The Tomahawk., 1916-04-20

take part in the dynamic activities of life.
At the suggestion Of the owner of an i'm
offices in Astor court and went in for fol-
lowing up queer advertisements and trac-
ing down fraudulent advertisers.
want Job, Average?
Bertram reached over and prodded
his friend severely in the ribs. Listen,
l cut this out of yesterdays Evening
Register. With your kind attention,
ladies' and gentlemen" He read:
wANTED-A YOUNG MAN, UNAT-
tached, competent to act as assistant IN
outdoor scientific work. Manual skill as
desirable as experience. Emoiument tor
one months work generous. Man with
out family insisted upon. Apply after
$50 p. m. in proper person. Smith, a Bel
lair Street.
Slowly whirling in his chair, Aver
age Jones received the clipping, read
it and yawned.
lis that all!' said the indignant
Bertram. Doesn't that inspire any
notion above yawn in your palsled
processes of miud?"
Average Jones laughed. There
isn't any Smith, he said
well, it's nothing to me what his
name is. Only 1 thought you might
be the aspiring young scientist he was
yearning for"
wouldn't wonder if I were, thank
you. Let's see. Bellair street?
Where's the directory? Thanks. Yes,
it is Greenwich village. Well, l think
I'll just stroll down that way and
have a look after dinner"
Thus it was that MI. Adrian Van
Reypen Egerton Jones found himself
on hot May evening pursuing the
of a rather dingy old house which had
once been the abode Of solemn pros
,perity if not actual aristocracy in the
olden days of New York city. Almost
Immediately the Geographic click Of
the lock appraised him that he might
enter, and as he stepped into the hall
way the door Of the right-hand ground
floor apartment opened to him.
"You will please come tn," said a
voice.
The tone was gentle and measured.
Also it was, by it's accent, alien to any
rightful Smith. The visitor stepped
into a passageway which was dim
until he entered it and the door swung
behind him. Then it became pitch
black
"You will pardon this" said the
voice. "a severe affection Of the eyes
compels me. You will find matches
at your elbow" said the voice, COM
ing dulled, from a further apartment
Thank you," returned Average
Jones, enormously entertained by the
dime-novel setting which his host had
provided for him.
He lighted the gas and looked about
sparsely furnished room without
single distinguishing feature, unless a
high and odd-shaped travelling bag
which stood on a chair near by could
be so regarded. The voice interrupt
ed his survey.
"You have come in answer to my ad-
vertisement?"
Eyes, sir
Can you endure exposure? Sub.
sisting on rough fare and sleeping as
you may?"
II have camped in the northern for
ests."
"Yes," unused the voice. You look
hardy"
Average Jones arose. "You-er-
are spying upon me, tnen," he drawled
quietly Il might have-er-suspected
a peep-hole."
He advanced slowly toward the
door whence the voice came. A chair
blocked his way. Without lowering
his gaze he showed at the obstacle
with his foot.
Have a care!" warned the voice. .
The chair toppled and overturned.
From it fell, with light shock, the
strange valise, which, striking the
floor, flew open, disclosing small
cardboard cabinet. Across the front
of the cabinet was a strip Of white
paper labeled in handwriting, each let
ter being individual, with what looked
to the young man like the word
MERCY" He stopped to replace the
bag.
do not touch it," ordered the voice
peremptorily.
Average Jones Strengthened up to
face the door again.
1T isn't full of dynamite, is it?''
'eWhat is your branch of scientific
work." counter-questioned the other.
Botany" replied the young man, at
random.
mo other? Physics? Entomology?
Astronomy? Chemistry? Biology"
The applicant shook his head in re-
peated negation. None that I've spe-
cialized on"
"Ah! l fear you will not suit my
purpose. Since I cannot employ you,
i owe you every courtesy for having