The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1920-10-22
BY
CLIFFORD S.
RAYMOND
q . q
XIIuSfrafed by
IRWIN MYERS

Mrs. Aldrich came Immediately and
| told her the girl Agnes was TO be
treated with every consideration and
irat IL 1t were possible to have the
sther maids regard her kindly so as
I0t to make her feel obloquy, 1t would
be only Christian.
Mrs. Aldrich was a very stanch
churchwOman and / could see in the
tightening Of her lips that such soft
treatment of woman caught in crime
did not satisfy her ideas of morality.
She went out dissatisfied, but | knew
she would do her best. Jed came In,
still in his, superserviceable mood.
"WOuld you like some coffee, sir?"
he asked, l was tired and did want
a stimulant.
"Yes, Jed would-thank you" !
said as heartily as l could, determined
to break down his triumph of imper-
durability by commonplace handling
of him. He brought the tray.
"Slt down." / said. "Your schemes
have come to a bad end in this house.
It will do you no good, and 1t may de-
stroy the family. Things are beyond
your control or my control. The Span
lard has the manuscript he was after.
Your power is gone. 1t is transferred
to him."
$50 you are familiar with this af-
fairw
81 am not only know what has
happened since came here. do not
want to know any more"
"You are wise There is nothing but
unhappiness and danger in knowing.
II is not news to me that Drayada has
Mr.. Sidney's diary. They released me
after they learned. that the manuscript
had been found and that the lawyer
and Dravada had It."
Jed then sat down and told what
had happened to him. was very
angry, remembering Isebel as she came
hunning In that night with her sleeve
torn from her waist. / wondered that
/ could hear the man calmly, but he
had extraordinary power being moved
by extraordinary emotions.
"In the first place." he said, may !
say that l have been preposterousf
You think l am lunatic. Sometimes
am, almost. 1t is easy enough to be
a cabbage II you are one. 1t Is some
times hard to seem one II you are not.
I'VE been a fool-but I've been hunting
for something that l have not been
able to find. want happiness and Inn
portance. My egotism asks for 1t, but
my common rense is going to have Its
way. That's preliminary"
Then he told his experiences. He
had become violent with Isobel. He
wanted 1t understood that he had been
desperate but respectful. He had no
idea of taking hold Of her or Of tear
ing her sleeve. She had been magnifi-
cent. She had given him moral
shock. He felt like worm. He had
been attacked suddenly by the men
who had overpowered him. They had
come upon him from the brush. He
had recognized Dravada at once. He
might have overcome the Spaniard, but
the desperate little lawyer, in frenzy
of activity, had been just bold and
strong enough to interfere so that Jed
had been made helpless. Another man
had come breathlessly to help. Jed
had been bound and gagged. He had
been hustled into the screen of woods
and beyond them to a waiting auto
mobile.
His captors. In the automobile, had
headed for the city and entered 1t after
midnight. They had taken their pris'
oner to a tenement on the East side
For several days the lawyer and Ora
vada had tried to extort the secret
from Jed by threats. They had tried
to buy It by promise Of an equitable
division of profits. The lawyer had
been quite frantic part of the time
Jed said, bounding about In an ecstasy
of rage. At other times he had beer
friendly and persuasive.
Dravada had been savage and want
ed TO try torture. but the attorney. en-
ragged as he frequently became in his
failure and disappointment. would no.
permit this and had got Trustworthy
rascal Of his acquaintance, named Sim
with two other men. to keep a con
slant guard over Jed with view no
only to prevent his escape but to keel
Dravada from doing him harm or tax
ing him away.
The lawyer, both dismayed and en-
ragged by Jed's obstinaey, had finall!
thought OF corrupting someone in IN,
house TO find and steal the manuscript
The best he had been able TO do wa.
10 persuade a maid to prove falls
enough TO introduce the real thief.
"Dravada and the lawyer never haG
any hesita..r at having their Quarrel
In the room. -iere they held me-" Jet
said. "Bro..a was afraid Dravadi
) would corrupt me fellow Sim, tortur'
me ana get the story. Dravada wa
afraid Brown would corrupt someon'
in Hartley house and get the mann
SCRIPT. Each one feared that tn
other would succeed independent.
and get away without making a divi
. sion.
aDravada pretended TO be satisfe,
: when Brown told him that he mus