, 1922-10-05

EPISODE TWO
The Ruling Passion.


CHAPTER 1
Nobody understood how Joso ouin-
tanA had slipped through the Secret
servtee net spread FOR him at every
port.
The United States authorities did
not know why Q~uintana had come
70 America They realized merely that
he arrived for nc good purpose: and
they had meant to arrest and hold
him for e1trzdition II requested; for
deportation as ar undesirable alien
anyway.
only two men in America knew that
puintana had corne TO the United
states for tho purpose Of recovering
Inc famous Flaming Jewell stolen
by him from the Grand Duchess Theo-
3orica OF Esthonia; and stolen from
1uintnna. in turn by a private soidier
In an American Forestry Regiment.
on leave in Paris. This soldiers name
probably was Michael Clinch.
one OF the men VINO knew why
ouintana might come 20 America was
James DarraEh. recently OF the Mill.
tary Intelligence. but now passing as
a hoid-up man under the name OF Hal
smith, and actually IN the employment
OF Clinch at his disreputeble hotel
at star Pond in tho North Woods.
The other man who knew why
Qnintana had come 20 America was
Emanuel Sard, a Levantine diamond
broker OF New York Quintana's agent
In America
Now. as the October days passed
without any report of Quintana's de
tention. Darragh. known as Hal
Smith at Cnneh's dump, began to
suspect that o~ulntana had already
sid into America thorugh the meshes
Of the police.
Il so. this desperate international
criminal could be expected at Clinch's
under some Euise or other, piloted
Ihither by Emanuel sard.
So Hal Smith. whose duty was to
wash dishes. do chores, and also to
supply Clinch's with mountain beer
-or deer taken flegslly-made II con
~venient to prowl every day in the vi
cinity OF the Ghost Lake Road.
He was perfeotly familiar with
Emanuel sard's squat feature and
parrot nose. having robbed Mr.. Sard
Of Quintana's cipher and OF $4,000 at
pistol point. And one morning, while
rowing around the guides quarters
at Ghost Lake Inn. smith beheid Sard
himself on the hotel veranda in com
pany with five strangers OF foreign
aspect.
During the midday dinner Smith.
on pretense Of inqu!ring for a guides
license. got n look at the inn ledger.
Ssrd's signature was on it. followed
by the names OF Henri Picquet, Nico-
las Salzar, Victor G~eorsiades. Harry
Beck. and Jose Sanchez. And Smith
went back through the wilderness TO
star Pond. convinced that one OF
those gentlemen was Quintana. and
the remainder. Q"uintana's gang; and
that they were hero to DO murder II
necessary in their remorseless quest
OF THE Flaming Jewel" Two million
dollars once had been offered for the
Flaming Jewel; and lad been refused.
CHAPTER II.
Clinch's dump was the disposal
plant in which collected the human
sewage OF the wilderness.
It being Saturday, the scum of the
Nc-ta Woods wa gathering at the
Star Pond resort. A venison and
chicken supper was p~romised-and q
dance II any women appeared.
Jake K1ooG had run in some Cana
dian hootch; Darragh, alias Hal
Smith, contributed two fat deer and
Clinch cooke them. By 10 O'Clock
that morning many of the men were
growing noisy soIoe were already
drunk by noon. shortly after mid
day dinner the first fight started-ex-
unguished only after clinch had
beaten several of the backwoods ar!s-
t~ocrscy insensibIe.
Towering amid the wreck of battle
his light gray eyes a-glitter. Clinch
dominated, swinging his iron fists.
When the combat ended and the
fallen lay starkly where they fell.
clnch said in his pleasant. level
voice.
Take them out and stick their
heads in the pond. And don't go for
TO get me mad. boys, or I'm liable to
act up rough"
They bore forth the sleepers for
immersion in Star Pond. Clinch re
lighted his cigar and repeated the rtl-
ings which had caused the fracas:
You gotta play squar cards here
Or You don't play nona in my house.
No living thumb-nail can nick no
cards in my place and get AVA with
Il. Three kings and two trays is bet.
ter than three chickens and two
eBsa II Sph uoH IKE IL Z wan
home"
He went out in his shirt sleeves 10
see how the knockouts were reviv-
ing. and met Hal smith returning
frcn The pond. who reported prog
rezs toward consciousness. They
walked back to the "hotel~ together.
Say. young fella" said Clinch in
his soft agreeable WY. "you want
10 keep your peeled tonight.
"Why27 inquired Smith