Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1922-12-29
CHAPTER X-Continued.


''Not very much; Milwaukee. avenue
first. There is sure to be an all-night
restaurant somewhere in sight. Tele-
phone for a taxi, don't dare to risk a
street car, we both look too tough"
Suppose they will follow us?"
Hardly; they will have no idea
which way we went, or how long we'll
have been gone. Once we turn off this
street, We'll be safe enough"
1t was considerably past midnight
when the two men finally reached the
University club; they had lunched at
an all-night restaurant, washed and
made themselves as presentable as
possible, yet were hardly recognizable
as they entered the club lobby Meth
er possessed hat; Sexton was in his
shirt sleeves, while Vests coat chung
to him in rags. Without waiting to ex-
plain anything to the servant in
charge, except to state briefly that
Sexton would be his guest for the
night, the captain hurried into the
waiting elevator, and accompanied by
his companion, assembled to his apart
ment above.
The reaction from the excitement
of the evening left Sexton dull and
droWsy once he felt secure from any
possible danger. His only desire was
to lie quiet, and forget. Stretched
out on a comfortable lounge, he fell
asleep almost instantly, making no eff
fort even to remOTe his clothes. West
was of a different temperament, his
mind far too active to find sleep pos
sfble. His only desire was to think,
plan, decide upon some future course
Of action. With mind busy, forgetful
of the very presence of his companion,
he INDUCED in bath, again dressed
himself, and, lighting cigar settled
back into an easy chair to fight the
whole out alone with himself.
The mystery confronting him ap-
peared more difficult of solution than
ever. He was more thoroughly con-
yinced than ever that Percival Coo
lfdge had been murdered; that the
act had been committed either py Ho-
bart himself, or under his direction.
He possessed no proof, however, nor
could he figure out a motive for the
crime. Who was this Jim Hobart?
Was he in any way personally inter-
eSted in the fortune left by Stephen
Coolidge? Or did he hold any special
relationship with the murdered man?
More important still, what peculiar
influence did the fellow exert over
the girl? Here was by far the deeper
mystery, the one that troubled him
most. The others seemed possible of
explanation, but the sudden change in
Natalie Coolidge was beyond all I'M
derstanding
Except in face, form, dress, outward
appearance, she no longer seemed to
West as being the same woman he
had formerly known. His original in
terest in her had vanished; he had
learned to distrust and doubt her sin
cerity and truth. Beyond all question
she was openly playing an important
part in this tragedy under Hobart's
direction, but for the life of him he
could not figure out to what end. Still
the very mystery of it had it's fascina-
ton. While he felt no longer any spe-
cial desire to serve her, to further risk
his life i'll her cause, yet he expert
enced a fierce determination to learn
what all this really meant; to I'M
cover the object these conspirators
had in view. If Natalie was involved
it could not be helped, she would have
to suffer with the rest; his own duty
was clear.
Yet how could he begin action?
What clew did he possess which could
be followed? Practically none. Be
fore morning, that saloon on Wray
street would unquestienably be de-
serted, except perhaps by it's propri-
etor, and Mike would simply deny
everything. Two possibilities re-
manned; the police might have some
record of the fellow, might know his
favorite haunts, even be able to To-
cate his next probable hiding place. If
not, the only hope remaining would
seem to be Natalie Coolidge. She
would undoubtedly return to Fair
lawn; was probably there already,
and, by shadowing her, the where
abouts of Hobart would surely be re-
yealed either sooner or late-.
But possibly there was a quicker
way to learn their purpose than by
thus seeking to find either. If it was
the Coolidge fortune which was at
stake, why not endeavor to learn in
whose trust it was being held, and
what steps were being taken to safe
guard it? He could explain the ma
ture of his interest to an attorney,
and be adv sed how TO proceed. Deter
mined to take all three steps the first
ching next day, West rested back COM
3ortably in tbs chair, already half
asleep. One land rested in his pocket,
and as his fingers fumbled some object
kLere, he suddenly recalled the knife
&sxton had found in the alley.
He drew the article forth curiously,
and looked at it under the glow of
the electric Hght-it was small
pilver-handled penknife, such as a
lady might carry, a rather strange
thing to be discovered in a dirt alley