White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1927-11-11
CHAPTER XIII-Continued

uoW Drought down by unklnQ clrcum-
stances to being footman in the houses
Of lesser men. No, not In this house,
MIR. Raxon. Here Professor Bradney
is an honored guest" Milman turned
to Bradney. "This Is Mr.. Paul Raxon,
VINO asp1res to high office"
Paul Raxon turned on his host with
snarl. He had been tricked.
If you are harboring a dismissed
servant of mine who left under cir
cumstances which point to his dis
honesty, let me remind you It's a dan
gerous thing to do"
After lifetime of orderly quiet
one welcomes such dangers" Peter
humans eyes peered into those red
decked ones of his guest.
The door opened again and Nee
land Barnes, In evening dress, en-
tered
This Is Mr. Neeland Barnes" said
Mllman. Perhaps you know him best
under his name of 'Enry. He tells me
he enjoyed every minute of his stay at
your delightful home"
Paul Raxon, who had staged so
many unhappy scenes for the men he
had enmeshed, was now to experience
the unpleasing sensations of the vic
TIM He saw, very plainly, that he
must suffer what these men chose to
1nfl1ct and hear what they chose to
say. He had not the physical power
to escape. Not idly had they saun-
tered into this room.
An" said Neeland Barnes, with a
large gesture, this Is the little fellow
had to throw off the pier at Maria
gansett years ago. 1t was my inten-
tlon to drown him as one does unwel-
come kittens, but some misguided
Samaritan of the sea defeated nv
purpose"
Raxon said nothing. But he had not
come to his present eminence by be-
Ing physically above the average. He
had risen because of a brain more
skilled in craftiness and cunning than
the majority. These were not the sort
of men to hurt him. He must keep
his nerve and let them commit them
selves to verbal follies.
Barnes had hardly finished when
another entered whom he recognized,
despite the absence of mustache and
imperial, as NJ. lie Vicomte Raoul de
Guillan.
This is Mr.. Floyd Malet," said
Peter Milman. II think you are in
debted to his knowledge for Kidding
-
Paul Raxon rose to his feet.
"This reception" he said, stimulat-
ing a yawn, grows wearisome.
seem to be a guest at a manservants'
club What Is it staged for? Money!
If SO, there's absolutely nothing do
ing
"Sit down." said Peter Mllman
suavely; you will be told when to CO."
The next to enter was Sneed, who
had been his own butler Raxon saw
clearly that by some ruse yet to be
discovered his house had been entered
by band of confederates. They had
defeated him there.
"Mr. John McKimber," Sneed an
nounced
When RaXon had seen McKimber
week before he had looked upon
crushed man from whom ambition had
fled. The McKimber who came In was
again the big, dominating type, radiat-
ing confidence, sure Of himself and his
position. This bearing could only
mean that McKimber knew of the
"a e.tp y
istry and the letters. He understood
that the weapons with which Raxon
had threatened him were gone. The
aura of danger was about Paul Raxon,
and he compreheDded his position with
horror. Somehow or other they had
trlckcd him, but he would pay them
back. What q scandal 1t would be
which would involve Peter Milman In
conspiracy Of this sort
"Tris is the Raxon who wished to
20 to the senate" Milman explained
"Wtshed," Raxon repeated. "Who
isn't to be kept out of 1t by the fool
tricks of you amateurs"
Hes trying to keep his courage
up," Barnes volunteered. Gle knows
he's beaten You can see 1t In his
face. The mans white as chalk"
zone can't blame him for trying to
bluff it out" Bradney exclaimed i'm
partially. 1.-THE cornered rat fights,
Invariably"
Gentlemen, gentlemen" Peter Mil
man said, remember that at the pres
ent minute Mr.. Raxon has no Idea that
he is beaten. ! can see him scheming
a thousand plans of revenge, all Of
which seem reasonable because he has
no idea what we hold over him."
"You don't hold anything" Raxon
snarled.
.In the interests of truth / must
contradict you" said his host. Mil
man took from his pocket blue
MANILA envelope.
II have here" Peter Mllman went
on, "those documents with which you
threatened Mr.. McKimber."
"You stole them Raxon cried, land
that's penitentiary offense."
"Stole them?" Milman returned.
"You pain me, Mr.. Raxon. They were
offered to me for sale just as they
were offered to you. You bought them
Il. the first instance, l In the second.
You are not yet aware that every word
of that long interview In your tower
with Mr.. McKimber was taken down
In shorthand by an expert and tran
scribed. / have three copies of which
the one in this blue envelope is only
carbon. One copy will be given to
AIR MeKimber. and the original Is In