Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1922-10-06
EPISODE TWO
The Ruling Passion

Quintana had slipped through the
Secret Service net spread for him
at every port.
The United States authorities did
not know why Quintana had come
to America. They realized merely
that he arrived for no good purpose
and they had meant to arrest and
hold him for extradition II request
ed; for deportation as an undesir-
able allen anyway.
Only two men in America knew
that Quintana had come 20 the
United States for the purpose OF re-
covering the famous FLAMING
Jewel" stolen by him from the
Grand Duchess Theodorica OF
Esthonia; and stolen from GUM
tana. in turn. by private soldier IN
an American Forestry Regiment. on
leave In Paris. This soldiers mama,
probably, was Michael clinch.
one Of the men who knew why
Quintana might come TO America
was James Darragh, recently OF
the Military Intelligence. but now
passing as a hold-up man under the
name of Hal Smith, and actually in
the employment OF Clinch at his
dsreputable hotel at Star Pond in
the North Woods.
The other man who knew why
Quintana had come 10 America was
Emanuel Sard. a levantine dia-
mond broker OF New York, Quin-
tsna's agent in America.
Now. as the October days passed
without any report OF QuintaDa's
detention. Darragh, known as Hal
Smith at Clinch's dump, began TO
suspect that Quintana had already |
slid into America through the
meshes Of the police
II so. this desperate international
criminal could be expected at
ciinch's under some guise or other
pilotsd thither by Emanuel ssrd.
So Hal Smith. whose duty was to
wash dishes, do chores, and also 70
Supply Clinch's with mountain
beef''-or deer taken illegally--made
II convenient to prowi every day in
The vicinity OF the Ghost Lake Road.
He was perfectly familiar with
Emanuel Sard's squat features and
parrot nose, having robbed Mr.. sard
or QuiDtana's cipher and OF $4,000
n pistol point. And one morning,
while rowing around the guides
quarters at Ghost Laks Inn. Smith
beheld Sard himself on the hotel
reranda. IN company with i've
strangers OF foreign aspect.
During the midday dinner Smith,
on pretense Of inquiring for a
guides license, got a look at the inn
ledger. sard's. signature was on It.
fSilowed by the names OF Henri
Picquet. Nicolas Salzar. Victor
Eeorgiades. Harry Beck. and Jose
sanchez. And Smith went back
through the wilderness TO Star
Pond. convinced that one OF these
gentlemen was Quintana, and the
Quintana's gang; and
that they were here TO do murder
e necessary in their remorseless
quest OF THE Flaming Jewel" Two
million dollars once had been offered
Tor the Flaming Jewel; and had
been refused.
CHAPTER II
Clinch's dump was the disposal
plant in which collected the human
iewaee Of the wilderness. It being
Saturday, the scum OF the North
Woods was gathering at tho Star
Pond resort. A venison and chicken
upper was promised-and q dance
I any women appeared.
Jake Kloon had run in some Cana :
Han hootch; Darragh. alias Hal
Smith, contributed two fat deer and
clinch cooked them. BY 10 o'clock
hat morning many of the mon were
growing noisy; some were already
srunk by noon. Shortly after mid
lay dinner the first fight started
,xtinguished only after clinoh had
beaten several OF tho backwoods {
lristocracy insensible.
Towering amid the wreck of bat-L
Ne. his slight gray eyes a-giittsr, &
clinch dominated, swinging his iron ,
lists.
When the combat ended and the
ALLEN lay starkly where they fell, I
tlinch said in his pleasant. level !
foice: {
Take them out and stick their
leads in the pond. And don't go I
or to get me mad. boys, or I'm {
liable 10 act up rough" :
They bore forth the sleepers for {
immersion in Star Pond. Clinch re- /
lighted his cigar and repeated the
nlings which had caused the fra {
Hs: II
you gotta play square cards here
n you don't play none in my house. |
20 living thumb-nail can nick no (
ards IN my place and get away with
l. Three kings and two trays is bet
er than three chickens and two !
lgss. II you don't like It, g'wan
lone"
He went out IN his shirt sleeves TO
ZEE how the knock-outs were reviv-
ng, and met Hal Smith returning
rom the pond. who reported prog {
ess toward consciousness. They !
Falked back TO the "hotep' together. I
Say. young fella." said Clinch in
lie soft. agreeable way. you want
b keep your eye peeled tonight 2
''Why?" inquired Smith.
well. there'll be a lot o. folks {
tere. There'll be strangers. too. '
b.. Don't forget the State Troop Z
- ars looking for you"