The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-08-31
plates but did not know that he was

plates. but / did not know that he was
working, secluded in Peru, until last
night That native was sent with these
plates, concealed as you have seen. He
was instructed in detail what he was
to do. There has been a hitch some
where, at least a change in the plans
of the people at this end of the line,
of Gundorf and his associates. That he
or they will be looking out for the Pc
ruyian, however, is so certain that I
shall install myself in the house where
we found the native. You may help
me out, and / will tell you how"
| Marvel proceeded to do So For two
nights in succession | carried food
supplies to my patient and invincible
friend, and messages from him and
to Lott. The third night, as / APP
preached the house by the rear, as l
always did. | noticed a strange thing
and halted, looking up sharply.
A man was leaping the space be-
tween the two houses. / knew that
he saw me and was startled, for I
watched him peer down at me | could
only construe that this person was en-
tering the vacant house surrepti-
tiously by the roof and scuttle route.
At Just that moment clear sound pro-
ceeded from the house | was about to
enter-the sharp, quick jangle of
telephone bell.
The man aloft must have been sus-
picious of my appearance. Perhaps
he caught the sound of footsteps in
the house, those of its solitary occu-
pant. At any rate, / heard sharp
snap, a severed wire whipped down
between the houses, nearly striking
my face, and the man leaped back over
the space and disappeared.
Perhaps two full minutes passed
away, and / was about to enter the
house, when the rear door few open
! and Marvel was upon me.
mo delay!" he spoke quickly, and
seized the food valise / carried and
flung it on the step. Then he start
} ed on a run, reached the next street,
Z and hailed taxicab, and gave the
J quick words:
Central telephone Office"
"What?" / Intercepted simply.
"a crash of thunder"
i, did not understand, but hoped to,
4 SOOn. I1O lGLL lnCS LID AAAOb POAAL VI
: destination reached. watched him
: rush into the telephone building, then
out of it, with the sharp mandate:
i Signal service bureau" to the chauf-
/. feur-"Bad system in there" 70 my
self.
e You are ready for fifty mile run
e double fares?" he inquired of the
II chauffeur as he came out from the
7, weather brueau.
a I'm ready" was the willing re
l. Spouse.
n My wait at the vacant house." sal
Marvel, as he fed down countr
of road, was rewarded by telephon
re call. I was at the receiver prompt,
is that you franklin was challenge
lu- and then-'It's King'-and | knew
he was talking with Gundorf. There wa
en- an interruption, and the curreI
Sc went"
yes, the wires on the roof wer
is cut" began.
IS, mo, a crash Of thunder at the ia
m end of the line"
es pointed to the blue sky, with al
OF the stars a-sparkle. Marvel laughed
a "There was no trace at the ex
"a change of the call" he explained
le Suburban, that was all. At the wealth
er bureau a passing storm cloud re
q ported at one station only-at Blox
y ton. We are going there"
9 We reached Bloxton in an hour and
y half Marvel located the telephone
: exchange. He came out bright and
s brisk.
: Message sent from the Office here
I direct by one Colonel Worthington,
: he said to me, after giving direction
: to the chauffeur. Newcomer Blind
Passing cloud, clap of thunder-only
= one-struck the wires. My man
: was standing just behind Marvel
when he entered the library of a Sc
. cluded house at the edge of the town
A bewhiskered man with big, obscur-
- ing goggles, was seated in an arm
chair Marvel approached him, look
= ed keenly at him, reached over and
~ removed a false ear. This was the
= identifying trademark of king" Gun
e dorf, half an ear bitten off by swim
le dler confrere in the years past
y l know not in detail how the case
8 was adjusted, but Gundorf gave VI
y nearly all of the 100000 / think the
u bargain was that he should leave the
country. At all events, the Guardian
y Trust C Savings did not go out Of
= business, and is still within the clear
ing house.
:. a week later, while in the Office d
the United Bankers Protective as
ISOLATION, Marvel led me with lool
: to his desk. He opened drawer anc
took out the photograph of a lovely
= woman. Her name, "Orthello," was
L. written on the card He next unrolleC
= the plans of wonderful mansion
= With a pencil he drew line through
: It's first story.
I, Then I knew that his exertions II
q the Paget case had paid for that mucf
= of his future home, and that he was