Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1918-03-07


should love 1t. have always wanted
to see 1t. But, Mr.. Dual, you are
sort of fairy godfather, 1t seems.
All one has to do is to wish for a
thins, and you produce It, fear you
are too kind"
Dual smiled. "Then It Is settled.
I think have sensed your wish, Mrs.
Glace. But do not trouble about the
matter. Kindness is one of the few
things which gives pleasure both to
the recipient and to the giver."
It was q reply typical of our mas
terful friend. He had way OF offer
ing something and taking your breath
the next minute, by making you feel
that you gave him pleasure COM
mensurate with your own in accept
ing
Such then was the apparently sim.
pie manner In which we came to
arrive on the scene Of the Wingarde
affair and become involved in the
series of rapid events which revolved
about the strange little Aztec idol of
Quetzal as about pivot. But ! am
sure that not even Semi himself sus-
pected at the time that he was once
more to be called upon to apply his
peculiar gifts to the solution of q
problem Of human passions when he
made the suggestion.
In fact, IL he had lam sure there
would be far different story to tell
about the whole affair.
We left Goldfield and went by q
roundabout way to reach the great
tourist hotel on the lip Of the gorge
the restless Colorado has dug for It's
way to the sea.
Wholly like other sightseers, we
arrived and registered and were
shown to suite of three rooms, with
a common sittingsroom between two
bedrooms. And like others, we went
out the next day and viewed the won.
derful works of nature and came back
We dined and sat for time on the
veranda of the hotel and then Connie
said she felt like retiring, and Dual
said he would take her to the suite.
Commonplace enough in all con-
science surely, with no hint of what
was to come.
Laredo lifted his cue.
The four sought refuge in a pocket
as though tied to an elastic string.
He smiled slightly and took the five
with equal ease from an exceeding
ly poor position.
"You live up to your MOTTO" / OBJ
served. II had decided that you were
from Mexico, but you remind me
more of the Castilian type"
He nodded. II believe we have
kept it pretty pure-the blood. A
slight Aztec admixture, 1 am told;
but long ago, senor-long ago"
"One learns to judge of type in
my line," / threw out.
"Ah!" He squinted at his next
shot. "And that, senor?"
Detection" said.
He missed his ball, shrugged, and
put down his cue with an apologetic
smile, as it seemed. 1--WE all study
mankind, senor," he returned. "You
in the living example, the Seror Win
garde in those who have d. and left
but their bones and their records.
Some one has said truly that the chief
study of mankind is man. Myself,
am more in the English senor's line.
II have travelled and studied some
what myself, but mainly am inter-
ested in the ancient races of our own
Mexico. There was wonderful civ
ilization, senor wonderful indeed.
Save that my ancestors conquered
that people, who can tell to what they
might not have arisen?"
/ shook my head. II don't know
much about it," told him. "You ought
to meet nay friend Dual. He's up on
all that sort of thing"
"Dual?" he repeated. "Ah, you
mean the large man have seen with
you about the hotel? He is of a stri-
king appearance. So what you call
composed. One feels him man of
power at glance"
HE isl i said, and made my
shot. Hes helped me with more than
one of my cases. In fact, he's cleared
| them up when all the rest of us fail
| ed"
| sis he also a detective, then?"
questioned Laredo.
"Not in the ordinary sense" l re.
turned l went on and gave him a
more or less rapid account of Semi's
methods, to the accompaniment of the
clicking OF the balls. as he swiftly &C
complished my defeat. but perhaps
like many others, you do not believe
in such things" made an ending.
Laredo frowned as the last ball
dropped slowly into the pocket. I'm
afraid, senor, that the admixture oi
Indian blood in my veins has carried
proportion of superstition with 1t,
he said. "Or should we call 1t super
stition? All races of man so far as
we can learn have had their belief In
such things, have they not?
"Where all have believed, is 1t moi
perhaps true that there is some
ground for that belief? Myself. think