The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1917-09-13

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
ruvian, however, is so certain that l
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 l carried food
supplies to my patient and invincible
friend, and messages from him and
to Lott. The third night, as l ap-
preached the house by the rear, as l
always did, l 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 l
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 a
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 a 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 I was about to enter the
house, when the rear door flew open
and Marvel was upon me.
mo delay" he spoke quickly, and
seized the food valise I carried and
flung It on the step. Then he start
ed on a run, reached the next street,
and hailed a taxicab, and gave the
quick words:
Central telephone Office"
What" l Intercepted simply.
"a crash of thunder"
did not understand but hoped to,
soon. He left me, his first point Of
destination reached. l watched him
rush into the telephone building, then
out Of It, with the sharp mandate:
Signal service bureau" to the chauf-
feur-"Bad system in there" 10 N.Y.
self.
You are ready for fifty mile run,
double fares?" he inquired of the
chauffeur as he came out from the
weather brueau.
I'm ready" was the willing re-
sponse
My wait at the vacant house" said
Marvel, as he fed down a country
road, was rewarded by a telephone
call. was at the receiver promptly.
Is that you Franklin?' was challenged.
and then-It's King-and I knew l
was talking with Gundorf. There was
an interruption, and the current
went"
Yes, the wires on the roof we're
cut l began.
No, a crash Of thunder at the far
end of the line"
l pointed to the blue sky, with all
the stars a-sparkle. Marvel laughed.
There was no trace at the ex-
change Of the call he explained.
Suburban, that was all At the wealth
er bureau a passing storm cloud re-
ported at one station only-at Blox-
ton. We are going there"
We reached BlOxton in an hour and
a half Marvel located the telephone
exchange He came out bright and
brisk
Message sent from the Office here
direct by one Colonel Worthington,"
he said to me, after giving a 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
Guided house at the edge of the town.
\ 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
dorf half an ear bitten off by swim
dler confrere in the years past.
I know not in detail how the case
was adjusted, but Gundorf gave up
nearly all of the 100000 l think the
bargain was that he should leave the
country. At all events, the Guardian
Trust & Savings did not go out of
business, and is still within the clear
ing house.
A week later, while in the office of
the United Bankers Protective as
sociation, Marvel led me with a look
to his desk He opened drawer and
took out the photograph of a lovely
woman. Her name, "Orthello," was
written on the card. He next unrolled
the plans of a wonderful mansion.
With pencil he drew a line through
its first story.
Then I knew that his exertions in
the Paget case had paid for that much
of his future home, and that he was
| that much nearer to the fruition of his
dream of a homeland Orthello.
RidicuIing the Puritans.
1t is the fashion of late to speak