South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-10-15


bears you with the choicest variety
OF food she can get No-youI
needn't look at me like that she's
not with me- and ] don't know
where she ls. but I'm going 20 make
10 my business 90 know. and 20 block
her little plans.
The trouble with handling her Isl
that she's got some mighty power
{ ful secret influence behind her-thatI
I dope she handed you about being
/ poor and friendless was the richest
I bunk gOing-and she's able TO get
away with murder. But believe your
+ Uncle Dudley I'm going TO summer
and winter that dame from now on
until she croaks or ] do. She may
/ be able 10 pull off a stunt without my
being next for twelve hours, but
that's about her limit"
lie put a powerful hand over mine
and gave 1t a masterful grip.
Here's another thing / want you
I TO pat down. he said Don't go
wandering around strange or lonely
places by yourself and don't fall for
any bunk message But If you ever
should ind yourself in a jam among
+ people you don't know, and you hear
anybody refer 90 the Big Tangerine
YOU slip this 20 any man of the crowd
/ don't chance woman-and ask him
. 10 give IL TO the Big Tangerine D.
himself. secretly. The fellow they
call that is under personal obliga-I
lions 20 me. and he would do what
he could for you"
lie twisted a scarab from his tie
and held Il out 10 me.
Regular Earl Of Essex and Eliza
beth stuff with the reverse twist,
isn't it," he Knocked "Of course
there isn't one chance in a million
that youll ever use this. But there's
no use passing up that milliOnth
chance. An, young mamie lapsed
into the careful foreign accent he.
had employed when any one came
near and addressed a grinning col
ored youth lounging past-"Y on viii
please assist me by removing my
luggage aboard the boat?"
/ He waited until the man had TAX
en- all the baggage from the tOnneau
and was standing at safe distance.
Then he bent to me, his voice low
and tremulous
That old Essex guy had sort of
cold feet on dying for his queen, -
he said with a touch of his old thea
tricalism, "but just you remember.
Lady Fair. that if planting this old
carcass would do my queen any good
I'd willingly order the undertaken.
Farewell. madame!"
He spoke the last words loudly,
casually. then he leaped from the.
car the next instant, and made his
way without a backward glance to-
the ferry boat just pulling in.
Nervously shaken and mentally
perplexed. I drove home from the
. Shelter Island ferry where Harry
Underwood had hidden me so strange
a farewell.
7 wondered whether he had told
me the whole truth about himself,
his relations with Grace Draper and
his position in the gang Of which he.
spoke so flippantly and yet so con-
vincingly. I puzzled over some
points in his story, but the confidence
my father placed in him caused me
TO dismiss them as of no Importance.
And yet back came point after point
of Harry Underwood's story challeng-
ing my belief
One instant I felt that I was too
credulous. The next 1 pondered the
possibility that I was too suspicious
Curiously enough, every mile OF
the distance I put between myself and
Harry UnderwOOd's powerful, almost
hypnotic personality increased in
stead Of lessened my conviction Of
the essential truth Of his story. And
despite my resentment, I found my
self genuinely glad that his strength
and his infinite resourcefulness were
to be pittied against Grace Diapers
ingenious deviltry.
Are Our Guests Gomez"
I put my hand up TO my blouse
I'm which I mechanically had fasten-
ed the scarab pin which Mr.. Under
wood had so dramatically twisted
from his tie and put into my hand.
That I must devise some safe and
secret place for its keeping. close to
my person. I knew, but was not
equa! Just now to any connected
thought upon that subject. Yet
realized that I could not return home
until II was out OF sight.
I pulled my car to the side of the
road, stopped It. and took from my
bas what Dicky teasingly calls my
emergency envelope" a small one
OF strong manila which I fastened
myself and which contains my mo-
tor register. a personal Identification
card and a five-doIlar bill I stuck the
scarab into the card. thrust both in
10 the envelope and returned il TO
the bag. sure that II was reasonably
safe from discovery. Then, for the
rest OF my journey I mentally went
over the tale the pretended Don Ra-
mon had devised for the edifcation
OF the Smyths Hopkins family, until
I was sure that was letter-perfect
I'm t.
But when 7 reached home I found
that 7 had no need TO rehearse it.
NFhe damaged cars had been removed
from the roadway before the gate.
and Lillian met me at the door. with
eyes. which in spite Of her iron poise
told me that something unusual was
on foot.
Are our guests gomez" I asked
I surprised.
"Theu-Nou-KnOw
''Very much so" she retOrted.
They would have liked 20 have lin
/ gered till you came back with the
latest news OF their adored Don Ra-
mon. bur I had something more i'm
portant on hand So as soon as Or
. Petit pronounced them all unin-
5ured. T packed them of with a flea
IN The fathers ear I'll bet he won't
offer money for hospitality 10 gen
tlefolk again Besides. that girl