Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-10-28

held for some days, nebulously, where he
could not attach. 1t to q settlement. Now
the notion came into the clear. He would
!. purchase a half Interest in the dressmaling
shop where Jenny posed. He would lend
this half interest TO- Jenny. II, by some
stroke Of bad luck the establishment should
fail, the loan would not become q liability,
but would automatically. cease to exist. On
the other hand, Jenny should pay him an
nually as much as she could. until the loan
was wiped out.
He chuckled. Despite the fact that. BY
placing himself unreservedly in the hands
Of a madman, he might be rolling towards
permanent injury Or. death, he could find
something to chuckle over. Jenny was
right. II he went on playing the Good Sa.
marian to everybody he took a fancy to
his s~olvency would be Of short duration.
No matter II this nights business turned
out well Jenny should have her chance
The taxi stopped so violently that Ban
croft was shaken to his knees. The chauf.
feur opened the door.
" First door to the right as you go up, sir"
said the chauffeur, politely enough.
Bancroft got out and brushed bis knees.
The locality was utterly unfamiliar. As for
that, there was a good deal Of New York
unfamiliar to him.
A I expected to pay your"
n "No, sir. The gentleman who sent me
~ - W. &LAA VAC la - AAAN AAA .
Bancroft, room four. He said you expected
him to send for YOU
That's tolerably correct"
:" None Of my business, but nobody lives
in this house. You can take that for what
it's worth"
The chauffeur jumped back into his seat
and whizzed away into the deepening night.
T%houghtfully BANCROFT proceeded into
the house and began slowly to mount the
trembling stairs. A dusty smell suggested
vacancy. The house was %tenantless; Stew
art had, borrowed q room in it. Bancroft
had decided upon one phase Of his con.
duct: he would offer no resistance to any
physical encounter. This passivity would
serve to lessen any violent intention on
Stewards part. All that was required of
the Fates was light and a straight look
into Stewards face.
The upper and lower, Railways were lit by
thin, wavering gas jets. The air was chill,
almost. as chill as it was outside. First door
TO the right, the obliging chauffeur had said.
Bancroft could not describe his emotions
as he laid hold of the doorknob. He did not
feel particularly courageous; neither. did he
sense any large panic. He was well armed;
but would he be given time to use the ono
formidable weapon he possessed-his fathers
letter? .,Madmen-one could never antici-
pate them; and Stewart was mad. az any,
man is mad who has fostered az obsession
AOI' years To a point fWner9 1t becomes MUIR.
derous inclination. And yet Bancroft could
only r~eiterate in his thoughts: + poor,
unfortunate DEVIL" ,f7ts "a.
y Well, there must be no dodder1ng. He
turned the knob and opened the door. Utter
darkness within. s~sstt4Jat saJ ~ .s
Here I am, Mr.. Stewart"
Silence. Rather impatiently Bancroft
stepped oyer the threshold. He had to- cross
it; there could be no backing out; and Nancy
to think of. Queer thought! Everything this.
man wished him to do, he did, and had done
from the beginning, for one reason or an
other.
This cogitations wasn't quite finished when
ne felt his elbows seized from behind in .
meroilessly powerful grasp. It was instinc- !:
ttveSthat he should resist; but he recollected
In time his plan of passivity, and relaxed. !
Rope suddenly burned his iwrists. Then, with
amazing swiftness, this rope began to en-
CIRCLE his body. eventually pinioning his arms
ana legs. After this he was let be. He stood j
balAncfng himself, rather q difficult feat in y
the velvet blackness Of the room. I
There came a click out of the silence. A I
spot az light from a battery lamp struck the s
Moor and moved toward the wall. !
+. :" Melodramatic," said an ironic voice from /
behind the light, )" but the Great Adventure I
Company must keep to the letter of its con. !
tract, which consists mainly Of thrills-man-
stun, II you. Will remember. Besides, I heard Z
about that alley fracas, which, Of course I ]
had nothing to do with. You are a husky
boy, and / have ceased to believe in luck. 9
All! Here's the jet. = phosphorescent thread
appeared upon the wall and a match famed.
The gas was feeble. Stewart and the few
objects in the room had the effect Of being
seen IN the nebulosity Of water. Bancroft i
saw q deal table and two chairs, one on each Z
sac OF the table. Young man, a little learn. I
ing is a dangerous thing" h
!" I might counter that, sir. by saving +h,,+ &
q little Misunderstanding is equally a dan.
gerous thing" Bancroft's voice was thiclx. (
LOT ms hearta was pounding. He must do
notnlng to infiame this madman; he muat /;
walt patiently for the denouauent.
other?'., gIt - go eacn d
Yes, SIR l si
Stewart did not reply, but ap,prroachad {
Bancroft and carried him to one Of tha
chairs. Bancroft was forced to sit. Nancy
was PROBABLY In some room above. numhE
with cold and terror. Whatever he did Ia
must always keep this fact in mind \.
m.a 1e ~ ss. know who am7s stewart d. IN: ]
are Charles Jeremiah Kennedy nv
fathers friend, 30 l-SS"-' s'' ~ Y
1ou8 fathers trusting friend" Demo-.
H nlacal laughter followed this, and A. hrnka
queeriy. All, my God! And in another
=! ninute !. should have had my hands mon ID
his throat" S"s1s 1ppp.hhs
Tin a little while Vol VIII thanr =, 60 y. z.-
that :, he. died before you reached hint, h 1s
u would have been an exit l6rdinar,y, 4 u
miracle. a. have wandered, these twantv &
years, through all; the labyrinths Of he'll: ~ 4
on expect anySmercy." . $500
:. Do you9intend to kill me In hi stead ~,
I shouldslike to know" - = -
.l haven't decided said Kennedy mood.
II remains to be seen..
Z have never harmed You"
What has that to- do with ~ W. .....saSs
SON. Then Kennedy burst into the ironica a
strain asatA. 4 The Great Adyenture COR. Il
panyz- go hsurd business Is start your /
wonasr.. And9a little later you put two ana
who enltersdssyo fathers once. Everythinr y
planned meg, for yyou,toSsdosy you ala You reasoned
thatSpy stepping Into each pitfaI YOU vn,ii 81
sysntuaaly learn aAl What 7 g sup5 to, csyers 4
ThQtgl ~ ftrlio.A airs# ~ 80 ..l...GsxtsRfsG III