The Daily Alaska empire., 1929-09-18
Chapter 33.
AM IMPORTANT DATE

two most astonished men in Flu rope I never heard that fatuous platitude with more disgust. "Who'd have thought of blowing into a res taurant in Bruges and finding two lost friends like you?"
 Don't overdo the irony, profes- sor,p said Somerfield. And don't draw out the agony"
 Tut. tut! Irony-agony? What words to describe a pleasant meet ingl Is there any place here where we can talk at our ease, MT. Gren- ofen?"
 opened my eyes wide at Lax tons tone. Whatever police job he had to do he was going to do it like a gentleman.
 h Quiet conversation was the last thing you could get in the Lion dor.
 i Well, suppose we go around to my hotel? Would you mind?" .esVery nicely put, professor" said Somerfield.
 "IIl do without the compliments thanks" Laxton observed. "I'll take a truthful answer to question in- stead. MT. Grenofen-did you bring a certain black bag with you from EnglandP Or things it had contained2"
 No"
 eIs it still in England?"
 I hesitated to answer this. Som erfield broke in
 ,aeYes, professor, it's still in Eng land"
 "You might as well put me out of my suspense" said I. Are you going to arrest me?'
 |. Laxton looked me up and down
 Tt would be pity to arrest SC fine young man. But it all de- bends. MT. Grenofen-it all de- pcrids Follow me, gentlemen !. Laxton had taken up quarters in a big hotel near the railway sta tion. He led us to his own room and there he read us a long and severe lecture.
 We were, according to this ac- count. very decent but very fool ish fellows. We had, probably without intending any harm, com- mitted an enormity We had put a spoke in the wheel of Scotland Yard and brought the machine to a standstill. What could be more reprehensible than that?
 Incidentally we had connived at the escape of a convict, and in the process had complicated the joE of discovering the perpetrator Of very wicked murder. How about it3
 We listened to this, admitting and denying nothing.
 He supposed we could not con- test the fact that the murder ol Pell was a diabolical thing We might have disliked Pell.
 | remarked that I did not dis like Pell: I rather liked him. Tn that case. he said, ought tt have given him all the aid l coul1 in discovering and punishing th' murderer of Pell instead of trying to hoodwink the police.
 We had obstructed the police al a time when, for reasons we die hot grasp, they could not very vel prevent it. But we had got con vlct away. And we had removed or concealed vital evidence. Where. As if the police could have laie their hands on the convict and tht evidence the murder of Pell woule have been cleared up by now. Ane that was where we were.
 ihHe had in his pocket warrant for my arrest which could be quite well executed-even in Belgium And he would be quite justified 1T clapping the bracelets on Somerfiele as well. So-how about it?
 Somerfield leaned over to where I,axton sat on a hard little arm chair, and held out his hands.
 Put 'em on, professor, said he "But you wontl You want to dt a deal. I'll tell you. You wan to know"
 "Now, MT. Somerfield." Laxtol said, pushing his hands away. ' do want to do a deal, but on my own terms. You see l have th' trump in my own hand"
 .That.s a bluff said Somerfield we hold the straight flush. w Know where the poodle is-and yo' don't"
 Laxton smiled upon him indul' gently.
 s.You forget that you've committed afa offense and there's such thing as law. MT. Somerfield. But Ii MT arenofen will answer few ques' tions, I'll make proposal. wh' are you in Belgium?"
 T came to see a lady" said l.
 Miss Vandenessen? Yes. l know through Mrs. Fairfax"
 -But how did you know anything about Mrs. Fairfax?"