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W fe?*YV ft The Story Chapter \i -s •Tkl •*4 IK WWfP ,W1\S '^"PWIfW Her Story. Go South. V.—A Pleasant Wel- come. Chapter Game. VI.— •1 Get Into the Chapter Chapter Evidence. I I .- -The Decision. VIII.—Circumstantial Chapter IX.--A Horrors. Chapter Chapter Chapter Gull. Chapter Chapter Story. Chamber of X.—Taken Prisoner. XI.— XII.- Change Front. -1 Join the Sea XIII.-—Tables XI Chapter Chapter Chapter Cutter. Way. —The Open Boat. .—The Revenue I XVIII .—In Possession. CHAPTER I. The First Step. I HAD placed the lumber inside the .\aids. as directed, and was al ready rehitching the tiaces when the man crossed the street slow ly, switching his light cane carelessly in the air He was forty or forty-five, heavily built, with a rather pasty white face, a large nose, eyes unusual ly deep set and a closely clipped mus tache. beginning to gray As I faced him in some surprise he looked me fairly in the eyes. "You are the lad the train hands put off the Atlantic express at Vernon a week ago." he said "I came in on the same tiain Just caught a glimpse of your face in the light of the brake man's lantern How did you get here?" "Freight, two hours later." •'You're not a bum or you wouldn't be working" I put one foot on the wheel. "Wait a minute," and there was more animation in the tone. "I may have something better for you than this lumber wagon I'm right, ain't I. in guessing you're no regular bum?" "I've bummed it most of the way from San Francisco I had to I was homesick for the east and lost my transportation I was discharged at the Presidio "Oh, I see The army—foreign serv ice?" "The Philippines, three years in valided home." "You don't look it." his eyes on me "Never saw a more perfect animal Fever?" "No, bolo wound He looked at his watch, and I climb ed into my seat. "See here. I haven't time to talk now If you want an easier job than this come and see me at 9 tonight, and we'll talk it over I took the bit of pasteboard he hand ed up "All right, sir, I'll be there on time "Come to the side door," he added swiftly, lowering his voice, "the one on the south Give three raps By the way. what is yoi*r name?" "Gordon Craig." I answered "Ever been known by any other?" "I enlisted under another I ran away from home and was not of age Out of his sight I looked curiously at the card It was the advertise ment of a clothing house, and on the back was written "P Neale. 108 Chestnut street" Evidently this man Neale had need of a stranger to help him out in some scheme. Well, if the pay was good and the purpose not criminal I had no objections to the spice of danger. In deed, that was what I loved in life I was young, full blooded, strong, willing enough to take desperate chances for sufficient reward My father, from whom I had not heard a word in two years, was a prominent manufacturer In a New England village The early death of my mother had left me to his care when I was but ten years old. and we failed to understand each other, drift ing apart, until a final quarrel had sent me adrift I was in my junior year at Princeton, when the break came This all occurred four years previous, three of which had been passed in the ranks, yet even now I was stubbornly resolved not to return unsuccessful. I possessed a fairly decent suit of clothes, now pressed and cleaned after the rough trip from the coast, and t^k^^u^Am^&mii^M, ,'ll m*- Gordon Crai Soldier of Fortune Jry Randall Parrish Copyright. 1912. by A. McClurg & Co. by Chapters. Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter 1.—The First Step. II.—The Woman. III.— IV.—1We Turned. The Creole's XV.--Under XVI.- that evening I dressed as carefully as possible in the dingy room ot my boarding house It was still daylight, but there was a long walk beioie me Chestnut street was across the river, in the more aristocratic section It was dark enough when I got there and began seeking the number I found No 10S It wab slightly back from the street, a laige stone man sion, surrounded by a low coping of brick and with no light showing any where I was obliged to mount the front steps before I could assuie my self this was the place 1 followed the narrow cement walk around the corner of the house One window on the first floor exhibited a faint glow at the edge of a closely drawn curtain I rapped on the door three times, my nerves tingling from excitement. There was a moment's delay so that 1 lifted my hand again, and then the door opened silently. "Come in," said a man's voice. I stepped within, seeing nothing of the man, and the door was closed be hind me. The sharp click of the latch convinced me it was secured by a spring lock. "Turn on the light," said the voice at my side sharply Instantly an elec tric bulb glowed dazzling overhead in a narrow hallway and I blinked, about half blinded by the sudden change Neale. appearing somewhat more slender in evening clothes, smiled at me genially, showing a gold crowned tooth, and led the way to a spacious apartment, evidently a library The high ceiling and restful wall decora tions were emphasized by luxurious furnishings. The only light was un der a shaded globe on the central ta ble, leaving the main apartment in shadows, but the windows had their heavy curtains closely drawn The sole occupant was a man in evening dress, seated in a high backed leather chair. With an indolent wave of one hand he seemingly invited me to take a vacant chair to the right, while Neale remained standing near the door. This new position gave me a better view of his face, but I could not guess his age. His was one of those old young faces, deeply lined, smooth shaven, the hair clipped short, the flesh ashen gray. He must have star ed at me a full minute. "He will do very well, Neale," he decided, with a glance across at the other "Possibly a trifle young. Have a cigar or a drink, Craig?" "I will smoke." "How old are you?" "Twenty-four." "Ever been south?" "Only as far as St Louis I was at Jefferson barracks." "Neale said you were in the army full enlistment?" "Yes Discharged as corporal." "You would be glad of a job that paid well and wouldn't mind if there was a bit of excitement connected with it. hey?" "What is your idea of paying well?" "Expenses liberally figured," he re plied slowly, "and $10,000 for a year's work or less if done right." I half rose to my feet in surprise. "Sit down, man. This is no pipe dream, and I mean it. In fact. I am willing to hand you half of the money down. See here, Craig," and he lean ed forward, peering into my face, "all you have got to do to earn your money is obey orders strictly and keep your tongue still Do you get that?" "The proposition looks good, only I should like to know a little more clear ly what 1 am expected to do." He slowly lit a fresh cigar, studying the expression of my face in the light as though deciding upon a course of action "Very good. We'll come down to facts It will not take long. In the first place, my name is Vail—Justus Vail. I am a lawyer of some reputa tion in this state, and my entire inter est in this affair is that of legal ad viser of Mr. Neale Here is the case as submitted to me: Judge Philo Hen ley, formerly of the United States cir cuit court, retired at sixty-four and settled upon a large plantation near Carrollton. Ala. His wife died soon after, and a week or so ago the judge also departed this life, leaving an es tate valued in excess of $500,000. Philo Henley and wife had but one child, now a young man of twenty five years, named Philip As a boy he was wild and unmanageable, and final ly when about twenty years old some prank occurred of so serious a nature that the lad ran away He came north and was unheard of for some time, living under an assumed name. Later some slight correspondence ensued be tween father and son. and the boy was granted a regular allowance. Philip remained in the north, led his own life, became dissipated and a rounder and drifted into evil associa tions. Finally, about six months ago, he married an actress in this city, not of wealthy family, but of respectable antecedents. He married ber under his assumed name, and they began housekeeping in a flat on the north side. "The judge learned of this marriage in some way and began to insist that the son return home with his wife Circumstances prevented, however, and the visit was deferred. Meanwhile, becoming more eccentric as he grew older, the father discharged all his old servants and lived the life of a recluse When he died suddenly and almost alone he left a will leaving his prop erty to Philip, providing the young man returned with his wife to live upon the estate within six months otherwise the entire estate should be divided among certain named chari ties Three administrators were nam ed, of whom Neale here was one." Neale drew a legal looking paper from his pocket. "Here is a copy of the will." he said, "if Craig cares to examine it" "Not now," I replied. "Let me hear the enthe story first" "The administrators," Vail went on as though uninterrupted and repeat ing a set speech, "endeavored to lo cate young Henley, but failed Then Mr Neale was sent here to make a peisonal search He came to me for aid and legal advice Finally we found the flat where the young couple had lived It was deserted, and we learned trom neighbors that they had quaireled, and the wife left him. We have been unable to discover her whereabouts She did not return to or communicate with her own people in the west or with any former friends in this city. She simply disappeared and. we have some reason to believe, committed suicide. The body of a young woman fitting her general de scription was taken from the river and buried without identification." "And young Henley?" I asked as he paused "Henley." he continued gravely, "was at last located under an assum ed name as a prisoner in the Indiana penitentiary at Michigan City, serving a sentence of fourteen years for forg ery He positively refuses to identify himself as Philip Henley, and .all our efforts to gain him a pardon have failed "But what have I to do with all this?" I questioned, beginning to have a faint glimmer of the truth. "Wait. Here was a peculiar situa tion. The administrators are all old personal friends of the testator, anx ious to have the estate retained in the family. Some one must impersonate Philip Henley long enough to permit the settlement of the estate" I rose to my feet indignantly "And you thought I would consent would be a party to this fraud?" 4 "Now, wait, Craig," as calmly as ever. "This is nothing to be ashamed of nor, so far as I can see as a law yer, does it involve danger It will make a man of Henley, reunite him with his wife if she still lives and give him standing in the world. We are merely helping the boy to retain what is rightfully his Don't throw this chance away hastily Ten thou sand dollars is pretty good pay for a couple of months' work I sank back into my chair undecid ed, yet caught by the glitter of the promise. Why not? Surely, it would do no harm. and. if the administrators were satisfied, what cause had 1 to object? "But—but can that be done?" I ask ed hesitatingly "Easily," Vail assured. "Young Hen ley has been away five years: even before that he was absent at school so much as to be practically unknown ex cept to the older servants These have all been discharged and scattered. The wife is entirely unknown there Any one. bearing ever so slight a resem blance, would pass muster. All you Took These and Read Them Over Carefully. need do is read the father's letters over, post yourself on a few details and take possession. We will attend to all legal matters." "Then you cousider that I resemble Henley?" "No."* coolly, "not in any remarkable manner, but sufficient for our purpose —age, size, general appearance answer very well nose, eyes and hair are alike and general contour of th» face is similar. There is not likely to be any close scrutiny. Here is young Henley's photograph.'* K/PJ «A He picked it up from among the papers and handed it over to me. There was a resemblance, recognizable now that my attention had been called to it, certain features being remark ably similar. I do not know how others might have looked upon such a proposition as this, but it neve.f occurred to me at the time to doubt the honesty of Vail's statement, nor could 1 perceive any great wrong in the action so calm ly proposed. Vail, watching the ex pression of my face in the light, seem ed to divine my thoughts. "Evidently you are recovering your good sense," he remarked easily. "You will act, 1 take it?" "Yes," the word was out almost be fore I was aware of speaking. "Sensible decision, my man," his face lighting up "Now. there is no need of our meeting again or being seen together. Neale, hand Craig your copy of articles of administration and of the will." I took these and read them over carefully, yet without fully compre hending the legal phraseology They were apparently genuine, and I gather ed from them that the facts were ex actly as stated Peter Neale of Birmingham was named one of the ad ministrators. "Here is a small packet of letters from Judge Henley to his son." Vail said in a businesslike "way, "which you had better read and so familiarize yourself with local names and condi tions I have also drawn up and had typed a brief sketch of young Henley's life, which will aid you in playing the part You will need a new outfit of clothes, I presume? If you will sign this paper I will hand you a liberal advance." I read it over slowly, but it appeared innocent enough. Of course they would require some guarantee that my work would be performed Yet cer tain questions arose to my mind. "As soon as the property Is legally in my possession I am to deed it over to you?" "Certainly. I represent the adminis trators and the rightful heir." "That will involve forgery on my part." "Technically, yes. but under legal ad vice, my dear boy, and agreement of the officials interested in proper settle ment of the estate. There is no dan ger whatever." I was not assured as to this, and yet the man's easy manner and smooth speech served to ease my conscience. "And the $10,000?" I asked. "A thousand will be handed you to night. The remainder may be retain ed at the final settlement, together with the compensation of the woman. You make your own terms with her. So you see you cannot lose. Sign here." "I had forgotten the woman. Ts she necessary?" "It will be better to have one. as they know down there young Henley was lately married Any good looker with an easy conscience will do You could coach her on the train "But I don't know a young woman in town." I admitted soberly, "except my landlady's daughter, and she's the limit" Vail and Neale both laughed. "You're slow, Craig." the former said good humoredly "Get on your new clothes and look around There's plenty would jump at the chance." "That's altogether out of my line." I averred "I'd rather go alone." "Well, we'll not war over that. You can leave your wife north if you wish I tell you what you do Think it over and call me up by phone about 3 o'clock tomorrow' Here's the number If you, decide on taking a woman along I know one who will answer and will have her at the train "I -am to leave, then, tomorrow night?" 4 "Yes. over the Eastern Illinois at 8-10 Sign here." I was riot hypnotized or unduly con trolled. My mind seemed clear, but I yielded without a word and wrote my name at the bottom of the sheet Vail blotted it carefully, folded the paper and placed It in a drawer of the table Then he handed me two bills "There is $1,000 there. .Craig, and I will send you a typewritten memoran da of instructions covering all points In the game Where can I be sure of finding you at 3 o'clock tomorrow?" "At 407 Green street" "All right as soon as you read those instructions call me up by phone and let me know what you have done re garding a woman and ask any ques tions you may desire. That will be all now Neale, you might show Craig the way out." He put out his arm and we shook hands, although he did not arise from the chair. Neale stepped into the hall and I followed him. The entry way was in darkness and the man went to the side door without switching on the light. "By the way, it will be as well for you to go out cautiously and not be seen. We want to play safe, you know," said he. The door opened and closed, leaving me outside. TRADE MARKS DESIGNS COPYRIGHTS AC. Anyone sanding a-sUelfh ntid description may qniplsljr nju'ennin our opinion free whether an invention is probnlily patent vble. Communion tons nt rictly ootillUontfiil. HANDBOOK on Pafenta aunt fioo. Olilost ocency for securing patenta. Pntcnts taken through Muiin ft Co. receive eptcialnotice, Withou cbnrgo, lu the Sckiiiifict JUtiericati. A nnndaotnely lllntfrntert wcltlr. I.anreat elr nlutioti ot any iontiUc 1w mil. Tei ma, 13 a yeur: four niontua, |L Sold byall newsdealer*, ulUNN & Co^jfr^-MewYork Branch Grate. 06 BL. Washington,J. C^ BOMB DESTROYS TENEMENTHOUSE ,Jk Terrific Explosion Results in Four Deaths. POLICE MAKE GHASTLY FIND Believed Accident Occurred While Bomb Was Being Prepared for Use Against Rockefeller. New York, July 6—In the ruins of the Lexington avenue tenement house wrecked by the premature explosion of a powerful bomb which killed Arthur Caron and three other persons the authorities found evidence that Caron's apartment was the center for the distribution of inflammatory liter ature which was printed there and at the time of the explosion it was ap parently a bomb factory, filled with the ingredients of death dealing mis siles. A small printing press, revolution ary pamphlets and circulars, an elec tric dynamo, two electric batteries, cartridges and bits of steel were among the articles uncovered, which tend, in the opinion of the police, to show an anarchistic plot at assassina tion. That a demonstration, halted by the bungling of some one who was preparing an infernal machine for its mission, was planned against the Rockefeller family in Tarrytown is the theory upon which the authorities are working. Faced Trial at Tarrytown. Two of those killed in the wrecked apartment were prominent agitators, who were to be placed on trial at Tar rytown on charges of disorderly con duct in connection with the campaign of demonstration inaugurated against John D. Rockefeller, Jr., as a protest against his attitude in the Colorado coal mine strike. The body of the fourth victim of the explosion was found. It was that of Charles Berg, known in I. W. W. circles as "the big Swede," an asso ciate of Caron. The other victims were Charles Hanson and Mary Clas ton. The woman lived in an apart ment next to the one occupied by Caron and his associates. A gruesome but suggestive piece of evidence was a severed hand which clutched pieces of wire made ready for connections. The authorities be lieve that the owner of this hand was in the act of making an electric con nection for one of the bombs and a battery when the explosion occurred and he was blown to pieces. SUFFRAGE STATE QUESTION President Gives Party of Women His Personal Opinion. Washington, July 1.—Five hundred members of the General Federation of Women's Clubs marched to the White House and drew from Presi dent Wilson a final refusal to accede to demands that he support the move ment for a woman suffrage amend ment to the federal Constitution. The president reiterated his state men to previous delegations that his party had not embodied this question in its platform and then for the first time announced his personal convic tion that the suffrage" issue was one for settlement by the states and not by the federal government. INTERRED BENEATH CHAPEL Bodies of Assassinated Archduke and His Consort. Artstettin, Austria, July 6.—The bodies of the assassinated Archduke Francis Ferdinand and his consort, the Duchess of Hohenberg, arrived here and were interred beneath the castle chapel with a simple ceremony The funeral procession crossed the ferry over the Danube at Poechlarn at 2-30 a with the route lighted by torches, and the cortege reached the end of its journey at 5 a m. *The coffins were placed in the chapel of Artstettin castle, where priests and nuns said prayers at the side of the catalfalques for several hours. DEPUTY KILLS DESPERADO Wounds Another Train Robber in Battle in Chair Car. Pendleton, Ore., July 3.—George JlacDuffey, a deputy sheriff of Hepp ner, Ore., fought a single handed bat tle with train robbers in the aisle of a chair car fifty miles east of here, killing one, wounding another and missing death himself when a pocket comb in the upper left hand vest pocket slowed down a bullet aimed at his heart. I I I EmfaSlI 0 HENRY W. DENISON DEAD Had Been Connected With Japanese Hj Government Since 1880. Tokio, July 4.—Henry W. Denison, legal adviser of the Japanese depart ment of foreign affairs since 1880, died in St. Luke's American hospital Mr. Denison WAS stricken with paraly sis a week ago. Ha _WJMM5PMW* Lei Her Help You Hake Housework Easy Are you one of the many [thousands of housewives who1 'know how easy it is to keep1 [the home bright and clean by1 losing Oil of Gladness—or are you] still busy stirring np dust only to [have it settle back as soon as youj I have finished? 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