The Washington times., 1919-01-24
CHAPTER XIX.
We Have q Reckoning win
ClubfOOt.

NAooASoe
I looked at Clubfoot. must
play him with caution, with method,
too.
Only by acting on a most exact
system could ] hope to hold him
In that room for two hours had
Tour points to argue with him and
would devote half an hour TO each
Of them by the clock on the bracket
above his head. II only could
keep him confident in his victory,
l might hope to prevent him find.
ing out that ! was playing with
MIN but two hours is q long
time IL would be q near thing.
One point In my favor my
manner gave him the assurance of
success from the start There was
nothing counterfeit about NV tone
OF humility. for in truth / was very
near despair. was making this
last effort at the bidding of my
brother, but I felt II to be a for
lorn hope; in my heart OF hearts
1 knew was down and ou.-
so / went straight to the point
ana told Clubfoot that was beaten,
mat he should have his paper. But
there were difficulties about the
execution OF both sides OF the bar
gain. We had deceived one anotb-
er What mutual guarantees could
we exchange that would give each
or us the assurance of fair play7
Clubfoot settled this point I'm
Characteristic fashion. He protest.
cd his good faith elaborately. but
the glst OF his remarks was thar
he held the cards and that. con-
sequently, IL was he who must be
trusted, while i furnished the e-uar-
antee
Whilst we were discussing thi,
point the clock chimed the half
hour.
I switched the conyersat,o, =.
Monica. 1 was not at all concern-
ed about myself. said, but i must
reel sure in my mind that no m
should befall her. To this Club
1oot replied that I might set nv
rnlnd at ease: the moment the doc
uhent was In his hands he would
orders for her release;
should be there and might see ft
done myself.
What guarantee was ther. T.
ed, that she would not be detaine6
before she reached the frontier?
CIubtoot was restless. with his
eye on the clock but in a nIsrid
voice he again protested that his
"ord was the sole guarantee he
could offer.
we discussed this, too. Nv man
ner was earnest and ner-vo1.
KNOW and / think he enjoyed pJax-
ing with me. I told him frankly
that his reputation belied his proteS-
tations of good faith. At this n.
laughed and cynicaIly admitted
mat this was quite possibly the
case. ZIG
Nevertheless. it is I who Civ. N.
guarantee, he said. in a tone that
prooked no contradiction.
The clock struck IL. One ho,- A..
go! "00r 70
Como. okewood." he added. roo,-
naturedly. I've waste time m -
this you've had all the snort ,,.,,
know. You wouldn't have me mis-,
the hrst day $ shooting I've had this
year Where have you got this let
ter OF ours?'
he was an extraordinary man n,
hear him address me, YOU would
never have supposed that he wa,
sending me to my death. He ap-
peared TO have forgotten this de-
tall. II meant SO little to him that
he probably had.
turned to my third point. He
made things very hard for me.
said, but / was the vanquished and
must give way. The trouble was
that the document was still in two
portions and neither half was here.
You indicate where the hslye.
are hidden" said Clubfoot promptly.
Il viii accompany YOU to the hid
ing places and you will hand them
to me"
But they are nowhere near here"
I replied.
Then where are they?- answered
Tubfoot impatiently. Come, am
waiting, and It's getting Later