TEeGM
and the
0
'BsvUnister
Ml
MY WALTfM
CHAPTER XVI.
The Struggle.
near by, and three men Jumped light
If to the road.
la the radlaace of th lamps on tha
two care, Orme recognised Arlma, Tha
men with him were alio Japanese,
though Orme was not conscious that
he had ever seen them before.
I It was clear enough how ha and the
girl had blundered Into tha hands
at the Orientals. Maku had undoubt
edly secured a car and had driven It
to the rlclnlty of the Rookery In re
sponse to a telephoned order from
Alcatrante, transmitted, In all likeli
hood, through tha Japanese minister.
The appearance of the car on La
8alle street had been expected by the
South American. Perhaps he had not
anticipated that Orma would hall it;
the probability was that he had wished
Maku's assistance without a definite
idea of what that assistance should
be. but the use of the car by Orme
fell In nicely with his plans. He had
assumed readily enough the direction
the car would take, and getting
promptly into telephonic communica
tion with Arlma, had arranged this
meeting on the road.
Orma now remembered that Arl
ma' s car, when approaching, had
sounded its horn at regular Intervals,
In series of threes evidently a signal.
. "Don't worry, girl, dear," whispered
Orme. "I " he broke off his sen
tence as tha newcomers clustered
about the tonneau, but the confident
(lance of her eyes reassured him.
He knew not what they were to
face. Tha Japanese, he inferred,
would not deal with him pleasantly,
but surely they would not harm tha
girl.-
Arlma opened the door of the ton
neau and with a .lightning motion
grasped Orme by the wrist.
"Get out," ho ordered.
Orme was in no mind to obey.
There were four of the Orientals
against him, and he stood little chance
of success in a fight with them, but.
If he could only delay matters, some
one might pass and he could raise an
alarm. So be sat firm, and said,
calmly:
"What do you want?"
"Get out," repeated Arlma.
When Orma still made no move to
leave bis seat, the steely fingers on
his wrist ran up his forearm and
pressed down hard upon a nerve
center. The pain was almost unbear
able, and for tha moment his arm was
paralysed. A quick Jerk brought him
to the ground. As ha alighted, stum
bllngly, Maku caught him by the oth
er arm. He was held in such a way
that for the moment It seemed futile
to struggle. Arlma, meantime, spoke
rapidly in Japanese to Maku. Per
haps be, as commander of the situa
tion, was giving precise orders as to
what was to be done.
Orme looked over his shoulder at
the girl. She was clutching the, door
of the tonneau and leaning forward,
staring with horrified eyes.
"Keep cool," he counseled.
Her answer was a moan of anguish,
and he realized that she feared for
him.
Suddenly she began to call for help
Twice her cries ttaa cut, aud then
one of the Japanese leaped into the
tonneau and placed his band over her
mouth, smothering her voice.
The sight of this action was too
much for Orme. He began a furious
effort to break away from his cap
tors. One sudden motion freed his
right arm from Arima's clutch, and
he reached for Maku's throat But
after a moment of scuffling, he waa
again held securely.
"Girl!" ha shouted, "don't try to
call out Keep quiet"
Tha Japanese In the tonneau ap
peared to understand the words, for
he took his hand away from the girl's
mouth, though ha remained beside ber,
ready to put an end to any fresh out
break. "Now," said Orme, turning bis eyes
an Arlma, "what docs this mean?"
"You give us papers," replied the
Japanese softly.
"I have no papers that mean any
thing to you."
"We see. Give them to me."
"What papers do you want?" de
manded Orme.
"You know." Arltna's voice sound
ed less patient
"But I have nothing that you cars
anything about," repeated Orme.
At that Arlma began rapidly to
search Orme's pockets. There was
sufficient light from the lamps of tha
two cars to Illuminate the scene.
Arima's left hand still held Orme's
right forearm, and bis right hand was
free to hunt for the papers. Maku,
on the other side, hud meantime
strengthened his grip on Orme's left
arm, at the same time raining one
knse so that Orme could feel It press-
mg against in smau 01 bis naca.
"What this!" asked Arlma. Uklng
a long envelope from the inner pock
et of Orme's coat and holding it up for
Inspection.
"A blank contract," said Orma. "Do
you want It?"
Arlma took tha paper from the en
velope and examined It Then with
an exclamation of disgust he replaced
It In Orme's pocket, and continued
bis search.
"You see," said Orme calmly, "there
Is nothing here."
The Japanese, muttering in his own
tongue, ran his hands over Orme's
body and even looked Into his bat
Nothing was found.
"You might as will believe me first
as last," exclaimed Orme. "The pa
pers you want are not here."
Arlma was clearly puzzled. "You
had them," he began.
"Possibly. But I haven't them now.
How would you feel If I should tell
you that the young lady and I have
made this Journey simply to throw
you off the scent, and that the papers
were being delivered by another per
son?" "I not believe," declared Arlma
shortly.
Suddenly Maku began to Jabber at
Arlma, who, after an instant of con
sideration, gave a quick order to the
fourth Japanese, who stood by. This
man went to the tonneau and got the
prospectuses which Orme had placed
under the seat cushion.
Arlma snatched the papers with his
free hand, then, resigning Orme en
tirely to Maku's care, and clucking
strangely, opened them.
A glance sufficed. With a cry of
disappointment, he tore the paper In
two and threw them to the ground.
He thrust his face close to Orme's.
"Where the papers?" he said.
Orme did not reply.
The Japanese who had brought the
prospectuses from the tonneau now
stepped to Maku's assistance, for
Orme had made a motion of the body
which showed that he was rapidly
losing his patience.
"Queek!"
Still no answer.
"Ha!" The exclamation had a ring
of triumph. "Mees have um!" - He
nodded toward the car where the girl
still sat -
"No," exclaimed Orme vehemently.
"She has not."
"Mees have um," repeated Arlma.
"We hunt We see."
"1 tell you she has not," said Orme.
"No believe you." Arlma chuckled.
"Come, mees."
As Orme twisted himself around, be
was enraged to see the Japanese in
the car seize the girl by the arm and
drag her to the ground. Once on ber
feet, she did not resist, but permit
ted herself to be led toward the lit
tle group.
Arlma advanced a step to meet her.
"Give me papers," he said.
"I have no papers," she protested
despairingly.
"We search you," said Arlma, taking
another step toward her and extend
ing his bands.
It may be that Arlma did not Intend
actually to lay hands on her. His
thought may have been that the threat
would Induce Orme to tell where the
papers really were. But the effect
on Orme was to set him ablaze with
anger.
His swift, Indignant purpose seemed
to multiply his strength until the lit
tle men who held him were like chil
dren in his hands.
A sudden Jerk, and he had pulled
both his arms free. Maku and the
man at his other side were taken com
pletely by surprise, and before they
had time to recover themselves, Orma
had thrown bis arms around them and
crushed their beads together with
such force that they dropped limp
and unconscious to the ground. Tbey
were out of the fight
At the first sounds of struggle, Arlma
turned. Now, as Orme charged to
ward him, ha bent slightly forward,
every muscle tense, ready to strike
or trip or twist
His framework was overlaid by mus
cles that were li-k supple steel. Light
and quick, he had a strength that
could hardly have been Inferred from
bis build. And though Orme's out
break had been sudden, the Japanese
was apparently not in the least dis
concerted. Ha knew how to turn the rush of
the American into a disastrous fall.
He knew how to prod with his bony
knuckle the angry man's solar plexus
how to step swiftly aside and bring
the horny edge of bis hand against
sensitive vertebrae. He could seize
Orme by the arm and, dropping back
ward to the ground, land Orme where
he wished him. Yes, Arlma had ev
ery reason to feel confident Many a
time hnd he got tha better of Amer
ican fist fighters.
But a system of offense and defense
wnich Is based upon tne turning or
an opponent's strength against him
self absolutely depends for its success
upon an accurate estimate of the op
ponent's Intentions. A sudden shift
of physical purpose may put your Jiu
jitsu adept at a loss.
Arlma, from his knowledge of Amer
ican flghtlug methods, had reason to
think that Orme would continue his
charge and strike out with his fists
when he came near enough. That
however, is something that Orme did
not do. For, in his two previous en
counters with the Japanese, he had
learned much. He had learned, among
other things, the value of the unex
pected. And though his anger waa ;
almost blinding, he cooled, during
those few short strides, to bis usual
caution.
Within two paces of Arlma, hi
stopped short
For one tense moment Orma opened
bis senses to all Impressions, H
could bear, with almost painful dis
tinctness, tha moans of tha two men
ha bad stunned and tha rustling
sounds made b ythetr wrlthlngs.
Ha caught a glimpse of tha girl. Tha
searchlight of one of tha cars struck
full on the slda of her face, and drew
there a distinct shadow of tha net
work of ber disarranged hair. He saw
tha strained, excited look in her ayes.
H.r cmtor still held ber arm. He
was watching Orma and Arlma Indif
ferently, as though quite confident of
Japanese skill.
All this Orme observed In an In
stant Then hla eyes were again on
Arlma.
He knew that be would have to at
tack. To await the trick holds of the
Japanse would be to invite defeat But
if he attacked, he must use an un
expected method.
Suddenly he raised his left arm
above his head and clenched bis flat
His right arm remained by his side.
A step forward. The upraised arm
descended. Swiftly Arlma reached up
ward to seize It But even as the one
"No," Exclaimed Orme, Vehemently.
arm descended, Orme swung his oth
er, with terrific force, up from the
waist, and caught Arlma on the mouth.
The blow missed the chin, but it
was hard enough to fell any man of
ordinary strength. Arlma staggered
back, past the girl, and brought up
against the side of one of the cars.
But with hardly an instant for re
covery, he leaped forward again and
the man who was holding the girl al
so sprang at Orme.
It would be folly to meet the two.
Orme turned and ran quickly in
among the trees of the little grove.
The darkness was his friend, for the
pursuers halted in their quick run
and separated, proceeding more cau
tiously. As for Orme, once, in shelter, be
stopped for breath.
He could see the two men coming
toward blm. Tbey were outlined
against the radiance from the motor
cars. Cautiously he stepped loward
the south, hoping that they would pass
him In the darkness, but he dared not
move rapidly, lest a stumble or the
brenktng of a twig betray him.
All this time the engines of the two
cars had continued to work, and their
muffled chug-chug-chug helped to cov
er the noise of footsteps.
What pleased him most was to see,
out of the corner of his eye, that the
girl bad taken advantage of her re
lease to climb to the chauffeur's seat
of the car In which Maku had brought
them from Chicago. That meant that
if he could reach the car, they might
get away. But the papers
By this time Orme was between his
Iff, '111011
pursuers ana tne roaa. He stopped
and groped about till he found a fair
sized stone, then worked toward the
edge of the grove. Tha moment was
at hand to make a dash.
Ten steps would take him to the
car; then a leap into tha tonneau, and
off to the northward ha and the girl
would speed. Pursuit would be de
layed for a few precious moments, for
the Japanese would have to turn tha
other car around. Those few mo
ments would determine the margin of
success or failure.
But there were tha papers. At all
cost they must be secured. The innn
that flashed into Orme's mind was
to draw the Japanese from the spot
and then, Jumping from the car let the
girl lead the pursuers on while he
returned.
Just as he was about to rush for the
car he heard a sound among the trees.
He wheeled and saw the dim outline
of one of his enemies coming toward
him. In his excitement he had for
gotten that Just as they could be seen
by hlra when they were between him
nnd the road, so he could now be seen
by them. Undoubtedly be was out
lined, as they hnd been, against the
background of the light.
The JunanebU was oolv tm tet
away. uruie mrew tne stone; by
gnoti luck it struck the man in the
stomach, and he dropped to the ground
and rolled in silent agony.
But at the same moment Orme was
seized from behind, snd held In a
grip he could not break. Indeed,
when he tried to brak it there was
a sudden, killing strain on his spine.
Then Arima's voice said, close to his
ear:
"Where the papers r
' Th nanrat
Japanese character thus brought Its
fresh surprise to Orme. Even after
this hard fight when three of his
friends lay groaning on tha ground
when he bad in his power tha man
who had Injured them, who had tem
porarily bested himself Arima's chief
thought was still of tha papers!
He seemed to bava none of tha semi
barbarian vengefulness that might
have been axpected. Ha merely wished
tha papers wished them tha mora dee
perately with every passing moment
Tha lives of bla companions eauntel
far nothing besides the papers!
"Where?" repeated Arlma.
-i nave i t them," said Orma. Tow
ought to know that by this time."
The answer waa a torturing pres.
sura on Orme's spina. "You tell,"
hissed Arlma.
As tha pressure Increased Orme'l
uttering was so keen that his sensei
Began to slip away. Ha was gliding
Into a state In which all consclousnesi
centered hazily around the one sharj
point of pain.
Then, suddenly, he was release!
For a moment he stserered limnl
but his strength surged back, and ha
was able to see how the situation had
ehanged.
The girl had swung her car In clo
eer to the edge of the grove and nearei
to the struggling figures. Doubtlem
she had some Idea of helping. Bui
the effect of the change In the posi
tlon of her car was to permit the
searchlight of tha other car to throw
Its bright beam without Interruption
down the road. And there, perhapa
CO feet to the southward, gleamed
something white.
The girl could not sea It, for hei
car was headed north. But Arlma
saw It, and In a flash he realized whal
it was. The papers lay there at tin
side of the road, where Orme had
tossed them a moment before the twg ,
cars met.
There had been no other way ta
dispose of them. If the car from tha
north had stopped at a different angle,
or If the other car had not moved, tha
light would not have shone upon them, '
and the Japanese might not have sus
pected where they were. Or, if Orma
had tossed them a few feet farther ta
one side, they would have been out ol
tha range of the light But there the;
lay. j
Arlma leaped toward them. Eves
as he started, a figure appeared at tha i
other side of tha road and walked to!
ward the cars. It was a man with '
brass buttons and policeman's hel
met He walked with authority, and
he held a stout club In his band. I
"What's goln' on here?" be demand
ed. i
Arlma stopped in his tracks. I
To Orme, at this moment, came thai
memory of the girl's desire to avoid
publicity. "Nothing wrong," be said.
The policeman stared. "I've bees
watchln you from over there," he said,'
"It looks like nothln' wrong, with men
fightln' all over the ground."
"Just a little trial of strength," ex
plained Orme. I
"Trial of strength, hey?" '
"Well," admitted Orme, "this man"
pointing to Arlma "wanted som
thing that I had. It's not a mattef
for the police."
"Oh, it ain't? Somebody's been
hurt" He gestured with his club to
ward the shadows where the three
injured men were slowly coming back
to their senses. I
. "Not seriously," said Orme. I
"We'll see about that later," replied
the policeman decidedly.
Orme tried to carry the affair off
boldly. Every moment of delay now
J threatened defeat for him,
"There Is
nothing serious," he said. "They have
done me no real harm. But the young
lady and I shall be obliged to you,
If you will keep these Japanese hers
until we -can get away. They attacked
us, but I don't wish to make a com- ,
plaint against them."
The policeman showed new Interest
He glanced at Arlma. "Japanese!" he
exclaimed. "There was one slugged
on the campus last night I guess
you'll have to come along with me." i
"Nonsense!" protested Orme. "Just
because somebody bit a Japanese over
the head last night"
"Ah, you know about that, do you?
No" as Orme made a movement
"stand where you are." He drew his
revolver.
During this colloquy, Arlma had
edged nearer and nearer to the papers.
Orme's sudden step was Involuntary;
It was due to the fact that he had seen
Arlma stoop swiftly and pick up the
papers and thrust them Into bis
pocket
"Keep quiet" continued the police
man. "And you, there" he nodded
toward Arlma "coma here."
Arlma hesitated, but the muzzle of
the revolver turned toward blm, and
he came and stood a few feet away. 1
"There's somethln' mighty funny
about this," continued the policeman.
"We'll Just get into one of these cars
and go to the station." J
"This msn and me?" asked Orma.
He had visions of no great difficulty
in satisfying the questions of the local
justice, but be knew that an arrest
would mean dolay, pcrheps of hours.
And Arlma had the papers.
"I mean that man, nnd you, and the
woman. I'll send some one for the
others. If you're the fellow that did
the Bluggln' on tbe cainpuB last night,
you won't get away from me nt'iUii."
"What's tha use of dragging tu,
young lady Into this?" demanded
Orme.
"None o' your business."
' "Can I speak to her a minute, first?"
"No, you can't Tlnre's beeu too
many Chicago hold up men around
here lately, and I won't take chances
with you." The policeman made this
explanation apparently In deference
to Orme's appearance, which, In spite
of the evidence of struggle, was that
of a gentleman. "Looks don't slways
tell," he continued.
That the girl should be taken to the
station and held, under such suspicious
circumstances was simply not to be
thought of.
Doubtless aha could quickly set '.n
motion forces that would liberate ber,
but tha disgrace of detention was
something sha must be saved from at
any coat v
6ba was known In Evanston. Her
Identity onca established, tha story ol
her arrest would be sura to spread.
Her position would then ba tha mora
painful, because tha circumstances of
tha case were such that aha waa un
willing to explain them.
Moreover, Orma realized that If he
and Arlma were held, tha care of the
girl would be bis first thought and
tha recovery of tha papers would be
forced Into second place. That would
not be according to her wish. As
suredly, It be was to get the papers,
be could do better alone.
She sat in tha car, not more than
six feet from him, her face the picture
of mingled emotions. Orme saw that
he must reassure her as to himself
before he carried out the plan which
bad suddenly come to his mind.
"You will make a mistake, officer,
If you detain me," he said, speaking
distinctly, so that the girl would be
sure to hear.
"Cut It out," said the policeman
"A little telephoning will set me
free In an hour,"1 Orme continued,
bending to pick up bis hat, which had
fallen to the ground at the beginning
of the fight "You can't do anything
except take me to the station and find
out that you have bungled."
"That's my affair," said the police
man. "But here, we've done enough
tslkln'." - He waved his revolver In a
gesture which Indicated that they
were to enter the car.
Now, Orme knew that the girl had
1 not seen him throw the papers to the
road. Neither hnd she seen Arlma
nick them up. Whatever guess she
had made as to his disposal of them
.there was no reason for her to doubt
that he had again got them Into his
possession, during some stage of the
struggle.
He looked at her earnestly and slg
rilflcantly, then smiled slightly In the
thought of reassuring her.
When he was certain that she was
watching his every move, he glanced
at the car, then up the road to tha
north. Then, with such quickness
that the policeman bad no time to pre
vent be snatched from tha Inner
pocket of his coat the envelope con
talnlng the blank contract which bad
first disappointed Arlma, and tossed
It Into the tonneau.
"Go!" be shouted.
Like a shot she sent the car for
ward. It disappeared swiftly Into the
night
Thus far, Orme was satisfied. He had
got the girl safely away. She thought
that he bad. thrown the papers Into
the car, and when she came to exam
Ine them she would be disappointed
but Orme felt that she would then un
derstand that she would continue to
trust blm.
As the car darted away the police
man swung bis club at Orme.
Before the blow could strike, tha
upraised arm was caught by a little
hand and with a quick Jerk, the police
man was pulled to tha ground. HI
revolver, which he held in his loft
band, went off as he fell, and a leaf,
cut from a tree above by the bullet
tailed Into Orme's face.
The policeman lay helpless In the
cunning hold of Maku Maku, who,
fully restored to his senses, bad crept
up to save Arlma from the law.
Orme wondered whether the girl
had heard the shot Probably not for
she was driving Into the wind. But
be had no time to consider the point
for Arlma, suddenly conscious of free
dom, leaped for the remaining car. He
bad the papers; be would hurry them
safely to his master, leaving Orme and
the policeman to the mercies of his re
viving confederates.
The papers were still first In his
thoughts. And why not? Orme re
membered the scathing rebuke by tha
Japanese minister. In the flash of
thought that preceded his own action
he realized that the recovering of the
. paperi was Arima's ono
righting himself.
meuns of
As Arlma grasped the steering wheel
of the car and threw on the clutch,
Orme ran behind tbe tonneau. His
action was swiftly calculated to give
the Impression that bo was dodging
around the car In the hope of escaping
on foot
That Is what Arlma might have
thought, had he glanced around what
Maku might have thought, had he
4oi mora than throw one swift
glance at Arlma, then devote himself
igaln to the prostrate officer.
But Orme, reaching upward, got his
bands over the high back of the ton
neau. He hung on tightly, raising his
feet from the ground. Tha car
plunged forward.
For a time Orma merely kept his
position. The dust whirled up In his
face, and be bad to close his eyes, but
ba wss conscious that tbe cur was
gaining speed rapidly.
The situation was as difficult as It
was dangerous. He planned nothing
less than to climb Into the car and
deal with Arlma even while they were
Hying aloug the rond. But ho must
wait until they hud gone a safe dls-
tance trom the battleground. On tha
other hand, he must act before they
got Into the thickly settled streets of
the town.
He figured that they had gone about
a quarter of a mile, when he began bis
effort Pulling himself up by hla
hands, he peered over the back of tha
tonneau. He could see Arlma, hud
dled forward over the steering-wheel,
doubtless watching the road ahead
with a careful eye for obstacles and
for the pollco.
For Arlma was driving the car at a.
law-breaking speed. Clearly, he waa
an adept at motoring. But Orma did
not stop to ask himself how a b am
ble teacher of Jlu Jltsu a professional
"We've Done Enough TalkinT
athlete had acquired so much skill In
the handling of a car.
It proved hard to get Into tha ton
neau. Several times be got one leg
almost over the back, only to be dis
lodged as the car bumped into a nit
or over a stone. Once he almost loet
his gilp entirely. But a final effort
gave him a leg hold, and slowly very
slowly he climbed over to the lealli-
ir cushions of the wldo seut
If Arlma now turned and saw blm.
almost anything might happen. But
before he could become conscious that
anyone was near him, Orme was
crouching in the tonneau.
Tbe car was going at a 35 mile clip.
The street lights were flashing by, and
not far ahead were the frequent lights
of houses. Nothing could be done
here; therefore Orme got down aa low
as he could. Ho realized that ha
would have to wait till they had
passed through the town.
Arlma had not remained on tbe
Sheridan road. He had taken a Btraei
which struck off from it more direct
ly southward, and Orme surmised that
the Intention was to avoid the main
streets of Evanston.
When the car came to a cross street
and turned westward this surmise wa
strengthened. They bumped over rail
road tracks. Several times they
passed other vehicles.
Presently Orme raised his head and
discovered that the bouses were thin
nlng out The car appeared to he
heading straight into the open coun
try, and Arlma put on more speed.
Forty miles an hour was not a high
estimate for tha rate at which they
were traveling.
For several minutes Orme contlawed
In his crouching position. Tha posi
tions of the stars told him that they
were still going west not south to
ward Chicago. Every turn of th s
wheels, therefore, was carrying hli i
farther Into unknown territory farth
er from tbe girl and all chance of com
municating with her. Surely ho mo: t
set soon, If he was to act at all; for
Arlma evidently was proceeding t
some rendezvous, where Orma mlgl.l
And himself again In the midst of at
overwhelming number of anemic.
But what could he do? Rapidly ha
turned over In his mind the varlout
courses open to him. Should ha try
to stun Arlma with a blow, and then
reach forward and take the steerhi.;
wheel before the car could swerv j
Into the ditch?
The blow might not prove effective
In that case, the chances were thi.t
Arlma would Involuntarily swing ti s
car to one side. Then there woul i
be a smash with death or serious In
Jury threatening both Arlma and hit.,
self.
Should ha try to cut a ttre?
The feat was almost Impossible. In
attempting it, he would run great rli. :
of premature discovery, and even l
he succeeded in the attempt, tha sltuv
tlon would be little changed. Tha do
cesslty of stopping the car to mi!..'
repairs might not put Arlma la Lb
hands.
Tha plan ha at last decided upon
was to throw his left arm around Aiv
ma's neck and draw him straight bat.:,
trusting that he might be able to g t
over the seat and set the brakes wit v
out losing bis grip. The throat of tr
Jiu-jitsu adept is tough, made so 1
patient development of neck musch
but' Orme had a strong arm, and 1 -believed,
moreover, that Arlma won't!
not have time to protect himself fcv
stiffening his muscles before tha g.'.p
was secured, . . .
(To be continued.)
Attorney Charles L. Graves, the
Union attorney, was In the city a t
evening and registered at the l -kins.
csmussE
'J he only nurgical home in - -West
where all fitting is t
by SQ eipert. Largest ti
of trut.se In the West.
IKS V. C. CLEVELAND DRUG C .
OMAHA, NLtoHAtKA
C3