Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-10-14

join up with what he had a right to expect
from a man SO versatile as Stewart. Four
thugs out Of an alley seemed to come from
another, book. And one Of them base enough
to strike a woman. This shot his thought
into a new channel. Why hadn't Nancy
taken to her heels? His first thought had
been to hold the rogues in check to give her
time. But after a blow or two taken and
given. he had fought for the thrill and TIE
fun Of 1t, believing that Nancy had rua
for home, hard by, or Tor help. Instead, she
had come to his aid, physically. ana most
-thoughtlessly. He reasoned thus, because
none of the assailants, without SUFFICIENT
cause. the fight being in doubt, would have
risked a. blow at Nancy.
Warming thought, shot with shanhe! While
Nancy had risked much to help him. ht had
gone on fighting for the fun Of it! Because
she liked him-because ne meant something
to her! From the back Of his throbbink
head came the recollection Of an old comic
Misunderstanding Prof. Miller had ehown
i1vn:
So aaedy ,cith yonr Latin. aaotv 10Th ,vopr
Greek! s.
All the 1eurnina you need u to tougher yovr
cheek.
'Tis the sluggers, not scholars, 4pho hAfpest
the dollars,
And the Mredth's on the head Of the 1tvseun.
freak!
But why? In what manner would his death
beneht Stewart He was always coming
back to that. The circle had no break in It.
hut to rob him Of his watch, which couldn't
be pawned for two bits! He ought not to
think Of these things, but he could not help
himself. If this man Stewart had been the in.
direct means Of Silas Bancroft's death. the
son wanted to know why.
Daggers. Well, that was novel; and thu
expectation, daily in his thoughts, Of finding
another dagger and still another, had its
thrill, even if tinctured/ with contempt. All
at once he understood-or thought he dtd.
Stewart wanted to drive him out Of Ninth
street. worry him into new quarters whore
he would not have any friends. Wen, that
shouldn't be. Collingswood Jeremiah Ban.
croft purposed to stay here until the crack
o doom. Which might be the next time he
passed d dark alley. Something about that
contract he mad signed; perhaps the real
solution lay in what Stewart purposed to do
with 1t. Cntoward accident or mischance,
"A nard fell upon the door, and Bancroft
welcomed this diversion. The old snarl or
suppositions would not help his head in the
least, whereas the sight of either Nancy
or Jenny would.
Come in" he said thickly. He settled his
head IN the pillow and trimmed the bed.
clothes under his chin. 1t would be foolish
TO appear as gaining too rapidly, with such
nurses.
But IT was a man who entered. And who?
The private detective, who would have been,
1T .ii!s .l6ur, a circuitous ten Thousand ln1G>
away.
"Your"
Yes. Sir. You We met with an acciuentf'
asked the detective. closing tine door.
"A slight one. But what are you doing
here?">
Well, l found all you wished 60 know
in San Francisco. Pure luck. Are you well
enough to hear the story?"
Man, mango on with it," This would
be better than all the medicine that ever
was. -
You sec, I got to San Francisco and
Booked my passage; but I Had to wait eight
days: So ! loafed about the Palace hotel.
and picked up a few acquaintances. With
one Ct them 1 got tb talking about South
America. TO make 1t short, this mar
c}.anced to be a merchant IN La Paz. What
do YOU know about that for luck? Farm
implements. engines, and all that; and he
was on his annual buying trip. He knew all
about the Bolivian Emerald Company"
Go on: don't cut it short; give me every
th,ng!" said Bancroft, who felt ait his
strength returning.
Stewart bought the mine from, the estate
Of c. J. Kennedy"
Kennedy"
Yes, sir. But here's the odd part Of It."
went on the detective. Years ago ker-
tedy turned over IS this dealer in La Pa
a power 81 attorney. That is, he had the
power to sell the mine, II any accident
should happen to said Kennedy, and to turn
the money over to the Kennedy estate. A
few years ago this man Stewart turned up
in La Paz and bought the mine"
But where was Kennedy"
"Vanished completely, years ago. Stepped
aboard q ship in Rio Janeiro, and that wat
the last anybody ever heard Of him.. Under.
stand, there's a lot Of Queer holes in this
yarn, but what you wanted to know was
if a Kennedy had once owned the mine. He
But the holes?"
Its like this. The moment the La Pa
dealer-an Ar1lerican-~caukht the tact that
l was more than casually interested, he shu,
up like q clam. ana I never got anothe.
word out of him. Foul play for kenn&dS
perhaps. but this Stewart couldn't have been
mixed UP in it; years too far apart. So I'yt
saved you a lot Of money and myself 4 10,
Of discomfort. What shall 1 do with the let
ter of credit"
"convert it ana keep the cash.,
What? "-astounded.
II had expected to pay two or three thou
sand more for the information you havt
given me. All / wanted to ktow/you nav,
told me-"
Wei, sir, that's pretty generous. wou,t
you like ME to keep an eye on this Stewart
It won't cost you anything.
affair is closed"
TN thinking that this kennedy is tn,
very man who wrote that book on antiques.
That's a, good guess. Il / should happe,
to need you again. III send tor YOU. Bette
60 now. I'm grosgy. Got mixed up witt
some street thugs last night and they bal
tered me up considerably. aood.by an
good luck" .@ s8
The detective gone. Banoreft's tnrobbin
Brain tried to draw something conclusive o1