The Washington herald., 1921-09-11
THE
FORTUNE
HUNTER
.AANew, a Grippin.g
Romance Serial
BY RUBY AYRES
tCentinsed frea Yesterday

tSOhpnneo IFv1 Ieuter09yD
He shook his head mutely. Irene
watched him with that odd mixture
OF amusement and compassion still
In her dark eyes. 'T can't make
you out" she said at last.
Haven't you got the pluck. or
what is it?"
81 don't know can't explain
I-oh. 1 wish to God I'd never come
back to the cursed country" he
broke out
She waited.
The Fortune Hunter looked up.
His face was set In ugly lines, and
he ignored her offered hand.
Very WE'LL agree" he said,
hoarseiy. Five thousand In a
weeks time and 5000 the day l.
l." He could not 60 on.
She laughed at his distress.
You're an odd mixture" she
said, -coolly. Neither knight or
knave.. but a little Of both. Very
well-then that's a bargain. and
now what do you want TO know
about John Smith, -
:, "Anything-everything there Is to
know" -.
That's . tall order. but I'll do
my best. You know he
dad seven years before he went
abroad" -. -.
"Yes-but 1 don't know what It
was for"
"Embezzlement and forgery. He
was always crooked, even when he
had plenty Of money, and he was
well off when he was a young man.
He ruined his father with his Nex-
trayaganoe-he used to boast about
It to me. Then he got into a
gambling, rotten set, and took
money that didn't helong'to him.
He might have wriggled out Of
that, only he went q step further
and altered a figure on a cheQpe.
You don't want to hear the details
they're not very likely to crop
up again. He did seven years, and
then Anne Harding's uncle gave
him a sum of money to get clear
Of the country" - e.
The Fortune Hunter made a
stified exclamation.
Mr.. Harding" -.--
yes. She doesn't know, or at
least she didn't at the time. She
was only a schoolgirl when John
met her, and he was her first
love. 1 suppose" Her lip curled
a little in contempt. Anyway. she
stuck to him all along, and
wouldn't believe he was guilty"
The Fortune Hunter leaned
forward eagerly. ..-.
"And-was he?' he asked with
an effort. ~. -
Her dark eyes met his scorn-
fully. =.
twenty times over" -
"And Mr.. Harding paid him to
get out of the countryT
"Yes; he hoped she would forget
him, / suppose, but apparently ii
made her think of him all the more.
She thought IL was an honorable
action on his part to go away and
give her a chance to change her
mind. =. The times I've heard
John laugh at her innocence"
The Fortune Hunter looked away.
his teeth hard set.
'The man was worse rotter
than I am" he said savagely.
!. She nodded. "Yes, think he
was. He was born crooked. and
IL he'd lived he never would have
gone straight, even with nearly
quarter of a million to spend"
she paused. well, is that all you
want to know?"
There are lots Of small things
/ ant remember :" he
answered onfusedly..
Irenie hooded. 'Ill give you my
address-you can write. 1 think
I'll stay on here for bit now
things are : settled" She looked
round at the !. crowded room. q
rather like the Savoy" she added
coolly. -
The Fortune Hunter waa hardly
listening, his mind was in torment
Could he trust her? He knew
that he was taking a great. risk,
and yet what else was there for
him to do: =
II know what you're thinking .
she said suddenly. You're won