The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1917-09-07
EIGHTH EPISODE
The Stranger DiSpOses.

Both with Bentley and Peter Hale |
matters were fast approaching a crisis.
Bridgey was furious with Annessley
for having put him in the light of a
coward during the strange visit to
the castle, and upon Peter was be-
ginning to dawn the thought that
Bentley might after all have had a
hand in the spiriting away Of Hubert
Brewster.
In all his adventures with Philippa
and the social pirate, Peter had kept
his knowledge Of the latter's crimes
to himself, save on the one occasion
when he had warned Mr.. Brewster OF
his prospective son-in-law.
Now he resolved to make con-
| fidant of AnHessley of whom he had
seen much of late and whom he felt
he could trust.
For this reason he took Advantage
of a call from the latter to unburden
himself of the history Of all his rela-
tons with Bentley.
"He does seem awfully wicked" said
that young man, "new, perhaps, he's
left some traces of his wiCkedness be-
hind HMM his rooms, you know.
Why don't we investigator
Good idea" said Peter, "he'S moved
to the Wilton. We can go over there
now and see what we can see."
While Peter and his friends were
preparing for their little excursion Mr..
Bentley was likewise starting on an
expedition of his own. In spite OF all
his efforts to discover definitely that
the girl to whom he was engaged was
really the girl of the double cross he
could secure no tangible proof: In
talking over the situation with his
chief crony he declared that he must
find out for certain before going any
. further in the matter, and he started
out with this purpose in view, order
|. ing three of his men to his rooms Il
wait till he should FCturn with the eyl
dence which he hoped to find in thu
|. Brewster home.
!. Mr.. Bentley was one of thos'
strange personalities who could no
!. work alone-and though he had n
|. difficulty in finding crooked men t
\ share his schemes, he seemed to dis
!. regard the fact that some day tines
same tools might turn against him.
4. Now, although cautioned TO renal
I until his return, the three men 500
+ became tired of waiting and one @
I them suggested drink-the other tW
i agreed and the three marched dowl
{ stairs to the bar, carefully locking tn
+ door.
I II was Peter HaIe's good luck thf
! two hotel cleaners arrived momel
!. after the departure of Bentley's me-
+ One of them knocked and getting I
: response, opened the door with pas
+ KEY and proceeded to use the Vacuu
i cleaner on the rug.
! While they were thus engaged, Pet
- md Annessley peered in the doorwa
and followed their glance with the
- persons. whereupon the cleaners MAJ
y haste to leave.
y "Here, wait a minute" said A
" nesselv, "here's a suit I never q
y like: won't you have it?" and he to-
n one of Bentley's getaways from
x hanger in the closet and presented
" TO one of the cleaners.
y "Here's a hat for you" he said j
n iaIly to the other, and having thus
- voked q score of blessings on his o'
" head and the heads Of all his relatlo
= Annessely motiOned to Peter to get
- work.
x Anparently Mr.. Bentley had left
~ napers anywhere within reach, for
~ two men after a strenuous seal
e could discover nothing compromise
y Their efforts were interrupted
. The return of the three lieutenaI
q The conspirators dashed into the
& Joining bedroom and Bentley's n
Il settled themselves to resume II
X vigil.
g Anxious to hear what he could,
G fer fattened himself against the q
n and in this interesting attitude eau
K the information that Bentley was t
~ in the act of robbing the Brew'
q safe. What else he might nave g
e cred remains problematical, as he
* denly sneezed. Annessley diyed
" der the bed, the henchmen leapec
n X their feet, burst through the door
! Peter was seized before he could c
! make an effort to flee.
/ Hauled into the sitting room
+ fought hard, but to no avail; ne
/ oyerpowered and thrust into
i closet, made a little more roomy
i Annessley's generous donations to
+ cleaners.
7 Mr.. AmessIey, taking adyantag