Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1917-02-16

soon brought things down to the plane
OF the practical. For when the ma
son and ironworkers who were com
pleting the installation OF the new
Golden vault returned from their mid
day meal a far-from-attractive stranger
stole into the house at their heels.
And when David Manley happened to
catch sight Of this stranger deep in
talk with Count Da Espares, he
promptly jumped to the conclusion
that no had at last discovered some
thing on which to concentrate all his
earlier Scotch-mists Of suspicion.
For Da Espares' visitor unmistak-
ably bore the earmarks Of the un-
kempt denizen Of the hotpoint and
the Bowery saloon.
What is this nan doing here7" he
asked as he confronted the intruder.
This man is here at my request.
And the happiness Of this house de-
Ponds much on his visit" was Da Els
pares' retort.
What has a crook like Red Egan
got 20 do with the happiness Of this
h~ouse?" sconed the irate Manley.
And what right have you to bring a
tool Of Legar's into this room?"
But still Da Espares remained out
wardly calm.
Pardon" he replied. But this
man you call Red Egan is no longer
a crook and no longer a tool Of Le-
gar'sl~
Then what is he doing here?"
THAT, monsieur, concerns mostly
the young lady for whom I have sentl"
The s~oft-spoken foreigner swung
about as Margery Golden stepped a
little wonderingly into tho room.
This. Miss Golden" said Da Es-
pares, lis the man OF whom / spoke
to you. AS you friend here protests,
this man has been a tool Of Legar's.
But no has tired of being the serv-
ant Of 80 evil a man. He now seeks
to have the state extend it's pardon
to him. And as a price for this par
don he is willing to deliver into our
hands Jules Legarl"
But what is the plan?" asked the
girl, with a touch of Impotence.
Da Espares, with upthrust shout
ders, looked from the one to the other.
1T is a plan which we had thought
It wise to keep a secret" he suavely
explained.
Mr.. Manley has earned the right
to DO included IN any secrets which
may involve the capture of Legar."
Margery Golden quietly assured the
| faNWN1u aWnf1Fnn nnrTnk wrhn hauuaA In
a%cquiescence. And realizing the note
of authority in that reply, he outlined
the plan in as few words as possible.
That plan, with Red Egan as their
emissary, was not a complicated one.
This renegade from Legar's gang was
to go to his old-time chief and report
that Margery Golden might be found
at such and such a spot, at such and
such a time. She would be alone. And
to Legar and his men, waiting there,
It would seem a simple enough matter
to recapture the girl. But that cap
ture would never be effected. For a
squad Of police would be held there,
in hiding, and when the ome ar
rived, they would promptly surround
Legar and his men and put them
where they belonged.
TN other words, monsieur, what we
propose to do is Ia set a trap, and
when this Iron Claw is about to gather
in his prey, he himself will be gath
cred in"
You propose to set a trap" repeat
ed the i%ncredulous Manley, land you
also calmly propose to take this I'M
protected young girl and use her as
the bait for that trap!"
"On the contrary. monsieur, she will
not be unprotected. Many duly ap-
pointed officers OF the law will be
there. And, as / have already ex-
planned to her, l also will be there.
And Miss Golden, I think, knows that
l would readily give up my life for the
sake OF keeping her from harml"
rs that the way you feel about it?"
demanded Manley, swinging about to
the slightly frowning girl.
Count Da Espares and I will carry
out this plan, and we will carry 1t
out, ! hope, quite as successfully as
we may carry out stnl other plans.
And in the counts hands / shall al
ways feel that l am fully protected"
David Manley, thus dismissed. had
the dubious satisfaction Of knowing
that he had once more made a mess
OF things.
Yet he did not remain altogether In
active. He watched his chance and
quietly installed a dictaphone in the
room. attaching the transmitter-disk
to the underside OF the desk ledge
where Da Espares did most Of his talk
ing. and running his well-hidden wires
down through the floor to a linen
closet, which the everdependable VIII
son threw open for him. There Man
ley made the discovery that police
headquarters had actually been com
municated with and that the feint for
Legar's capture. however it's end. was
intended TO carry every sign OF sin
cerity.