The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1915-03-26


knew the defines of the African prop
erty; so far as he was concerned IL
was of no intrinsic value; but it would
eventually be valuable to Zudora. So
he stuffed it into his pocket and went
on with his search. Then he came
upon the false bottom of the trunk;
and her he found the documents that
completed the case! He laughed.
With these in his possession Zudora
would lose her case in any court in
America What find! Neither the
girl nor her legal advisers had ever
thought to thoroughly investigate the
battered old leather trunk.
He was in high feather when he
stole out of tie Ramsey house. He had
made a great find, he was legally
master of millions. 1t would be a
simple matter to manufacture will
of prior date to Iudora's, upon old
legal cap, with the notary's SEAL some
old chap who had died in Montana.
1t would be very easy now that he had
all the documents in the case. Ma
dam Du Val would be pleased, so
pleased that she might lend more
willing ear to his pleas. They had
had this trunk all these weeks and
had not thought to sound it for false
bottom. That was supreme luck. He
felt more and more assured of his star
as he rejoined Gyp. Millions, luxury,
all his cravings to be gratified,
And Zudora, flying across the
smooth, glistening surface of the pond
began to have hopes that her star had
reached its nadir and was once more
ascending toward the zenith. Well,
perhaps it was. The sunshine, the eX-
hilaration of the sport, the nearness
of one beloved, these would have set
cheer into many a heart darker than
| Zudora's.
When the three of them returned to
Mrs Ramsey's the latter served tea
| for an hour it was a happy family.
| Then Storm remembered the survey
map.
YOU'D better let me have that and
| lock it up in my safe" he suggested.
You never can tell what will happen
these days.
But Zudora searched the leather
trunk in vain.
That's funny! You saw me put it
on the top tray?"
II did," said Storm gravely. He
| went about the room examining the
windows. He left the two women and
| went downstairs. On the linoleum in
| the kitchen he saw muddy tracks.
| That was enough. Some one has
| been here during our absence" he de-
clared on returning to Iudora's room.
"Whoever it was, has got the paper,
Evidently | was watched and when we
went to the pond the watcher came in
to the house through the kitchen win
dow. Well perhaps I'm to blame. |
shold have put it in my pocket
Meantime in Detective Hunts office
| things were being arranged for the
ascendency of Zudora's star, which
was in truth very low.
Baird, I'm going to enter the Du
| Val villa by the front door this trip
what do you mean by that" asked
the late Hassam Ais double.
Il mean that I'm going to enter in
a capacity which will excite madam's
vanity There is no woman alive that
does not like the idea of having her
| likeness perpetuated in oil if done by
a celebrated artist"
That's true enough" said Baird.
"Go on. I'm interested"
We'll, I'm going to be that celebrat-
ed artist"
But Lord man, can you paint?'
| wen enough lDI Ilg purposes.
You're a man of many surprises"
That's high praise; you used to be
that yourself"
Give me all the points of the
game?"
You've heard of Jaques La Fon-
taine?"
Yes. Just at present he's in the
trenches in Alsace."
Dat No. TN, D1
will not dig deep enough so long as
| can keep her vanity stirred Now,
then watch your uncle Dudley; in
ten minutes I'll be the exact counter
part of the painter as he was during
his last visit, six months ago. He
came with splendid introductions, one
of which have. And I've based a
neat little forgery OH it. Keep your
eye on me and take lesson on how
to get into the skin of another man.
| want to get into that villa the worst
kind of way 1t keeps going through
my head that there is some connec-
ton between it and that old junk hut
or garage we've been skylarked in
once or twice"
Baird dryly. { They nearly had me
there one day.
Hunt went to work rapidly and
skilfully, and within the stipulated
time presented an appearance that
was near enough to that of the real
artist to fool the ordinary eye.
Great work. cried Baird. - tell
you what. You enter the villa and
get established, and | on my part will
see where that garage trap door leads
to-"
At that afternoon Hunt. armed
with his forged introduction, present
ed himself at the front door of the
Du Val villa. He was ushered in by
the pompous footman, The pseudo
artist was requested to be seated
Then the footman took the letter up
stairs to his mistress, who was more
delighted by the letter than the
thought of being painted She had
met the distinguished French noble
man but twice and it flattered hel
greatly to believe that she had been