Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1918-08-16
The Web
of DESTINY
BY J. v. GIEsY q J. 3. SMITH
Authors of Semi-Dual Stories
Copyright,
The Frank A. Munsey Co.
CHAPTER Ill.
After the Spider.

WOTuS as W lu6 plOpduio ldlo VA thS
girl had thrown out an atmosphere of
depression.
Dual and ! had not unpacked our
bags and Sheldon made short work OF
his preparations. Connie at my side
ate little.
"Be careful" she whispered and
pressed her hand to reassure her.
Semi alone seemed utterly calm and
undisturbed by the fact that he was
soon to measure forces with the or
ganization which to-day preys upon
the youth and beauty of the nation
and hesitates at no crime to gain its
ends.
Reich telephoned asking us to pick
him up at the theater and as soon as
dinner was eaten, Sheldon ordered up
the car. Good-byes were said and we
three set out for the station.
We got Homer who was waiting
outside the movie, and went on.
Get it fixed up?" / asked in low
tones after he had settled into seat.
He nodded.
1--WE Cancelled the order for the ma
chimes by wire," he said shortly. Il
don't want to be bothered by business
until this thing is settled. And the
Lord only knows how long that will
take, because I'm going to find that
little woman if have to hunt the
whole world over"
"Nonsensei" / told him. you
don't want to take it that way. The
trouble is you don't know Dual. I'm
less I'm greatly mistaken Wen find
her all right and that before long,"
He shook his head in unconvinced
fashion.
81 don't know your friend" he ad-
mitted. Neither do see how he can
do anything quickly. Why, we haven't
a thing to go on. All we know is that
she was last seen when she started
for Salt Lake. We don't even have
a single idea as to who may have
sent that phoney message, or why, or
what they did when she got there.
We don't know a thing. Not a single
thing. What is there to go on?"
But" l cut short his confession OF
impotence, already Dual has gone
lot farther than that. He told Sheldon
and me just little while ago after
you left that he had reason to believe
she was victim of the white-slave
people"
my God!" Reich drew away
from me and turned a wild visaged
face upon me. What makes him
think that?" he faltered, when he had
regained a fraction of his shattered
control.
He didn't say beyond the mere
statement" / responded. "But if he
says it, he means it, Reich. So you
see he is already at work on a pro-
bable theory of the case. You know
Salt Lake is one of the centers of
operation for that bunch of people.
The thing looks plausible to me-"
Then" he said duly, I'VE might
as well give it up. What's the use IL
those devils have got her. How can
Dual or any other one man expect to
win out against them? Why, the
governmo 1t has fought them for
years, and done little or nothing.
What can Dual or / do? It's no use.
If he's right she's gone"
Don't you believe it," encouraged.
1--WE seen him do things equally as
hard. He'll get this girl"
eff he does" said Reich. IF he
does" He glanced at Semi's back,
clenched his hands and bowed his
head.
He seemed pretty well worked up TO
me and l sought to encourage him as
best could until we reached the sta
ton, but my success was not marked
enough to notice. He followed us
enough to notice. He followed us
into seat to sit staring out of the
window.
i confess / felt sorry for the chap.
and wished knew some way to light
en- his gloom. He seemed like per-
son distraught, uncertain of each step
he was taking, yet fighting by sheer
will to maintain control.
Yet I had said all / could and I
sat silent while we made the run to
Las Vegas, as did Dual. Sheldon
fidgeted in and out of the car, to and
from the smoker like a restless soul.
Taken all in all IL was not cheerful
trip.
We caught the limited east bound.
and were off on the next lap Of the
chase. Every one seemed to be in bed
save the porter, and tip induced him
10 seek different place to lounge In
other than the dressing-room-
We settled ourselves In its narrrv
quarters by Dual's suggestion. For the
first time since the trip began he now
seemed to take an active interest In
affairs.
We'll, we're here" said the colo
mel, after the porter had taken his
pourboire and gone to arrange our
berths. He drew a flask from his
pocket. Anybody want drink"
II do" declared Reich, reaching for
the liquor. He tilted its neck to his
lips and drank several swallows before
taking 1t down.
This is terrible businesslo he