Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-09-30

= lpHtN "h' " wa NuS
cleared Of the witnesses. and the party
of the first part and tho party Of the
second part were once again alone to-
sether.
The adventure begins said Stewart, his
eyes merry. "Fecollcct? Youth he peering
into alleys. areaways; you will enter your
room at night. cautiously. If a man starcs
at You your wonder will be set in motion. You
will have a good deal of fun from now on"
Battle, murder. and sudden DEATH" said
Bancroft; and he aughed. The psychology
of it was this, that all the nervousness, the
unruly pulse, tie bewildering questionings
had been energiZed by the approach to the
~act;tae act committed. all his native courage
was flowing back into his heart. Il shall not
ask any questions"
THAT is wise, for l should refuse to an
swer them. I would not rob you of an atom
of the fun that lies before you. From this
hour you will begin to live in thrilling sus.
pense. Everything now will have an interest
unknown hitherto: walls, doors, windows,
faces, sounds. 1t may break tomorrow; it
may not break for weeks; and so the sus.
pense will grow. Young man. I envy you.
Now l shan't see you again until you return
to make the final payment"
Once more Stewards hand went out, ana
a shadowy smile touched his lips; but, it was
a smile no one but he himself could interpret.
This time Bancroft wrung the hand sturdily
as if to prove that he. too, was strong.
Again in the street, the inclination to
laugh seized him. But he sensed the danger
of it in time, for. if loosed, it would be moth
ing more nor less than the laughter of a
mailman. He had done it! He had put his
signature to a crazy thing like that!
With the other mailman there was not
such need of control. He became the en-.
bodiment of fury. He looked about for
something to rend, crush, pulverize. OAR
ing not to tear apart the chair. to turn it
into kindling, which would have satisfied the
craving, he picked up a cigar and ground it
to powder between his palms. Fourteen
years. Fourteen years! This young fool:
trying to match a boys wit against his!
He broke into laughter. r
AS he walked toward Broadway. the atoms
Of hysteria began to readjust themselves
in Bancroft's mind, which once more became
a normal thinking apparatus. 1t occurred
to him as a first rate notion to buy one of
those magnifying glasses such as nearsighted
readers employed. With the careful scrutiny
of the biologist, he would go over the con-
tract. There would be a flaw somewhere,
but beyond the discernment of the unaided
eye. So he searched for an opticians sign,
found a shop, and made the purchase of u
glass.
What next? Should he go armed? He
decided at once against this. There was al
ways the fear of being overeXcieed: he might
shoot at the wrong time and injure some
innocent bystander. For a while, anyhow,
he purposed to depend either upon the skill
of his fists or upon the %f1eetness of his feet.
He knew now exactly what he was going
to do. He would use all the acumen he
possessed to evade, to nullify, this contract
with the Great Adventure Company. He
would keep to crowds and lights. Ii he re-
ceived any mysterious notes which would
serve to lure him into quiet places, he would
- 3-,o,o thar, T1,oro uyo,ld 5o in oil thic q
species of hypnotism; but it was we'll known
among the savants that the rebel mind
could not be successfully overcome.
This complacency, however, was of short
life. Suddenly out of nowhere irony jabbed
him painfully in the metaphorical short
ribs. He had been hypnotized!-and the
} man Stewart had accomplished the feat!
When he arrived home he was in d humble
state of mind. For the second time that
day the knowledge of his youth bore down
upon him. ~
He set the table under the, lights, got out
the contract, and began the study of 1t
through the magnifying glass. He studied
it from all angles, upside down, fEom right
to left, close to the lamp; but the'contract
remained what it was, a clear, concise agree
ment between Daniel Stewart and Ceilings
wood Jeremiah Bancroft. The first agreed
to furnish a series Of episodes " herein called
the adventure -; and the second agreed to
nay ten thousand dollars, oneithousand upon
the signing Of the instrument and nine thou
sand upon its fulfllment
sa Meantime, he saw with dismay that 1t
= after nine O'Clock. He had missed his
kpnere and Nancy's first entrance and had.
3 to this moment, forgotten Jenny's party
Fosters studio at midnight. So he
dressed; and forgot things, mislaid his razor.
couldn't and his comb, forgot to change his
shoes, lost a shirt stud under the bed, but
attacked each problem with philosophical
quiet.
8#His wallet, containing the emeralds and
seven thousand odd in currency. he slipped
$into8the inside pocket OF his waistcoat.
gs5 There were no seats left when he reached
the theater:: but he was content to stand.
A. ten O'Clock The Shadow and Bellrnan
knocked on Stewards door and were bid.
Den TO enter. Their faces expressed nothing
beyond the normal curiosity which would at.
tend an order from the Professor to appear
It once. Their minds were active enough.
Hoth were conyinced that the end had come
ID .something pretty soft. IS
SSstewart took out two packets Of bills. One
he handed TO Bellman, the other to the
ayonrgish man known az The Shadow. Bell.
! counted his bills carefully. but The
! Hhadow stuffed hls into q pocket.
Til Rh,a R;hhn,