Si' A Life For Sale ,
BY SYDNEY HORLER <^T
CHAPTER XII
Martin Creighton, mean
while, in his Hampstead
lodgings lived a quiet un
eventful life, so uneventful
In fact, that It was almost
Impossible for him to believe
the truth. He had more than
a passing suspicion that all
his movements were being
watched, but this was not
the cause which kept him on
the spot. There was the girl
—that girl about whom he
found himself thinking at
practically every moment of
the day. Sooner or later the ;
Colossus would be bound to .
send for him, and then he
must take his chance of meet
ing her again. Although she
had turned from him in some
thing like horror at Rimini’s
Restaurant, he felt that, how
ever foolish the idea might
be, his whole future life was
bound up in this girl whom
he had met in such bizarre
circumstances, Fate, having
an insoluble reason of its
own. had caused their paths
to cross. He had to protect
her. for that she was still in
dire peril he knew instinct
ively.
Two things he asked him
self. The ftrst was what con
nection had the girl with the
British Foreign Secretary?
And the second: Why had
she been in the house of the
Colossus that night? There
was a third query: Was she
the girl whose appeal for help
he had heard over the tele
phone wire? But the answer
to this problem was linked
with the second.
It was weary waiting, and
even his walks across the
glorious Heath palled after
the first two days. He spent
practically all his time out
of doors—first, because he
felt himself to be in train
ing for some stupendous
future ordeal; and, secondly,
because Mrs. Perkins’ remin
iscence of that distinguished
servant of the local gas of
fice, Mr. Dropstick, increased
In volume as time went on.
Returning from a visit to
Hlghgate on the afternoon
of the third day, Creighton
stiffened to attention when
his landlady informed him
that he had a visitor. Utter
ing a mental “Now for it!”
he walked into the sitting
room. One look at the deeply
tanned man lounging in the
uncomfortable easy chair,
and he burst out laughing:
what he had expected and
what he had found were as
the poles asunder.
‘ “Jenkins!" he exclaimed;
•'how the deuce—?” The last
'time he had seen Harry Jen
kins was in a South American
mining camp.
1 “Never thought to see me
turn up again like a bad pen
ny, did you, old son?” The
visitor rose and gave the
other a hearty hand-grip.
.“But the truth was, after
lyou cleared out I got fed up
with everything and decided
to come home myself. I sold
out for over six thousand
quid, and came home in
style like a bloomin’ multi
millionaire. Travelled first
class, and, the luck holding
good, fell in with a big pot
on the boat, one Sir Benja
min Travers, who offered me
iwonderful terms to go out
to China in six months’ time.
In the meantime, I Intend
to enjoy myself, and I want
you to chip in with the was
sail bowl business. You know
I wal always fond of you, you
old son of a gun No excuses,
now— you’ll have to dine
with me to-night and go on
to a show afterwards. Possibly
we may take one over the—
flic—eight, but if you’re the
same chap as you used to be
you’ll raise objection to that.
New Gold Dredge
Sent to Mexican Fields
8lsalla, Cal —>UP)— A Gold
Hredge which, Its inventor claims
Will extract bold from desert
tends, was sent from here to Mex
ico recently, where it will be put
to work on a 30,000-acre tract ui
Bonora
TT\c machine, which Is equipped
With crawler wheels end a power
ahorel, was invented by a Visalia
man C. W Puller. He refused to
discuss details of hia invention
•xcept to say that it does not re
If there’s one thing I posi
tively loathe,” concluded
Harry Jenkins, “it is getting
well lit up by myself.”
Martin was obliged to
smile.
“Yes, I’ll dine with you,
Harry, and it’s damn glad I
am to look at your old ugly
mug again. But how on earth
did you run me down?”
Jenkins chuckled.
“That was easy,” he said.
“I called at the flat in Guil
ford Street from which you
wrote me last, found you had
gone, but got this address
from the housekeeper, who
has been forwarding on your
letters. How are things going
with you, Martin?”
Creighton was tempted to
tell this old friend the plain,
unvarnished narrative of all
that had happened to h>m
since arriving back in Eng
land. Then he decided to
wait. Jenkins, so far as he
knew him, was one of the
best chaps in the world, but
he hated the thought of hav
ing to confess that he had lost
five thousand pounds through
what he knew now to be an
act of plain idiocy.
“Oh, fairly,” he compro
mised.
“If you are fed up with
London by the time I leave
you had better come out with
me to China,” suggested the
other. "In the meantime, you
are all right for to-night,
then? Make it seven o’clock
at Prince’s. Suit you?”
“I’ll be there,” promised
Creighton.
Jenkins arrived ten minutes
late. He was full of apologies.
“Do you mind if we cut the
show out for to-night,
Creighton?” he asked. “When
I got back to the hotel, I
found a telegram from my
guv’nor. He is arriving at
King’s Cross from the North
at nine-thirty, and he has
asked me to meet him. Dear
old boy, I feel I must go.”
“Of course. You’re lucky
to have a father to meet,
Jenks.”
It was an agreeable meal,
Jenkins doing most of the
talking. Martin was thank
ful his companion was such
a voluble conversationalist,
since, as time went on, he
found it more and more dif
ficult to start relating his
own adventures. He knew
very well what would hap
pen: his companion would
receive the story about the
Colossus and his advertising
his own life with an amused
grin of incredulity. The other
would think that he was try
ing to pull his leg. And then
there was the girl ... He
did not care to discuss her
with anyone. At nine o’clock
the two friends parted, Jen
kins hailing a taxi to take
him to King’s Cross. Left to
his own resources, Creighton
strolled idly through the
West End towards the Hamp
stead Tube at the Trafalger
Square end of the Strand.
In order to avoid the crowd
in Coventry Street, he turned
into Lower Regent Street,
and. attracted by the quietude
of the Mall, found himself,
after a short while, in that
noble thoroughfare Carlton
House Terrace.
Being in no hurry, he
stopped to watch with idle
curiosity a number of men
and women in evening dress
entering an imposing man
sion. Creighton knew that
many of the houses in Carl
ton House Terrace belonged
to distinguished families, and
guessing that a ball was be
ing held in this particular
house, he was about to pass
on, when he quickly and de
terminedly changed his mind.
He was going in to this house
himself!
What had made him come
quire water to extract gold, as do
ordinary dredges.
He said it will travel at the rate
or a mile an hour, treating all
sand in its path.
--—
Keepers Execute
Former Circus Bear
Portland. Ore —(UP)— “Bruin,"
a 400-pound black bear, formerly
with the Barnes circus until he
became “unmanageable” and a re
cent resident of Washington Park
zoo. here, has entered the uncon
to this unorthodox decision
was seeing a girl step out of
a taxicab. The light from an
electric standard fell full
upon her face as she crossed
the wide pavement.
Martin drew in his breath.
He had not been mistaken.
She was the girl of his
dreams—the girl who had fal
len into the power of the
Colossus, the girl whom he
had sworn in his heart to
protect and succor.
What could she be doing
there? Why was she entering
that house? Was she one of
the invited guests?
Quickly came some sort of
revelation. He remembered
Luigo’s words: "A million
pardons’ M’sieur, but I do not
know the young lady. Her
companion, however, is a
patron of mine; he is Lord
Belshaven, the Foreign Sec
retary."
This must be Lord Bel
shaven’s house. Then what—?
Instantly his mind went
back to “Mr. Jones.” This
girl, no doubt, had been given
instructions by that super
crook. She was entering the
house of a famous politician,
a man occupying one of the
most important positions in
the State . . .
Exactly what he intended
to do, should he be successful
in gaining an entrance, Mar
tin had no definite idea. His
mind was centered solely on
the girl. Some instinct
warned him that she might
be going, probably against
her will, into a position of
danger. She might—
He waited no longer. For
tunately he was in evening
kit, and when the footman,
standing just inside the en
trance, looked at him ques
tioningly, he acted on the
inspiration that had suddenly
come.
“I am from the Foreign
Office,” he said with brusque
authority; I have an impor
tant message for his lord
ship.”
“Very good, sir.” The man
bowed, and Creighton passed
on.
The great house contained
some hundreds of guests, and
mingling always with the
biggest groups, saying noth
ing, but keeping both eyes
and ears alert, Creighton suc
ceeded in his endeavor to re
main in the place unsuspect
ed. He was on tenderhooks all
the time, however, for if the
girl once recognized him he
was afraid she might give
the alarm. Why, after his two
offers of help, she should
shrink from him as she had
done at Rimini’s, he did not
know; but he must keep as
near as possible to her that
night, nevertheless.
It was not until half an
hour had passed that Creigh
ton caught sight of the girl.
Standing near the open door
way of one of the large
rooms, he looked upward, to
notice her passing along a
small balcony leading from
the top of the stairs.
He followed quickly, two
resolutions firmly fixed in his
mind. The first was that he
had to see the girl alone, and
explain to her once again
that he was a friend, and not
a creature of the Colossus.
The second was that he felt
he must be on hand should
the girl attempt to do any
thing foolish.
His footsteps made no
sound on the thick carpet,
and the girl did not look.
Quickening his pace, he was
within six yards of her, when
she turned into a room on
the right of the corridor.
Apparently she was in a
hurry, for she neglected to
close the door behind her,
and Creighton, looking
through the six inches of
space, watched her cross the
the room that was furnished
as a study, go to a bureau
and, selecting a key from a
bunch, unlock a drawer.
In the whirl of thoughts
that he had, Creighton came
instantly to the conclusion
that his first impression was
correct: this girl had been
forced by the Colossus to
commit a criminal act. For
J getting everything but his
desire to help her, he crossed
the room, and was by her side
as soon as she had with
drawn a sheaf of papers
bound with red tape, from
the drawer.
“Put them back!” he said
quickly.
Then several things seemed
to happen almost at once
The startled girl, after one
nervous glance at him, made
a sudden cry, the door opened
wider, and a slim, wiry man
with a determined face, wear
ing a monocle, strode intc
the room.
Creighton’s brain worked
rapidly. He guessed that this
man, who was a complete
stranger to him, was sus
picious—perhaps he was
something to do with a
branch of the Secret Service
—and he must concentrate
this suspicion upon himself
so that the girl could be en
tirely cleared.
He had already snatched
the papers from the girl’s
hand. His original intention,
of course, had be«n to replace
them in the drawer, but now,
thrusting them into an in
side pocket, he started for the
door.
“Whats the nurry? asxea
a voice in clipped tones. The
speaker’s hand went to a
pocket, and emerged holding
a small revolver. “I suggest
you return those papers,”
added the stranger.
Creighton, in reply, acted
in the most suspicious manner
that he could devise. Assum
ing an expression of despera
tion, he rushed blindly for
ward and, disregarding the
weapon the other held, en
deavored to fling the man to
the floor. There was a brief
but spirited struggle, and
then, taking advantage of his
unknown opponent slipping
on the polished floor, he hit
him with his clenched fist
under the chin.
Gaining the corridor, he
sprinted along this, dropping
the papers into a large esrus
can vase standing in a corner
on a pedestal.
By this time some sort of
alarm must have been given,
for from below there came
sounds of hurrying feet.
He had to get away. There
were two vital reasons. The
first and most important was
that his escape would com
pletely concentrate all the
attention upon himself. Also,
it would be fatal for his other
plans if he were captured.
He must retain his liberty in
order to run. the Colossus to
earth.
Escape through the crowd
ed hall was impossible; more
over, he had to act in a
markedly suspicious manner
if he were to achieve his pur
pose. Turning the corridor,
he noticed a door which, by
some lucky chance, was open.
Slipping through this, he
found himself at the top of
an iron staircase, which ap
parently led down into the
garden.
A minute later ne was run
ning across the wide lawn
towards the high wall, on the
other side of which was the
Mall. Once over that wall and
he felt he would be safe.
But for the creeper which
covered this eight-foot ob
stacle, however, he might
have been unable to climb It;
but, securing both hand and
foot holds, he was soon in the
Mall and walking rapidly
away in the gloom.
There came no sound of
pursuit. His foresight in
quietly closing the door lead
ing to the iron staircase had
prevented anyone tracking
him. No doubt all the rooms
in the great mansion were
being searched, and by the
time that the correct solu
tion was made he would be
well away.
He arrived home at 13 Fitz
roy Street, with out further
[ mishap. He was minus hat
and overcoat, but remem
bered that there was nothing
about either by which he
could be identified.
(TO BE CONTINUED)
fining wilderness of his " happy
hunting ground.”
Julius Franckiewle*, Barnes
road animal trainer, gave the bear
to the park after Bruin failed to
respond to his curb. The animal
was placed in a big rocky pit with
scores of his fellows. But Bruin
didn't like it. He clambered up
the wire netting surrounding the
enclosure and browsed about in
the park. Several times he was re
captured and reconfined. The bear
apparently believed it a game. He
escaped more often.
Finally. the patience_$f_park
and zoo officials fled. Alter ft
council of war, they decided he
must die. A few days ago. Bruin
was executed.
electricity tests lobsters
Boston — (UP) — An electrical
device, developed by a professor
at Boston university, to determine
whether a lobster is fit to be eaten,
recently was adopted by the Mass
achusetts Fish and Game Depart
ment. All lobsters that fail to re
spond to a n electric shock by a
sharp contraction of the tall, or by
movements of the flippers, will be
condemned.
'•r 1
€tLucile is the
Happiest Girl”
Ko many mothersr
nowadays talk about
giving their children
fruit Jukes, as If
this were a new dis
covery. As a matter
of fact, for over fifty
years, mothers have
been accomplishing|_
results far surpassing anything you i
can secure from home prepared fruit
juices, by using pure, wholesome Cal
ifornia Fig Syrup, which Is prepared
under the most exacting laboratory
supervision from ripe California
Figs, richest of all fruits In laxative
and nourishing properties.
It's marvelous to see how bilious,
weak, feverish, sallow, constipated,
under-nourished children respond to
its gentle influence; how their breath
clears up, color flames In their
cheeks, and they become sturdy,
playful, energetic again. A Western
mother, Mrs. II. J. Stoll, Valley P. O.,
Nebraska, says: “My little daughter,
Roma Luclie, was constipated from
babyhood. I became worried about
her and decided to give her some
California Fig Syrup. It stopped her
constipation quick; and the way It
improved her color and made her
pick up made me realize how run
down she had been. She Is so sturdy
and well now, and always In such
good humor that neighbors say she’s
the happiest girl in the West.”
Like all good things, California Fig
Syrup is imitated, but you can al
ways get the genuine by looking for
the name “California” on the carton.
Wanted No Funeral Grief
That there be no display of grief at
his funeral was asked in the will of
Reginald F. Arthur, an attoney, of
South Brent, England, who died re
cently. “Merely carry me when no
body is about to my grave and let
me be,” the will read. He stipulated
lhat there was to be “no clergymen,
no church service, no mourning flow
ers and no hearse or mourning
coaches.”
| Try lydla E. Pinkham’s Vegetable Compound ^
Too “Worn-Out” to go
Another date broken .. . Couldn't stay
on her feet a minute longer! Lydia E.
Pinkham's Vegetable Compound alwavs
relieves cramps. Try it next month.
How Modern Women
Lose Pounds of Fit
Swiftly—Safely
Cain Physical Vigor — Youlhfulncsi
W ith Clear Skill and Vivacious Eye*
That Sparkle With Glorious Health
Here's the recipe that banishes fat
and brings into blossom all the nat
ural attractiveness that every wom
an possesses.
Every morning take one-half tea
Spoouful of Kruschen Salts In a
glass of hot water before breakfast
—cut down on pastry and fatty
meats—go light on potatoes, butter,
cream and sugar—In 4 weeks get on
the scales and note how many
pounds of fat have vanished.
Get a bottle of Kruschen Salts—
the cost is trifling and It lasts 4
weeks. If even this first hot tin
doesn’t convince you this is the easi
est, safest and surest way to lose
fat—If you don’t feel a superb Im
provement In health—so gloriously
energetic — vigorously alive — your
money gladly returned.
But he sure for your health’s sake
that you ask for and get Kruschen
Salts. Get them at any drugstore
in the world.
The Radio Age
“Yes, I hail sciatica.”
“What wave-length?” — Uummel
(Hamburg).
^XOhti nol Jutm,
A Clear Skin?
Culienra Soap used constantly
and C'utieura Ointment occa
sionally will promote and maintain a
clear skin, free from pimples, black
heads, redness, roughness and other
unsightly eruptions.
Soap 23c. Ointment 25 and 50c.
Proprietors: Potter Drug & Chemical]
Corp., Malden, Mass. ‘
Life in Mexico
The average tenure of life In
Mexico is fifteen years.
After one lias overcome homesick
ness, lie can safely tackle the world.
PARKER’S
HAIR BALSAM
Remove* Dandruff-Stop* Hair Falling
Imparts Color and
Beauty to Gray and Faded Hair
60c and $1.00 at Druggists.
Hiacox Chem. Wks.. Patcbogue.N.Y.
FLORES! ON SHAMPOO — Ideal for use in
connection with Parker's Hair Balsam.Makes tha
hair soft and fluffy. GO cents by mail or at drug
gists. Hiacox Chemical Works, Patchogue,N.Y»
Sioux City Ptg. Co., No. 40-1932.
News to millions who eat
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