The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1928-01-06

in a convenient ash tray and crushed
1t out there, absently, not seeming to
notice whether 1t sccrched his fingers
or not. He rose and took d turn
about the room. Then he came back
to Dale.
''That's a pretty strong Indictment
to bring against dead man." he said
slowly, seriously.
'.It's true" Dale insisted stubborn.
ly, giving him glance for glance.
Fleming nodded. "All right"
He smiled-a smile that Dale didn't
like.
Suppose it's true-where do come
inY he said. 'You don't think !
know where the money is?"
"No," admitted Dale, "but / think
you might help to find it,
She went swiftly. over to the hall
door and listened, tensely, for an in
slant. Then she came back to Flem-
ing.
IF anybody comes in-you've just
come to get something of yours" she
said, in a low voice. He nodded, un-
derstandingly. She dropped her voice
still lower.
"Do you know anything about a
hidden room, in this house?" she said.
Dick Fleming stared at her for a
moment. Then he burst into laughter.
"a hidden rocm-that's rich!" he
said, still laughing. "Never heard of
it! Now, let me get this straight
The idea is-a hidden room-and the
money is in it's that it?"
Dale nodded a Eyes"
"The architect who built this house
told Jack Bailey that he had built
hidden room in it," she persisted.
For a moment Dick Fleming stared
at her as if he could not believe his
ears. Then, slowly, his expression
changed. Beneath the well-fed, debc-
nair mask of the clubman-abOut-town
other lines appeared-lines of avarice
and Neutrality-suspicious. betoken-
ing the craft and petty ruthlessness
of the small soul within the gentle
manly shell. His eyes took on
shifty, uncertain stare-they no long
er looked at Dale-their gaze seemed
turned inward, beholding visicned
treasure, a glittering pile of gold. And
yet, the change in his look was not
SO pronounced as to give Dale pause
she felt a vague uneasiness steal
over her, true-but it would have
taken a shrewd and long-experienced
woman of the world to read the Sc
cret behind Fleming's eyes at first
glance-and Dale, for all her courage
and common sense, was a young and
headstrong girl.
She watched him, puzzled, wonder
ing why he made no comment on her
last statement.
"Do you know where there are any
blue-prints of the house?' she asked
at last.
An odd light glittered in Flemings
eyes for moment. Then it vanished
he held himself in check-the casual
idler again.
'Blue-prints?" He seemed to think
it over. "Why-there may be some.
Have you looked in the old secretary
in the library? My uncle used to
keep all sorts of papers there" he
said with apparent helpfulness.
"Why, don't you remember-you
locked it when we pok the house."
$50 I did" Fleming took out his
key ring-selected a key. Suppose
you go and look" he said. Don't you
think. I'd better stay here?'
"Oh, yes" said Dale, blinded to
everything else by the rising hope in
her heart. ooh, I can hardly thank
you enough!" and before he could
even reply, she had taken the key and
was hurrying toward the hall door.
He watched her leave the room,
bleak smile on his face. AS soon as
she had closed the door behind her,
his languor dropped from him-he
became a hound-a ferret-questing
for its prey. He ran lightly first over
to the bookcase by the hall door-a
moments inspection-he shook his
head. Perhaps the other bookcase
near the French windows-no-it
wasn't there. All, the bookcase over
the fireplace! He remembered now!
He made for it, hastily swept the
books from the top shelf, reached
cropping fingers into the space behind
the second row of books. There! A
dusty roll of three blue-prints! He
unrolled them hurriedly, and tried to
make out the white tracings by the
light Of the fire-no-better take them
over to the candle on the table.
He peered at them hungrily In the
little spot of light thrown by the can
die. The first one-no-nor the sec
ond-but the third-the bottom one
good heavens! He took in the signif-
canoe Of the blurred white lines with
greedy eyes-his lips opening in 81
lent exclamation of triumph. Then he
pOndered for an instant-the blue
print itself was an awkward size
cumberous-good, he had it He care
fully tore a small portion from the
third blueprint and was about to stuff
it in the inside pocket of his dinner
jacket, when Dale, returning, caught
him before he had time to conceal his
find. She took in the situation at
once.
ooh, you found It'll" she said in
tones Of rejoicing, giving him back
the key to the secretary. Then, as
he still made no move to transfer the
scrap of blue paper to her, please
let me have it, Mr.. Fleming. I know
that's it,
tTo BE coNTINUED)
Eskimos Haze to Marry
Whenever fhoro hac hpQn talk of n