Evening Star Newspaper, August 28, 1921, Page 55

R. DOULTON, sir. Very important. Taking the last piece of toast from the rack. Mal-| <colm Sage with great deliberation pro- ceeded to butter it. Then. with 2 mod to the walting Rogers, he poured out the last eup of coffee the pot con- tained. A mom! € ent later the door opened to admit a clean-shaven little man of about fifty, prosperous in bulld and wppearance; but obviously laboring ‘under some great excitement. ‘ “He's _gone—disappeare he burs out, :s R‘o'erl closed the door hlng him. Malcolm Sage rose, motione his caller to a chair at the table, and resumed his own seat. ooy, breakfast?" ety God. man'" exploded Mr. Doulton. almost hysterically. Don't You understand?. Burns has disap- Delreg‘!" s “Tell me.” $ In short staccatoed sentences. like ‘bursts from a machine gun, Mr. Doul- ton proceeded to tell his story. That morning at 6 o'clock, when A Pond, Burns' trainer, had en- tered his room to warn him that it was time to get up, he found {t un- occupied. At first he thought that _Burns had gone down before him: but immediately his eye fell on the bed, and he saw that it had not been slept_in, he became alarmed. Goiog to the bedroom door. he had shouted to the sparring partners, and soon the champion’s room was filled with men in various stages of disha- bille. Only for a mament, however, hed they remained inactive. At Al Pond's word of command they had spread helter-skelter over the house and grounds, causing the early morn- ing air to echo with their shouts for harley-" n When at leng! that Burns had disappeared. Alf Pond telephoned first to Mr. Doultorr and then to Mr. Papwith, Burns' backer. “I told Pond to do nothing and tell no one,” said Mr. Doulton, in con- lusion. “and when 1 left my rooms my man was trying to get through to Papwith to ask him to keep the story to himself. Now, whet's to be done”" “Breakfast. a shave, motor_down to Stainton, colm Sage. By the time Mr. Doulton had break- fasted and shaved, the car was at the door. 5 “They're sure to say it's a yellow streak,” Mr. Doulton burst out on one occasion. Burns’ training quarters were sit- uated at Stainton, near Guildford, Here, under the vigllant eye of Alf Pond, and with the help of a (13 retinue of sparring partners, he was getting himself into what had come to be called “Burns’ condition,” which meant _that he would enter the ring trained_to the minute. Never did an athlete work more conscientiously than Charley Burns. As the car turned into a side road, flanked on either hand by elms, Mr. Doulton tapped on the wind-acreen. and Tims pulled up. Malcolm Sage had re- quested that the car be stopped g hun- dred yards before it reached “The Grove,” where the training quarters ‘were situated. *“Walt for me here,” he said. as he 2ot _out. “It's the first gate on the right.” said Mr. Doulton. Walking slowly away from the car, Malcolm Sage examined with great care the road itself. "Presently he stopped and, taking from his pocket a steel spring measure, he proceeded to mea: ure a portion of the surface of the dus roadway. Having made several entries in a note book, he then turned back to the car, his eyes still on the road. ““This way.” said Malcolm Sage, lead- ing Mr, Doulton to the extreme left hand side of the road. Turning into the gates of “The Grove,” they walked up the drive toward the house. In front stood a group of men in various cos- tumes. The preliminary greetings over, Alf Pond led the way round to a large coach-house in the rear, which had been fitted up as a gymnasium. Here were to ‘be seen all the appliances necessary to the tralning of a boxer for a great con- test. ineluding a roped ring at one end. ‘‘He was here only yesterday. ‘There was a world of tragedy and pathos in Al Pond’s tone. “It's a bad business. Pond,” said Mr. | Doulton, who found the mute despair of these hard-living, hard-hitting men rather embarrassing. 've put _the whole matter in Mr. Sage’s hands. He'll find him, If any one can. Slowly and methodically Maloolm Sage drew the story of Burns' disappear- ance from Alf Pond, the sparring part- ners occasionally, acting as a chorui “You were confident he would win?" he_asked at length. “Confident!” There was incredulity and wonder in Alf Pond's voice. Then, with a sudden inspiration, “Look at Kid!" he cried, “look at him!" * x k% \[AwOul SAGE looked. o3 The man's face showed the stress and strain of battle. His nose had taken on something of the quality of cublsm, his right eye was out of com- mission, and there was an ugly purple patch on his left cheek. and his right ear looked as if & wasp had stung it. “He did that in one round, and him the third. Kid asked for it, and he got it, same as Jeff would,” explained Alf Pond proudly. “Do you know of any reason why Burns should have left his room?’ Malcolm Sage looked from one to the other interrogatingly. “Did he re- ceive any letters or telegrams yester- day?” “Letters!” Alf Pond laughed sar. donically. “Shoals of 'em. He'd turn ‘em ail over to Sandy Lane.” Indicat- ing a red-headed man on the right. “Did he turn over to you the whole of his correspondence?’ asked Mal- colm Sage, turning to Sandy Lane. “Sometimes he’'d keep a lette broke in Alf Pond. “but not often. Sort of personal.” he added. “He was quite himself, quite nat- ural, yesterday?”’ asked Malcolm Sage. “Quite himself,” repeated Alf Pond deliberately; then. once more Indi cating Kid, he added, “Look at Kid that's what he done in one round.” “How many people know of the dis- appearance?” inquired Malcolm Sage. “Qutside of us here, only Mr. Pap- ‘with,” was the response. For fully a minute Malcolm Sage did not reply. At length he tarned to Mr. Doulton. i “Can you arrange to remain here to meet Mr. Papwith?’ he inquired. ~I propose doing 0,” was the reply. “You want to find Burns, I sup- pose?’ Malcolm Sage asked of Alf Pond, in low, level tones. “You barmy?" demanded the train- er, putting into words the !ooks of the others. “You will continue with the day's work as if nothing had happened, continued Malcolm Sage. “No one out- side must know that—- “But_how are we going to do that with Charley gone?” broke in Alf Pond. “Your friend here.” indicating Kid, ‘can pose as Burns,” was Maleolm Sage’s quiet reply, as he looked into the trainer's eye without the flicker of an eyelash. “You, Mr. Doulton. 1 will ask to remain here with Mr. Papwith until 1 communicate with you. On no ac- count leave the training quarters, even if you have to wait here until tomorrow evening. Have I your promise?™ inquired Malcolm Sage of Mr. Doulton. ‘As far as I am concerned, yes,” was the response, “and I think I can an- swer for Papwith. It's very inconven- Ient, though.” “Not so inconvenient as having to explain things at the Olympia tomor- row night.” remarked Malcolm Sage dryly. “Now." he continue turning once more to Alf Pond, Suppose you've all got something on this then we'll said Mal- he became assured | enthi ners, he cried. “He asks if we've got something on it. My Gawd!" he groaned, “we got our shirts on it That's what we got on it, our shirts, and his voice broke in something like ou had better post some one at the gate to tell all inquirers that Buras is doing well and is confident of winning,” said Malcolm Sage to Mr. Doulton, “and keep an eye on Tell any one who rings up the same; in fact’—and he turned to the othera—"'as far as you are concerned, s still with you. Do you understand? . They laoked at one another in a way that was little suggestive of un- deratanding. I should like to see Burns' Malcolm Sage and Mr. Doulton fol- lowed Alf Pond upstairs to a Jarge rcom on the first floor, as destitute of the attributes of comfort as a guard-room. A bed, a wash-hand stand. and a chest of drawers col prised the furniture. A few articles G Sy course, of interest only to those im- mediately concerned, who were more truly llo“elh"l the midst of that vaat cancourse than some anchorite, in the desert of Sahal < The heat was. unbearable, the at- mosphere 3uffocating. Men smoked their cigars and cigarettes jerkily, now indulging In & weries of stacca- toed puffs, now ignoring them until they went out. Slowly the time crept on as,by the bedside of death. If those 'ridicu- lously bobbing fl{urn in the ring would only cease their caperings! “Hreak! Break!" The voice of the feree uddenly split through a pocket” of silence. Kvery one scemed startled. then the curtain of sound once more descended and 'wrapped the assembly in Its impenetrable folds. The gong sounded the begin- ning and the end of each round, and so_it went on. Mr. Papwith sat in the front row near the prince. Smiling, smiling. forever smilig. He was a dapper little man, with a flery, clean-shaven HE CAME OUT QUITE UNSU PECTINGLY, WAS OVERPOWERED AND SUBSEQUENTLY TAKEN. of clothing were strewn about, and in one corner lay a pair of dumbbells. The windows were open top and bottom. Malcolm Sage passed from one to the other and looked out. He examined carefully each of the win- dow-ledges. “Are these the clothes he wore ‘when he got up?” he inquired, indi- cating a sweater and a pair of flan. nel trousers that lay on a chair. Alf Pond nodded, A minute later Malcolm Sage left the room, followed by the others. Descending the stairs. he passed along the hall and out on to the short drive, ;cnompanied by Mr. Doulton and Alf 01 “You will hear from me some time tcday or tomorrow.” he said. “Do exactly as I have said and. if I don't telephone before tomorrow evening, g0 to the Olympla as if Burns were to be there. You might have sent out to my car a pair of drawers and boots in ¢ 1 find him. H “You're going to find him then?" Alf Pond suddenly gripped Malcolm Sage's arm with what was almost ferocity, : “If you do as I tell you, will help. By the way.” he added, “if you have time, you might put twenty five pounds on Burns for me. Mr.| Doulton will be responsible for the| amount. Now I want to look about.” For some minutes he stood in the center of the drive, looking about him. Stepping to the right. he glanced back at the house, and then toward the road. Finally he made for a large clump of rhododendrong that lay be- tween the road and the house. Going down upon his knees, he pro- ceeded to examine the ground with great care and attention. For nearly half an-hour he crawled from place to place, absorbed in grass, shrub and flower-bed. Finally he penetrated half into the privet hedge that bordered the road. Presently Malcolm Sage emerged from the hedge, in his hand a long cigar, round the center of which was a red-and-gold band. For fully a minute he stood examining this with great care. Then, taking a letter- case from his pocket, he carefully placed the cigar in the hinge, re turned the case to his pocket. and rejoined the group of wide-eyed spec- tators. “By the way," said Malcolm Sage, turning to Aif Pond, “does Burns happen to smoke long Havana cigars with a red—" “Smoke!” yelled Alf Pond in horror. “Him smoke! You blinkin' well barmy?” he demanded. d like to see the man who'd so much as dare to strike a match here.” “I'm afraid Pond is rather excited just at present,” said Mr. Doulton tactfully. “Burns is a great lover of tobacco, and Pond takes no risks. You discovered something?" “For one thing, Burns left his room last night to meet a woman by— It lie!” cried Alf Pond heat. ’s a lie! I don't believe it.” ‘l_ring you up later, said Mal- colm Sage to Mr. Doulton. *I cannot And with that he hur- tracks, 1 ried away. “Back _along Tims,” said_he on reaching the car. He then walked on to the main road With head over right shoulder, Tims carefully backed the car, Mal- colm Sage signaling that he was to turn to the right. Instructing Tims to drive slo Malcolm Sage took his seat beside him, keeping his eyes fixed upon the off-side of the road. He stopped the car at_each cross-road, and walked down it some twenty or thirty yards, his eyes bent downward as If in search of something. At the end of half an hour he instructed Tims to drive back to London at his best speed. your own * K X * TEVER had the Olympia seen such a crowd as was gathered to watch the fight between Charley Burns of England and Joe Jefferson of America. Never in its career of hy- brid ugliness had it witnessed such excitement. For thirty-six hours the wildest rumors had been current. Charley Burns had broken down, run away, committed suicide and refused to fight. He had broken a leg. an arm, a finger, and had torn more tendons than he possessed. He had sprained ankles, wrung withers, been over- trained, had contracted every known disease in addition to manifesting a yellow streak. The atmosphere was electrical. The spectators whispered among them- selves, exchanging views and rumors. ‘The most fantastic stories were re- lated, credited and debated with grav- ity and concern. If some {ll-advised optimist ven- tured {o question a particularly lugubrious statement he was cl lenged to explain the betting, which had crept up to six to one on Jeffer- son offered, with no takers. The arrival of the Prince of Wales gave a welcome vent for pent-up ex- citement. as he was to acclamation, the face, and a fringe of grizzled hair above his ears that gave the lie to the auburn silkiness with which his head was crowncd. . Next to him was Mr. Doulton, who chatted and smiled. smiled and chatted: but his s moved restlessly over the basin of faces, as it in searcheof an answer to #ome unuttered question. At length the preliminary bouts were ended. A# the combatants had arrived unheralded; so they departed unsung. 5 The M. C. climbed tiirough the ropes and looked fussily about him. A biack cardboard box, sealed as it it contained duelling-pistols instead of gloves, was thrust into the ring. All eyes were directed toward the pear. 3 The referee turned: expectantly the same direction. .A group of men in flannels and sweaters was seen moving toward tne ring. Among them was a sleek, dark-haired man in a long dressing-.gown of bottle green. It was Joe Jefferson. Suddenly a great roar burst out, echoing and re-echoing continuous as the group approached the ring a Jefferson climbed through the ropes. Then .came another hush. A Sec- ond group of men was observed ap- proacing the ring. There was shout as those nearest recognized Alf Pond among them. 1t developed into a roar. then died away as if stran- gled, giving place to hum of sup- pressed inquiry. Every one wa either asking, or looking. the same question. “Where is Bur: Alf Pond and his associates moved to the ringside as if bound for a fureral. There was a strange hush. The men reached the ringside and stood looking at one another. The audience looked at them. What had han- pened? None seemed to notice three men moving down the opposite gangway toward the ring.. :The men in the center was-muffied- in a heavy over- coat that reached to his heels, a soft felt hat w pulled down over his eyes. One or two spectators in their immediate neighborhood gave them a hasty. curious giance. Suddenly Alf Pond gave a wild whoop and, breaking away from his fellows, dashed toward . the three strangers. In a moment the over coat and muffler were thrown aside l}:‘d I'l‘m'hl‘.; kno(:.kefl off. revealing the r-haired an el smiling Charley Hugged and fondled by his sec- onds, Burns reached -the. ring and climbed into it. The black cars board box was opened, ‘the men’s hands bandaged, the gloves donned. Still the pandemonium raged, now dying down, now bursting out again with increased volume. Jefferson and Burns shook hands. The referee stood in the middle of the ring and. with arms extended aloft, appeared to be imploring the blessing of heaven. The crowd, how- ever. understood. and the great up- roar wore down to a hum of sound. * k k% ALHOST before anyone realized it the gong sounded; the fight had begun. An exclamation broke involuntarily from Alf Pond, ax nhe dropped the sponge and gazed before him with wide-staring eyes. 'He's fighting,” he cried. dancing with excitement. you see the like, Sandy?"” Discarding his traditional opening of baxing with swift defensive watch- fulness, Charley Burns had darted at his man. Before anyone knew what was happening his left crashed be- tween Jefferson's eyes, a blow that caused him to ‘reel back almost to the ropes. Before he could recover, a right hook had sent him staggering against the ropes themselves. For a second it looked as if he would collapse over them. Pulling himself together, how- ever, he strove to clinch; but Burns was too quick for him. Stepping back swiftly, he feinted with his left, and Jefferson, expecting a repetition of the first blow. raised his: guard A white right arm shot out to the mark, and Jefferson went down with & crash. Once more the gong sound more Burns sprang up and darted'at his man. = Jefferson tried first to dodge and then to clinch;.but with- out avail. He was “unnerved.. His strategy and tactics had been pianned in view of Burns's usual méethods; but here was an entirely different man to deal with—a great fighter: Twice more Jefferson ‘went-down, taking a count of nine on eadh occa- sion. He seemed to share with the spectators the knowledge that:there ‘would be no third round. On rising the second time he seemed determined to change his tat tics. He rushed forward, Wghting gamely, apparently in the hops-st get- ting a lucky knockout blow. ' With- out giving an inch, Burns fliréw oft the blows and, feinting wif i a second he stood gazing stupidly be- fore him; then his knees sagged and, with a deliberation that seemed al- most intolerable, he crashed forward on his face. one arm outstretched as it in protest. The timekeeper's voice' was heard monotonously counting. Burns went! to his corner without waiting for the conclusion of the count. He knew the strength behind that blow. Later that night, just as Big Ben was taking breath preparatory to his supreme effort, Malcomm Sage was seated in his big arm chair smok- P-g a final pipe before .bed, and urning over in his mind the happen- ings of the day and the probable events of the morrow. Hia train of thought was suddenly interrupted by a hammering at the outer daor of his chambers, followed by the sound of loud and hilarious voices as Rogers answered the sum- mons. A moment later the door of the sitting room burst open, and there B il [ flowed into hix room Charley Burns and his entourage. all obviously in the best of spirits. In the back- |ground stood Rogers, with expres- ixlnnhsul face, looking toward his mus- ter. : Malcolm Sage rose and shook hands ! with Burns, Mr. Doulton and Mr. Pup- with, Alf Pond nd his assistants. Sorry, Mr. Sage.” cried Burns, with a laugh, “but the boys wouldn't wait, Ithough 1 told them calling time was 4 til] 6, and he laughed again. the laugh of a man who nad not a care in |the world. He also gripped Malcolm Sage's hand with a heartiness that made him wince. The others in turn shook hands in a way that Malcolm | i 1 public. “And ; Pond, how, Mr. Sage” said Alf we want to know how vou | found Charley. He won't tell us any- | thing. Wonderful. I call it.” he added t was not very difficult.” said | Malcolm Sage, stuffing tobacco into jhis pipe from a terra cotta jar be- iside him. As he applied a light to bowl the others exchanged he continued, “it was obvlous that some message or letter had heen conveyed to our jend Burns. As he had not men- tioned the fact to any of his friends, i seemed obvious to ume that there was a lady in the case.” | "Alf Pona looked reproachfully at {Burns. who . reddened beneath the junited gaze of seven pairs of ey That the appointm had been for t vening.” proceeded Malcolm Sage, “was obvious from the fact that {Burns disappeared in the blue suit i)‘w Iways changed into after the da work. Alf | p Pond looked across at Mr oulton, nodding his approval of the <itty, or I thought it was, burst out Burns. “She sald some- thing terrible had happened and that she must see me,” he added. Kitty Graham wag shortly to be- come Mras. Charley Burns, but dur- ing the period of training she had been rigorously excluded from all in- tercourse with her flance by order of the " autocratic Alf Pond. “The meeting was arranged for the further side of the large clump of rhododendrons, which acted as a creen,” continued Malcolm Sage. “When Burns arrived there, he saw a girl standing a little distance awa) ‘“He came out quite unsuspect- ingly, was overpowered and subse- qunetly taken in Mr. Goldneschmidt's car. “How that, the blazes did you know Mr. Sage?” burst out Burns. ou are always a quick-thinker in the ring,” said Malcolm Sage, “and you were a quicker-thinker then. You smelt. chloroform, held your breath and thought. It was a sort of instinctive ring-craft But you—" began Burns. | _“There were mo marks of a strug- |&le where you were seized. You probably realized that your only chance lay in letting the enemy think you were losing consciousness. See- ing that there was no sign of trouble, the principal in this little affair stepped out from where he had been taking cover just at the moment when Burns broke loose and let out. Movement has always a primary at- traction for the eye, and. Burns got this man full on the nose And ruined it. He also sent him clean into the privet-hedge, where he collapsed. Who was it?” demanded Alf Pond owever, 100 many of them for Burns,” continued Malcolm |Sage. “They had planned the attack very carefully. each clinging to a limb. Soon they had him uncon- scious and bound in the car. Then they turned their attention to their leader.” “Yes: but how did you find Burns? asked Mr. Doulton eagerly. * k ok % T didn’t,” said Malcolm Sage. “They showed me where he was. After half an hour's fruitlss effort to track the car down side roads, I returned to London as fast as my man could take me, and 1 immediately set in- quiries on foot as to the betting on the stock exchange, at Tattersall's, the National Sporting Club, and other places. By 3 o'clock that afternoon I knew pretty well who it was that had been laying heavily against Burns. That simplified matters.” Alf Pond and Burns exchanged ad- miring glances. “'As you know, for more than a week previously the betting had made it clear that heavy sums were being laid on Jef- ferson. In the course of ten days it had veered round from § to 4 on Burns to 9 to 2 against. As there were no rumors detrimental to his condition or state of kealth, this could only mean that a lot of money was being put on Jefferson. I found out the names of the principal layers and the amounts. 1 discovered that all were extremely active with the exception of one. That I decided was the man with the umbrella.” “Who's he?” demanded caused | ge to wonder why America | spot where the combatants would 4P-Ihad not long since ceased to be a re-; usiastic prince seemed a little embarrassed by the|crashed his right full.en the warmth and intensity of his greeting. | his opponent’s jaw. The preliminary houts ran their ' Jefferson’s hands fell, and .for:-a mouth had not ceased to Malcolm Bage began his story. *The m.ln"mm- knock fght” “Something on it™ cried Alf Pon then, turning to the sparring part. Ao 3otnt of ed out. He had been leaning rather heavily on the handle whilst taking cover behind a hollybush, and the metal’ cap at the base of the silk was clearly marked on the ground. He was also holcing an unlit cigar in his hand, which he left in the hedge. By great good chance this Was recognized by some one I happen to know as a brand smoked by a certain backer of Jefferson. mesoly'nv\'u:ee. 1 )!.ud quite a lot to help 3 se: ssed R, arching for a well dre *“But how did you know he was well dressed?’ queried Mr. Doulton. His footprints showed that he wore boots of a fashionable model,” explained Malcolm Sage. ‘“‘He also carried an um-- brella, even on an occasion such as this. 1 had to look for a well dressed man who always carried an umbrella and who amoked large and expensive cigars and, most important of all, whose nose had’ been smashed out of all recogni- “‘But how could you tell 1 got him on the nose?” demanded Burns, leaning '°f;',‘|"’ eagerly. ere was quite a pool of blood be- neath the hedge,” explained Malcolm Sage. ““He was probably there for some minutes while his friends were making sure of you, Burns. Blood would not have flowed so generously as a result of :OE W from the fist except from the —_— e road, I telephoned to the Automobile Associdtion patrols at Putney Hill, Esher and Clandon Cross roads. 1 was told that on the provious evening this particular car was seen Eoing i In the direction of Guildford. These patrols take the numbers of all cars that pass. As it had not passed Liss, where the next patrol is sta- tioned, it was another link in the chain.” “Well, I'm blowed!” The exclama- tion broke involuntarily from Kid. “As the patrols go off duty at dusk, 1 could get no further help from them,” continued Malcolm Sage. “I sent a man to watch Jeffersos ing quarters, although 1 was fairly certain that he and his party were in no way involved.” Malcolm Sage went on to narrate his call upon Nathan Goldschmidt, carefully omitting any mention of the name or address. His hearers listened with breathless interest. “I concluded that they had taken their prisoner to some lonely, empty house.” he explained, “but there was not time to search all the empty houses in the home counties. so the man with the damaged nose had to come with me in my car, and his friends followed in his." { “But how did you manage gasped Mr. Papwith. “At first they showed fight.” said it “Well, I'm blessed.” exclaimed Alf Pond. f you ain’t it “I pointed out,” continued Malcolm Sege, “that whereas by producing Burns they would have a fight for their mecney, If the truth became known not only would their bets most likely be forfeited, but they would probably have to go to law to recover their stake-money. I fur- ther pledged Mr. Doulton, Mr. Pap- with and Burns not to take any legal action. 1 rather suspect that in this 1 was technically conspiring to defeat the ends of justice.’ “But weren't y a double cross?’ asked Burns. “They heard me instruct one of my assistants that unless 1 were back afraid they'd do they would have brazened colm Sage went on, be another £1,000 for St (4] it out, knowing that, whatever happened to themselves, Burns could not appear at the Olympia.. their tdentity would not be divulgell tempted them t money. The knowledge that risk the loss of their Apart from this” he added, “the details 1| whs ablé to give seemed to convince them that they had eithey been watched or given away. “You must remember that they have. lost enormo@s sums of money,” Mal- and there will Timothy's It was further understood that if I could discover any one of them had inspired a covering bet. 1 wan released from my promise. This is why the odds got to six to one. In- Hospital by 9 o'clock that evening, the notes|cidentally they insured the defeat of I had written and addressed were 10| their man. When Burns entered the be delivered. Incidentally the inspec-|ring tonight it was to fight, mot to tor was present, unofficially of | pox.” course.” “You oughter been in the ring with 2 head like that.” sald Alf Pond sor- rowfally. “We found Burns fairly comfort- ably in the wine-cellar of an empty house near Ripley. They had left him food and water and beer. In all probability on awakening tomorrow morning, had we not found him, he would have discovered the door un- locked and himself no longer a pris- oner.” Malcolm Sage paused with the of Scotland Yard and “That's true,” said Alf Pond, mod- ding his head and reaching for an- other cigar. “He never fought like it before in all his life.” “And where were you last night?” inquired Mr. Papwith of Sage. “In my bed,” said Malcolm Sage. “and my friend, Inspector Wensdale 1 slept here. Burns has never been out of Wens: dale’s sight until we handed him ow this evenitz.™ “You're a knockout, that's what you|Malcolm Sage, “and threatened to 3 ve been having police protec- axe; Mr Bage mald Al Ponil with 20-| Ley. e prisoner mntill after’ the] ®.r Of oub wko Bas tol s story. oo, SNapyiiy Barns. - miring “conviction. “I'd never have | fight. But why did you keep Papwith and | "%, 1" VU Gidn"t oughter have gone thought of it all,” he added, with the| “Gee!” exclaimed Kid. me at Stainfon until late this after-lyw, days without doing anythink,” air of one desiring to be absolutely fair. | “I anticipated some wach move, and [ noon?" inguired Mr. Douiton. said Alf Pond. .. “Finally,” continued Malcolm Sage, | had instructed my people that unless| = “In the first instance, to be in| “On! I had a bit of sparring with ‘there was the car. It was a large car: |I were back by 4:30. they were to[charge and to see that Burnx dis-| iy Sage,” said Burns. “in spite of the a defect in one of the tires enabled me | deliver curtain packets to the editors|appearance was kept secret. It was|gjasses. ' If you want to see some to determine that by a steel rule. It was obviously heavily laden and the near back wheel was out of track. This fact, of course, was of no help on the high road, where other cars would blot of well known London papers. Inj these packets was told the story as far as 1 had been able to trace it This I informed them.” “What did they say to that?” asked out the tracks; but if I could show that | Mr. Doulton. Jome one’ whe had been heavily bucking * k% 2 erson had a nose ¢ damaged, o and a car with a near back wheel out of | “"'HEY insisted that I telephone track in just the same way that this particular wheel was out of track. and that its tires were the same as those of the car that drew up outside Burns’ training quarters, then I should have a wealth of circumstantial evidence that it would be almost impossible to confute. “From a friend at Scotland Yard 1 obtained the number of the ear belong- ing to the man whom this evidence in- volved. “As Stainton is off the Portamouth'of a possible hold-up.” countermanding my orders; but as 1 explained that I had told my man Thompson he was to disregard any telephone message. or written in- structions, ke might receive from me, they realized that’the game was up. I also informed them that Inspector Wendale and two of his men were waiting at_my office in anticipation | | | obvious that every eundeavor would be made to put a lot of money on Jefferson _before the fact became known. This would lead to rumor, and later to inquiry. Subsequently 1 decided that you were both better out of London, as you would have been interviewed and bound to give something away, in spite of the ut- most cautio “And now sage,” said M Doulton, “who are the scoundrel “I have promised mot to give their names.” was the quiet reply. “Not give their names cried sev- eral of his hearers in unison. Malcolm Sage then proceeded to ex- plain_that upless the gang had seen a loophole of escape they would not have thrown up the sponge. Had ex- posure been inevitable in any case, | pretty foot-work, Alf, you get him to put the gloves on.” “I knew it.” cried Alf Pond. with conviction; then, turning to the others, “Didn’t 1 say he oughter been in the ring And Malcolm Sage found relief from the admiring eyes of his guests in gazing down at the well Dbitten mouthpiece of his briar. “But why did you let me think that Jefferson and his crowd were in it>" inquired Burns, with corrugated brow. e “Well,” said Malcolm Sage slowly, “as [ had put twenty-five pounds on you to steady Pond’s nerves 1 didn’t want to lose it.” And Alf Pond winked gleefully across at Mr. Doulton. NICE, French Riviera, August 15. MOST astonishing alleged crook plot, which took in a number of American visitors as well as French and other Kurop- eans of ull classes, has been going on for month: here, before the local police or French State Department de- tectives learned a word about it. And even now that Leon Laforge. Prince de Vitanval—old-time usurper of noble titles and functions—is un der arrest as King of Transcaucasia. his newly invested “nobles” have such confldence in the political secrets which he whisperéd to them that there has not been a sngle complaint, and the police simply cannot obtain wit- nesses. Here is a man who set up a mon- archy under the nose of the French republic, elaborated its political con- stitution, applied regularly for admis- wion 10 the lemgue of nations. and Uraced the economic questions which must occupy the talent of hia nobles. ministers and state secretaries. He 40 captured their confidence in the roles they would be called upon to play that, not to compromise the cause,” hundreds of people kept abso-: lute silence during from three to six months. K'mg. ministers and state secre- celleries of FEurope and cha Washing- half the Department at the State tor They had deposited models of the postage stamps of Transcaucasia with the Universal F Tnion at Rern. The king could prove, in fatt, that he had the backing of the last regu- ilar ambassador of Russla in France. usasia-Vitanvalia is a coun- lly upder the domination of . In view of the comini restoration, millions of francs' worth of orders for state robes, court man- tles’ and dladems had been accepted fern and Mappen & Webb. And the French polce for months {knew nothing at all about ft. { * % x |I EON LAFORGE, it must be ad- < mitted. is a wonderful man. He !ix a man of power—because he almost believes his own stories As early as 1901 I had to write bout him when he raised a veritable litle fortune out of “Chancellery dues,”” as Don Leon, Prince Laforge de Vitanval, Roman Prince and Sov- ereign Grand Master of the Order of St. Leon and Chevalier of the Crown of Ital For months plain citisens whom he had dubbed chevaliers lit up streets of Paris with his bits of col- ored ribbon in their buttonholes. In a gold-lace dresa coat of his own he- raldic academy he made himself con spicuous—as high as the receptions of the French White House and vari- ALLEGED PRINCESS CARIA, MYSTERIOUS “REAL PRINCESS OF {THE CAUCASUS,” CLAIMED TO BE | BEHIND LAFORGE IN HIS GREAT PETROLEUM SWINDLE. ous ministries, shaking ‘hands with President Loubet, patronizing ambas- sadors, conducting ladies whom he did not know to the bulfet, and offer- ing his “protection” right and left. One day President Loubet got an-. noyed. Ny “Who Is this incumbering person he asked. The quesiion was passed on to Pre- fect of Police Lepin: A week later Leon Laforge was languishing in jail He got six months for swindling—not for calling himself Roman prince. It was gust the money he obtained that got him into trouble—those ‘“chan- cellery dues” which he got from his dupeg. But were they dupes? Were they ‘not buying something and get- ting their money's worth? A year later he was again about Paris, gefting invited to receptions. When requested officially to cease wearing the “diplomatic” costume of his own heraldic academy he replied by letter to the state department, threatening to complain to the King of lt&l&. ‘whom he called “my illus trio iend and august cousin.” ‘The foreign office thought they had him, but Don Leon as he has practically always done. e right to call the King “The Italian lipped out of it | taries were in correspondence With by the well-known houses of Red-{ THE CROOK WHO CALLS HIMSELF KING TERLING HEILIG. cial Correspondent ] Amazing Adventures *Queen,” dom“ Df Transcaucasia. | !} Clementine Faroppa. a Former Department Store Salesgirl, and His “King- ! 7The Sunday Star Spe- in France, Tells of the of Leon Laforge. His ( {of cardinal. | " They could not contest his being a | chevalier of the crown of Italy. It seems that in his youth he wrote a book on MacMahon. Having sent a {copy of it to easy-going old King {Humbert, the latter was pleased 10 find it apeak so well of Italy and of his own free will dubbed its author chevalier! But Don Leon—so ready to collect chancellery dues from others—had not paid his chancellery dues to Italy, which in every land is sine qua non to perfect. cinch. absolutely vest and hog-tie all such beautiful distinc- tions. So he ceased, for the time, to be chevalier. 7 Never completely idle in the inter- vening years devoted feverishly to genealogical studies and curious de- tails of dying princely houses and ob- | scure governments, he might have earned a fine living as heraldic ex- pert and booster of the new-rich in an ancestral sense. Instead, he craved always to set, up kingdoms of his own. Somebody has to set "em up! * k% ¥ THUS the origin of the grand affair is as follows: Laforge began about a year ago by showing a parchment written in Eng- lish and authenticated by great seals granting to him the concession of cer- tain petroleum flelds in Transcauca- sian territory. Take note of this. A veritable princess of the Caucasus, it is claimed, hopes by these maneuvers to save her own bacon. According to Baron Pursell (of Kansas City), she will be the means of saving all con- cerned, at need. / S At Beaulieu-sur-Mer, last autumn, Laforge got together a quantity of Georgian refugees, contract working men, disbanded soldiers (who had come with the Russian contingents), adventurers and petty nobles, - by whom he had himgelf proclaimed hereditary king of a kingdom having more or less the same boundaries as these ofl concessions. Thisdone, Laforge demanded, through the intermediary of Ambassador Mala- koff, still technical representative of Russia recognized by France, aid and protection from Gen. Wrangel, not yet then beaten, to deliver his kingdom from the bolshevist domination. Wrangel, grasping at every local recognition (a nameless village or two gained, in those days, counting well worth while), sent - encouraging replies to Prince Vitenval, called King of Transcaucasia. (What did Wrangel know? The king was introduced by Malakoff.) And these encouraging re- ports from Wrangel served as a basis to obtain new recognition from par- ties knowing none too much about the business—or_their own—and it was done by maii. Laforge, it must be re- membered, has an erudition and a 1eadjness in these things probably S PRINCE DE VITANVAL AND SELF-MADE KING ol-" TRANSCAUCASIA. e ———___ protocol gives me the equivalent rank ! equal to the specialists of any chan- | | | i cellery of Europe. A desk full of stuff from the league of { rations! | big portfolio of correspondence | | (says Baron Pursell) from our State Department at Washington! * ¥ X ¥ THE more the French sleuths di cover in this “bottle of ink" the| less they understand. And the more they understand, the less reason ap- pears to despise the intelligence of a large category of Laforge's “dupes.” be they American, French East. i The French papers carefully refrain from ridiculing them, and in the cas of our fellow countrymen they men- tion them only by Initials. like *Mr. C connected with a consulate, “Dr. Y——, American dentist,” * | X—, banker of Toledo, Ohio, ‘Mrs. W—— and daughters of Phila- delphia.” Many of the names enjoyed transformations, local color being i troduced by adding “off” or “sk The New Orleans Corsican Regine is | Baron Regineski. Suter. “agent for American agricultural implements” | 1 DEPARTMENT STORE SALESGIRL, PHOTOGRAPHED AT NICE, BE- FORE SHE BECAME QULEN OF| TRANSCAUCASIA. . and undersecretary of state for wire- less, is Count Suteroff on the books. But, for that matter, all citizens of Transcaucasia - Vitanvalia, ~whether resident or non-resident, become. noble on payment of their chancellery dues. . All have a right to participate in | national Red Cro: Leon i the summit of the mountain & the sale of the first popular loan of the kingdom, of 250,000 rubles—the roval :"uhlp being valued at two pounds ster- ing. 1t is. indeed, the duty of all citisens 1o co-operate ifi the building of the capital, on the banks of the Khanis Tzkali river. if only by the sale of municipal bonds on which they have a generous commission. Among other institutions are: A house of lords, senate and house of commons, each consisting of one- third woman members; a merchant marine. river fleet and air service, hydroplanex and tanks to carry pe- m to foreign refineriex, and a national pipe line whose stock if to become “guarantee for extensions’— whatever the phrase may mean In all this, two names stand out be- side that of the king. They are Count. Coetech Yavorsky. chief secretary of state, and Duke Dokondowsky, his undersecretary, who Pursell says is George Dakin, “of Erie county, Pa.” Is it peculiar how ‘petroleum smells, near and far, in all thix? ARON P B PURSELL of Kansas City was here welfare capacity. th the A. E. F. in a He still deems the plain. untitled American the noblest work of nature, but believes in doing in Rome as the Romans do. Don’t lwugh at Mrs. W two daughters,” he says. “They all three countesses, as genuine as the majority at Nice. The king has been acclaimed by more real Trans- caucasians than any other claimaut territory. He has fought for, hefore the league of mations, of ambaseadors and Inter- He has lodged claims and- protests for them with the chancelleries of Hurope and the State Department a¢ Washington. and if they're not 105t in the shuffle when the soviets fall it will be due to Laforge, Prince Vitanval” he queen? 1 said. a_salesgirl in a depart- Yex. Does it disqualify. The Empress Theodora was girl in Constantinople an, Anastasia of G was ter girl in Clev Ohic ought to be glad to get some on those thrones: the king ix under a set up her T man from Kansas gs from his cigarette and stared into the sky. Slowly he reached into his inside breast pocket for a big black partfolio. “Here is the joker of the pack:" he whispered. “Cast your eves upon this photograph. Refore the soviets fall this lady and her iriends will have the king at liberty to make his claims? It was the photograph of a strong- faced. oriental-looking woman in a fashionable lingerie blouse and queer gold chain of Turkish workmanship “The Princess Caria!” he said with reverence. e ix a real, born prin- cess of the Caucas) Behind her is the local pull of Transcauca the little territorial bosses trust her. And up there, in Paris, she has got the pull of western capital to defend the little kingdom. ““Transcaucasia-Vitanvalin.”” 1 W he snapped. “It's got to have a name to mark it off from all those crooks around its borders, and a bunch of western hustlers to push it along!” As 1 said at_the beginning, Vitanval is a wonderful man. During =ix months his newly appointed *nobles had such confidence in the political secrets which he whispered to them not a word about the kingdom the French police. Today, val in jail, they cannot ob- mur- Mrs. Southworth, Novelist. (Continued from Third Page.) comes to hand. which happens to be a few paragraphs of the first chapter of “The Fatal Marriage”: It was near the close of 8 sultry fi,' I in the month of September. 1755, that Lieu Orville Deville, a youny Micer of Braddoeck's provincial corps, urged his weary horse up the ieep western sscent of the Ridge of Spears. one of the most dificult and dangerous fthe mountain ranges in the western part of ol Maryiund. Behind him at some short distai rode his faitbful servant Nero. As l‘lmfl gol acing of the wun_striking full npon them brought Individusi in distinct relief. The Young soldier seemed not more than eighteen years of age. His Sgure was t d_fmely Pproportioned. his features were cast i wrest classic_mould, his complexion wi fair as that of the fairest lady. tering curls were of & pale golden color and his dark eves were friuged with lashes of the same delicate bright hue. His really beauti saved from the slightest wuspicion of femainacy by the whole ter of its expression. by the flash of the con eves. the curve of the eagle nose. the curl of the whort upper lip. the upward protrasion the well-turned chia, the stately careiage of the head, the erect position of the body. and, in short, by the genersl and unmistakable air of conscioux strength, invincible courage amd 2lmost insufferable arragance that distinguished his whole bearing. Before the man who is writing thix story, and is about to make an end of it, is a criticism of Mrs. South- worth's work and which was written by one of those bookish fellows who know just how books should be writ- ten but who do very little writing themselves. It follow: “Mrs. South- worth may be ranked as one of the most successful novelists this country has ever produced. Perhaps she might be said to belong to & generation past, rather than to the present, which affects the realistic and philosobhical type of romantic writing more than any othé~ Mrs. Southworth’s stories. sensatic < they have often been called, rolific In incident, dra- matic 1 2osition and vitally alive from ber _.:ing to end, but were never. fmpure. Their popularity was wen. by these characteristics.” Y hAnon‘ _Mgs. ' Southworth’s friends ‘who were e tage were J Howard Payne, Whit. tier. Charles Sumner, ‘Lowell. Lydin. Maria Child snd Alice Cary.