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CHAPTER III.
The 8hadows.
' Orme walked north along the Lake
Shore drive. As best he could, he 1
pieced together the curious adven-1
turesof the day. The mystery of the
five-dollar bill and the extreme anxl-1
ty of Poritol seemed to be compll-1
cated by the appearance of the Japa
nese at the Pere Marquette. Orme
sought the simplest explanation. He
knew that mysterious happenings fre
quently become clear when one defi
nitely tries to fit them Into the natural
routine of everyday life. The Jap
anese, be mused, was probably some
valet out of a Job. But how could ha
have learned Orme's name. Possibly
he had not known It; the clerk might
have given It to him. The Incident
hardly seemed worth second thought,
but he found himself persistently turn
ing to one surmise after another con
cerning the Japanese. For Orme was
convinced that he stood on the edge of
a significant situation.
Suddenly he took notice of a figure
a short distance ahead of him. This
man apparently very short and
stocky was also going northward,
but he was moving along in an erratic
manner. At one moment he would
hurry his steps, at the next he would
almost stop. Evidently he was regu
lating his pace with a purpose.
Orme let his eyes travel still farthei
ahead. He observed two men actively
conversing. From time to time their
discussion became so animated that
they halted for a moment and faced
each other, gesticulating rapidly.
Every time they halted, the single fig
ure nearer to Orme slowed down his
own pace.
The oblivious couple came under a
street lamp and again turned toward
each other. Their profiles were dis
tinct. Orme had already suspected
their identity, for both had high hats
nd carried canes, and one of them
was in a sack suit, while the other
wore a fr;ck coat. And now the pro
files verified the surmise. There was
no mistaking the long, tip-tilted nose
of the shorter man and the glinting
spectacles of the other. The two were
Poritol and Alcatrante.
Dut who was the man trailing them T
A friendly guard? Or a menacing en
emy? Orme decided to shadow the
shadow.
At a corner not far from the en
trance to Lincoln park Poritol and Al
catrante became so apparently excited
that they stood, chattering volubly for
several minutes. The shadow stopped
altogether. He folded his arms and
looked out over the lake like any cas
ual wanderer, but now and then he
turned his head toward the others. He
seemed to be Indifferent to what they
were saying, though he was near
enough to them to catch fragments of
their conversation, if he so desired.
The South Americans were probably
talking In that dialect of Portuguese
which their nation has developed.
Meantime Orme also stopped, taking
up a position like that of the shadow.
He saw Poritol, with outstretched,
questioning hands, his eyes fixed on
the face of Alcatrante, who seemed to
be delivering his orders. The flashing
reflections of light from the minister's
spectacles indicated his authoritative
nods of the head.
After a time Alcatrante evidently
completed his Instructions. He re
moved his hat and bowed formally.
Little Poritol echoed the salute and,
turning, shot oft down a side street
with ridiculously rapid movements of
his short legs. Orme inferred that he
was bound for the North Clark street
car line. Alcatrante continued along
the drive.
When the South Americans separa
ted, the shadow quickly came to life.
Me hesitated for an instant, as If in
doubt which of the two to follow, then
decided In favor of Alcatrante, who
was moving in leisurely fashion toward
the park entrance, his head bowed in
thought. Orme found himself wonder
ing what snaky plots were winding
through that dark mind.
The procession of three silently en
tered the park. The shadow was about
a hundred feet behind Alcatrante.
Orme kept the same distance between
himself and the shadow.
The minister was in no hurry. In-
(different to his surroundings he made
his way, with no apparent interest in
the paths he took. At last he turned
Into a dark stretch and for the mo
ment was lost to sight In the night
Suddenly the shadow darted for
ward. Orme hurried his own pace,
and In a moment he heard the sounds
of a short, sharp struggle a scuffling
of feet In the gravel, a heavy fall.
There waa do outcry,
t Orme broke Into a run. At a point
. where the path was darkest he
checked klaself for an Instant A lit
tle distance ahead a man lay flat on
a short, stocky figure.
Orme leaped forward and swung his
cane. The stick was tough and the
blow was hard enough to send a man
to earth, but the robber had heard
Orme's approach, and looked up from
bis victim just in time. With a mo
tion Indescribably swift, he caught
with one hand the .descending cane
and wrenched it from Orme's grasp.
Then he crouched to spring.
At this instant Orme ht ,'rd footsteps
behind him. A turn of the head
showed a threatening figure at his
back. There had been four men in
that procession through the park!
By a quick leap to one side, Orme
placed himself for the moment out of
danger. His two assailants, moving
too fast to stop, bumped together.!
They faced about for another spring
at him. And then there was a short
scratching Bound, and In the hand of
the man on the ground flared a match.
"Ha!" exclaimed the prostrate Al
catrante, "I thought so!"
Orme found himself looking into the
contorted faces of two Japanese.
' Discovery was evidently the last
thing the hold-up men desired, for
they disappeared like a flash, diving
through the shrubbery behind them.
Orme, dazed and breathing hard, at
tempted no immediate pursuit. He
stepped quickly to Alcatrante and
helped him to his feet.
"I am not hurt," said the South
American. "When the man threw me
to the ground, I feigned that I was
stunned. It Is wiser not to resist a
thug, Is it not so?" He brushed the
dust from his clothing with his hand'
kerchief. Orme handed him bis hat,
which had rolled to one side. The
minister rubbed It carefully with bis
coat sleeve. "See," he laughed, nod
ding at the ground, "my cane Is
broken. I must have fallen on It."
"Since you're not hurt," said Orme,
"we'd better get after the thieves."
"Bah!" replied Alcatrante. "What Is
the UBe?- They are already far away
and they got nothing." He laughed.
"Is It not alwayB better to avoid no
toriety, Mr. Orme?"
"As a rule, no doubt but In this In
stance "
"No," said Alcatrante, firmly, "I
really must Insist that we let the mat
ter drop. As for me, I shall return to
my hotel. Perhaps you will walk along
with me."
Orme hesitated. "I don't like those
thieves to get off without a chase,
senor."
"But, my dear Mr. Orme, they did
me no harm."
Orme shrugged his shoulders. "You
forget that there was one after me as
well as one after you."
"No, I don't forget that. But don't
you see, Mr. Orme? These two men
were not af'er our valuables."
"Indeed?"
"Not at all. What they would like
Is my little friend Porltol's secret."
"But wiiy Japanese? Orme was
puzzled.
"Why. indeed? A cunning Japanese
might as easily nave got wind of It as
anyone else."
"But why did you say, 'I thought
so?' " persisted Orme.
"Did I say that? It must have been
because I suspected that only a Jap
anese could be so agile as my assail
ant. But all this is immaterial. I
should have warned you that Porltol's
secret Is dangerous. You should not
have left your apartments."
"Well, this certainly Is a queer ket
tle of fish." muttered Orme. He was
beginning to feel disgusted with the
situation. He did not like Alcatrante s
oily smoothness, and he wondered
whether It would not have been better
to hand the bill over to Poritol at the
first demand. But it came to his
mind that in a certain degree he stood
committed to continue the policy he
had adopted. He had sought adven
ture; It waa coming to him in full
measure.
Together they walked back toward
the park entrance. The minister
seemingly exerted himself to regain
the ground he had lost with Orme. He
proved an interesting conversation
alistkeen, slightly cynical, but not
without an undernote of earnestness,
"You have Been me much abused
by your press, Mr. Orme," he said.
"That is natural. I have the Interests
of my own country to protect, and
those interests are of necessity some
times opposed to the Interests of oth
er countries. But If your people
would be even more patient with us
all we need Is time. There Is reason
for our persistent tomorrow; for we
are young, and It is a slow prqeess to
realize on our resources. That Is why
we do not pay our debts more
promptly."
Orme said nothing, but thought of
looted South American treasuries, of
exiled cresldents squandering their
official stealing at Paris and Moots
i Carlo, of eonoMilens sold and sold
apain to mat loreign companies;
They hud now reached the park en
trance. "There is a cab," said Al
catrante. "You will ride with nie as
far as your hotel?"
"Thank you, no," said Orme. "I
rather need the walk."
Alcartrante smiled persuasively.
"Permit me to urge you. If you
should be robbed, my little friend
might lose his precious secret Poor
boy!" he added. "His father was
my friend, and I cannot refuse him a
service."
The cab had swung around to the
curb beside them. Orme had no fear
of robbery on the lighted drive, but
since Alcatrante was so Insistent be
felt Inclined to yield. He might as
well ride; so he permitted the min
ister to bow him Into the cab, and
presently they were whirling along
southward. There was a period of
silence. Then Alcatrante spoke medi
tatively. "You see how It happened, I sup
pose," he said. " Those Japanese were
waiting outride your hotel. When
Poritol and I came out, one of them
followed us, while the other remained
on guard. Then you started on your
stroll, and the man who remained on
guard set out after you."
"Yes." said Orme. "but I don't see
how the fellow could have known who
I was."
Alcatrante laughed. "Oh, he could
have placed you In a number of differ
ent ways. He may have got your de
scription from one of the servants
or from the clerk. But It is enough
that he did know you."
"Well." said Orme, "this is beyond
me. That five-dollar bill seems to be
very much desired by different groups
of persons."
Alcatrante nodded. "I am not
sure," he said slowly, "but that it
would ease young Porltol's mind if
you would place the bill In my hands
Bending Over Him Was s Short,
Stocky Figure.
for safekeeping. Not that he mis
trusts you, Mr. Orme, but he imagines
that you may not realize how lm
portant it is to him, and you might i
not guard It carefully.
"I agreed to keep it until tomor
row, said orme, quietly. "As lor
thieves, my apartment Is on the tenth
floor, pretty well out of their reach.
The only danger of robbery lies be
tween the cab and the hotel office."
"I know, I know," chuckled Alca
trante. "It is, of course, as you will.
was merely thinking of my young
friend's peace of mind. I am his fel
low countryman, you see, and his con
fidence in me " he stopped, with an
other chuckle. "Singular, is it not,
how Impressionable are the young?"
Orme said nothing. He did not en-
Joy this fencing.
"Look at the lake," Alcatrante sud
denly exclaimed. "How beautiful an
expanse of water. It has so much
more color than the sea. But you
should see our wonderful harbor, of
Rio,. Mr. Orme. Perhaps some day
1 shall be permitted to show you Its
magnlficcncea."
"Who knows?" said Orme. "It
would be very pleasant"
"As to the bill," continued Alca
trante quickly, "do you care to give
it to me?"
Orme felt himself frowning. "I will
keep it till the morning," he said.
"Oh, well, It Is of no consequence."
Alcatrante laughed shortly. "See,
here is your hotel. Your company has
been a pleasure to me, Mr. Orme. You
arrived most opportunely In the park."
Orme Jumped to the curb and, turn
ing, shook the hand that was extended
to him. "Thank you for the lift, se
nor Alcatrante," he Bald. "I shall
look for you In the morning."
"In the morning yes. And pray.
my dear Blr, do not wander in the
streets any more this evening. Our
experience in the park has made me
apprehensive." The minister lifted
his hat, and the cab rattled away.
The entrance to the Pere Marquette
was a massive gateway, which opened
upon a wide tunnel, leading to an In
Urior court. On the farther side of
the court were the doors of the hotel
lobby. As a rule, carriages drove
through the tunnel into the court, but
orme had not waited for this for
mality.
lie started through the tunnel
There was no one in sight He noted
the elaborate terra-cotta decorations
of the walls, and marveled at the bad
taste which had lost sight of this op
portunity for artistic simplicity. But
through the opening before him he
could see the fountain playing In the
center of the court The central fig
ure of the group, a naiad, beckoned
with a hand from which the water fell
In a shower. The effect was not so
unpleaslng.. If one wished to be
rococo, why not be altogether so? Like
me .Scuta . Americans t was their
- - - rh.ffr!-m;cu piAutv.vM vm
to an Inner steel construction? Orme
woudered.
Midway of the tunnel, aud at the
right as one entered, was a door lead
lug Into the porter's office. This door
was shut, but as Orme approached it.
it noiselessly opened out. He ex
pected to see a porter appear, and
when no person stepped over the sill,
he inferred that the door had been
blown open by an interior draft
Just as he was turning out to ro
around the door- whlcn shut off all j
view of him from the inner court a
ngure snot mrougn tne opening.
Before Orme could dodge, he was
seized firmly by the shoulders and
Jerked into the room, with a force
that sent him staggering. He tripped
over a chair and went to the floor, but
quickly scrambled to his feet and
wheeled about
Two men stood between him and
the door, which had been closed si
lently and swiftly. They were short
and stocklly built Orme exclaimed
aloud, for the light that filtered
through a window from the Btreet
showed two faces unmistakably ori
ental. If this was an ordinary robbery, the
daring of the robbers was almost in
credible. They ran the risk that the
i porter would return if they had not
already made away with him. Only
the most desperate purpose could ex
plain their action.
"What do you want?" demanded
Orme.
"Your pocket book." replied one of
the men "queek!" He smiled
elusive smile as he spoke.
"What If I refuse?" said Orme.
"Then we take. Be queek."
A call for help would hardly bring
anyone; but Orme gave a loud cry
more to disconcert his enemies than
with any hope of rescue.
At the same Instant he rushed to
ward the door, and struck out at the
nearer Japanese.
The blow did not land. His wrist
was caught In a grip like an Iron
clamp, and he found himself perform
lng queer gyrations. The Japanese
had turned his back toward Orme and
swung the Imprisoned arm over his
shoulder. A quick lurch forward, and
Orme sailed through the air, coming
down heavily on his side. His arm
was still held, and in a few seconds
he was on his back, his assailants
astride him and smiling down into hli
face.
Orme struggled to free himself, and
promptly felt a breaking strain on his
Imprisoned arm. The knee of the
Japanese was under the back of
Orme's elbow. A moderate use of the
leverage thus obtained would snap the j
arm like a pipe stem. This Orme
realized, as he ceased struggling. The
strain on his arm relaxed slightly, but
the grip was maintained.
"Jiu-Jltsu," explained the Japanese
in a tone that sounded gently apolo
getic. The other robber now stooped and
ran his hands over Orme's coat. Find
ing the pocket book, he took It from
Its inside pocket and went swiftly to
the table. He produced from his own
pocket a little electric hand lamp, by
the light of which he took rapid count
of Orme's money.
His eyes glittered; a wide scar on
his forehead stood out whitely. Sud
denly he gave a little cry and held up
single bill. He Jabbered excitedly
to his companion for a moment, then
spoke quietly to Orme.
"This all we want," he said. "We
are not thief, see I put other five-
dollar bill in its place and leave pocket
book here."
He thrust the selected bill into his
pocket, put the fresh bill In the
pocket book, and laid the pocket book
on the table.
"See here," said Orme, still prone,
"what's the meaning of all this?"
"Don't say." The Japanese smiled.
He went over to the door. "Come,"
he said. The man astride Orme re
leased his hold and sprang to his feet
Like a flash, both the Japanese disap
peared.
IHL U LISTERS 10
ESS 01 PARCELS POST"
Mr. Fodrea Makes Pleasing Talk on the Subject That is Agitating
the People Throughout the United Slates.
Orme Jumped up. Seizing Lis
pocket book and his hat, he darted
after his assailants. At the street en
trance to the tunnel, he looked quick-,
ly In both directions, but his mon
were not In Bight
Pursuit was futile. Slowly he turned
back. He thought of notifying the
police, but, after all, be was none the
worse off except for his promise to
Poritol and Alcatrante, now Involun
tarily broken. He must explain to
them as best he could. The marked
bill had been of no consequence to
him except as a focus of adventure.
And he had had about as much adven
ture as ho could expect for ono eve
ning.
But the secret of the bill still tanta
lized him. Blindfolded, he had played
in a game at which the others saw. It
seemed unfair as if he had some
right to know tho meaning of all these
mysterious Incidents. Why had Po
ritol wanted the bill so badly? Why
had the desire to possess it driven the
two Japanese to such extreme meas
ures? Orme crossed the court and entered
the lobby. The clerk looked at him
curiously.
"Mr. Orme," he said, "there Is a
young lady In the reception room,
waiting to soe you."
j "Me?" Orme looked his surprise.
I "Yes, sir. Sho gave no namo."
j "Has she been waiting long?"
' "Nearly an hour."
Without further questioning, Orme
turned to the door of the little green
and gold room. At the threshold he
paused In bewilderment Arising to
meet him, smiling frankly, was the
girl of the car.
To be continued.
The Commercial club met last
evening at their rooms In the Coatee
block, with the new president, T. II.
Pollock, in the chair. A good sized
audience of the business men of the
city greeted Mr. Pollock on making
his Inaugural address. Before intro
ducing Mr. Fodrea, the speaker of
the evening, Mr. Pollock announced
the names of the directors of the
club as well as the different commit
tees for the ensuing year.
On being introduced by President
Pollock, Mr. Fodrea began his re
marks by comparing himself with a
Missouri congressman in that he had
a few words to say before he began
his speech. And Introduced his re
marks by stating the Bubjeet of par
cels post was a vast one and engag
ing the attention of the people of the
United States at this time to a re
markable degree. And stating that
the people of the United States al
ready had a parcels post system and
his Idea was more to the thought of
what should be done with the system
we already have rather than to en
large on a system which was already
adequate to the demands of the pub
lic. Under the present system of
mall carrying the rate is 16 cents
per pound and the limit a 4-pound
package. Some, of the agitation
working through certain periodicals
advocated the reduction of the rate
to 1 cent a pound and increasing the
weight limit. These agitators disre
gard the cost of the service entirely,
which the speaker regarded aa radi
cally wrong, as no transportation
should be considered that did not
take in the cost of the service.
As the matter was handled at the
present time the rate was a flat one
and distance was not taken into con
sideration and the postage required
would carry the package one mile or
three thousand miles as the case
might be. That the loss on carrying
parcels great distances at the flat
rate was made up to the government
from the surplus In carrying the first
class postal matter. The actual cost
of handling goods through the post
office department when the distances
are considered, Is from 14 to 15 cents
per pound.
Since the organization of the gov
ernment it had bad a monopoly on
the letter carrying business, hence
the cheapness of the rate, but there
had been no monopoly on the trans
portation of goods, hence the gov
ernment gets all of the unprofitable
freight business, the long haul for
low rate, while the express com
panies get the profitable business,
the short hauls, for a high rate.
The speaker thought that tne pres
ent rural delivery system, with the
facilities already afforded, furnished
to the farmer all of the facilities for
getting goods by mall which he rea
sonably could expect. That the gov
ernment did not object to the rural
carrier taking small amounts of mer
chandise in his mall conveyance bo
long as the quick delivery of the mail
was not Interfered with.
And he mentioned localities in the
central part of Nebraska where the
rural carriers were delivering mer-
I chandlse along their routes and In
creasing their compensation thereby
The speaker was asked why the
parcels post was bo far advanced In
foreign countries and also why the
cost of transportation was so much
less by mall there compared with the
rates In the United States, and in
reply said that the distances In the
old country were so much less, and
that the plan there of grouping the
farmers In villages lessened the cost
of delivering mall, and their low cost
of labor, and In Great Britain In the
mail service were 15,000 boys work
lng at a low wage.
There are many bills pending be
fore congress at this time looking
toward the enlargement of the par
cels post system of the United States.
All of these bills look toward the
establishment of a flat rate and none
take In the cost of transportation.
Some of these propose to raise the
weight limit to a 11-pound package
and fix the rate of transportation at
25 cents. Many of the bills propose
the increased service without provid
ing any Increased facilities. This the
speaker deemed a grave mistake. At
the ordinary Christmas mail in som
of the thickly populated rural sec
tions of the east was not yet dis
tributed on the routes, and add to
this the parcels post mercantile de
liveries, would only double the diffi
culty In the distribution of mall and
merchandise.
When asked from what Bource the
parcels post was receiving financial
backing, the speaker referred to let
ters received by him from eastern
concerns and named The Larkln com
pany, National Cloak and Suit com- "
pany, Retailers' Pry Goods company,
and others who were contributing
large sums of money to the Postal
Progressive League treasury for tha
promotion o fthe parcels post.
On being asked why it was that a
parcel weighing 20 pounds could be
sent to any of twenty foreign coun
tries at the rate of 12 cents per
pound while It cost 10 cents per
pound to send the same parcel to
Pacific Junction, the speaker replied
that the foreign rate was controlled
by the treaty making power entirely
and not subject to the Jurisdiction of
congress. The president had full
authority to fix this rate with the
foreign powers, ana that the rate
mentioned was thus fixed as a diplo
matic measure and a concession to
the foreign government in a way to.
United States. The speaker thought
that the misunderstanding of this
point had caused some of the agita
tion for cheaper rates on mall mat
ter in this country.
The speaker paid a glowing tribute
to the country newspapers of the
country and the papers of the smaller
cities of Nebraska, and said If the
merchants would do their part any
where as well as the newspapers did
toward boosting their home towns,
there would not be the complaint
against the mall order houses that
there Is heard today.
The speaker was not alarmed
about the department houses of tha
eats establishing agencies In the
smaller towns and shipping to them
large bills .of goods, and distributing
through the rural parcels post, If on
should be established different from
what we have, as the expense ot this
distribution would be too heavy. And
there could be no particular end
served In this way, as the farmer
could go to the Btatlon and get his
goods without the aid of an agent
Mr. Fordea occupied the floor for
an hour and a half, replying to such,
questions as were propounded and
giving much valuable Information on
this vexed question. At the close ot
the discourse a vote of thanks of the
club was tendered the speaker for
his able address.
OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
OF THE COMMERCIAL CLUB
The following Is the list of officers,
directors and Important committees
of the riattomouth Commercial club
for the ensuing year:
T. II. Pollock, president; J. P.
Falter, vice president; K. H. Wes
cott, secretary; Itae Patterson, treas
urer. Directors: Wm. Balrd, C. C.
Parmele, II. A. Schneider, A. L.
Tldd, Joe II. McMaken, E. A. Wurl
and Philip Thelrolf.
Legislative Committee: Hon. It
11. Windham, J. P. Falter and Mike
mid.
New Membership Committee:
Geo. Falter and John Hlatt, Jr.
Banquet Committee: II. A.
Schneider, Henry Goos and John
Bauer, Jr.
President Pollock has appointed
R. B. Windham, captain for New
Orleans, and II. A. Schneider captain
for Ban Francisco, each to select, an
I able corps of assistants to debate the
Subscribe for the Daily JoaraaL I subject of where the Panama Canal
Exposition celebration Bhall be held,
at the opening of the canal. The de
bate Is to occur at the next meeting
of the club.
August Stander, of near Louisville,
was in the city today on Important
business, and during his sojourn
called at Journal headquarters and
renewed his allegiance to the Old
Reliable for another year. Mr.
Stander is one of the substantial
farmers of Cass County and the
Journal la pleased to number him
among Its friends.
Mrs. F. J. Morgan spent tno after
noon In Omaha, going on tho fast
mail.
Poultry Wanted
Highest market price paid
or poultry and all farm,
produce.
HAH PRODUCE CO.
