The diamond drill., 1921-04-30

OF this vast sum entirely at his dis
posal: either II was already In HIS
haLds or so deposited as to be quickly
available. In my judgment the fel-
low would be Alva, for sundry rea-
sons first he had been one OF the men
registered at the hotel when the lac
quered box was lost: and second, the
expenditure of this money was seem
ingly intended 10 be made In and about
the port of New York--If I read the
message right. In the purchase OF arms
and munitions for shipment TO South
America perhaps the enlistment OF q
body OF fighting men.
So far the matter was fairly clear
Aiva as the local revolutionary agent
had been intrusted by the junta with
this money TO spend I'm a certain def
mite way; but he must work under
strict orders coming from the head
quarters at Washington. He dare not
assume the initiative without the 20.
X" OF the man higher up-Mendez.
Something had occurred to delay nc
ton that made no difference, but now
the time had come. Mendez. unable 10
be present in person, and even fearful
10 permit any OF his well-known junta
representatives to appear In this con-
nection, had chosen to send n woman,
who would be unsuspected, TO deliver
TO the consplrators his definite plan OF
action. All this seemed reasonable
enough, and in no way surprised me.
But the appearance of the woman
did, and also the close intimacy OF this
man Harris. She was not criminal, not
even OF the insurrectionary class TO my
eyes, and could not imagine what in
fluence had ever induced her TO accept
such a commission. Something about
her personality, some underlined quality
OF womanhood, had made a definite i'm
preston upon my mind, not to be ef-
faced. Everything was against her
the saloon In which she waited alone;
her coming there secretly in the night:
the meeting with an unknown man;
the accompanying him up that black
alley TO this hidden rendezvous OF con-
splracy Every act stamped her as un-
worthy.
In spite OF all this evidence as 10 the
truth of the matter. nothing harmo-
nized. She did not belong-the gulf
was too wide. Yet there was no other
explanation possible-she was actually
here, In the den OF conspiracy, alone
among all these men, unafraid, the
recognized representative OF the
Chilean revolutionary junta, bringing
with her direct from Washington those
final instructions for which they wait
ed-instructlons, no doubt, involving
unneutrallty, destruction. death, fright
fulness, the extinction OF n friendly
government; all this that could be COM
passed by the expenditure Of million
dollars in ruthless hands. IL was I'M
thinkable, yet every evidence proved 1t
true.
There came 70 me an insane desire
to overhear what she had TO say; TO
watch her once more, when free 10
study her unnoticed. and to see this
gang to whom she brought her mes
sage Almost without realizing my ac-
tion / crept In the dark out into the
narrow passage, and felt my way
along the rough board walls AS l ad-
vanced cautiously the full ingenuity
with which the place had been pre-.
pared for just this foul purpose be-
came more apparent. The narrow
passage / followed, my hands touching
either wall, was not straight, but
curved TO the right, and II dawned
upon me that II sklrted the main apart
ment where. in all probability, the
conference was being held. This ac-
counted for the fact that no CLEAN OF
light was visible, and that, In anticipa-
tion Of their use, separate and small
rooms had been constructed, connected
together yet so isolated as to permit
OF the utmost privacy. One OF these
Harris had left me In, and now !
found that the passage led me not di-
rect TO the main apartment but TO an
other smaller room, whose door barred
my progress. This, j figured out
might be the same into which Wine
had entered In search OF Alva. when
he deserted me In the front hallway.
listened lntently, but heard no
sound within. and. satisfied the room
was without occupants, ventured final
ly 10 gain glimpse inside. II was n
room not altogether unlike the one
had just left, although smaller,
and containing n chair or two In ad-
dition to the writing table. noted
these things quickly, my gaze straylng
TO a partially open door In the board
wall TO the right, through which
brighter glow Of light streamed. My
ears caught the sound OF voices. the
words lndlstinct.
Although convinced the smallfroom
was without occupants. was some
moments screwing mp my courage TO
enter. Yet there was no other way In
which could learn the meaning OF all
this. or be prepared 10 intelllgently