The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-04-06
Continued from our last issue.)


place. Jensen dropped into
chair.
AS he sat back musing beside
the cheerful blaze, II struck him
with renewed force how unlike
! the quarters of a desperate coun-
terfeiting gang was this Camp
argyle with its many comforts.
I And what possible incentive could
a man of Lord Cannouquest
great wealth and prominence have
for mixing in such a shady affair?
! The whole thing was as mex
plicable as ever, yet it seemed GER
tain he was on the right track.
B He arose to his feet to leave the
cabin and shook back his broad
shoulders as he closed the door.
Developments of some sort were
/ likely to occur.
The moon was dropping to-
ward the horizon yet the myriad
stars made the scene almost as
bright as at MONDAY. Over at
| the clubhouse the miners were
! holding some sort Of a celebra-
ton. The bungalow was glowing
with lights in all the windows.
/ He strobe up the steps of this
hugS home of Stephen Mallahce,
! and pressed an announcing but
ton beside the door.
In answer to Jensen's ring, The
door was opened by Kerry MALTA
1 bee herself.
Welcome to Argyle House."
= she cried cordially. And do hur-
ry in; father has been so anxious
to see you"
MY dear fellow, do come in
greeted penetrating voice from
1.-THE rear of the entrance hall, and
I tall, gaunt man of some 60 odd
years came forward with cut
stretched hand.
MY daughter, Kerry, has told
me you are Alan Kerrison from
! the States, so We may waive the
useless formality of ihtroduc-
! tions." -
Jensen clasped the Offered
hand, murmured some words of
polite greeting, and found himself
gazing into pair of penetrating
gray eyes.
! Are you related to the Mon
! tana Kerrisons, the gold mine
people?" asked Stephen MALTA
bee as they passed toward the
dining room.
Jensen felt it would be diff
cult to deceive those penetrating
eyes, and his answer was truthful,
at least as far as 1t went.
Il do not think we are con-
nected with the Montana Eerri-
sons at ALL" he answered. "They,
/ believe, are of Scotch descent;
my people are Connecticut Yam
/ kee."
They sat three at the table. The
dining room was finished in fumed
oak with a beamed ceiling, high
J wood-paneled walls, and dark
green velvet hangings at doors
and windows.
Stephen Mallabee was anxious
to hear the details of Springvale 8
death, and Jensen gave them as
closely to the truth as he might
without revealing anything of his
own mission into the North. From
remarks made by both Mallabee
and his daughter he early learned
that Springvale was the same
young man he had known at Har-
ward, and this put him more at
ease in the ensuing conversation.
Finally the talk veered again to
old ]. J. Kerrison and his gold
mines, a subject regarding which
Mallabee appeared exceedingly
well informed.
There's a wonderful pioneer of
new fortunes. old j. j. as you
call him in the States" said Ste
phen Mallabee, with a sweeping
gesture. "A man whom your
United States quite fails to appre-
ciate. Alaska would, today, be
one of the best developed Sec
tions of this continent il you had
but given old j. J. free hand.
Instead you have kept him crib
bed, cabineted and confined, like
an old elephant in the zoo, until
he has become a rogue
Again that sweeping gesture.
For the first time sincce he had
entered the room, Jensen took
note of Stephen Mallabee's hands.
! They we're remarkably we'll
shaped, but the skin was rough
and was discolored in places. They
were the hands of q workingman.
With a peculiar thrill of having
: CHANGED upon an important dis
covery. Jensen glanced upward
into Mallabee's face, and at
tempted with some difficulty to
call to mind the photographs he
had seen of Lord Cannonquest.
Could it be possible that this
man was not Lord CannonQuest;
that Kerry Mallabee had de-
ceived him? He glanced her way
to find her eyes searching MS
/ face, SO he began to talk Of the
! first thing that entered his mind.
Il take it you have. fewkvisi-
tors?"
: The gaunt old man chuckled.
land again Jensen was aware of
, that uncomfortable feeling as
stephen Mallabee's eyes met his.
I'VE have no visitors, he de
clared, save those we bring in
ourselves, and we choose such
carefully. Should unwelcQme
visitors discover us by aceMent,
Ia - .~x. -.