The evening world. Newspaper, May 31, 1915, Page 11

rtably centent fact, neither he nor The Man of I abe was at the present moumut, rom her guardian, know just les mad owned by ‘Temple Bonner, 'y, Was a member of the Pow! point blank to tell to whom the leasing. No one was seen going or out of Number 1313 until one Sunday in summer, Rudolph and Phinney, sitting at a window of the Powhatan, saw four men, at hal: five men hue and three were balf-hidden their Then, « few minutes after h man disappeared into the lob- His own then his clattered feet. He regard Jaw dropped, and Mie ie Upon the grating’ at his Fecognized one of the men—an ged, white-haired servant whom he had seen once or twice emerge from Number 1813, Quickly he darted « | ong) at each of ti in turn; nat jen them before. ‘ere gon Was not until @ vagrant’ putt fciet him perilously astarboard covered his wits and Drought ile beet the motarvoat had veon ail wey ita bg in She sicom. Loatee onal lowever, Tom reflected, thi heading straight for Rocky Go the breeze id he would ha bis Own craft Ued up at his friend’ pier within the half-hour; then a quick change of attire inthe bo: and he could put in vening re- Rise ts It would be queer tf he fo turn up somethin, mee Pers Rocky Cove. ahs cante) ut after he had dined at hotel where he felt free to ney this season without evening clothes, he Was put out to obsei that a storm was brewin @ sky was already thickly overcast, the night suffucat- Sey Conrad to the west light- ing was flicl and aj with « rapidity “that promos As they still gazed, the front door of 1818 flew open and out came the fourth man who had come in—a man ‘whom Phinney had nicknamed “No. 12," because he Had entered the house atnoon. He ‘ard, and very slowly. He seemed to be fight- ing with some one in the gloom of the way. Presently, he struck a heavy blow, 4 ran down the steps. Rudolph and Phinney put om their hats and followed. As the man turned eastward into Twenty-third Btreet, they lost sight of him for a moment. But as they rounded the corner they aw him lying on the sidewalk, near an alley mou tone dead. A crowd gathered about him. And im the throng, Rudolph found his own gaze fixed on one face—the face of a young and beautiful woman. Her features were convulsed with terror. Just then a big, rawboned fellow of sandy complexion and ner, who stood near her, ight her eye. Rudolph saw ber face light with He also saw that the just and the unjust alike. The wind whistled and ehrieked, the thunder boomed and crashed 4 eplit the night, and the lightning {Illuminated the whole scene with @ ghastly sem- blance of daylight. At last the one called Callis—the sandy-complexioned man — moved lenly to his knees, but without releasing his grip upon the well-nigh drowned captive—a posture decidedly uncomfortable for Tom, for the bony knees bored into him eruelly. “Hold this duffer,” Callis shouted above the uproar, “while I knot to- ther a couple of handkerchiefs. If makes a move bat him over the head. Then came a lower-voiced addendum which Tom alone caught; “I don't know but what we ought to do it anyhow.” The other two shifted their positions @o adroitly that Tom could not stir. Another blinding flash, and ex- clamation from the man kneeling up- on his arms. “The deuce!” exclaimed Callis, who @eemed to be the one in authority, “That settles his hash We'll just take him to the old man.” Then Tom was unceremoniously While he stood undecided as to what coures to pursue, the matter rae caken Unexpectedly out of his A man, walking rapidly, came ab- ist for an seataby an upper window's shutter was thrown open, Rudolph saw, at the window, TuPUY out of the darkness and en. the hey had he crow whe e part they s&s ; telry’s open door and windows. d !t was who had been controlling the motorboat. ‘Tom now had an opportunity to ob- serve several particulars about him that he had previously missed, or failed to note—that he was a tall, loose-Jointed, muscular, youngish man, of © sandy complexion and a serious, not to say sullen, cast of countenance, Moreover, his lean, sharp-featured face bore a number of marke and abrasions, as if he had quite recently moet with an accident, The man proceeded upon his way, looking neither to the left nor the right. Ho carried a large laden bas- ket—which he bore lightly—and in second or two had passed into darkness again. The night though was now so punc- tuated by Ngptaine flashes, that Tom found no difficulty in marking his rogress along the road that led in: ‘and, He chuckled to think how luck was showing him her carda; Ruddy Van be doubtless, wae still racking his brains and aetifiing in town, Without an instant's hesitation, or thought of the storm which was break, he set out after the low. a od to ebeerve even the ordinary precaution of @ glance around. If he had, the night's adven- ture might have terminated differ- again the house seemed deserted. An hour later, a rian sent in his cart to Rudolph. The caller was ‘uy @ Central Office detective, Ru- dolph's name had been taken among others in the crowd by a policeman, a8 @ Witness to the death of the man the street, and Mint had called to make inquiries. Rudolph (leaving out only the incident of the mysterious girl) told all he knew, including the mystery of number 1313. Flint listen- » ed with keen attention, then depart- ‘ed _to work on the odd case. Tom Phinney, eager to know the details of the detective's visit, tried to pump Rudolph about it, But Ru- dolph, for once, did not feel like talk- ing} 4nd somewhat crankily demand- ed to be left alone, He was thinking; and thinking bard, CHAPTER Il. Tom Phinney’s Adventure. rolled over upon his face, his arms jerked rudely back and held securely, while his wrists were tied tightly to- fads Next he was lifted to oy he powerful grasp on either never relaxing in the slightest degree, and was so held while a third handkerchief was bound over his eyes. "ae G14 not submit tamely to the: indignities, but as his opposition was confirmed to angry curses A threats, it was worse than futile. He allis interrupted him, a0 he “1 don’t cut that out,” an- neunces With an air of finality, “I'll oes you.” And Tom perforce fell sflent, though he continued to seethe and rage in- venar dered Callis's curt “Maroh, you,” orde! 's ‘yotoe, the command being emphasised Fr, and sputtered and fumed and swore until ° his captors to “hold him tight,” as if they were not doing so already. After this he sensed that Callis moved away from him, and he remained standing, as sodden as a drowned man, while the water trickled from his clothes and onto the floor, Manifestly he was being made the mubject of quite a lively debate, which came to 4 sudden end when Callis addressed bim. “Say, you, who are you? What's your name?” “Curse you!" leaped hotly from Tom's lips. “Free my hands and I'll print Jt on your face, you dog!" “Here! None of that!" masculine voige warned “Phere are ladies here.” “They're in deuced poor company,” snarled Tom, “Gag him,” Callis briefly command- ed, “Here, take this.” But there was an interruption, Tom heard a girl's voice—not Jessie's, who- ever Jesse mig but one infinitely sweeter, say: ait.” ‘The request was made composedly. And then Tom fancied that the sweet voice’ ner was approaching him, Next second he was sure of it, “Will you not tell us who you are and why you were following Mr, Cal- Tom's sole concern at that moment Was @ profound regret that he could eo the speaker. Her voice was #0 sweet, so woft and weil-bred, that he knew must be beautiful. nother sharply. “I would be only too glad to tell you,” Tom ventured, “if {t would not at the same time give some satistac- Von to the thugs and hold-up crooks Please pardon sne— who are prevent. wasp from the girl, “It can’t be!” he heard her exclaim in @ whisper that was fairly alive with astonishment it did not coour to Tom to wonder what ehe meant. “But it ta," he replied whimateally, alao in whiaper, “Won't you re- @t least remove this yy ask: "What did he say to, your Whether or not the other girl ree- an “alloa Calita. ” inan other word was a a uffly oraerebcine fort "Sey bvious fact that he had the inoongruous party. trippet Vou may take of the bandage aher started out to follow him. oven Cr eng now and then he@ tn the dark Tis his foot with it, yeleed eoovermation "ned. dotted ah tingly inte yo ot dar Ne eae ere their attention to Tom Phinney. that clicked Mie eek untii He wae being pushed forward Thua the little procession advanced Pn Oe eee ound aaain. He stumbled againat the bot- ‘As noon aa the jast of the fringe of a ig Be A wenitive hie "There te no uae bing aa rough.” eg rt feat, ne Bees IS 4 ried and he . saat with a. pete at indlenntion” AC, cloner to Tom, The loose eand under Oniy once 414 he aitomet Callie, tell these men to be more abruptly A the now aimost continual nd rumble of thunder over. , effectively drowned out all 6 nounda The wo matters we mast aid rigged it up, then weat up into town after « boa of ne. He meant to oruiee od the Bound for » day oF two. t night, afler @ oo f pipes, on Wie part The Sina had @ie4 down, rain still poured « torrent thunder rumbled and roiled ol the night was full of ¢ Afier what seamed & tima, Tom's feet cottt ow reverberation step an a 4 Hie mounted three of them, “ee inetant ‘of the rain and Quick” und, enjoyin imoidentasly Just ae he pivoted round there He curmniead that he was came @ darsiing flash and @ deater porch, and © that he wee ‘eruiib, He viewed this otroum- 10 erash—and then the deluye conducted throumh @ doorway secrived an inatantancour piety two etalwart feures tossing & bur. den of packages to the rroun then in the ensuing wiindnese he henne A wudden feminine soream, half eupprenced, startin’ him ‘Then « wirle agitated volew And & moet re tnarkabiy wweat volne, It tw a What bes happenes? Who “Dan's with @ rueful jeu Ae heart: Wwimmed ebout motorboat, And here advinture may be nid, frumber of the bell durt We ar’ eallonay of feminine ww rant ting euriied feminine whie * oniete piled indleorininately on Pert of tim and panting tor breath, white @ eaterect of rein upon ‘we , Aenoting that at least ntie.” Aftor thin the ascent of the etatra Up two Mehta plore Presently A under the Tom went nA 4 4 Violent the floo oh trom nia eyes ankles deftly hound. The rough tumble hurt and daged him. Dimly he heard the door ehut and the click of « holt dropping into Ste woek ‘Then--#ttlinaws and darkness ofthe © toms, CHAPTER III. The Man of Iron 1OTVIER 1t was that dubbed Theotore Ven Veohten the “Man of Tron,” he deplayes * oretty wit For Ww phrase wee deeoriptive of the man, both figuratively and orn Me Husviph's ance he fortune Aimpoma! dviph knew only in # vogue way that y nner maater fini pe iT " a! the Galle commantes the’ ether owe et lds estzevegens demenda bad boon “At {east Insufficient to deplete or reduce it— that on the contrary {t had grown— and he felt in duty bound to serve on divers boards and directorates, and vote as his uncle suggested. He kept his conscience clear by never inquir- ing what it was about, He would not have understood had he been told. He paid his uncle a visit om the Monday afternoon that Tom Phinney was cruising around Long Island Sound in his friend's catboat, “I am sorry that 1 ‘6 to intrude,” he said as he walked in on the Man of Iron, “But you always ure engaged, you know, and it would be idiotic to wait. I'll hurry up and through, I came to see you about Paige.” “Well?” queried Mr. Van Veohten. “Last Saturday ended the third week since Paige and Josephine left Paris for London,” said Rudolph, “In a letter mailed just before starting, Paige informed me that she expected to remain in England two or three weeks—threo at the longest—and mentioned a number of friends proposed visiting. Some I know some I don't. Since then I have had no word from her; have you?” “Nothing recent. You might cable.” “To what address? How would it look to send cables to all our London acquaintances, asking if they know where Paige ? The newspapers would be sure to get hold of it, She and Josephine are the onea who should be cabling—or at the very least send a card.” “Well,” decided the older man, “it will not be long until we hear from one or the other of them. This is a lark for Paige. Timmons, my #eo- retary, will be instructed to inform you as soon as | hear from therm. + + + By the way, you received no- tice of a directors’ meeting next at- y night, the ninth?" 141? A good many things come in the mail that Barnicle, my old me aoe.” faithful te your ies PEt arg tioulart re yeu ‘Vi jechten eyed ie uncle our! ously. langthe *hdy autecatiariey wien Dual pecvitar time lay for « Gireototes’ meeting, Uncle Theodore? “It te @ bit unusual but the eoce- ston will be unusual. You will not regret cancelling anything eles and making It @ point to attend, It will be @ festival cocanion. An exception lly rich end juiey melon will form aiatance without warning appea “meeting,” thelr advent have rea would been no more surprising, and rearcely than what aot ordinary, op the cards to happen. It too bad that the Man of Tron and bin aateiiites the “ion and the hyenas,” os Mudeiph character ined them should not have been Vouchsafed some premonition of the climag they were unwittinwly pre paring for "1 pee,” anid Mudolp) my aun or re And he went back to the Pow natal ince Nid tat with Detective Pint yesterday, Van Veohten had heen scarcely able to Aram bhimeelf away trom the Powhatan's front windows, hetanding he within a ofcer wap Fitnt come * staring blankly at the glittering ob- “Here ry wilt ing * annoyed him, SOU! ABR aN RNa Bh tee rN eaid, goarcely above a whisper, “I am here.” The Siret worl was met with o “And I don't want you to, me," breathed Tom, fervently. you the girl who asked me my name downstaire?” Pre tly he felt een' his "breast, as lightly as @ thal foc’ a damp clothing. Then the hand futtered to his face and, in the dark~- neas, rested @ moment upon his th. Afterwards Tom astoutly asserted that what he did was wholly inad- vertent, citing as valld corroborative evidence the fact that he had had #0 time to will the act; and at the same time he contended that because the act was bemerd oad a6 reg ape therefore to condoned. Okaynow. he kissed the softest aad eweotest palm in all the world. Immediate regu! emile and nod with which the unob- trusive detective favored him from across the street. Ho was not curious to learn what had been discovered in the silent house; ahe was no longer there; but & certaia comfort was to be derived from proximity to a place that had sheltered the beautiful girl whom he could not banish from his thoughts. Jt Was much the same sentiment that impels a lover to haunt the scene of past pleasant trysts, although Van ‘echten, instead of having vouchs#afed the least modicum of en- couragement, had been openly emphatically deterred. On his arrival at the Powhatan he found Mr, Flint waiting for him, who, as soon as he entered the lounging- room, drew him off into a corner. The detective produced from hie Jectedly apologetio, “Oh, I am—I am!" she moaned, “Tt you knew what this meant for me you wouldn't be so foolish. All my life long I have been afraid of dark—not jus i frightened clear out Tom prea & gold-mesh puree, which he anded to Van Vechten, oes you ever see that before?” he qu ly asked. looked very familiar, had given Paige her But there very like birth- thousands of circumstance “Open it,” said Mr. Flint. The young man obeyed mechani- ‘What do you th: cally. His nostrils were assailed by a groaued. delicate, familiar fragrance; atill he “I think you are a cheeky young ously apprehenaive. man. I must have been percelved a pair of gloves, @ am. to have thought of aiding you A cape,” “Don't say that,” he muttered tn hoarse consternation, “Forgive me— please do, I shan't take back any- ‘ve aaid or done, but I'll prom- geod—to do exactly what prise; next instant he had {t open and one of the cards in his hand, To his utter amazement, the card bore his cousin's name, All doubt and uncertainty ing the ownership of the purse were now removed: he knew It to be his ot. “There fell another ‘Will you promise Rar? whispered couain's, He had known tt, he ad- *%e girl mitted feebly to himself, from the in- stant Flint laid tt in his hand. Paige was in England, and here ‘was ber puree in New York. It might have left her possession’ within too; the faint, eweet per- fume was so much an in’ e £3 of herself, #0 typical of hi xquisite femininity, of her individuality, that her presence here in the room with him was almost certainly indicated, No wonder that he was dum- founded. No wonder that he remained heard « long sigh of relief, aed the girl cautiously rewumed ie rile Lt Bia sng you must be obedient 4 my 1 stall again and lead from the house. H 4 until the 4 ve's voloe aroused "har, Van, Vechten,” said Mr, viint, “do you know where Miss Paige Carew tet CHAPTER IV. In the Dark. OTWITHBTANDING the ex- eftin, experience of the ne om hi ol , 3 nh & eroan Oo} night, and the rough treat Hush!” the girl ones te — meat to which he had bees "1-1 guidn't help it,” apologiaed subjeote and notwith- Tom. “It hurts like the very dev-—-lke wtanding the wretehedly uneomfort. the devee, I'll be all might in a min- And after @ bit, when the olrewla- on waa ored to the benumbed members, Tom himaeif made short sure Of the bonds around bis ankles. io rom Unelondily to hin feet able plight in which bis captors had left him, Tom Whinney'’s day upon the ter in thing bewan to produce ‘ao val effect-—he dosed fitfully sfior @ while, aauin and again coming 40 | gould only ataap o few times,” to bimaeif with « etart from he very be said verge of mumber, and then at Inst, On Pinel iak nnake eramped position po lon a iy spel, While he lent bimeelt sutunienively ty the operation, she bound one of erew pumh and ceased to handherchiels over bie eyes, tug: elept profoundly the fabric and Gepowng it io ‘Then ali at ones he was awake oe er O aeeeh and wee siive, to @ © ieht. Her fin, me, bie two things that the hour wae late, many tines, ‘ate nd that he wae not alone in the ol BON an ba ‘ide, op that room, The darkness was atti! DIL” waking nim «day tie ne sound hed Gieturhed him: u must walk just yet be eeneed another p or you con, then 9 tinh went th 0 uuatly ae it you wer And thea ot : ° rough | ule vole” weed m wuddenly aware © seusene — i means you" ane ts faint, * He bnew ~ down Awiee i that the latruder wae « woman. Could nelr Gagere be the girl of the wonderfully MMOD she Bilempled to inove away 1 her to & #tandatill, aweet voiwe? M yeu we wring We Gad me," be s35 58 ae 5 i a i Fi i i I k i il fs i i ] Py Fe i i f f > # 28 A 118? 3 - ee i i 4 4 j | sf Bt i i i ; a 3 7 i Hi f H 3s Z v : i 3 i f A 2 i i i i i A & Hl ee Fi E if Boe “te woou Fe s matter, Mr, ae you prosate if you were oi nonfat ing fut neni —t & good , &