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CHAPTER VI.
A Chance Lead.
To follow the girl's suggestion and
return at once to Chicago was Orme's
Intention when he said good-night to
her. The hour was close to midnight,
and the evening had been crowded bo
full with bewildering adventure that
he was tired. Moreover, he looked
forward to a morning that might well
test Lis enduranco even more strenu
ously. lie had now committed himself
definitely to continue In the field
against the Japanese. Except for his
desire to serve this wonderful girl
who had come so suddenly Into his
life, he doubtless would have permit
ted the mystery of the marked bill
to remain unsolved. But since the
recovery or tne stolen papers was so
Important to her, he was prepared to
run any risk In the struggle.
Who was shet Dut no, that was a
question she did not wish him to ask.
She was simply "Girl" beautiful, ten
der, comprehending his Ideal In
carnate. As he stood there, hesitant,
before the house Into which she had
disappeared, he pictured her again
even to the strand of rebellious hair
which had blown across her cheek.
He could discover no fault In her
perfection.
A man came Into view on the drive
at the side of the house; a servant
to care for the car, of course; and
Orme, with the uneasy feeling of one
who has been trespassing, moved
away toward the corner of the block.
He looked back, however, and saw the
newcomer clamber Into the car and
send It slowly up the drive.
At the same time a light Illumined
one of the upper windows of the
house. A shadow was thrown on the
curtain. Perhaps It was the girl her
self. What explanation had she given
her friends for appearing so late at
their doorT Probably she had told
them no more than that she was tired
and belated. She was not the kind
of girl from whom an elaborate ex
planation would be asked or ex
pected. Then a thought startled him. Was
this, perhaps, her home? No, she
had spoken of the people who lived
here as her friends, and she would
not have tried to keep the truth from
him by subterfuge. If tb were her
home and she had not wished him to
know It, she would have requested
him to leave her before they bad
come so far.
v uinuiu uyuu uiiu luui ll wuum
not be hard for him to learn who
lived In this house, and possibly
through that knowledge to get a clue
to her Identity. His heart warmed
as he realized how completely she
had trusted him. His assurance that
lie would not try to find out who she
was had satisfied her. And Orme
knew that, If she had been so readily
assured, It was because she had rec
ognized the truth and devotion In
him.
With a happy sigh, he turned his
back once and for all and walked
rapidly away. But he did not go
toward the electric-car line, which
he knew must He a few blocks to the
west Instead, he retraced the
course they had come, for he had de
cided to visit the university campus
once more and try to discover what
had become of Maku, and more espe
cially of the other Japanese, who had
secured the papers. That he would
be recognized and connected with the
attack on Maku, was unlikely.
When he came to the corner of
Sheridan road and Chicago avenue, he
hesitated for a moment Should he
go north through the campus and
seek a trace of the Japanese who had
scaped T Nearly half an hour had
gone since the advoature among the
trees, and the man must have got
completely away by this time. Hav
ing the papers, he surely would not
linger to learn the fate of Maku.
Orme found himself wondering how
the Japanese had got to Evanston.
Granting that It bad not taken them
long to solve the abbreviated direc
tions on the five-dollar bill, they could
hardly have come by motor-car, for
they had had a good half-hour start,
and Orme had discovered them
before their work was completed.
Only on the assumption that their car
had broken down on the way could
Orme admit that they had used a
motor-car. Moreover, hov were two
Japanese, whose appearance did not
Indicate the possesion of much ready
money how were they likely to have
a car, or even to rent one 7 And had
they believed that they might be
pursued T Would they not have come
to Evanston by an obvious route of
train or trolley t
These considerations led Orme to
think that the ear which he and the
girl had beard In the distance could
sot have been occupied by the oo
antna Japan a.
COM, f1AJ) CWAXt
The fellow, then, had probably made
for the electric-car line, and In that
v " ;'v I'l-X!;.,
m
mm
mm
1 :
lis
a K&
"There's a Rule Against Going In
There After Dark."
event he would be well on his way to
Chicago by this time. The car he had
caught must have gone southward
from Evanston about 10:45. The con
ductor would be likely to remember
having had a Japanese on board; per
haps he would even remember where
the Oriental had got off. The natural
course for Orme, therefore, was to
take a car himself and, If he did not
meet the other car returning, to get
off at the car-barns and make In
quiries. The possibility that the Jap
anese had changed to the elevated
road on the North side was great, but
the conductor might remember If the
rhanze had been made. ,
"Rut Orme dTtr not turn at once
toward the car-line. Though his logic
pointed in that direction, be was ir
resistibly Influenced by a desire to
walk eastward along the drive where
It skirted the southern end of the
campus. A half-hour might eo by.
and still he would not be too late to
meet on Its return, the car which the
Japanese would have taken. He
started, therefore, eastward, toward
the lake, throwing frequent glances
through the Iron fence at bis left and
Into, the dark shadows of the oaks.
He came to the lake without en
countering anyone. The road here
swept to the southward, and on the
beach near the turn squatted the low
brick building which the girl had told
him was the life-saving station. A
man was standing on the little veran
da. His suit of duck was dimly white
In the light from the near-by street
lamps. "One of the crew." Orme surmised,
and he sauntered slowly down the lit
tle path.
The beach sloped grayly to the edge
of the lake, where a breakwater thrust
Us blunt nose out like a stranded
hulk. The water was calm, lapping
the sand so gently that it was hard
to believe that so gentle a murmur
could ever swell Into the roar of a
northeaster. A launch that was
moored at the outer end of the break
water lay quiet on the tldeless sur
face. .
"Good-evening," said Orme, as the
man turned his head. "Are you on
watch?"
The life-saver slowly stretched.
"Till 12," he answered.
"Not much longer, then?"
"No. thank heaven!"
Orme laughed. "I suppose you do
get more than you want of It," he
said. "Dut on a fine night like this I
should think It would be mighty pleas
ant" "Not If you have to put In several
hours of study after you get through."
"Study?"
"Yes. You see, I have a special ex
amination tomorrow."
"A service examination?"
"Oh, no college."
"Are you a student?"
"All the crew are students; It helps
a good deal, If you are working your
way through college."
Oh, I see. But surely the univer
sity hasn't opened for the fall?"
"No, but there are preliminary
exams. lor those who have conditions
to work off."
Orme nodded. "It's a fine campus
you have with the groves of oaks."
"Yes."
"Just the place for a quiet evening
stroll. I thought I'd walk up the
shore."
"There's a rule against going In
there after dark."
"Is there? That's too had."
"Something funny happened there
Just a little while ago."
"So? What was It?" Orme was
getting close to the subject he moat
desired to bear explained.
I "Why, one of the eope was walking
along th shore and be found a Jav
anese, stunned."
"A Japanese!"
"He evidently had wandered In
there and somebody had hit him over
the head with a club."
"Alter money?"
"Probably. There've been a good
many hold-ups lately. But the slug
ger didn't have a chance to get any
thing this time."
"How so?"
"He was bending over the Jap when
the cop came up. He got away."
"Didn't the cop chase him?"
"No, the fellow had a good Btart
so the cop stayed by the Jap."
"And what became of the Jap?"
The life-saver Jerked his head
toward the door beside him. "He's
In there, getting over his headache.1
"Is he?" This was a contingency
which Orme had not foreseen. Nor
had he any desire to come face to
face with Maku. But if he betrayed
his surprise, the life-saver did not
notice it.
"The cop Is taking another look
through the campus," he continued
"What does the Jap Bay about it?"
asked Orme.
"He doesn't say anything. It looks
as though he couldn't speak English.
The cop is going to get Asuki."
"Asukl?" t
"A Jap student who Uvea In the
dormitory."
"Oh," said Orme.
The fact that Maku would not talk
was In a measure reassuring. Ills ap
parent Inability to understand Eng
lish was, of course, assumed, unless,
Indeed, ho was still too completely
dazed by the blow which Orme had
given him, to use a tongue which wus
more or less strange to him. Hut
what would he say If he saw Orme?
Would he not accuse his assailant
hoping thus to delay the pursuit of
his companion?
The d.Vnger was by no means slight.
Orme decided quickly to get away
from this neighborhood. But Just as
he was about to bid the life-saver a
casual good-night, two men came
around the corner of the building.
One was a policeman, the other a
young Japanese. Orme unobtrusive
ly seated himself on the edge of the
little veranda.
"How Is he?" asked the policeman.
"All right, I guess," replied the life
saver. "I looked In a few minutes
ago, and he was sitting up. Hello,
Asukl."
"Hello, there," responded the little
Japanese.
"Come," said the policeman, after
an unsuspicious glance at Orme, and,
mounting the steps, he led his Inter
preter into the station.
Now, Indeed, It was time for Orme
to slip away. Maku might be brought
out at any moment. But Orme
lingered. He was nearer to the solu
tion of the secret If he kept close to
Maku, and he realized, for that mat
ter, that by watching Maku closely
and, perhaps, following him home, he
might be led Btralght to the other
man. If Maku accused him, It should
not, after all. be hard to laugh the
charge away.
A murmur of voices came from
within the station, the policeman's
words aloue being distinguishable.
"Ask him," the policeman said, "if
he knows who hit him."
The undertones of a foreign Jargon
followed.
"Well, then," continued the police-
man, 'find out where he came from
and what he was doing on the
campus."
Again the undertones, and after
ward an Interval of silence. Then
the policeman spoke in an undecided
voice.
"If he don't know anything, I can't
do anything. But we might as well
get a few more facts. Something
might turn up. Ask him whether he
saw anybody following him when he
went Into the campus."
Orme bad been straining his ears
in a vain endeavor to catch the words
of Asukl. But suddenly his attention
was diverted by a sound from the
lake. It was the "puhpuh-puh-puh"
of a motor-boat, apparently a little
distance to the northward. The ex
plosions followed one another In rapid
succession.
He turned to the life-saver.
"What boat is that?" he asked.
' "I don't know. Some party from
Chicago, probably. She came up an
hour or so ago at least,. I suppose
she's the same one."
The explosions were now so rapid
as to make almost one continuous
roar.
"She's a fast one, all right," com
mented the life-saver. "Hear her go!"
"Are there many fast boats on the
lake?"
"Quite a number. They run out
from Chicago harbor now and then."
Orme was meditating.
"Exactly how long ago did this
boat pass?"
"Oh, an hour or more. Why?"
"She seems to have been beached
up north here a little way."
"She may have been. Or they've
been lying to out there."
In Orme's mind arose a surmise
that In this motor-boat Maku and his
companion had come from Chicago.
The surmise was so strong as lo
velop quickly Into a certainty. And
if the Japanese had come by this
boat, it stood to reason that the one
who had the papers was escaping in
it He must have waited some time
for Maku and, at last had pushed off
to return alone.
Were these Japanese acting for
themselves? That did not seem pos
sible. Then who was their em
ployer? Orme did not puzzle long over
these questions, for he bad deter
.mined on a course of action. Ho
spoke to tho life-saver, who appeared
to b listening to tho droning coo
Tersatlon which continued within too
station.
"The hold-up men may be in that
! boat, remarked Orme.
I "Hardly." A laugh accompanied the
answer.
"Well, why not? She came north
an hour or so ago and either was
beached or lay to uotil Just now."
"You may be right." Then, before
Orme knew what was happening, the
young man opened the door and
called Into the station: "Hey, there!
Your robber is escaping on that
motor-boat out there."
"What'B that?" The policeman
strode to the door.
"Don't you hear that boat out
there?" asked the life saver.
"Sure, I hear it"
"Well, she came up from the south
an hour or more ago and stopped a
little north of here. Now she's go
ing back. Mr. Holmes. h j" he
grinned as he said It "Mr. Holmes
suggests that the hold-up mau Is
aboard."
The reference to the famous detect
ive of fiction was lost upon the po
liceman. "I guess that's about it, Mr.
Holmes." he said excitedly; and Orme
was much relieved to note that the
life-saver's humorous reference had
passed for an Introduction. The po
liceman would have no suspicion of
him now unless Maku
There was an exclamation from
within the room. "What's tho mat
ter?" askod tho policeman, turning in
the doorway.
The voice of Asukl replied: "Ho
say the robber came ina bicycle
not in a bout."
"Put I thought he didn't see the
fellow coming."
"He remember now."
The policeman started. "How did
he know what we were talking about
out here?" he demanded
mm
Ri'l
ESS3
"Perhaps I Steered Too Far 8quth."
"He understand English, but 'not
speak it" replied Asuki readily.
To the policeman this explanation
wa3 satisfactory. Orme, of course,
found In it a corroboration of his
gues3. Maku evidently did not wish
suspicion directed against the motor
boat. The policeman reentered the sta
tion, eager to avail himself of the In
formation which Maku waB now dis
posed to give him.
Orme turned to the llfe-saverT'TLe
Jap Is lying." he said.
"Think so?"
"Of course. If be understands Eng.
Msh so well, he certainly knows how
to make himself understood in it
His story of the bicycle is preposter
ous." "But what then?"
"Doesn't it occur to you that per
haps the Jap himself Is the robber?
His intended victim may have got ths
better of him."
"Yes," said the young man doubt
fully, "but the fellow ran."
"That would be natural Doubt
less he didn't want any notoriety.
It's possible that he thought he had
killed his assailant and bad an un
pleasant vision of being detained In
the local Jail until the affair could be
cleared up."
The life-saver looked at Orms
searchlngly.
"That sounds pretty straight," bo
said at last "I guess you know what
you are talking about"
"Perhaps I do," said Orme quietly.
"In any event I'd like to see who's
in that boat out there."
"There isn't a boat nearer than Chi
cago that could catch her. They have
run her several miles out Into the
lake before turning south, or she
would have been pretty close to Chi
cago already. She's going fast"
The roar of the motor was indeed
becoming a faroft sound.
"Why not telephone the Chicago po
lice to Intercept her?"
"There's no evidence against her,"
replied Orme; "only surmises."
"I know, but "
' "And, as I suggested, whoever was
attacked by that Jap in there may not
want notoriety."
Suddenly the distant explosions
stopped began again stopped. Sev
eral times they were renowed at short
intervals "puh-puh-puh" "puh-puh"
"puhpuh-puh-puh" then they
ceased altogether.
.: "Hello!" exclaimed the life-saver.
"They've broken down."
Ho picked up a pair of binocular
which had been lying on the veranda
near him, and scanned the surface
of the lake.
"Make her out?" querlod Orme.
"No, she's too small, and too far
off." He handed tho nlghtglais to
Orme, who in turn searched the wo
ter vainly.
"Whose boat Is that moored to tho
breakwater T" askd Orme, lowering
the glass.
"Belongs to a man hero In town."
Would ho rent It?"
"No. Cut ha lets us run It mm ta
We keep an eye on It for
Orme took out his watch. "It's al
most 12," he said. "You'll be relieved
in a few moments. Do you suppose
I could persuade you to take me out
to the other boat?"
The live-safer hesitated. "I'd like
to," he said. "But my study"
"There'll be .me sport, If we get
within reach of the man out there,"
Orme put In.
"Well I'll do it though tho
chances are that they will make their
repairs and be off again before we
come within a mile."
"I'm much obliged to you," said
Orme. "If you would let me make it
right"
"For taking you out in another
man's boat? No, sir."
"I know. Well my name is Orme,
not Holmes."
"And mine," grinned the life-saver,
"Is Porter."
A man turned In from the drive,
and sauntered toward them.
"There's my relief," said Porter.
"Hello, Kelnisley."
"Hello," replied the newcomer.
"Just wait till I punch the clock,"
said Torter to Orme.
"Punch the clock? Oh, I see; tho
government times you."
"Yes."
Porter went into the station for a
moment; then, returning, he ex
changed a few words with the relief
and led Orme down to tho breakwa
ter. The launch which was moored
there proved to be a sturdy bont,
built for strength rather than for
speed.
Orme cast oft whllo Porter removed
the tarpaulin from the' motor and
made ready to turn tho wheel over.
"Is the policeman still busy with
the Jap?" Orme questioned sud
denly.
"Yes."
"lie won't get anything out of
him," said Orme "except fairy
stories."
Porter started the motor and
stepped forward to the steering
wheel. Slowly the launch pushed out
into the open lake, and the lights of
the shore receded.
No sound had come from the dis
abled boat since Its motor stopped.
Doubtless It was too far off for the
noise of repairs to be heard on the
shore. Orme peered over the dark
surface of the water, but he could era
nothing except the lights of a dis
tant steamer.
"I know why he went out so far."
remarked Porter. "He Is running
without lights."
"That In Itself Is suspicious, Isn't
It?" Orme asked.
"Why, yes, I suppose bo though
people aren't always as careful as
they might be. Our own lights aren'l
ILxhted. you see."
"Have you any clue at kll as to
wnere she Is?
"Only from the direction tho
sounds came from Just before the ex
plosions stopped. She had headway
enough to slide some distance after
that, and I'm allowing for It and for
the currents. With the lake as it Is,
she would be carried in a little."
For nearly half an hour they contin
ued straight out toward mid-lake.
Orme noticed that there was a Blight
swell. The lights of Evanston were
now mere twinkling distant points,
far away over the dark void of tho
waters.
Porter shut off the power. "Wo
muBt be pretty near her," he said.
They listened intently.
"Perhaps I steered too far south,"
said Porter at last
He threw on the power, and sent
tho boat northward In slow, wldo
circles. The . distant steamship had
made progress toward the northeast
bound, perhaps, for Muskegon, or
ome other port on the Michigan
snore. ne was a passenger steam
er, appparently, for lines of portholes
and deck-windows were marked by
dots of light There was no other
sign of hu&in presence to be seen on
the lake, and Orme's glance ex
pectantly wandered to her lights now
and then.
At last, while he was looking at It
after a fruitless search of the dark
ness, he was startled by a strange
phenomenon. The lights of the
steamer suddenly disappeared. An
instant later they shone out again.
With an exclamation, Orme seized
the steering-wheel and swung it over
to the right
"There she is," be cried, and then:
"Excuse me for taking the wheel that
way, but I was afraid I'd lose her."
"I don't see her," said Porter.
"No; but something dark cut off
the lfghts of that steamer. Hold her
so." He let go the wheel and peered
ahead.
Presently they both saw a spot of
blacker blackness in the night. Por
ter set the motor at half-speed
"Have you got a bull's-eye lantern r
asked Orme in an undergone.
"Yea, in that locker."
Orme stooped and lighted the lan
tern In the shelter of the locker.
"Now run up alongside." he said.
"and ask if they need help."
Tho outline of the disabled boat
now grew more distinct Porter
swung around toward it and called:
"Need help?"
After a moment's wait, a voice re
plied: "Yes. You tow me to Chicago. I
pay you."
It was a tolco which Orme recog
lnzcd as that of the Japanese who
had been with Maku in the attack
at the Pere Marquette. -
"Can't do that," answered Porter.
"I'll take you In to Evanston."
"No!" The tono was expostula
torr. "I go to Chicago. I fix onglno
pretty soon." , , . ...
At this moment Orme raised bis
lantern and dlreoted Ita light Into tho
. ewhtle.
him."
otter boat. It shone Into tho blinking
eyes of the Japanese, standing by tho
motor. It shone
Great Heaven! Was he dreaming?
Orme could not believe his eyes. The
light revealed the face of the one
person he least expected to see for
seated on a cushion at the forward
ond of the cockpit was the glill
To be continued.
IRE IS VERY
WEliJLEASED
He Thinks Revision Downward
Is Now Assurred.
A special from Washington say
that Congressman Maguire has ex
pressed himself as very highly
pleased with the result of the demo
cratic caucus held last night. Ho
said he had labored diligently with
others of the same opinion since com
ing here at the beginning of the ses
sion, to have the next house organ
ized along progressive lines and to
give an assurance to the country that
there would be a genuine revision oC
the tariff by the appointment of &
ways and means committee to go to
work at once to prepare a tariff bill.
The result of last night's caucus, ho
said, assure us both.
Ho believed that progressive senti
ment and Just demands In Nebraska
will be well reflected In the proposed
organization.
"A genuine downward tariff revis
ion nnd a radical reform in the par
liamentary procedure of the house
are among the first demands from,
Nebraska of the Incoming congresa
as I interpret the sentiment," said
Mr. Maguire. "The removal of the
speaker from all committees and tho
taking away from him of the power;
to appoint committees and chairmen
and to rank men on committees goes
to the bottom of parliamentary re
form. I believe that this Is not only
the flrBt step In this direction, but It
Is the most distinct advantage that
has been made in a quarter of a cen
tury to make tho popular legislative
branch of the government a deliber
ative body and to place It in a posi
tion where It will bo able to reflect
the popular will. I believe It Is an.
excellent idea to select the ways and:
means committee now so that this
committee can go at once to the enor
mous task before them and make a
special study of the tariff schedules,
have hearings and thereby assure tho
country of tho good faith of this new
congress. 1 believe as a whole It Is o
good committee a committee that
will draft a tariff bill from the point
of view of the people rather than that
of the special Interests. The mem
bers of the committee are In general
men who are in favor of a tariff for
revenue system and they will begia
the work of drawing up a bill with,
this principle In view. With such
committee tho country can reason
ably expect a real genuine downward
revision. At no time In recent years
has the country had a better assur
ance of a tariff law along revenue
lines. The result of the recent elec
tion leaves no doubt as to what tho
people wanted then, and what they
will expect now."
THE LONG LOST TRUNK
The trunk belonging to Miss Dal
ton, which was lost during the Christ
mas bustle of business, was discover
ed at the Lincoln station yesterday
and MIsb Dalton notified today, Tho'
trunk wa staken into the station at
York a day or two before Christmas,
but a short time before the train left
the station, and was placed by tho
drayman on the baggage truck, and
was loaded into the baggage cc(r
without being chocked, and was un
loaded at Lincoln when the baggage
man on the train noticed It had no
check. Miss Dalton will receive her
trunk very shortly, and will no doubt
be pleased to get it.
I'nclo Sum Will Pay the Fremiti.
Some mall order houses and tho
mall order magazines which derive
their support from these houses aro
all supporting the "parcels post'
which In our opinion Is very wrong
In principle. Everyone knows there
Is now a great deficit In the post of
fice department, and If the parcels
post is Inaugurated this deficit will
simply become larger. About all
there Is to the parcels post Is simply
a scheme on the part of the mall
order houses to get Uncle Sam to
carry their goods to their patrons.
while the tax payers will have to "pay
the freight."
Mr. Cramer, government superin
tendent of construction, of Council
Bluffs, was a Plabtsmouth visitor to
day, looking over tho work on -the
postoffice building.
