The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1916-02-08

He walked three blocks. picked so a
taxicab, and In ten minutes more was
at the ample. open and unguarded
porte-cochere OF a roomy court walled
with beetling. ancient tenements.
Assuring himself that the courtyard
was deserted, Lanyard addressed him
self to a door on the right: to his
knock it swung promptly a1ar with
click of it's latch. AT the same time
| the adventurer produced from beneath
| his cloak a small black velvet viZor
| portion of his face. Then, entering a
narrow and odorous corridor. whose
obscurity was only emphasized by a
lonely, guttering candle. he turned the
knob of the first door and walked into
a small, ill-furnished room.
A spare-bodied young man, who had
been sitting at a desk, reading by the
| light of an oil lamp with heavy green
| shade, rose and bowed courteously.
Good morning. monsieur" he said
with the cordially of one who greets
an acquaintance of old standing. BE
| seated he added, indicating an arm
| chair beside the desk 1T is some
time since | have had the honor of a
call from monsieur"
THAT is So" Lanyard admitted, sit
ting down.
| The young man followed suit. The
lamplight, striking across his face be-
meath the greenish penumbra of the
Oh a. II
| Hebraic cast.
Monsieur has something to show
me- eh?''
But naturally"
Lanyards reply just escaped a flavor
of curtness-as who should say, What
did you expect?" He was puzzled by
something strange and new in the at
titude of this young man, trace of re-
| serve and constraint
They had been meeting in this man
ner for several years, conducting
their secret and lawless business &C
| cording to a formula invented by
| Bourke and religiously observed by
| Lanyard. A note or telegram Of limo
| cent superficial intent, addressed to a
certain member of leading firm OF
| jewelers. in Amsterdam, was the in
variable signal for meetings such as
| this, which were always held in the
| same place, at an indeterminate hour
after midnight, between this intelli-
gent, cultivated and well-mannered
young Jew and the thief in his mask.
| Why, then, this sudden awkward
ness and embarrassment on the part
Of the agent?
Lanyard's eyes narrowed with sus.
picion.
In silence he produced jewel case
| of morocco leather and gave it to the
Jew, then settled back in his chair, his
attitude enc of lounging, but his mind
as uneasy with distrust as his fingers
which, under cover of his cloak, rested
close to the pocket containing his au-
tomato.
Accepting the box with a little bow
the Jew pressed the catch and uncov
cred it's contents. But the richness OF
the treasure thus disclosed did not
seem to surprise him; and, indeed, he
had more than once been introduced
with no more Formally to plumber OF
greater value. Fitting a jewelers. mag
nifying-glass to his eye, he picked W
one after another of the pieces and ex
amined them under the lamplight
Presently he replaced the last and
shut down the cover Of the box.
He turned a thoughtful countenance
to Lanyard, made as if to speak, but
hesitated.
"Wen?" the adventurer demanded
impatiently.
This, l take it," said the Jew alb
sently, tapping the box, lis the jewelry
of Nine. Omber."
81 took it," Lanyard retorted good
humoredly-"not to put too fine a
point upon it,"
The Jew shrugged, and with the tips
of his fingers gently pushed the box
toward his customer.
This makes me very unhappy" he
! admitted; but have no choice in the
matter, monsieur. AS the agent of my
principals, | am instructed to refuse
you an offer for these valuables."
"Why?"
Again the shrug, accompanied by a
! deprecatory grimace: THAT is diff
ffcult to say. No explanation was
made me. My instructions were mere
| ~ to keep this appointment as usual,
| but to advise you that it would be i'm
possible for my principals to continue
| their relations with you as long as
your affairs remained in their present
| status"
Their present status?" Lanyard re-
peated What does that mean?"
Il cannot say, monsieur. | can only
repeat that which was said to me-
After a moment Lanyard rose, took
the box and replaced it in his pocket.
Very we'll" he said quietly. Your
principals, of course, understand that
| this action on their part definitely
ends our relations rather than merely
interrupts them at their whim?"
II am desolated, monsieur, but-one
must assume that they have consid-
cred everything. You understand, it
is matter in which am wholly with
out discretion, / trust?'
ooh, quite!" Lanyard assented care
lessly. He held out his hand. Good
by, my friend"
The Jew shook hands warmly.
Good night, monsieur-and th5