The evening world. Newspaper, February 24, 1915, Page 15

<+ ees “ae PrP eerrien, i908; 'y wien ws date) CHAPTER Iv. (Contipusd.) Chap-Book Mews. ma 2 2 \¥ companion led to the o- $8 three thin slabe of marble that served as steps; and as I held to " the spiral hand-rail I ‘Gaw-above me lotters cut deeply into the stone and read with diMouity— the blackness had spread to them fe the manner of. ep. obliteration, ‘was only to be made outs ‘~BOLP HYNDE YS CHAPPH-BOOKDS oe «Turning from the contemplation © ef his, I noted the little wooden sign with which, by grace of the London “"Gounty Counoil, the town is provided Tor the guidance of the unknowing. This sign was tacked onto the limba + ,@fthe hardier creepers, Just upon the +; Seinture of alley and court; and des: + fgnated the place: Ss CHAP-BOOK MEWS. = “In response to the knock of my ,Sempanion, @ letter-flap was .poked , Wpward and, I euppose, an eye eur- om veyed us. Then the little iron shut- } oe an back and the door was es 192 “P@hould think tt was time,” I in- » *fetrupted. “You say you didn't make f Wuccess as a literary man, Jones. wasn't for lack of the descriptive faculty. You remember whet the » Great. Pym said to Sentimental Tom- my: ‘Cut out the parts that keep the story from marching.” _. “I don't belong to Pym's school of rye Jetters,” he smiled. “And, really, I am telling the etory in the only way possible to me. But if you think 1 am verbose I will try to hurry a \ s.littie”" . “Do,” I urged. “But I may forget something,” be ‘warned me. ” aid L continued. “Here goes id style of narration. ‘The man who opened the door wag the one you know as Chitty; and I may mention hete and now that "= Ghitty i» wanted in London for stap- ~** bing a ‘pal’ in a place down White- a He is also an expert electrician. You may imagine these + have no bearing on, the cass, later on you will sce "that they “YT Will pass over the appearance of the old house insidé in deference to your desire for haste; but there ts something that should be mentioned if you are at all interested in the saece traperred of criminals, When I wm in the hall inside I scemed to be ig proximity to some gitna habitation @f woodpecker—a perpetual tick-tack- in measured cadences, Then I six cheap German clocks—pur- * @haseable at the most at half-a-dollar sor half-a-crown, all indicating. the game time and ticking busily, set on brackets in the wall. As we the stairs I saw more clocks. At head of the stairs, Chitty opened @eor, and my companion and myse'f @ ehip’s cabin—queer locker arrage- wients, rope ladder swii ng too sextant meter, and any number of nautical ures about the wall. Near the ‘windows, @ hammock was suspended .. from frre, jolsta, and a man eswun therein. lo had @ small head an badly cropped hair of a reddish tinge «-pdout his ears; the rest of his head bald, His features we: ts, 4 from aky! tand on which stood a Gquadrant, and shive. baro: yThe Watch Dogs!. aug BY HOWARD FITZALAN| inthat house; and”—— “Keep to the “Nothing,”: he ied. “I never saw any one but Chitty atid the man who brought me there. I never even saw the paralytic again. At the end of two weeks we were given dis- Line and got for all three of us across. we were brought here. While we were in the house, Chitty and I, we were 04 too busy fooling with the Mar- ec te to see anything much even if we had bad the chance, “Well, for the Lord’s sake,” I said, Fogger ven "You haven't done anything clear my head. It's bussing now more than ever. What about the clooke—why were #0 many of them there?” yt! was Sorty-seven, aid he’ had forty- weven clocks in the house to eternally remind him of her. Rather pretty eentiment, wasn't it?—especially in a ees who gathered murderers about I think I eald something uncompli- mentary about the sentiment. Now indeed here was @ mystery far beyond any logic. <A collection of murderers—two queer houses—a girl of wit and beauty as a recruiting agent—a doting old man who wished to be eternally reminded of a, dead wife and—it was too much for me, I turned to Jones, who was gazing Greamily at the end of a cigarette. Another anomaly—this gentle spirited telegrapher with Mterary ambitions! It was hard to fancy him a murdorer. “Bee here!” ‘said I. “You've been in this business nearly a month eo far as I can make out from your story. Haven't you any theory that will explain this thing? He laughed. “Theory! I have about a thousand of them. My first one was that it ‘was some freak philanthropic scheme for the reformation of the wicked— but I goon gave that up. My private me desper- needs men who will be bound to it by some- thing stronger than oaths or prom- ines, You realize, of course, that it wouldn't: do for any of‘us to peach— because. to peach would mean our own damnation before the law.” “That eounds reasonable,” I opined. He nodded. “I suppose that's about it. And every time I look at Longuehaye I feel surer of it, By the by, he was the man who brought me to Chap-Book Mews.” “It's @ wonder you wouldn't have told me that before,” I said. ‘ of course, makes the thing evil. If sver @ man resembled Lucifer that man is Longuehaye. He has the wickedest face I h ver seeh out- side Dore‘s pictures: and the worst of the wickedness te-that it-is indefin- The man has every indication Look at his small his well-groomed ap- pearance, his beautiful enunciation.’ took him for an But it appears ih,” warned my companion. y, this is his house,” I con- tinued, in a lower tone. “He corhes from one of the best families in Mary- land; but he gambled ay all his money ten years ago. I didn't know him. | He was before my time, I sup- “ 1% added bitterly, “that I stepped into his shoes. But I ‘was never accused of ing @ pair of aces in my sleeve. at was what drove him out of Baltimore.’ I heard that his mother died recently and left him the rest of the Gibbons fortune. Now ti I remember, she was @ Longuehaye—one of the descendan’ of the Huguenots that settled on the Eastern Shore—Lord, yes!" Recolieotions of duck-shooting—with which Worcester County was synony- mous in my mind—caie flooding in on me. -For a number of years I had gone regularly to that part of the country during the autumn. A pleas- ant atmosphere of leaves whirling in @ crisp autumn wind and the craggy sea-driven coast of the county came me. “It is unbearable in the summer,” 1 Tuminated. “Old Worcester with its Ocean Cities and Pope's Beaches and eo not; but in the autumn—there's ” jough that were an ao- tion. trembled out a yes. “He waved me to one corner of the "sfeom and entered into a whispered consultation with the man who had brought me there. As I looked around *the room I saw more of the clocks han before—some fifteen, mostly of p German make, but A, others Ca value. I remember ‘rome: especially—a ship's chronometer 4a @ dented silver case and @ little “de same chi per clock from Nemours delicately i comneed with figures which I made out sto ‘represent the Argonauts at Col- ontiood heave " I broke in \rritatedly. “What is all this flapdoo- about, anyhow? Get down to dpan and tell me something.” _ Nala time Jones appeared irritated. well,” he sald ey 8 te to give you an idea ie paar neee and mystery of the Mive had enough of weirdness and myetery,” I averred. “That's what a rail, Im afraid I can't do it for <you,” he od, still sulky. “I sup- 4 Bose Tit only ‘mystify "you furthe mi an in the hammock—who was “paralyzed in b companion calle . I understood » Seaid that I had"-—— “Leok here,” 1 interrupted. “No Alaquiail the subject l= ar t'aon't know, string about ere: welt” he sighed, iT said ’ tet Twas Trterentea tn. it, He dm ‘he would get books and in- struments and I should study it. Pet ears is for you, Jones, Tell you it's coming close to real life to lie on your back in a boat and bi I ocean roar and rush in your ears and wait for @ flock to spotted brown above you! And I remember the old It's out om an islan of Cape Henlopen and in line with the centre of the Isle of Wight Bay— didn't know we had an Iale of Wight, did you, old Briton? Lord, yes! You Sit moet of our shooting mist came inge—Archie befare we knew what we were doing the tide carried us out through the inlet, Couldn't make shore again very easily, and Archie Fer oho Otter ter of five miles from shore—and m: ourselves fortable im the old Longuehaye place. “Nopody lives there; no ene has for twenty-five years. Place was bullt (n 1700 by an old Huguenot whose wife eloped with another man. He came cruising about for a place where he could bring up his eon and daughter to hate the world—found this island and bought it from one of the Cal- rts, Lord Proprietors of Marvians, one olga q % Wanted a drink! “World Daft “What's up, dear boy?” inquired that. he is the leader—and as a matter Pembroke Jones, tossing away his of fact I don’t know that he is. And rette, let Longuehaye know I've been got ‘back into bed again, for it talking quite so much, was far from being comfortable in bath now. thin pajamas on eo chilly a night. “T was just thinking,” I explained, “that the island in question belongs | on it and’ “And?"—echi “I'ma blessed if I know,” § don't let = © Foom, fe ry Rush your The room is on the floor above—bum place for a bat "s painted white, to Longuehaye. There's no one living, When I had — riedly bathed, pi cept ens, ar ses an wn tl frankly. “But a hazy idea came to morning and I bey me that we shall find that island to my clothes, ‘for t! be the scene of our operatione—what- in the room, ;Jones was in a pink You can’t miss tisfactorily and hur- returned to find essed and pacin, It was a fan to hurry into re was no heat ever there are to be, But I'm sleepy. flannel. ahirt this time and hi Good night!” “Good di you at sunset.” CHAPTER V. Sunken Treasure. We discuss murder as a fine art @nd spin theories anent our mys- tertous gatherance. immediate}y fell asteep; in- deed it was far into the Chap-Book M: ® Spaniard, “& Bpan ay before I did. But I will », AB4 a and tle matched it 1" he corrected. “See fancied such getups; but they became Jones with his thin, delicate features ff wavy hair across his about the lady, Jones?” 1 im, 1d his shoulders, hgne was in London at the time,” he said, “But she didn't live at the house in ‘w her only oc- Y OU are not to imagine that I casionally and never to speak to. She's 1 got blon: '¥ @houldn't she have? You've evidently been reading roman- before. I never 1 should #ay.” hoed. “Why, hair.” spare you the details of my thoughts. tic nevels written in London They were far from pleasant ones, The Spaniards aren't confined Strangely enough they had nothing c#Pil! ry coverings of to do with the mystery, but only of hair; and that there are mo: the crime of which I was guilty. My in Aragon than in Berlin. I suppose mind, overstrained and without the you think ‘Bully’ Frochwaii balance of stimulants, worked out ‘tellan because his hair feverish details consequent upon the beau killing of the policeman, the carrying his mistreatment yet, the"’—— by | tradition in ne Pemly to be ald. of hia body home, the horror end built like oak-trees,” sriet of w wife, and the wondering what makes you think the lady is a Spaniard?” I was able to clearly visualize all “Well,” he answered, stare of children. bye, you did jark? ‘or that brute tifully, I've got the bruises from thie—the. features of his wife, some Withered old crone for a care-worn woman in @ wrapper of dingy calico, solled from the t__-~ ~ the household; and little children tn stockings that came down over thelr dulce for sweets, you know; chubby legs, and flaxen hair in pig- huevos pasada por egua—I think tals, But I have eald I would spare that Getalls and here you find me giving them. Let it suffice that my whole ¢’ \ being was in torture; and how “Yes,” he agreed smilingly. “#o you know Spanish, eh vA "1 replied. ‘When finally I did find rest of curs bur i bave @ vast commana-ot being robbed of swore the inguitives: of ¥ rt e int ives of verbs, ot Be ona: Sonat ie read ‘Don Guinety in Spanish once— ribe @ full five times. As I got into Sotnine better todo, f suppose clothes I could make out a sunset with the ald of memory I was very much averse to laughingly that he had prodded my right”— & little barbarous,” I smiled. a suppose you mean ‘boiled even in that darkened room, ao glar- ‘ictionary I did it ing wae the reflection of crimeon. “Better hurry,” eaid Jones. “We get only two mi at sunset—which means about 5 at this ‘time of year—the other at 11. @ duel oy » you know. Oni barr ana—eh 7’ and a perfect imp of Satan I first saw her in Balti- ®, you know.” marvel more and more at your failure as #n author,” I said, Jones smiled. me, eating it down there with that rapid adjustment of awful crew; it's like throwing scraps Longueha: into the wild animal “Where do we eat the other one?’ sup) ting that one with “thet our Longuehaye and 8 lady, “and she ome idea that I am the deus ex ma- speaks with “It's about as noups, and I tried to a gramma: Bo the lad; I could see be be- You just missed that one last night. Meved firmly in himself in that capac- And the present meal is the one that ity; and would, no doubt, have ex- I don’t want to mise—we eat that patiated further upon it; but a knock one with decent people. The 11 o'clock on the door antedating the appear- le Meal is somewhat of a nightmare to ance of Longuehaye, drove me to a within collar, wes in @ suit of loose greeted us courteously delayed the meal, he eald, nodding to me, here has given you has a faithful binck that is a cook. China of this organization. to merit a cordon bleu. There are couple of men who cook for tl second meal. Longuehaye just stopped He nodded by here on his way to a bath and told time I had of | me you were to join me at table to- we most deci night. Good thing they have a pri- pher—and if I bado’ should have had to is vate water system here—pump it ui @uenot 5 ie the Lar runny yayen, "When thelt father @ Lon, 08, en, rather itted suicide they closed up the dsland home and never went ie ‘Their mother brought em, 06 Daiise more, and they e out. tn 7 who she other sipter ee PG Seals vo iy ta from the Patapsco. You'd better rusl and get your bath. I've had min shoulders he gave me a warning loo! insive gen’ a business proposition of some he replied glibly, Ronqusbaye owitig this house or be- hazard, ing in any way superior to the rest. are not to imagine them; one mak up me them to get the ret “Well, yes,” I hesitated. “That is, he bas told me that you picked him othere—me included when I take the up.” “And @ too," he sald. ly needed a t take some inof- It was my plan, of getting oriminale for ‘our As I threw his bathrobe over my echeme.” inferred that,” I said. ke. scheme?" “Not a word to the other men about = “I! red leave this place for to use I “But the “But you at because you in being with them and are Seqemactty ® coadjutor, my dear Sab ake st ia wera fhe . aif 33: init to tell’ me you haven't of jet-biack, gifttering. eyes Jooked 2° not going identified this neighborhood. at it out of La ‘se Hill Bhe t him eimperingly ta and Avalon—and beside I'm quite Spanish; and as he turned to speak sure Jonés has told you all-he knows to her I caught Jones’s sieeve, t a word of my knowing I formed out of one corner as Longuehaye had done before; a useful trick when fe your name in such associations, He nodded un- desstanding|; and that my name would be more realistic with two syllables led. add great-unclé Carolus married my mot unt, Nancy the ni Strangitharm. You last night, you. know.” aia “Well, I'l admit the cousingship if you Ike,” I aid, although ogy geal ‘not in a tone he relished. “But I would more appreciate some ieht jnto a, tydeted i * est el sen m of. m what will hay a+? “You should abprépiate, then, the fact that you will be undoubtedly she replied t hanged, or given at least life's im- must pecessarti; prisonment if you show your face telegraph offices; that undoybtealy will happen. Don’t-you find my reve- of them?" haven't told me Spying know yet,” I sai breakfast, is 1 mpanion of Longuehaye. cities or near ratlroad stations or ya: ga ct Ave me & ti ot WT “Ei malo hi th eypiained, inthe Drown cheek my Her hair was glorious effect that thie beam fell on ince he was the me suddenly to Both the received this’ time answer I,pro- tion of dislike. As d,* takitig the rd dry hand of the woman in miné ‘attitude to Pembroke J lations top disquieting to wigh more ‘ard bowing over it. of an’ * sjmpering ae Me @ mouth full w I slipped into my.. coat, “You:--of false teeth, an, uo Spanish to the effect th very fine caballero, indeed; fn my -belief that a suppbsed paid little attention to it murmured some h & eagnest conversation merits of eomething connected with th Wireless outfit, there being He halted me at the door, and hia “nc of Spanish might lead to some- ton ag to seemingly fey J unhealthily white face and unshaded eyes came close to me. ‘forced to leav you lack a e#pectal qualification like wald. Jones, who Is a telegrapher, or Chitty, Wo apologi who is an electrician, or Evel: Btrangit Paks, Simons and Yettas, who are Longue! sailors—Eveling 1s alao a navigator— _ 1 didn’ mention. -The wicked reason you are quartered here and mirth. with Jones in a good room, and are sinship; invited to dine with us, is because sem of our consideration of your birth and Diace breeding; but we could drop you and Ccoffee-urn; and others I nfight never once feel the loss of it~you th understand?” complementariés of his expression! long, 3 7 Cousin Bobby!" sald face and arpereaty unseeing eyes; bby at haye, a8 be th @ platter containing soup oeeary be was to, come Lerhape you will take usto Otter | -47ave you even the newspapers? Sut T doul a but for all that the words. ware « a bl -, tered wi Tanhg? end fat ae wah, as Be ter. SES tended they should be, Iland,” I ventured, t the present time. Have you some teformation of aah was nothing to be ga‘! from such nonplused, he inquired. have the full burden of my suspicions. ry “4 “Why, we haven't used it for days. ‘Otter Island,” said I, “le five miles 1 sought you'd give it Up as too den. * waid Jones, apparently sur- from the Maryland shore. It serous, prised, upon @ aque “ E’ and made pursue with eecrooy I can't Imagine eect tone poet Nnztetia ty know “What tter place to transplant this crew had Chitty, tp 1 atin, Thanks H' mb" ni natruction I'm enough of a te- 'H'mb,"; said he Lr ae 1 jegrapher now to ask @ aimple qu in your acheme, my dear cousin, I will sd'to hans ony think it over; and 1 thank you for my ies of criminals don't knoW but there is someth! thought. And now I'm sare we hav Suppose we go below. full control of @nd voice—the control of the crooked’ gamester—but , After th he had not yet mastered his muscle. there could be nerves. For all his control I did not, Of my mind over. thi believe that the thought.of my know. Man was dead. lawry and the com y reswaing ” Ing of Otter Istand waa pleasant to Liwry and the companionaaip of mrs 1 could aco his brows knit and his, lip intuition on my soot to further flagelinte myself form the name I Had given Mim, logic had a faw with @ conscience w! gutside heard. the rustle of akirte "Let's let it t more @bout it,” ly, one him. As we passed into the wide hallway oe withered like nothing so much ne a hard! & the lady bere. very old lomon—her skin one web of ROT eurjecta Very Qne wrinkles trom which & pair thing, Ionly bowed again “Don't know Castellano, eh? in~ a. “I want you to underatand the att- aulred Longuehayo. uation,” he eatd. “In @ day or eo we We followed the crone through Btoul parts unknown darkened Nelle 050 into a you, ould manifest a too on curious disposition. we might be ing streaks of red fell across @ table’ ithout Y ; one Jf we leave ~ for five. you without an: ion of what i re tend to do—you are as harmless aa a fireplace where a small wood ‘fire hooded snake. Now you are of some: blazed ai value to us—in a physical way; but “I. have beon kept waiting, zed profusely, “ ‘a’ fault,” drifted ‘through Tooes Bevare we: Ans the coffee My | was oacing up end Gown before a example, “Nor y |. She recognised us curtl: It was bY, to Keep lained Imust get explained about the oo mut the explanation did’ sot Bhe took her unch the head of the table by the asked, his and the duepne sat at foots Longuehaye on one side of ; as Jones seemed to hesitate He spoke quietly, his voloe devoid S20ut bis seat, 1 slipped down on the of either emotion or emphasis, peou- ey larly color! H fis erireaeieeleet around’ Baltimore for you to-der, i" are having « merry chase haye not seen since I “It wos not sure that I I think you are wrong,” he said, killed him?’ is offered for sala in Baltimore wis look waa ‘ironical. yourself that sop, are yout Well, you'd better dianiss it. sats ot thet Tong ae rien embroke Jones he! face, #0 monotonous & that’ our Yriend Chitty hds “Féeding . migsos I've made then,” she said. tell you After hie “we pped @ my me ala wire running from Washingtow to at the fire and the fame-| Baltimore? icle,. friend Jones, you her face looking very mu ‘There was no help for it; 1 had pro- Cy vokedihis musploton. He might am-woll those tte thine aol > Police Headyuarters fora Anal '@ Police Headquantérs for kept the lady waiting long enough. edition. ‘Is the policeman that Stran; itharm assaulted alive?’ I asked. I foliowea him, wondering if there most -instantansous was a hole in my piclops, Then thelr operator. ‘What news of ran; the remerabranoe thaf he had clenched erey I San, sokent but I Sass Ai 4 wi , for gO! owe! 8 da recurred to me., He had Saked wrong, for eo! orture of the dorers. Longuehayé i cigarettes. But boys before ; “Why her otonous “You wight “Well, it was “He reached Ni and after buying what he need them. forty Be, Ot Mount ati - i re tendant @uppose you had Fy 5 i i He nodded, bowed Hi re E BE F de af Witeh of Bndor ed of absolute jure of 7, Ce Are A they % to one another anired Jones. the conversation, to him, I have my aakrewing etate I calied it some- #0! Criehurch.” iy night keep, Up mi cking ea 4 ‘The out- jaug! mur- the co! ‘hat's true enough,” He agreed, and sat down'at the table in It was ap uneventful ovenine. My and nay no victory over Frochwaige “The topia is the res) re? my felloy ‘can be Hs to, they priee Bh Teeny pil onan wes ate i a2 i z48 i i Hi 83 i Bas - H iat i Hy ELE lie ¥ i i i “ z ven’ nat hydrant "And the namp of the person?” he in mock, ‘queried, * male eS I don't remember how I first gave it ‘the thing: it at the time “Well,” I fina] © 1 knew it afteFward; but I think in @onabie, hing; bpt after we had entered ‘wasn't; - Mee i i is t 3 | } pe? i 31 E i fe ii Eas Eg : 2 rh ae i | ge | i z 3 8 BF : its a8 ‘| = tA > hi 54 “it i ts; &. | i r ij 2 ie E