Phoenix tribune., 1919-06-07
o'Dowd Virtually Commanded the Ex-
pedition.


the road. He remained near the horses.
That's how he managed to get away so
quickly. 1t remained for the man at
the crossroads to settle with him. But
we're wasting time with all this
twaddIe of mine. Let us be moving.
There is one point on which we must
ali agree. The deadliest marksman in
the world fired those shots. No bun.
Cling on that score, bedad"
In the course of-time the party, trav-
ersing the ground contiguous TO the
public road, came within sight of the
green dwelling among the trees.
Barnes interest revived. His second
view Of the house increased his won
der and admiration. If O'Down had
not actually located it among the trees
for him he would have been at q loss
to discover it. although it was imme-
diately in front of him and in direct
line of vision.
De Soto was seen approaching
through the green sea, his head ap-
pearing and disappearing intermit-
tently in the pillows formed by the
undulating underbrush. He shook
hands with Barnes a moment later. II
"I'm glad you had the sense to
bring Mr. Barnes with you, O'Dowd,"
said he. "You didn't mention him
when you telephoned that you were
personally conducting sightseeing
party. 1 tried to catch you afterward
on the telephone, but you had left the
Tavern. Mrs. Collier wanted me to
ask you to capture Mr.. Barnes for din.
ner tonight"
"Mrs. Collier is the sister of Mr..
Curtis" explained O'Dowd. Then he
turned upon De Soto incredulously.
'For the love of Pat" he cried, whats
come over them? Why, 1 made so
bold as to suggest last night that you
were a chap worth cultivating, Barnes
and that you wouldn't be long in the
neighborhood-but to save your feel
ings I'll not repeat what they said, the
two of them. What changed them
over, De Soto?"
"a chance remark Of Miss Cameron's
at lunch today. She wondered if
Barnes could be the chap who wrote
the articles about Peru and the Incas,
or something of the sort, and that set
them to looking up the back numbers
of the Geographic Magazine in Mr..
Curtis library. Not only did they find
the articles but they found your pic
ture. l had no difficulty in deciding
that you were one and the same. The
atmosphere cleared in a jiffy. 1t be-
came even clearer when it was discov-
cred that you have had few ances-
tors and are received in good society
both here and abroad, as the late Fred
eric Townsend Martin would have
said. hereby officially present the
result of subsequent deliberation. Mr..
Barnes is invited to dine with us to-
night"
Barnes heart was still pounding
rapidly as he made the rueful admis-
sion that he "didn't have a thing to
wear" He couldn't think of accept
ing the gracious invitation
''If they'll take me as am" began
Barnes, doubtfully.
II say" called out O'Dowd to the
sheriff, who was gazing longingly at
the horses tethered at the bottom of
the slope, "would ye mind leading
Mr.. Barnes nag back to the Tavern?
He is stopping to dinner And, while
I think of it, are you satisfied. Mr..
Sheriff, with the days work? If not
you will be welcome again at any time
if yell only telephone a half minute
in advance" To Barnes he said: "We'll
send you down in the automobile to-
night, provided it has survived the
day. We're expecting the poor thing
to die in its tracks at almost any in
stant."
Ten minutes later Barnes passed
through the portals of Green Fancy.
CHAPTER lX