Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1915-02-18

made her heart jump, but the mildly |
curious expression on her face did not |
change.
She and the captain came into the
salon hurriedly. They went directly
to a table upon which the cat was
sleeping. The feline dreams were rude.
ly shattered, however, for the mistress
pushed the animal to the floor. Madame
pressed certain bits of inlay and Sc
cret drawer was revealed. From this
drawer she took two old daguerreO-
types.
"The samew whispered the captain.
"The very same! oh, we are in luck
captain, to find this out in time. That
mine is this girl Zudora's, and we'll
| have to watch our cards"
Put her out of the way?'
There's been a little too much of
that. Well try all other methods
first. But what luck"
"Telephone!" he said. shall I an.
swer it,"
J. Better let me-" She returned to
him after moment. Bruce; he's slip.
| peu luIOuSu as uSull.
"Clever chapr'
"And the gems are still on board
the boat"
In the meantime Baird had no great
difficulty in hanging to the heels of
Bruce's cab. He had an idea that the
cab would seek II deserted spot, posi-
bly, near the water front, where there
Is good deal of abandoned property.
| While his eye followed the cab in front
his mind was elsewhere. A year ago
he had been crook, not a dangerous
one. to be sure, but Internally clever.
And here he was, striving honestly to
live decently, all because he had fallen
In love with the girl that should have
been his victim. Lots of kinks in this
old world; lots of startling twists and
windings. But of what use to love
her? She loved another, and clean.
decent man too. He wondered If the
day would come when he could tell her
the truth, that for months he had play
ed at being her uncle and had boldly
attempted to do away with her.
What n contemplate scoundrel he
had been and what singular lack of
perception he had had of this fact un.
til love awoke him. Come, now; he
must not fall to dreaming His bust.
ness was to watch yondcr cab. Bruce's
cab began to leave n trail through the
warehouse district and eventually came
to stop before disused factory.
Baird dismissed his cab and waited to
see what the smuggler did. He, too,
dismissed the cab, glanced swiftly over
his shoulder and entered the factory
door, evidently by means Of n key
Baird waited reasonable length OF
time, then made for the factory. He
knew that he would find the door lock
ed. but nevertheless he tried 1t. He
{ wasn't at all disturbed to find it lock
4 ed. In n ruined old building like thi'
S there were many rickety windows.
He had no difficulty in getting inside
j 1t was not intended that he shoul'
have any real difficulty In gaining Ell
d trance. Bruce, knowing the tricks o
. detectives, had been quite certain tina
e he would be followed from the boa
i pier. He had merely led Baird into ;
: trap. Bruce had gone In by one en-
n trance and out the other. The cab me
t him two blocks away, and he was
driven to another part of the town-iI
fact, TO semioccupied apartment
house where there was tunnel whicl
[ led to the secret elevator In the house
, of Nine. Du Val Oh the next street
He received n royal welcome from
, Nine. Du Val and Captain Radcliffe
He had brought to port something like
$4,000 worth Of purest Brazilians.
"Oh, | was followed" he boosted
"and led the follower by his nose t.
the old trap. and by this time he Il
doubtless out of the running But thii
man Hunt is getting on my nerves
He knows. but he can't prove any
, thing. Now, what's your news?"
They told him briefly.
/. "You have found the real her?" h,
cried.
"Ycs. And we have just arrived n
the conclusion Of conference. Thi
girl Zudora must be put away unit
, we've MIXED that mine of its last peb
, BILE. Her fathers partner-old crool
that he is-must be pushed OFF tn,
board completely. There's million II
that pocket yet, believe me. | thinl
by quick action we can get what W,
want within six months Wen keel
Zudora under cover for that period o
time. AS we understand 1t, she's en-
, gagged to lawyer named Storm. w,
can fake up an accident to Storm ant
draw the girl into the net"
, Actions the word. And there's m
better place to hide her until the cons
is clear than In the old junk hut
That's where the boys will be taking
, Hunts undcrstudy by this time"
"But the dlamOnds!" lnterjectet
Nine. Du Val.
MY dear lady, return to Liverpoo
on the same boat | arrived on. YOl
, will come and see me Off. And whei
, you bid me fearful farewell tn,
precious pebbles will be inside you
muff. In fact return In the same
cabin. and the gems are still In tha
same cabin. It's new stunt ant
ought to hold or the inspectors for a
least dozen voyages"
uYou'va pnt "a haod IN ynu Rrttcn