish manner. Then,
this formal courtesy discharged, he
leaned anxiously toward the other.
Did you see him?" he asked.
Yznaga nodded.
81 did"
"And he will buy the necessary ar
maments?"
yes. but he is hard customer.
| that Van
Hush! Not that name, above all
othersi' implored the host. THAT he
will pay is all need to hear!"
He will pay for them" responded
| Yznaga. Moreover, he is no fool,
and intends dealing through me only
as an agent. No cash! But we shall
arrange the estimate and the bid in
such a way as to retain a little for
ourselves. eh?"
mo, our wealthy patron would be
| difficult to defraud. He is a man to
whose capability I make my bowl And
his cautioni BY the way" he added
abruptly, who lives on the top floor
of this building?"
"A painter by the name of Samuel
HILL" replied Rowe. IAN easy-going
| young man. He's the landlord"
Have you any acquaintance with
him?"
saryp
| "Ahi your exelusiveness! Sometimes
1 think that it is a mistake-that it
will attract attention. But of that.
later Tell me, is this landlord of
yours a tall, homely fellow"
NO" said Rowe, why do you aek?"
Because when He-of-whom-you-
know and 1 were parting just now,
such a person interrupted US. whether
Intentionally or not, cannot tell. But
he recognized Wander recognized
him, of that much 1 am certain. And
| what Is more, he followed me to this
house and is upstairs at this moment!"
For a moment Rowe glared at the
other with an expression of intent
| alarm Then his features relaxed
"a great, tall fellow, did you say?"
he unused. Then a light broke upon
him. "A giant, with long face and
ungain1y carriage; that would be
Leigh, the sculptor, a great friend of
the landlord. And he would know him,
also! No need to-worry about that.
AS for his following you, that was
mere coincidence. He comes here to
| visit Hill almost daily"
You relieve my mind, Rowe" re-
piled Yznaga. lighting a cigarette
'tAnd now for our project. He-of-whom-
you-know refuses absolutely to commit
himself on paper. He will spend, yesi
It is for great purpose, in a noble
| causei But he will sign nOthingi
| What have we to hold him by?"
The money he ependsi' replied
Rowe grimly.
viii that suffice? This business is
! against the law, you know. and