The Plattsmouth journal. (Plattsmouth, Nebraska) 1901-current, February 06, 1911, Image 5

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RAY WALTtt
CHAPTER X.
"Find the American."
1 As Orme let the table cover fall
back to Its normal position and turned
to get himself Into a comfortable atti
tude his hand touched something soft
and yielding. For a moment he was
startled, but the sound of a throaty purr
and the realization that his hand was
resting on fur soon told him that his
companion In hiding was a cat
He wondered whether the Japanese
liked pets. From what little he knew of
Japanese character It did not seem to
him consistent that they should care
....tiQ v.tur. .
for animals. Yet here was a peaceful
tabby.
In order to accommodate himself to
his close quarters, Orme had to double i
his legs back, resting on his thigh and
supporting the upper part of his body
with one hand. The cat settled doww
against his knee.
The light filtered redly through the
table cover. To his satisfaction he
found a small hole, evidently a burn
made by some careless smoker.
Through this aperture he could look
out His range of vision included the
greater part of the room, excepting the i
side on which the table stood. He
could see the window and several
chairs, as well as the door into the
adjoining room, but the door into the
hall was out of view, at his right
While he was looking about, a man
came from the next room. Doubtless it
was Arlma; at least Orme recognized
the Japanese who had overcome him
In the porter's office at the Pere Mar
quette the night before. He stepped
into the room with a little smile on
his brown face. Beating himself in a
chair, he fixed his heels in the rungs
and clasped his hands about his
knees. He was waiting.
The black eyes rested on the table.
To Orme they seemed to be boring
through the cover that concealed him,
and he hardly dared to breathe, but
the Asiatic appeared to observe noth-
' Ing unusual. Orme wondered at the
unfathomable Intelligence of those
' -eyes. He had often said of the Chinese
and Japanese that he did not trust
them for the reason that a Caucasian
ould never tell what they were think
ing about The racial difference in
thought processes he found disconcert
ing. A bell rang. Arlma went to the door,
out of view, and opened it Orme could
hear persons mounting the stairs, and
presently the voice of Arima said,
"Come in," and the visitors entered the
room.
Pausing near the door for a moment,
they exchanged a few whispered sen
tences. Then one of them walked over
toward the window. Orme repressed
an exclamation, for the figure that
came into view was the figure of Pori
tol dapper, assertive.
He was dressed as on the night be
fore, and his precious high hat was
hugged close to his shoulder.
His eyes roved with an exaggerated
assumption of Important cunning.
Presently he threw over his shoulder
la rapid sentence in a foreign tongue,
tt sounded like Spanish, and Orme in
ferred that it was a dialect of Portu
guese. The answer came from an oily
tongue; the voice was Alcatrante's.
, What were the South Americans do
ing here? It was only a few
hours
since the Japanese had set on Alca
trante, yet here he was In a strong
foold of the enemy and expected! Had
the astute diplomat fallen into a trap?
Arlma was standing, not far from
Torltol. his face was expressionless.
Looking from Alcatrante to Poritol and
back again, he said in English: "The
tnos' honorable gentleman will soon
be here."
"That Is right," said Alcatrante
suavely. "Mention no names."
Arlma nodded slightly.
The silence grew Intense. Orme was
relieved when It was broken by an
other ring of the bell a&d Arlma
slipped to the door. Alcatrante moved
over beside Poritol and whispered a
few words, scarcely moving bis lips.
His face looked yellow by daylight,
and the eyes behind the gold specta
cles were heavy-lidded and almost
closed. Orme Inferred that the night
had been sleepless for Alcatrante.
These observations were interrupted
by the entrance of the newcomer. He
paused at the threshold, evidently to '
salute, for Poritol and Alcatrante
bowed low. Then quick steps crossod
the floor and Into view came a nervoui
but assured-looking little figure a
Japanese, but undoubtedly a man of (
great dignity. His manner of sharp
authority would be hard to dispute, for
it was supported by a personality that
seemed to be stronger than Alca .
trante's. Who he was Orme could not
guess, but that he was somebody ( (
Importance It was easy U see.' ;
-i The stranger bowed agala aaa - ad I
dressed himself to Alcatraate. The
tirrttt!on was" carried ea U
mrvfrrM? no or
"rench.
"It Is well that you communicated
with me, sir," he said, "we were work
ing at cross-purposes when, In reality,
our interests were identical.'
I ' Alcatrante bowed. "I came to that
conclusion late last night," he said. "I
do not deny that it would have pleased
me to carry the affair through by my
self." "Yes, your position would then have
I been stronger." The Japanese smiled
' faintly.
"But," continued Alcatrante, with a
slight grimace, "the activity of your
men made that Impossible. I havjs no
! ,ht
lieutenants such as yours. He shot,
an ugly gleam at Poritol, whose sud
den assumption of fearsome humility
was in strange contrast to his usual
self-assurance.
"As we hold the documents" the
Japanese spoke with great distinctness
"you will necessarily admit our ad-
vantage. That means, you win un
derstand, a smaller commission on the
next contract."
Alcatrante twisted his face into the
semblance of a smile. "Not too small,
or we cannot undertake the work," he
said.
"No, not too small," the stranger
agreed calmly, "but smaller than the
last. You must not forget that there
are others who would gladly do the
same work."
"Yes, but at best they cannot get the
terms we get."
"Possibly. That is a matter still to
be determined. Meantime we have as
sumed that our interests in this docu
ment are Identical. Let us test it."
"One word first," said Alcatrante.
"I take It that, if our interests are
sympathetic with yours, we may count
on your protection?"
"Most assuredly."
"Then?"
"Then we shall see. My fairness Is
clear In ttat I give you a sTgliC of tie"
document with myself. I might have
denied all knowledge of it."
Alcatrante trailed as If to say: "I
already knew so much that you could
not risk that."
The stranger turned to Arlma and
said something in Japanese. Arlma
replied, and the stranger explained to
Alcatrante: "I asked about .my man
Maku. The American struck him on
the head last night and injured him.
But he is recovering. He is trouble
somethat American."
Orme started. His head . bumped
against the table.
"'What's that?" exclaimed Poritol,
advancing. "There's something under
that table!" He stooped to lift the
cover.
One chance flashed into Orme's
mind. Quickly he seized the cat,
which was still sleeping against his
knee, and pushed It under the table
cover. It walked out into the room,
mewing plaintively.
"A cat," said Poritol, drawing back.
Arima explained in English: "It be
longs to lady upstairs. Comes down
fire escape. Shoo! Shoo!" He clapped
his hands and the animal bounded to
the window-sill and disappeared up the
iron steps.
"And now," began the stranger,
"shall we examine the documents?"
"O-e moment," said Alcatrante. "I
should first like a clear understanding
with you some words in private." He
moved to a corner, and there the
It Now Remained to Find Something
to Take the Dace of the Abstracted
Documents.
stranger Joined him. They talked in
an undertone for several minutes, Al
catrante gesturing volubly, the stran
ger nodding now and then, and Inter
Jectlng a few brief words.
What was going on was more than
ever a mystery to Orme. The
stranger's reference to "the next con
tract" strengthened the surmise that
the documents In the envelope were
connected with a South American
trade conoessloa. Alcatrante had
plainly onoluded that his interests
and these tf ths Japanese were tdentl
sal He ' must nave . eommualcaUd
wlta the stria re Jisuim the ftra
I t rr-aaa
thing in the morning. That would ac
count for his failure to call at the Pere
Marquette at ten o'clock. Learning
that the bill had been taken from
Orme, and that the coveted documents
were in the possession of the Japanese,
he had no object in keeping his ap
pointment. As for Poritol, he had b ,
come a figure of minor importance.
But Orme did not let these questions
long engage him, for he had made
discovery. Where his head bumped 1
against the table, the board above him
solid, as he had supposed rattled
strangely. At the moment he could
not investigate, but 83 soon as the cat :
bad satisfied the suspicions of Poritol,
and Alcatrante and the stranger had
retired to their corner, be twisted his
head back and examined the wood i
above htm.
The table had a drawer. From the
room outside this drawer was con
cealed by the cloth cover, and Orme
had not suspected its existence.
Now, the table was cheaply made.
The drawer was shallow and narrow,
and it was held in position, under the
table, by an open framework of wood.
When It was pushed In, it was stopped
at the right place by two cleats; there
was no solid strip to prevent its being
pushed In too far.
Orme put his hand to the back of the
drawer. There was a space between
It and the table-top.
Cautiously he pushed his hand
through the opening. Ills fingers
touched a fiat object a pad of paper,
or the thought made his heart beat
a large, thick envelope. Could Arlma
have used the drawer as a hiding
Vcel
Slowly he got the edge of the object
between his first and second fingers
and drew it a little way toward the
back of the drawer. A moment later
he had it under his eyes.
Yes, it was a long envelope of heavy
linen, and there were bulky papers
within. The gummed flap was toward
him. He was Interested to note that,
important though the documents
seemed to be, the envelope was not
sealed with wax.
He remembered what the girl had
said: her father's name was written on
the address side. He had only to turn
it over to learn who Bhe was. In the
circumstances such an act might be
Justified. But she had not wished him
to know and he would even now re
spect her wish and keep bis own prom
ise to her first.
His first thought was to slip the en
velope Into his pocket, but It occurred
to him In time that, if it did indeed
contain the documents concerning
which Alcatrante and the stranger
were disputing, it would be sought and
missed long before he could escape
from the room. So, taking a pencil
from his pocket, he Inserted It under
the corner of Jibe flap and slowly
worked the flap free. The streng;a of
the linen prevented any tearing.
He removed the contents o? the en
velope two folded sheets of parch
ment paper, held together by an elastic
band and thrust them into the Inside
pocket of his coat. All this was done
swiftly and noiselessly.
It now remained to find something to
take the place of the abstracted docu
ments. In his pocket were some print
ed prospectuses of the mine which he
had come to Chicago to investigate.
In shape and thickness they were not
dissimilar to the documents which he
had taken. He slipped toe prospectuses
into the envelope and, wetting' his
finger, rubbed it along the gummed
surface of the flap. Enough glue re
mained to make the flap adhere, after
a little pressure. The Job was by no
means perfect, but it was not likely to
be detected.
At that moment Alcatrante raised
his voice and said, still In French:
"You are sure, then, that this will not
delay the game, but end it?"
"Quite sure," said the Japanese.
"Unless the documents are signed be
fore midnight tonight nothing can be
done for some time.' We have the
Germans fixed. They will do what
they have thus far agreed to do, but If
any technical hitch arises, such as a
failure to sign within the time limit,
they will decline to renew negotia
tions. That was all we could get from
them, but it is enough now."
"And for other ships," said Alca
trante, "the commission shall be five
hundred thousand."
"Five hundred thousand. Seven hun
dred and fifty was too much."
"Five hundred thousand in gold."
"In gold."
Orme slipped the envelope back into
the drawer and put his eye to the hole
in the cover. His position was now
more critical, for to open the drawer
and get the envelope Arlma would
have to lift the table cover.
The stranger turned to Arlma. "Give
us the envelope," he said.
Arlma approached the table. Orme
crowded back against the wall as far
as he could, knowing that the chances
of escaping discovery were strongly
against him. Dut he was saved by the
very eagerness of the others. They all
crowded about Arlma, as he lifted the
cover, opened the drawer and took out
the envelope. So close did they stand
that Orme was out of their angle of
vision. The table cover fell again, and
he was safe. Ho resumed his position
at the peep-hole.
The stranger stepped to the middle
of the room, the others gathering
around him. With a quick Jerk be
ore the envelope open, and taking ovJ
the pnpori, ran his eye over them
rapidly. He uttered an exclamation.
"What is it?" said Alcatrante. The
South American's hand was shaking,
and perspiration stood out on his fore
head. The Japanese snarled. "Tricked!
They've fooled us. That honorable
burglar of yours got the wrong en
velop." '''.'
Aleatrante snatched the papers.
Trospeotua.' " a rend. Jfi! till Uel
Dare Mining Company.' But t 00 not
understand."
The Japanese glared at him angrily.
"If you had kept out of this business."
he snapped, "and let Maku attend to It,
everything would have been right
Now your burglars have spoiled it."
He snatched back the harmless pros
pectuses and tore them in two, throw
ing the fragments to the floor and
grinding them under his heel.
Arlma spoke. "Pardon, honorable
sir. Maku say the right envelope was
taken from the safe. Maku know."
"Ha! Then it was you who were
tricked outwitted. That American
reached the tree before you last
evening and substituted these papers.
Qo back to Japan, Arlma. I don't need
you."
Arlma bowed submissively. As for
the stranger, his rage gave way to
despair.
"What shall I say to the emperor?"
he muttered. "What shall I say to the
emperor?"
Then his feelings came again under
control; he looked calmly at Alca
trante. "Well," he said, "what would
you Buggest?"
Alcatrante's face was a puzzle. Every
shade of doubt, disappointment, anger,
suspicion and shrewd deduction passed
over it. He was putting Into play that
marvelous power of concentration on
subtle Issues that had enabled him to
play so brilliantly the role of interna
tional undor-dog. At last he smiled
and spoke.
"Find the American," he said
Suddenly there was a knock at the
dor. Arlma looked at his master, who
nodded indifferently and said: "Yes,
see who it is. It can do no harm
now."
Orme heard the door open. What
startled him first was the action of
Poritol, who stepped back to the wall,
his Jaw dropping, his face a picture of
embarrassment and fright Alcatrante
and the stranger showed amazement
For a moment they stood thus in
silence, and then from the door came a
clear voice:
"What? You here, Mr. Alcatrante?
And the Japanese tr'nlster?"
Orme almost sprang from his hiding
place. The voice was the voice of the
glrlt
To be continued.
public auction.
The undersigned will sell at public
auction at her farm, four miles and
a nr.lf east and a mile and a quarter
north of Louisville, a mile and a
half fouth and a half mile east of
Cedar Creek and eleven miles west of
I lattsmouth, o:i
TUESDAY. FEBRUARY 7, 1911
the following property to-wlt:
Iiive Stock.
One bay horse, Blxteen years old,
yeight 1,300.
One gray horse, seventeen years
old. weight 1.350. .
Team bay geldings, three yearB
old, weight 1,800.
Teum black geldings, three yearB
old, weight 2,100.
four milk cows, three fresh, one
fresh In July.
Six dozen chickens and two Bhoats".
Implement.
Two farm wagons and one buggy.
One fanning mill, one cider mill.
One Champion binder.
One two-row stalk cutter and stalk
rake.
Two three-section harrows.
One riding cultivator.
One walking cultivator.
One John Deere riding lister.
One 14-inch walking plow.
One John Deere two-row machine.
One corn planter and 80 rods wire
One HooKler seeder.
Two Hummer riding plows.
' One disc, nearly new.
Two mowing machines, one new.
One hay rake, one hay rack.
One Majestic cooking stove.
" One heater, good as new.
Two grindstones.
One iron kettle.
One road scraper.
Two sets of harness.
Some household goods and many
other articles too numerous to men
tion. Terms of Sale: All sums of $10
and under, cash In hand; over $10, a
credit of twelve months will be given,
the purchaser giving good bankable
paper bearing interest at eight per
cent from date. No property to leave
the premises until settled for. Sale
will commence at 12:30 p. m., sharp,
sharp.
Mrs. J. D
A. O. Ault, Auctioneer.
J. G. Melslnger, Clerk.
Thlerolf,
Owner.
Horse Shoeing
John Durman desires to Inform
those who need his services that be
has opened a shop at the Ora Dawson
place for shoeing horses. Satisfaction
assured.
Try the Journal's want ra column
Poultry Wanted
HlgheBt prices paid for all farm
produce.
II ATT PRODUCE CO,
CLARENCE W. WATSON.
Choian For Short 8nto Torm
by Democrats of Wott Virginia.
ASSERTS KING GEORGE
WAS WHITEWASHED
FfjjJor flf I lllGrdf OF CSllS Trlfll
of Mylius Illegal.
Paris, Feb. 3. Edward II. James,
the editor of the Liberator, whose ar
ticle was the basis of the suit against
Edward Mylius, convicted in London
for libelling King George, Issued a
statement saying the trial of his Brit
ish agent was Illegal and the proceed
ings a "whitewashing." The state
ment proceeds:
"The trial was Illegal because My
lius was not indicted, but was tried
under 'an Information ex officio,' which
is used only in charges of sedition. It
was a whitewashing because the
crown had no right to call witnesses
to disprove charges when the defend
ant had refused to offer evidence prov
ing the charges. Mylus having re
fused to substantiate that bigamy was
practiced, the case ended immediately.
"Mylius refused to proceed because
the king refused to testify. If the
king had gone on the stand and sworn
that the murrlnge did not take place,
I would gladly apologize In the Liber
ator, which under the circumstances
can only attack the trial as a violation
of almost every principle of English
law, evidence and liberty."
SIGNS TO WARN RURAL G RLS
Kansas City Women plan to Place Pla
cards in Every Depot In State.
Kansas City, Feb. 3. If the plnns of
tho Council of Women's clubs of Kan
sas City are carried out, a placard
warning young girls of small towns to
shun the cities soon will be placed in
every depot In this state.
At a recent meeting the form of
this placard was decided upon and
also that of a placard that will be
placed In the Union depot, telling
country girls where to Reek aid. The
girl Intending to come to Knnsns City
Is told to notify the women's club
two weeks previous so that work may
be secured and also two days before
she Rtnrts so a place for her to live
may be found, and a matron be sent
to the station to.mpet her.
FATALLY SHOT BY A WOMAN
Des Moines Man Enter Kansas City
Home Without Knocking.
Kansas City, Feb. 3. Wblle her
husband, Charles Ufford, was engaged
In a desperate fight with Edward Hux
ford, who recently came here from
Pes Moines, Mrs. Meda Ufford Bhot
lind fatally wounded Huxford at her
home in this city. Mrs. Ufford told
the police that Huxford, although only
slightly acquainted with her husband,
entered the house without knocking.
She said a quarrel and fight ensued
and when she feared Huxford would
kill her hunlmnd, she shot the In
trudcr.
Stork's Tax on Telephones.
Columbia, Mo., Feb. 3. Every
death and every birth In a small town
causes approximately 300 extra tele
phone calls, according to figures Is
sued here by a telephone company.
The calls resulting from tho births
are more trouble, says tho report, be
cause these are limited to women and
the conversation occupies much more
time thnn in telling of a death.
Aged Couple Hoarded $6,000.
Wanensburir, Mo , Feb. 3. Secreted
more thnn $G,000 In gold and silver
In tin cans, old trunks, and cloBots,
coin was found In the houBo of J. M.
Ronemous and wife, aged recluses,
who died within a few hours of each
other. No heirs have appeared.
Storm Along Spanish Coast.
Barcelona, Feb. 3. A wild Btorm
swept the Spanish coast. A score of
fishing craft were dashed on the rocks
and many of their crews. loBt. The
bodies of twenty five Bailors were
picked up along the const.
More Shocks Felt at Manila.
Manlln, Feb. 3. A prolonged earth
quake aroused the residents of Ma
nila. Revised estimates plaee the
number of thore killed by the erup
tions of Mount Taal and drowned la
tidal waves at 600.
V7
SENATE PASSES
SHIP SUBSIDY BILL
Vice President Sherman Breaks
Tb Vote lor Measure.
THREE HOURS OF SKIRMISH!!::
Watson's Absence Prevents Defeat af
Measure New Senator From West
Virginia Votes Once In Opposition
and Then Disappears.
Washington, Feb. 3. For the third,
time in the history of the government
the vice president of the United States
exercised his constitutional preroga
tive of casting a vote to break ties la
connection with three successive roll
callB In the sennte. The first he Baved
from Impending defeat the ship sub
sidy bill, and the third forced an ad
journment of the senate on a vote hav
ing direct bearing on the resolution,
looking to the election of tho senators
. by direct primary vote.
The vote on the ship subsidy bill,
both In committee of the whole and In
the srr.&ts proper, Btood 39 ayes and
39 B009' and nn adjournment. 37 ayes
to 37 noes. On all three occasions
the vice president voted In the affirm
ative.
Another notable occurrence In con
nection with the vote on the subsidy
bill was the absence of the new Demo
cratic senator from West Virginia,
Clarence W. Watson, who bad taken
his Beat early in the day as the suc
cessor to Senator Elklns. Watson was
In the senate chamber for only a few
minutes during the session, and voted
on only one roll call. This vote was
cast on an amendment offered by
Shlvely (Ind.), regulating the aggro
gnte expenditures which may be mada
under the terms of tho bill. In thl
provision the new West Virginia sena
tor caHt his vote In the adlrmatlte,
thus Indicating his opposition to the
measure. After casting his vote h
disappeared.
The result on the next ballot was .
not so close as to render material tho
presence or absence of any senator.
After the final result became known
tho opponents of the bill, Including
all of the Democrat8, realized Wat.
Bon's absence had prevented the de
feat of the bill. He was the only Dom
ocrat present at any of the roll calls
whoso vote was not cast acalnst the
meaBure.
The final vote came after thre
hours of conflict over amendments.
Calllnger Presents Substitute.
When, In accordance with the prs
vlottfl agreement the subsidy bill was
laid before the senate, Senator Oallln
ger presented a substitute for the en
tire measure is originally introduced.
The first bill granted a bounty only
to Amoi lean built vessels plying from
American ports to the southern half
of South America, but tho BiihBtltut
extended It to the Philippines, Japan,
China nnd Australia.
Senator Shlvely made a fight by
means both of amendment and argu
ment He presented a provision In
cluding the land expense incurred In
connection with ocean going mall la
the totnl expenditure on that account
as a basis for computing the surplus of
ocean mall earnings over expenses.
which, it Is provldod In the bill, shall
not bo exceeded by the total bounty
The amendment was lost, 35 to 40.
A closer result was scored on tha
next vote, taken on an amendment of
fered by Senator Stone (Mo.). Thai
purpose of Stone's amendment was to
extend the provisions of the bill to all
American-owned vesselB, whether con
structed In the United States or else,
where. The amendment was lost, 37
to 39.
Two Mild Sensations.
Before tho final ballot was reached
thoro were two mild sensations. As
serting that the unanimous consent
agreement under which the senate
was proceeding had been obtained
when only fifteen or sixteen senators
were present nnd, therefore, it should
not be recognized, Senator Owen
(Okla.) passed to a general declara
tion against the conduct of any busi
ness by the present congress. He gava
as Ms reason that men at present In
fiihllc II fo hnd been repudiated at tho
pollB Inst November.
No reply was mndo to Owen, but
when Senator William Alden Smith
(Mich.) announced his Intention to
enst his vote in opposition to the bill
and at the enmo time said ho believed
In discriminating duties In favor of
American vessels, Senator Calllnger,
author of the measure, replied:
"I cannot understand how any sens,
tor can square his conscience so as to
favor dlHcrlmlnntlng duties as against
direct aid, when the one pollry take
tho money from tho treasury before It
Is pnld In and the other afterward, t
do not Ben the difference In principle."
No General Interest.
Not even was any great general In
terest mnnlfosted when at tho last the
voting began In committee of the
wholo on the bill Itself. As the roll
call proceeded it was recognized the
vote was running close, but the real
situation was not grasped until ths
vice president's announcement of a
tie was made. Sherman performed
hit part expeditiously.
. "On this question the vote stands 3
to 39, a tie," ha said. Without hesltv
tlon he added: "The chair votes In
the affirmative; the ayes have It; ths
substitute U adopted."