The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1921-09-29
The
Mystery Of the
Silver Dagger
BY RANDALL PARRISH

Continued from preceding paxe)
enter. Yet there vas no other way in
which could learn the meaning Of all
this. or be prepared to intelligentIy
play my part later with Harris. To
trap the fellow must know his pur-
pose. he able to answer his inquiries
and seem conversant with his vii
lainy.
The door opened toward me, but 1t
would b. suicidal to attempt viewing
the room beyond through that opening.
The Inly thing dare venture was to
gain such survey as was possible BY
means OF the narrow crack below the
hinge on which the door swung. This
afforded me the merest glimpse of one
side OF the room, revealing four or five
men sitting motionless on bench
against the wall, evidently listening in
tently to what was going on opposite
them. With the exception of Wine,
who was third in the row, no face
saw was in the least familiar-two
being pronOuncedly Spanish, the 9th.
ers not so easily recognized as to ma
donality. l had no difficulty whatever
In overhearing their voices, and grasp
Ing the sense Of what they were say
Ing. AS general thing the words used
were English, although occasionally
some one requested an explanation in
Spanish. which was Immediately given.
However, almost the first sentence
overheard convinced me that / had ar.
rived too late to learn directly the ma.
ture of those instructions received
from Washington. Alva was asking q
question.
But we are ready to act now," he
said impatiently, his foreign accent
faint, yet plainly perceptble, "have
been ready for a month past. What
necessity then Is there for further de
lay?"
The woman, whom he evidently ad
dressed, must have been very close tc
the door; her voice soft, but speaking
with clear enunciation, sounded almost
within reach Of my hand.
1.-THE reason Is Valparaiso, OF
course" she said at is not Washing
ton at all. When you strike, the people
must be ready there. You say you are
prepared, senior. That is what / wa.
sent to learn. and ] find you are not
prepared"
Not readyl We are organized ant
sworn to service"
She seemed to lean forward, heI
voice changing almost to whisper.
Il see that, your eagerness, your de
votion. But that is not readiness fol
such duty. Who has been chosen fOI
the act itself-the post of danger? Nc
one. Until the man need not nam;
dies, we can accomplish nothing. Yo,
have taken no ballot. If the single
word was flashed tonight, Co. and It
may he, who among you Is authorized
to execute the order?"
She paused, but no voice spoke.
Nor is that all; the money from
England yet lies untouched. Surely
your instructions were clear, and moth.
Ing is being accomplished for the
cause while 1t rests in the vault II
VIII require all of thirty days to dis
tribute this into the proper hands
here and in Chile. yet nothing has
been done. We supposed it was al.
ready In circulation. What caused the
delayT
One Of the men on the bench smoke
heavily built fellow, with a long
gray mustache, and horn spectacles
shading his eyes.
"All i know iss ct Wait on der order
OF Gustave Alva to be indorsed by
Senor Mendez. I hor ett so In trust,
from the agent. Eft was in a private
safe, package Of currency, only |
know where. The bank hav' nothings
to do with der deal"
II understand. The agent gave Won
personally the letter Of credit, which
you Immediately cashed and you now
mold the currency subject to call?
Certainly; dat vos how ett vos. The
agent he tell me-"
''The agent? Oh, you mean 1Os?
What about that arrangement, Mr..
Horner"
recognized Harris In the reply, his
voice perfectly calm and confident. In
oil probability he lied, but IT was done
most cOnvincingly.
Those were my positive instruc-
tions In London" he said cOolly "rhe
banking house there was not TO be In
volved In the slightest degree; no
TRACE of the transaction was to appear
on their books"
"But why has the money not been
drawn and used?"
"Tbat Is for Alva to say. tried TO
: get him to act, but he refused without
another authorization from Mendez
and special Instructions"
you never received these, Seno'
Alva?"
mo. asked by code; Supposed
ne would answer by messenger"
There was pFise, a silence.
Imagined j could understand some
thing of what Harris was embarrassing
to accomplish I'm this delay. this get.
ting the entire sum transferred into