Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1916-05-20


ton" explained Marley.
What d'you mean by that?"
You can't give a masked ball and
put every guest on microscope-slide
as he comes in!"
"Manley. how are we to know just
who or what those guests are If
they're coming into this house with
ali sorts CT makeup on?"
That's exactly what I've been try
ing to make you see for the last four
days." was Manleys reply. And il 5
exactly what that man Da Espares has
been maneuvering for, or | lose my
one last betl And if this man Legar
is still alive, all we've been doing is
putting strip OF red carpet down for
him to walk in on"
Well, I'll be at the other end OF
that carpet waiting for him" was the
old lighters thunderous retort.
That's exactly what l want you to
do, what | ask you to do. That's our
one chance. If what l suspect proves
TO be the case, You can disguise
faces, in an affair like this tonight.
but you can't disguise a lost hand"
Golden stood slowly shaking his
head up and down in comprehension
And if our Iron Claw is there,
Davy, wen give him a welcome that
he's going 10 remember"
Two hours later. as Enoch Golden
stood with his daughter at his side
receiving their guests, it would have
taken a particular penetrating eye to
detect any darker mdercurrent CT in
trigue to that ripping tide OF color
and mirth which eiiied about them
So punctilious was Golden in his hearty
hand-grasp to each Of those incoming
visitors, that Margery herself made
note og this newer phase in her ia
theirs character
Side by side with a Flemish nun
walked a Paris Apache. then came a
Montenegro peasant and flowing
rCbed Oriental Swami then red.
sashed pirate and 2 velvet clad Vene-
tian DCge Then. following a man IN
filters, who laughiagly proclaimed
himself TO he Hullv Gee, the Chinese
Clan car'e on 0oUallv tail figure in a
gold-braidcd Arabian burnoose. This
figure, for all it's height, was strangely
stoop-shouldered, moving with a dig
nifty of step which went well with the
voluminous drapery in which it was
clad. And Manley watched closely as
this stately Arabian chieftain, bowling
orrsu xva1xr 10 Cnldnr,
gloved hands to greet the two hands
which his host extended to him About
these hands he saw at glance, there
could be nothing doubtful.
But Manley had little time to give
further thought to the scene, for at
that moment he became aware of the
fact that Da Espares had slipped away
to another part of the house-and dur
ing that night, Manley had determined
he would keep an eye on his enigmati-
cal foreign friend But instead of
following Da Espares, on discovering
him stepping quietly into the deserted
library, the alert-eyed young secretary
promptly retreated to the quarter
where the receiver of his dictaphone
was concealed. There, on placing this
watch-case receiver to his ear, Manley
had the satisfaction of catching the
faint hum Of voices. Much of that
guarded talk taking place in the Ii
brary Manley could not overhear. But
he caught enough to arouse his curl
osity.
Then the plan has worked?" asked
the anxious voice of Da Espares.
Without a hitch" answered the
other voice. The Orders have been
cut through and the bomb placed"
And the clock fuse adjusted?"
yes"
But what was it set for?'
For the stroke of twelve," an
swered the unknown voice. by that
time the crowd will be at the table,
eating!"
But how" asked the anxious voice
of Da Espares, could we get Legar
inside?"
The sound of triumphantly quiet
laugh came over the little instrument
"Legar is already here!" announced
the other.
Hush! Not so loud" warned Da
Espares. And from that point on it
was only broken phrases that trickled
into the hidden listeners ear.
Game as an Arab chief.
Mocha the Dago acrobat on his back
yes, under cloak could hold
out both hands :. and never even
being watched
can't afford to lose this time"
Again came the sound of the quietly
triumphant laugh. And it was De Es
pares' voice that sounded clearly the
next moment.
But how did he work that bridge
fall?"
. long dive came up under a
lumber schooner's stern and hung to
rudder chain down with tide
an hour later . swan ashore 2.
launch to Oyster Joes!"
Marley did not wait for more. Mid
night, he knew, was already too peril
ously close for half measures. BY the
time he reached the upper floor, in
fact. he found Enoch Golden already
heading the grand march to the great