Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1915-03-25

"You've got to do the trick"
the stake was too great to risk. and she
bitterly consented to Wilkerson's has
tily outlined plan of hiding Ruth away
somewhere in Sing Wah's precincts Yin
til they could once more get their plans
into working order.
Before she would leave the pla;
she must indeed see Sing Wah himself
"Wtll the girl be safe hereY" she de-
manded.
The Chinese looked at her flushed
and passionate beauty in silence until
she repeated her question. TIL II he
said quietly and in his own exquisite
ly modulated English: You need have
little fear. The servants are honest
and discreet. And"-he let his eyes
meet hers fully think it is possible
that she Is safer now than she has
been for some time Good night. mad
amir
While Wikerson and Mrs. narnell
had been hurriedly arranging matters
with Sing Wah. Drake had gone in
search Of lodgings nearby. He found
them in what had once been a noted
hotel. which had fallen into sad decay.
1t was in the faded rooms he engaged
here that the three met to consult on
the future.
1.-THE first thing to do is to get hold
Of those deeds and papers she has in
her grip" said W'ilkerson. II wonder
you didn't think to get them before,
JEAN"
The womans eyes lit with dull
hatred. but she made no answer. She
watched him fuss with the locks of the
hand satchel which she had indicated
as the one in which Ruth carried her
valuables When it opened and Will
kerson thrust his clutching fingers
downward into it Mrs. Darnel leaned
forward as If in protest. He paid no
attention to her. but continued his
search with ever increasing haste. AT
last he Strengthened up with an oath
so venomous and deadly that even
Drake shrank back.
"The deeds aren't here" Wilierson
said thickly "She's hidden them!'
But whereof
This question seemed to break Will
kerson's almost steely intensity of pur
pose. The question put his whole prob
where? He shifted his eyes from the
emptied satchel to the curtained win
dow. Instantly there leaped before
him the picture of the truck turning
slowly over in the gllch, of the huge
billow of smoke. of the little lances of
,, fire that charged through the dry UNI
dergrowth as if to preserve to the
flames their prey. Was it for this that
1, he was a murderer? The curtain blew
inward before some vagrant wind from
the bay, and Wilkerson drew back in
terror.
"What is it. Harry?" demanded Mrs
Darnell, instantly taking alarm
Nothing" he said sullenly Il was
just thinking of something" He turn
ed on Drake. You've got to do the
trick" he went on.
"How's that?" demanded the young
err man.
Wilkerson eagerly formulated his
his plan. ticking off the points on the
tips of his quivering fingers.
"First you're Everett. turned up at
last. You find her.
"In Chinatown" sneered Drake
"You can easily gain her confidence
aud get hold OF the papers, and may
be-
Drake laughed uglily. 81 look like
fh, ly IF toll br,
as banker and then proceed to renew
my clients acquaintance in Chinese
Joint. How am ! supposed to know
she's there! tell you, Wilkerson. that
| you can't travel straight, even when it
1 pays you. Why In Gods name you
| ever took that girl to that place of
Sing Wah's is beyond my comprehen
sion.. Any place would have been bet
ter. Now you have put the heads Of
| all Of us in moose You know what
people will say when
They'll say nothing" said Wilker,
son furiously, and he proceeded once
more to argue that Drake could easily
continue to impersonate Everett and
| In that guise carry their scheme to its
profitable conclusion. In spite of his
eagerness and sophistry he was unable
to move either Drake or Mrs. Darnel,
from their attitude Of frightened con-
| tempt At last Drake agreed to do his
best to make Ruth trust him.
"But don't like this impersonation
business" he said firmly. 81 might go
to hotel and hand in my brokers'
card and ask for an interview. but
haven't lost my senses"
' WELL" growled Wilkerson. "just see
to 1t that you worm out of her where
those papers are"
: 80 -.