Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-07-08

Huron, II he knew the facts, was able &
blast the reputation Of one or other o
the girls parents. And Huron had TIL
whip-hand Of Dereve also. Martin won
dered whether the blackmailer ALREADY
knew Of his visit to 7ist street and wha
he would make OF It. Meanwhile he, Mar
tin, had wasted his time In coming {,
America Dereve would not speak fo
fear Of incrimlnetlnR himself, and n h,
did II would only be TO denounce Maud't
mother. No all that could be done
was to seek out Maud and marry hei
and snap their singers in Huron's face
She might refuse--she certainly would
refuse at first. She would fear for her
mother. But n he, Arrol. possessed
proofs Of her mothers guilt he might
pretend to playg Huron's game-threaten
| to expose her unless sne withdrew her
opposition to his marriage with Maud
| and 30 neutralize the other mans threats.
| II would be a game, OF course, in which
| Huron would have the advantage, for he
would be capable Of executing his threat,
| whereas the other player would be mere
! ly blufing.
He resolved to return to England by the
next mail Neither Huron nor Mira
! Plessey could know positively what De-
reve had told him. He would scare them
badly.
When he arrived at his hotel page
accosted him and asked him with a strong
Irish accent II he was Mr. Arroi Answer.
ing yes, he was told that aou1eone had
Just rung him up on the telephone
He hurried into the cabinet which tho
boy had indicated and placed the re-
oelVer to MS ear "Hullohp' he cried.
"Do you want Mr.. Arrol? I'm he"
Somehow he expected to hear Huron's
voice. but the reply came in Dereve's
rather melodious tones
I'm Dereve. 1 have been thinking
what h.N
noon. Perhaps may do something for
you, after all. Can you give me week
to think II over7"
No. / return TO England by the next
mail and shall hand the papers over to
Scotland Yard"
II guess you're blufiing We are good
at that on this side" But IL seemed to
the listener that the speakers voice was
shaky. There was a pause, and Martin
half-fancied that whispered conversa-
tion was going on at the other end. His
suspicious were confirmed when Dereye
continued: Excuse my breaking off; my
servant came into the room and
couldn't discuss these things within his
hearing. Will you come up and see me
again tonight-let us say midnight? I am
dining with some folks and may not be
back sooner 1 guess we will fix up a
settlement"
Agreed" said Martin. IT will come
at 12; but II nothing is arranged shall
open fire. Good-by."
He replaced the receiver and walked to-
ward the door. II suddenly occurred to
him that he had not mentioned his New
York address to Dereve He wondered IL
Huron had tracked him and then called
on Dereve, and that tho proposed negotla-
tions were the upshot OF their interview.
1t was unpleasant to feel that he was
being shadowed, but II was not easy to
see what real harm his enemy could do
him. Possibly by this time Dereve had
realized that 1t would pay him better to
take sides with Arrol than with Huron.
Martin dlned at DelInonrev.s not so
much because he appreciated good fare as
because he liked lively SURROUNDINGS New
York on wet Sunday evening Is a de-
pressing place Martin looked in at two |
or three so-called cafes. and feeling, as
he himself put II, bored stiff,'' returned |
to his hotel to write some letters. His |
first was to Monty Dereve, to thank her
FOR the help she had promised to render
in tracking Maud. He had written a sheet |
when he remembered his brothers. words. |
tichard had limited that Monty was in |
terested in him, Martin, and that II would |
do no good to express too warm a regard |
for the girl for whom he was invoking her |
good offices. Richards theory seemed a |
little far-fetched, but where Maud was |
concerned he could afford to take no |
risks. He tore up what he had written, |
and began again:
Dear Miss Dereve-Just a few lines TO
tell you that 1 have arrived in your
native land and have seen your father, /
who received me most T" Martin /
smiled ironically and went on
most cordially. ''I had only n very short /
interview with him, but shall call on him |
again tonight. Please inform your uncle /
of this | wonder II you have received |
any reply to the advertisement you so
kindly inserted on our friends behalf? |
Has she turned up yet? I'm sure you
Will do everything in your power for her. |
yours very sincerely,
MARTIN ARRoL."
card to Richard. informing him that he |
would write later and implorlng him to |
cable news of Maud. Then he glanced at |
bis watch and took an uptown car.
The rain had cleared the streets of |
people, and at that late hour West list |
Martin mounted the steps of the apart /
ment house a tall man stepped out of |
the shadow. Martin was surprised to |
recognize Dereve.
''The janitors gone to bed" he ex-
planned in a husky voice, $50 l Just |
waited around to take you up in the ele-
yntor. No sort of night, is it2''
Martin answered curtly and stepped |
into the elevator. They flew up to the |
fifth floor. Dereve threw open the gates.
which changed behind them as he opened |
the door OF his fiat.
"step right in," ne said. There's no
one but my servant in the iat, so we can
have a straight talk.
Arrol walked along the dark narrow |
passage till noise made him turn his
head. Dereve was covering him with
revolver
Martin stood still. but stared at him
iefinantly and contemptuously. you |
fool" he said, what have you to gain
by this Observation-Disclosures nonsense?
There is nothing on me Of the least value |
10 you. Do you propose to murder me? |
II SO. for what end?''
The next instant Martin felt himself
ierked backward. AS he threw out his
arms 10 save himself a heavy garment |
probably an overcoat-was thrown over
his face. binding him and gagging him
He felt that Dereve was pressing on him
In front while some other man held his
arms from behind. Struggling desper-
ately, resisting inch by inch. he was
forced backwards. Suddenly the pressure
from behind was withdrawn. He fell
prone on the floor. and imme-
diately heard the slamming OF door
CHAPTER XIV.
TIVE sight OF Martins handwriting on |
i the letter addressed to Monty reused
4 strange tumult OF emotions In Maud
plesgeV II scanned ineradihta fhat h.