The Red Cloud chief., 1920-10-21


tells OF the plan. and he knew that
Brown. to avoid pursuit. intended to
take the way to HOrwich.
"He knew that II Brown went
through Horwich he would stop for
several drinks. he would need them
IL he was disappointed. He would have
TO have then II he had the manuscript
and was excited by II. So Dravada
went to Horwich. II all worked out.
and when Brown got to the village. he
found Dravadn. Then he telephOned
70 the fellow Sim to let me 90. was
perfectly harmless. II was an n,er-
esting situation"
81 could wish Dravndn had tortured
YOU" ! said to Jed. ale has the
means now. through you, to torture
this family"
81 said knew Drnvada hnG che
manuscript" said Jed. 81 did that for
effect. What ought 10 have said was
that ! knew he thought he had the
manuscript. If had no more than the
intelligence you credit me with, doctor.
I could not have conducted this affair
so long. What Dravada has is not the
diary Of Mr.. Sidney"
Until | felt the relief following Jed's
explanation that the blackmallers had
stolen Only dccoy, did not fully
realize into what dependency our
predicnment up to that time ha"
thrust me. II Mr.. Sidney's diary wi@
being read by unscrupulous men, we
might expect anything.
The lawyer. whose shrewdness and
lack OF morals made him formidable,
was dead. The Spaniard would soon
discover his disappointment and would
be furious. thought the physical
danger to Jed was greater than evet
and found some pleasure In telling
him so.
He was convinced Of that himself
and was not happy.
"Why don't you end your rascalityT
! urged him. "Why don't you give the
manuscript to Mrs. Sidney and allow
her to make whatever disposition she
| wants of It? Then your conscience
will be easy-yOur position In this
| house will for the first time be tOlera.
BILE to a decent man, and your physi.
cal security will be promoted"
| He would not. He seemed to hesi.
tate for moment, but his purpose
was too long fixed and too much Q
part of his life.
| He no longer was surly with me
and ] seemed to have lost my ability
to enrage him. We parted with my
telling him that there would be no
possible truce or peace between Us
unless he respected the women of the
household. He bowed.
"Anything else, sir?" he asked; and
then he departed as the servant.
Mrs. Sidney's relief to find that
the robbery had proved only a hoax on
the robbers was such as would come
from escape from tangible horrors
The lady had been keeping control OF
herself. as was necessary to protect
her husband and daughter from her
own agony of mind and to keep the
household from finding significance In
what could be passed over as triv'
ial piece of robbery.
When she learned that the alarm
/ was over she relaxed Imply In hel
chair, and | feared that she nigh
collapse; but In moment she has
struggled back To command of herself
Then she excused herself and wen
into her bedroom-for prayer, ! knew
Mr.. Sidney's joy at the return %
Jed was robust, and Jed went to be-
very tipsy with two bottles of vim
in him. found him In the hall rs
went my roupis of the house. LII
was singing.
| knew we'd hea: again and sool
from Diavada. but net in what man
ner. Naturally | was spprehenSive
and no doubt Jed was more 50. al
though To save himself frGm my con
Tempt he tried To conceal his fears.
The Spnlard could not be eXpecte
To accept his failure as final. ii
, would try again. That eNpectatio
A, WAS fulfilled in discUncerting faS.
. ion.
\ Thus far we had been dealing wit
chance, with appartions and threat
=, We now came To deal with nevitabi
;, ity. Our experiences had been dis;
ElNfdUlt, buA lll'N 'itN NV f'N'TN'''
unacceptable consequence. We had
choice of ways. Now we entered
+, way from which there was no e
n cape.
@ Four days after Jcds return a ma
4, came to Hartley house and inquire
, for me- He was detective. III
!, name was Morgan; he was the hcf
N of the Morgan Metropolitan Detccti'
K. agency. thought on first seeing hi
while yet wondering what bis hus
n. ness with us could be, and yet kno'
Iy ing lnstinctlvely that II had 10 do wi
,a Dravada-that this newcomer hi
# more than suggestion of shreV
ls malevolence in his face.
So Before he was through his lrtt
view with me. or rather his lnquiri
,d of me, knew that inevitabillty ht
Is entered our case. We were no long
ad progressing at the mercy of opportu'
ia ty or chance. Morgan was fate. T