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JLLUdTmT10m DY
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CHAPTER II.
Senhor Porltol.
When Orme answered the kncck at
the door a singular young man stood
at the threshold. He was short, wiry,
and very dark. His nose was long and
complacently tilted at the end. His
eyes were small and very black. His
mouth was a wide, uncertain slit In
his hand he carried a light cane and a
silk hat of the flat-brimmed French
type. And he wore a gray sack suit,
pressed and creased with painful ex
actness. "Come In, Senor Porltol," said
Orme, motioning toward a chair.
The little man entered, with short,
rapid steps. He drew from his pocket
a clean pofcet handkerchief, which he
unfolded and spread out on the surface
cf the table. Upon the handkerchief
he carefully placed his hat. and then,
after an ineffectual effort to make it
tanA ncralnat fha toKla A nn lat1 Via 1
cane on the floor.
Not until all this ceremony had been
completed did he appear to notice
Orme. But now he turned, widening
his face into a smile and extending his
hand, which Orme took rather dubi
ously it was supple and moist
"Oh, this is Mr. Orme, Is It not?"
"Yes," said Orme, freeing himself
from the unpleasant handshake.
"Mr. Robert Orme?"
"Yes, that Is my name. What can I
do for you?"
For a moment Senor Porltol ap
peared to hover like a timid bird;
then he seated himself on the edge of
a chair, only the tips of his toes touch
ing the floor. Ills e'yes danced
brightly.
"To begin with, Mr. Orme," he said,
"I am charmed to meet you very
charmed." He rolled his "r's" after
a fashion that need not be reproduced.
"And in the second place," he contin
ued, "while actually I am a foreigner
In your dear country, I regard myself
as in spirit one of your natives. I
came here when a boy, and was edu
cated at your great University of
Princeton."
"You are a Portuguese I infer from
your name," said Orme.
"Oh, dear, nol Oh, no, no, no!" ex
claimed Senhor Porltol, tapping the
floor nervously with his toes. "My
country he freed himself from the
Portuguese yoke many and many a
rear ago. I am a South American,
Mr. Orme one of the poor relations
of your great country." Again the
widened smile. Then he suddenly be
came grave, and leaned forward, his
hands on his knees. "But this is not
the business of our meeting, Mr.
Orme."
"No?" inquired Orme.
"No, my dear sir. I have come to
ask of you about the five-dollar bill
which you received in the hat shop
this afternoon." He peered anxious
ly. "You still have it? You have not
epent it?"
"A marked bill, was it nol?"
"Yes, yes. Where Is it, my dear
sir, where is It?"
"Written across the face of it were
the words, 'Remember person you pay
this to.' "
"Oh, yes, yes."
"And on the back of it'
"On the back of it!" gasped the lit
tie man.
"Was a curious cryptogram."
"Do not torture me!" exclaimed
Senor Porltol. "Have you got It?"
His fingers worked nervously.
"Yes," said Orme slowly, "I still
have It."
Senor Porltol hastily took a fresh
five-dollar bill from his pocket "See,"
he said, jumping to the floor, "here
is another just as good a bill. I give
this to you in return for the bill which
was paid to you this afternoon." He
thrust the new bill toward Orme, and
waved his other hand rhetorically.
"That, and that alone, is my business
with you, dear sir."
Orme's hand went to his pocket.
The visitor watched the motion eag
erly, and a grimace of disappointment
contracted his features wnen the baud
came forth, holding a cigar case.
"Have one," Orme urged.
In his anxiety the little man almost
danced. "But, sir," he broke forth, "I
am in desperate hurry. I must meet
a friend. I must catch a train."
"One moment," interrupted Orme.
"I can't very well give up that bill
until I know a little better what It
means. You will have to show me
that you are entitled to It and" ha
smiled "meanttme you'd better
smoke."
. Senor Porltol sighed. "I can as
sure you of my honesty of purpose,
sir," he said. "I cannot tell you about
4t I have not the time. Also, it Is
not my secret This bill, sir, is just
aa good as the other one."
"Very likely," said Orme dryly. H
was wondering whether this was soma
new counterfeiting dodge. How easily
7 Amih
Yipvrfrwrvrt i
most persons could
be Induced tc
make the transfer!
, A counterfeiter, however, would
hardly work by so picturesque and
noticeable a method, unless he were
carefully disguised hardly even then.
Was Senor Porltol disguised? Orma
looked at him more closely. No, he
could see where the roots of the
coarse black hair joined the scalp.
And there was not the least evidence
of make-up on the face. Nevertheless,
Orme did not feel warranted in giving
up tne marked bill without a defln ta ,
explanation. The little man was .
comic figure, but his bizarre exterior
might conceal a dangerous plot Ha
might be a thief, an anarchist, any
thing.
"Please, my dear sir, please do not
add to my already very great anxl
ety," pleaded the visitor.
Orme spoke more decisively. "You
are a stranger, Senor Porltol. I don't
know what all this mystery conceals,
but I can't give out that bill unless 1
know more about it and I won't," ha
added, as he saw Senor Porltol open
his mouth for further pleading.
"Very well," sighed the little man
He hesitated for an instant, then add
ed: "I do not blame you for insisting
and I suppose I must say to you every
thing that you demand. No, I do not
smoke the cigar, please. But if you
do not object " He produced a
square of cigarette paper and soma
tobacco from a silver-mounted pojch,
and deftly rolled a cigarette with one
hand, accepting a match from Orma
with the other. Closing his eyes, he
inhaled the smoke deeply, breathing it
out through his nostrils.
"Well" he hesitated, his eyes
roving about the room as if in search
of something "Well, I will explain to
you why I want the bill."
Orme lighted a fresh cigar and set
tied himself to hear the story. Se
nor Porltol drew a second handker
chief from his pocket and mopped hie
damp brow.
"You must know, my very dear sir,"
he began, "that I come from a country
wuich is very rich In the resources ol
nature. In the unsettled interior are
very great mineral deposits which are
little known, and since the day when
the great Vega made the first explora
tion there has been the belief that the
Urlnaba mountains hide a great
wealth In gold. Many men for three
hundred years have risked their most
precious lives to go look for it. But
they have not found It No, my dear
sir, they have not found it until But
have patience, and you shall hear
everything.
"A few days ago a countryman ot
mine sent word that he was about to
die. He asked that I, his early friend,
should come to him immediately and
receive news of utmost Importance,
rle was lying sick in the hotel of a
small city in Wisconsin. He was a
tobacco agent and ho had been at
tacked by death while he was on a
business trip.
"Filled with the heartbroken hope
to see him once more before he died,
I went even as I was, to a train and
made all haste to his bedside."
"What was his name?" asked Orme.
"Lopez," replied Senor Porltol
promptly; and Orme knew that the
answer might as well have been
Smith. But the little man returned
quickly to his story. '
"My friend had no strength left. He
was, oh, so weak that I wept to see him.
But be sent the doctor and the priest
out or tbe room, ana tnen and tnen
he whispered In my ear a secret Ue
hud discovered rich gold In the Url
naba country. He had been trying to
earn money to go back and dig up the
gold. But, alas! now he was dying,
nnd be wished to give the secret to
me, his old friend.
"Tears streamed on my cheek." Se
nor Purltol's eyes filled, seemingly at
the remembrance. "But I took out my
fountain pen to write down the direc
tions he wished to give. See this was
the pen." He produced a gold-mounted
tube from his waistcoat
"I searched my pockets for a piece
of paper. None could I discover.
There was no time to be lost, for my
friend was growing weaker, oh, very
fast In desperation I took a five-dollar
bill, and wrote upon it the direc
tions he gave me for finding the gold.
Even as I finished it, dear Lopez
breathed his last breath."
Orme puffed at his cigar. "So the
bul carries directions for finding a
rich deposit in the Urlnaba moun
tains?" "Yes, my dear sir. But you would
not rob me of it You could not un
derstand the directions."
"Oh, no." Orme laughed. "I have
no Interest in South American gold
mines."
I "Then accept this fresh bill," Im
plored Senor Porltol, "and give me
back the one I yearn for."
Orme hesitated. "A moment more,"
he said. "Tell me, how did you lose
possession of the marked bill?"
ihe Soutn American wffuf'n, his
ci uir and leaued lorward cat,
'"That is the most distressing part ot
all." he exclaimed. "I had loft Chi
cago at a time when my presence in
this great city was very important in
deed. Nothiug but the call from a dy
ing friend would have Induced me to
go away. My whole future in this
country depended upon my returning
In time to complete certain business.
"So, after dear Lopei was dead, I
rushed to the local railroad station.
A train was coming in. I searched my
pocket for my money to buy my tick
et. All I could find was the five-dollar
bill!
"It was necessary to return to Chi
cago; yet I could not lose the bill. A
happy thought struck me. I wrote
upon the face of it the words you have
seen, and paid It to the ticket agent.
I called his attention to the writing
and Implored htm to save the bill tf
be could until I returned, and if not,
to be sure to remember the person he
gave it to."
Orme laughed.
"It does seem funny," said Senor
Porltol. rolling another cigarette, "but
you cannot Imagine my most frantic
desperation. I returned to Chicago and
transacted my business. Then I
hastened back to the Wisconsin city.
Woe Is me! The ticket agent had paid
the bill to a Chicago citizen. I se
cured the name of this man atid finally
found him at his office on La Salle
street Alas! he, too, had spent the
bill, but I tracked It from person to
" a , u
ET
lUUliu 11 i ou UO ycauovu uuu iwnua
eloquently at Orme.
"Do you know a
man named
Evans?" Orme asked.
Senor Porltol looked at him In be
wilderment j "S. R. Evans," insisted Orme.
' "Why, no, dear sir I think not.
But what has that to do?"
i Orme pushed a sheet of paper across
the table. "Oblige me, Senor Porltol
the table. "Oblige me, Senor Porltol.
R. Evans."
Senor Porltol was apparently re
luctant. However, under the compul
sion of Orme's eye, he finally took out
his fountain pen and wrote the name
in flowing script He then pushed the
paper back toward Orme, with an In
quiring look.
i "No, that Isn't what I mean," ex
claimed Orme. "Print It Print it in
capital letters."
! Senor Porltol slowly printed out
the name.
Orme took the paper, laying it be
fore him. He then produced the
coveted bill from his pocketbook.
Senor Porltol uttered a little cry of
delight and stretched forth an eager
hand, but Orme, who was busily com
paring the letters on the paper with
the letters on the bill, waved hlra
back.
After a few moments Orme looked
up. "Senor Porltol," he said, "why
didn't you write the secret on a time
table, or on your ticket, before you
gave the bill to the agent?"
Senor Poritol was flustered. "Why,"
he said uncertainly, "I did not think
of that. How can we explain the mis
takes we make in moments of great
nervousness?"
"True," said Orme. "But one more
point. You did not yourself write
your friend's secret on the bill. Tbo
letters which you have Just printed
are differently made."
Senor Poritol said nothing. He
was breathing hard.
"On the other hand," continued
Orme, turning the bill over and eyeing
the inscription on its face, "your mis
take in first writing the name Instead
of printing it shows me that you did
write the words on the face of the
bill." He returned the bill to his
pocketbook. "I can't give you the
bill." he said. "Your story doesn't
hold together."
With a queer little scream the
South American bounded from his
chair and flung himself at Orme. He
struck no blow, but clawed desperate
ly at Orme's pocket The struggle
lasted only for a moment. Orme,
seizing the little man by the collar,
dragged him, wriggling, to the door,
"Now get out," said Orme. "If
find you hanging around I'll have you
locked up."
Senor Porltol whispered: "It is my
secret Why should I tell you the
truth nbout It? You have no right to
know."
Orme retained his hold. "I don't
like your looks, my friend," he suid
"There may have been reason why
you should lie to me. but you will
have to make things clear." He con
sldered. After all, he must make al
lowance; so he said: "Come back to
morrow with evidence that you are
entitled to the bill, and you shall have
it." He released Senor Porltol
The little man had recovered his
coif.posure. He went back to the ta
ble and took up his hat and cane, re
folding the handkerchief and slipping
it into his pocket. Once moro he was
the Latin fop. He approached Orme
and his manner was deprecatory.
"My most abject apologies for at
tacking you. sir. I was beside myself
But if you will only permit me I will
bring up my friend, who is waiting
below. He will, as you say, vouch for
me."
"Who Is he?"
"A very, very distinguished man."
Ormo pondered. The adventure was
opening up, and ho felt Inclined to see
it through. Bring him," he said
shortly.
When Senor Porltol had disap
peared Orme telephoned to the clerk.
"Send me up a porter," he ordered,
"and have him stand Just outside my
door, with orders to enter If he hears
any disturbance." He waited at the
door till the porter appeared, then
told him to remain in a certain place
until he was needed, or until the
uitors left
Senor Porltol remained downstairs
4 1 vveral minutes. Evidently he
was . "Uiining the situation to his
friend. .-t after a time Orme heard
the clang ot fc'ie elevator door, and in
response to the ..nock that quickly
followed, he opened nlo own door. At
the side of his former visitor stood a
dapper foreigner. He wore"5 long
frock coat and carried a glossy hat,
and his eyes were framed by large
gold spectacles.
"This Is the Senor Alcatrante."
explained Senor Porltol. I
The newcomer bowed with suave
dignity.
"Senor Alcatrante? The name Is
familiar," said Orme, smiling.
Porltol assumed an air. "He Is the
minister from my country to these
United States." '
Orme understood. This was the
wary South American diplomat whose
name had lately been so prominent
In the Washington dispatches. What
was he doing In Chicago?
"I am glad to meet you," said Orme.
Alcatrante smiled, displaying
prominent row of uneven teeth.
"My young friend, Porltol," he be
gan, "tells me that you have In your
possession the record of a secret be
longing to me. What that secret is,
Is immaterial to you and me, I take
it. He is an honorable young man
excitable, perhaps, but well-meaning.
I would suggest that you give him the
five-dollar bill he desires, accepting
from him another in exchange. Or,
if you still doubt htm, permit me to
offer you a bill from my own pocket"
He drew out a fat wallet
The situation appeared to be slm
pliflcd. And yet Orme was dubious.
There was mischief in the bill; so
much he felt sure of. Alcatrante'i
reputation was that of a fox, and ai
for Porltol, he was, to say the least,
person of uncerta'n qualities. Orme
could not but udmlre the subtle man
ner In which Alcatrante sought deli
cately to limit his doubts to the mere
possibility that Porltol was trying to
pass spurious money. He decided not
to settle the question at this moment.
"This seems to be rather a mixed
up affair, Senor Alcatrante," he said
"There Is much more In it than ap
pears. Call on me tomorrow morn
ing and you shall have my decision.''
Alcatrante and Porltol looked at
each other. The minister spoke:
"Will you engage not to give the
bill to anyone else In the Interval?"
"I will promise that," said Orme
"It is only fair. Yes, I will keep the
bill until tomorrow morning."
"One other suggestion," continued
Alcatrante. "You may not be willing
to give up the bill, but Is there any
reason why you should refuse to let
Senor Porltol copy the writing that
is on It?"
"Only my determination to think
the whole mntter over before I do
ar-ythlng at all," Orm; replied.
"But the bill came Into your hands
by chance," Insisted the minister
"The information means nothing to
you, though obviously It means a
great deal to my young friend, here.
May I ask what right you have to
deny this request?"
"What right," Orme's eyes nar
rowed. "My right Is that I have the
bill and the Information, and I Intend
to understand the situation better be
fore I give the information to anyone
else "
"but you recognized Senor Porl
tol's hnn ;writlr.g on the bill," ex
claimed the minister.
"On the face of It, yes. He did nor
write the abbreviations on the back."
"Abbreviations!" exclaimed Porltol.
"Please let the matter rest till
morning," said Orme stubbornly. "I
have told you just what I would do."
Porltol opened bis mouth to speak,
but Alcatrante silenced him with a
frown. "Your word is sufficient, Mr.
Orme," he said. "We will call tomor
row morning. Is ten o'clock too
eurly?"
"Not at all," said Orme. "Doubt
less I shall be able to satiny you. I
merely wish to think it over."
With a formal bow, Alcatrante
turned to the door and departed,
Poritol following.
Orme strolled back to his window
and stood idly watching the lights of
the vessels on the lake. But his mind
was not on the unfolded view before
him. He was puzzling over this mys
tery in which he had so suddenly be
come a factor. Unquestionably the
five-dollar bill held tho key to some
serious problem.
Surely Alcatrante had not come
merely as the friend of Porltol, for
the difference in the station of the
two South Americans was marked.
Poritol was a cheap character use
ful, no doubt, in certain kinds of work,
but vulgar and unconvincing. He
might well be one of those promoters
who hang on at the edge of great
projects, hoping to pick up a conmiis
slon here nnd there. His strongest
point was his obvious effort to triumph
over his own insignificance, for this
effort, by its comic but desperate
'earnestness, could not but command a
certain degree of respect
Alcatrante, on the other hand, was
a name to make statesmen knit their
brows. A smooth trouble-maker, he
had Bet Europe by the ears In the
matter of unsottled South American
loans, dexterously appealing to the
much-overworked Monroe doctrine
every time his country was threatened
by a French or German or British
blockade. But his mind was of no
small caliber. He could hold his own
not only at his own game of interna
tional chess, but In the cultured dis
cussion of polite topics. Orme knew
of him as a clever after-dinner speak'
r, a man who could, when he so de
sired, please greatly by his personal
charm.
No, Alcatrante was no friend of
Poritol's; nor was it likely that, ai
proiecior oi me interests ui on cuuu- ,
trymen. he would co so far as to ao-
i or-
The Struggle
Lasted Only for a
ment
M
company tnera on tneir errauus un
less much was at stake. Perhaps
Porltol was Alcatrante's tool and had
bungled some Important commission.
It occurred to Orme that the secret ot
the bill might be connected with the
negotiation of a big business conces
sion In Alcatrante's country. "S. R.
Evans" might be trying to get control
of rubber forests or mlues in the
Urlnaba mountains, perhaps, after all.
In any event, he felt positive that
the secret of the bill did not right
fully belong to Porltol. If the bill
had been in his possession, he should
have been able to copy the abbrevia
ted message. Indeed, the lies that he
told were all against the notion of
placing any confidence in him. The
two South Americans were altogether
too eager.
Orme decided to go for a walk. He
could think better In the open air. He
took up his hat and cane and descend
id the elevator.
In the office the clerk stopped him.
"A man called to see you a few
minutes ago, Mr. Orme. When I told
him that you were engaged with two
visitors he went away."
"Did he leave his name?" asked
Orme.
"No, sir. He was a Japanese."
Orme nodded and went on out to
the street What could a Japanese
want ot him?
To be continued.
A
A Treatise on the Catalogue and
Mail Order Evil
Henry J. Aufgang was a prosperous
farmer.
He saved money and got to be well
off.
He bought his stuff at the store in
town and so did his neighbors.
Almost every day Henry drove to
the store with a load of something
which ho sold and then "visited
around" with his neighbors In town
and his brother farmers who, like
him droven In often.
The women folks came sometimes
and It was nice and sociable and
everybody grew to ki'ow everybody
else.
Henry J. Aufgang had a telephone
In his house and a tural free delivery
carrier brought him a daily paper
( Henry J. Aufgang was a prosper
ous farmer.")
from the Big Cities every day. lie
could call up the doctor In town If his
folks took sick or he could ask the
storekeeper the price of eggs over the
'phono and take some In If the price
was right.
One day he got a catalogue from a
"mail order house" and read what it
said about saving money by buying of
the big concern (which was many
stories high according to tho picture
on the cover of the catalogue and em
ployed thousands and thousands of
people.)
Henry thought as he read the cata
logue.
"Business Is business," ho said and
sent In an order for a stove not to
his friend, the storekeeper In the
town, who in the past trusted him and
credited him when ho was hard up,
but to the man ho had never seen
the man who ran the mall order
houso In the Big City.
"Business Is business." Henry got
his stovo. One of the legs was loose
wouldn't fit. His friend the black
smith In town fixed It. Ho ordered
his clothes and his hats and his shoes
and his wagons and his furniture and
his carpets and his crockery and his
boots and chocs and rubber boots
from the mall order house.
"Business is business."
Many of his neighbors followed his
example ."business is business."
Henry had been so busy getting In
the crop and sending orders to the
mail order house that he forgot all
about going to town for soma
months.
One day he thought he would takej
In some dressed poultry and fresh.
eggs and visit 'round.
He called up the storekeeper to
find the price of his stuff.
Central said "line disconnected'
and Henry wondered.
Finally he went out and hitched
("Almost every day he drove to towa
with things to sell.")
up. ent into town; dldn t seem to
be much doing there.
Drove to the store It was closed?
Went over to the furniture store.
closed too. So was the dry goods
store; also the millinery store and the.
hotel and restaurant didn't look pros
perous.
"Nobody makes the town now,"
said the hotel man to Henry. "Busi
ness too poor town going back
stores all closed."
Henry then sought his friend, the
blacksmith yes he was doing busi
ness at the old stand.
"What's the matter with the
town?" inquired Aufgang.
"Nothln'," said the blacksmith,
"except a lot of crazy people around
here have taken tho notion that thejr
don't need any town and are sending;
all their money away to the million
aires who run the catalogue houses.
Course they've got to come to me and
I'm here yet Just because the cata
logue fellows haven't devised ways
and means for shoeing horses by malk
But when they do I'll have to flit.
too."
("The man who ran the mall order
houBe in the big city.")
Henry was astounded.
"Why, I'd no idea " he com
menced. "Course you hadn't," rejoined tha
blacksmith. "Course you hadn't, you
hadn't an idea. You don't think.
Well you had better do so now.
Where are you going to sell your but
ter and eggs? Can you sell 'em to
the mall order houses? You can get
rid of your wheat at the elevator, but
you won't have any fun any more In
this town visiting with your neigh
bors 'cause there Isn't any town and
the people you used to know have all
gone away to some place where they
can make a living.
"Pretty soon the town will be all
gone. Tnen your good roads will be
gone, too. And you can't bring your
mall order jewelry and castings to
town to be repaired. If your mail
order shoes don't fit you'll Just natu
rally have to squeeze your feet and
bear it. If your mall order clothes
which you buy 'sight unseen' aren't
what you want, what are you going t
do about It?"
The blacksmith paused. It was a.
long speech for him and It had got
to Aufgang.
"Business Is buness," finally said
Henry.
("A lot of crazy peoplo are sending;
all their money away.")
"Yes, and foolishness Is foolish
ness," answered his friend. "You may
think It buBinesss to kill off your
town, but I don't. Think it over,
Henry; think It over."
Henry did "think It over" aa he
drove slowly homeward with the,
dressed poultry and eggs which ha
had Intended to sell to his friend, the
storekeeper.
As he neared tho house his lips;
moved. "Business la business," ho
sold to himself, "and self-preservation
Is nature's first law. We've got
to preserve our town and our neigh
borhood and our good roads. That's
business."
The next day he called a meeting;
of his brother farmers for mllea.
around and they all came.
After the meeting Henry invited
them all to stay to supper and after
supper there was a big bonfire out la
Aufgang's yard near the welL
In that bonfire were consumed alU
the mall order catalogues in that
county!
Moral Don't wait for it to get '
bad.