Evening star., 1927-11-09

| Marriott and the two who stood be-
side him-"are in this country on a
mission that is far from legitimate,
however lauda BILE from their stand
point. We are, therefore. all in the
same boat; | may speak frankly"
Yes. my dear Dane The person.
age addressed as "Excelency" stepped
forward. You came to tell us that
your agents in various quarters of the
globe had discovered conspiracy be-
tween several smaller republics, one
large one on the other side of the
world and a very ancient European
power, which. in the form of a secret
treaty, would have crippled and even.
tuallv destroyed our foreign trade, the
ultimate result another war. more
devastating, if possible, than the last
You told us that this treaty, having
been duly circulated among those pri-
ma rily interested, was to be presented
To n certain very great power. to en-
list its cooperation that YOU would
arrange to procure this document. this
treaty, and place it in our hands
that we might crush this conspiracy
at it's birth We scarcely believed
in its existence. but we traded with
you: YOU and your organization to be
/ immune if YOU succeeded and then
| diShanded forever. Have you succeed
ed?"
NO" Richard Dane struck his
hands together. "My most trusted
agent did secure the treaty and bring
it to this country. but in the mean
time the greatest band of international
thieves in our history. the Norman
gang. had gotten wind of it. They
could have sold it back TO it's oriSi-
nators for millions. for to the credit
f,af L., -
! finally been submitted. they utterly re-
pudiated it. That power Mr.. Marriott
and his companions here represent"
The British Foreign Office bitterly
resent the fact that such base pro-
posal should have been made" Philip
! Marriott said quietly. They desired
! to return the treaty to those who had
! Iathered it. but before negotiations
! could he made it was stolen. Ny
| friends here and l were commissioned
to recover it at all costs--we knew
| that the Black Joker was back of the
affair and l admit that until this mo-
| ment we misjudged his motive; we
| thought that as in the past he meant
| to bargain with those who had vital
| interest in it, sell it to the highest
| bidder careless of the results which
might ensue. We have had many
tilt with the Black Joker before, but
| he was too astute, his organizat tion
too far reaching for our efforts. We
| will be forgiven If we look with won
der upon this sudden change of
! heart?"
| Because you do not know the mo-
| tive, gentlemen" The voice of Rich
ard Dane broke suddenly. 1T is be-
cause Of little slip of a woman who
loves and believes in me-my daugh-
A 7
| longer keep her in the convent where
she has been reared. believing me to
be the most upright and honorable of
men, She wanted me. I needed her
more than anything in the world and
| desired for her sake to become the
man she thought me. | arranged for
her to remain where she was for one
more year, but she ran away to come
to me, crossing by pure chance on
the same steamer with my agent. a
woman emissary of Norman and Mr..
Marriott. Before that steamer docked
l was quietly surrounded here at
Danehoim by Norman's agents. who
kept me prisoner. the document was
stolen in turn from the man I had
commissioned to bring it to me and it
is now in the hands of either Norman
or Mr.. Marriott"
Not i'm mine" Philip Marriott
shook his head gravely. IF it were,
| should not have come here with my
associates today to try to force your
surrender
Then we must look to our mutual
enemy" Dane bowed his head "The
fact remains, your excellency, that
! have failed to keep my bargain: I
am in your hands! l have one re.
quest to make, however; my little
daughter is on her way here: she
will arrive within an hour. Will you
accept my word that I shall not at
tempt to avoid the issue till I have
succeeded In arranging her future, far
away where the scandal of my trial
may never reach her ears? / Will come
to Washington then and give myself
up, I swear it,"
"Hark"' His excellency interrupted
with uplifted hand. What was that
The secret service have rounded up
the majority of Norman's organization
skulking about the grounds here,
| but-?"
He paused and Dane turned sudden.
ly to the door opening on the terrace
Il have your excellency's permis
sion? My daughter has been in the
hands Of both Mr. Marriott and Nor
man and how much she has learned
| OF the Black Joker and his work re-
mains to be seen, but l pray that IL
this is she you will help me to keep
as much sorrow as possible from an
innocent trusting soul" He threw
open the door and az the little rather.
ing OF notables followed he threw up
his hands.
It's jamie, my girl.''
So 1t was that Janet came home to
her father at last. and when he bore
her into the library and laid her upon
the couch she still clung to him with
her we'll arm clasped about his neck
Vaguely. among the rest, she had seen
the face of Philip Marriott with the
/ golden haired woman beside him, hut
even that fact was of little moment
in the ineffable joy Of her reunion with
the beloved father, and the others
averted their faces until her first
transport was over and a semblan nee
| or composure had come.
| Then, with her hand still cIasped
tightly In his, her father presented
the assembled company and her ewes
opened wide as he pronounced The
name OF the golden-haired woman
Lady Kingsmere?" she repeated
wonderingly. And this-this is Lord
Kingsmere? But-but YOU are NV
fathers friend whom l met here bo.
fore: you are John Padmorer'
The keen distinguished face hent
over hers.
X'onfipted in Tow,