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these walls are thin, and there is quite a bunch around tonight There's plenty for the two of us, if we play the cards right, and we'll let Waldron hold the hair. What do you say. Daly?" mv name was "Daly." Well, that ' was interesting at least, although it arave me no new light. However, nothing remained for me to do except agree io his blind pro]iosition. "That's mighty handsome of you. What's the figure?" "A million!" enthusiastically. "Wait until I get a chance to explain the plan; it looks like Providence had just handed tis out the money." "Why not explain the scheme to me." "Not now; there ain't time." He glanced at his watch, "and besides, for all I know, some guy might he listening in to what we say. You see there is a hunch o' hcll-cats in there waiting for me to give them a song and dance. T'm t-Tir* ?,i?r riifht naw lilit T ?"nt JL 4i-l I * A X k ' 1 V i A il'MI , I'VAV A * V- J- ^ ' v to sin;: low until I'm sure what word these guys hare got from Washington. After 111 ar I'll know how to trim sail. You wait until I come hack, I>aiy, and then we'll plan this thing out. You think I'm aiming to play fair, don't you t I looked at him doubtfully. "Well, of course, I've got to think so," I admitted, hoping to gain further enlightenment, "but you leave me pretty well in the dark. What do 1 really know? Nothing. You talk glibly about a million you propose going fifty-fifty with me on. That naturally sounds good, but it would sound better if I even knew who I was dealing with. I never saw you before in walls. Witn no errort or my own, purely by blind chance, I had been given a new name and identity, and as instantly inducted into a revolutionary criminal plot as fascinating as it undoubtedly was dangerous. Who Harry Daly might be I had not the slightest conception, yet there was no escape from the conviction that Harris believed blindly in my identity. He was not acting, for he would have no possible object in such pretense. I was to his mind Harry Daly, a well-known criminal, an international thief, a man after his own heart, to be warmly welcomed into partnership as a most valuable ally. What should I do under these peculiar circumstances? Seek to escape during his absence, and thus frighten the covy, or remain, and trust fortune to show me a way to both expose their villainy and save myself? I was young, adventurous, and I chose the latter, thinking less of the danger, I admit, than of the mystery of the case, and?yes, the girl. Harris had spoken confidently of gaining possession of a large sum?a ''million dollars, surely a stake worth daring much for?but how, by what means, did he expect to get his hands on such a fortune? My mind reverted to ttie fragment of letter which had sent me on this mad chase, to its mention of a letter of credit to be dei>osited with the banker. Krantz, to the credit of the recipient. The writer had stated that the sum would be found ample for all needs. But a million dollars! Could it be possible that so large an amount would be thus advanced? If so, then the result hoped for must he proportionately important. To whom had j this letter been sent?Alva, who ap- ! parently was the active leader here in j V/-,,,. V/?rL- or the revnlntiunnrv renre- : sentative in Washington. seemingly known as Mendez? Whichever it was, j that man evidently had the disposition 1 of this vast sum entirely at his disposal; either it was already in his ! hands or so deposited as to he quickly | available. In my Judgment the fellow would be Aha. for sundry reasons ; first, he had been one of the men registered at the hotel when the lae my life." "H?1. that's so," he grinned cheerfully, "I forgot 1 wasn't talking to an eld pal. Just to be sure you're Harry Daly was enough to make me cough up, but that don't help you out. doe* it? Ever hear of 'Gentleman George' in your travels?" "George Harris!" the name leaped to my lips in inspiration; only the day before I had chanced to read a magazine account of a famous criminal ex1 ploit. His eyes gleamed in genial appreciation. "I thought maybe that would fetch you," he said exultantly. "There ain't piany of the old boys but have my number, and they all know I play square. How is it? Will we shake hands, and call it a deal? I've got to get back in with that bunch." I took the extended hand cordially, feeling the iron grip of his fingers. I do not believe I was ever more frightened in my life, although outwardly cool enough, and my brain perfectly clear. There was no retreat possible. I must go on, acting out the strangecharacter in this drama to which I had been assigned. "But you are not known by that name here?" I verttured. "I should ?ay not. I'm Horner, P. c XI r\v*y-\ r\-p f QD'O T HPV)Q t'Q ..! kj, HU1 HVTi VI JL-'11 VH, 1.7VV . 1.KU1 17 the guy -who had the papers. He was English all right but pretended to be United States, and had a passport to come through with this bunch. So I've got the bull by the tail?for a cool million, old man, a million. All Tm afraid of is this d?d woman?they always did get my goat." "Keep still, and let he'r show her cards." I suggested, feeling the necessity of saying something. "What I'm aiming to do. Well, so long, Daly. I'll be back presently with everything straight. Better turn out the light, or some one might wander in here." I was alone again, in the dark, but under vastly different circumstances than when wandering blindly about between those imprisoning factory q tiered box was lest: n?i the expenditure of this money was seem'i)irl> intended to he made in and ahont the port of New York?if I read the ne.'^sn'.a riirht. in the purchase of arms and r-njr'iior.s for shipment to South America : perhaps the enlistment of a hod.v of fighting men. So far the matter was fairly ClearAlva as the local revolutionary agent j had been intrusted by the junta with ! this money to spend in a certain definite way; but he must work under strict orders coming from the headquarters at Washington. He dare not assume the initiative without the "9. K." of the man higher up?Mendez. Something had occurred t<> delay actioii: that made no difference, but now the time had come. Mendez, unable to he present in person, and even fearful to permit any of h* well-known .junta representatives to appear in this connection. had chosen to send a woman, who would he unsuspected, to deliver to the conspirators his definite plan of action: All this seemed reasonable enough, and in no way surprised me. But the appearance of the woman did. and also the close intimacy of this man Harris. She was not criminal, not even of the insurrectionary class to my eyes, and I could not imagine what influence had ever induced her to accept such a commission. Something about her personality, some undefined quality of womanhood, had made a definite impression upon my mind, not to he effaced. Everything was against her? tne saioon m wnicn sne waueu aione; her coming there secretly in the night; the meeting with an unknown man; the accompanying him up that black alley to this hidden rendezvous of conspiracy. Every act stamped her as unworthy. In spite of all this evidence as to the truth of the matter, nothing harmonized. She did not belong?the gulf was too wide. Yet there wai no other explanation possible?she was actually here, in the den of conspiracy, alone among all these men, unafraid, the recognized representative of the Chilean revolutionary junta, bringing with her direct from Washington those final instructions for which they waited?instructions, no doubt, involving unneutralitv, destruction, death, frightfulness, the extinction of a friendly government: all this that could be compassed by the expenditure of a million dollars in ruthless hands. It was unthinkable, yet every evidence proved it true. There came to me an insane desire to overhear what she had to say; to watch her once more, when free to study her unnoticed, and to see this gang to whom she brought her message. Almost without realizing my action I crept in the dark out into the narrow passage, and felt my way i along the rough board walls. As I advanced cautiously the full ingenuity with which the place had been prepared for just this foul purpose became more apparent. The narrow ' passage I followed/my hands touching ! either wall, was not straight, buf curved to the right, and it dawned upon me that it skirted the main apartment, -where, in all probability, the conference was being held. This ac- | * /-..-I fnrtt tViof n n rWoOTV> A"f i I'uuuiiru iui mc UKU IIV \s*. light was visible, and that, in anticipa- i tion of their use, separate and small j rooms had been constructed, connected j together yet so isolated as to permit J of the utmost privacy. One of these j Harris had left me in, and now I j found that the passage led me not direct to the main apartment, but to an- j other smaller room, whose door barred my progress. This, I figured out, j might be the same into which Wine j had entered in search of Alva, when he deserted me in the front hallway. I listened intently, but heard no sound within, tnd, satisfied the room was without occupants, ventured final- j ly to gain a glimpse inside. It was a ; room not altogether unlike the one I had just left, although smaller, I and containing a chair or two in ad- j dition to the writing table. I noted these things quickly, my gaze straying to a partially open door in the board wall to the right, through which a brighter glow of light streamed. My ears caught the sound of voices, the words indistinct. ; Although convinced the small room ; was without occupants, I was some j moments screwing up my courage to ' ^ Would Be Suicidal to Attempt Viewing the Room Beyond. i enter. Yet there was no other way in j which I could learn the meaning of all this, or be prepared to intelligently ! play my part later with Harris. To i trap the fellow I must know his pur-' pose. bo able to answer his iinjuJ)*Ios and seem conversant with hi;j villainy. The door opened toward nm. hat it would ho suicidal to nttem- { v?.? the room heyond through only thing 1 dare von*' gain soch survey as was possible by means uf tlie narrow crack below the hinge on which the door swung. This afforded me the merest glimpse of one side of the room, revealing four or live men sitting motionless on a bench a in sit tin* wmII evidontlv 1 is'or i?iLr ill tently to wlmt was going on opposite .hem. Wkli the exception of Wine, who was third in the row, no face I saw was in the least familiar?two being pronouncedly Spanish, the others not so easily recognized as to nationality. I had no difficulty whatever in overhearing tick* voices, and grasping the sense of what they were saying. As a general thing the words used were Kngiish, although occasionally sonic one requested an explanation in Spanish, which was immediately given. However, almost the first sentence overheard convinced me that I had arrived too late to learn directly the nature of those instructions received from Washington. Alva was asking a question. "Kut we are ready to act now," he said impatiently, his foreign accent faint, yet plainly perceptible, "have been ready for a month past. What necessity then is there for further delay?" The woman, whom he evidently addressed, must have been very close to the door; her voice soft, but speaking with clear enunciation, sounded almost within reach of ray hand. itm. ~ , , JLJ.it; itru.MiN a? ? aipaitusv, ?i course," she said; "it is not Washington at all. When you strike, the people must he ready there. You say you are prepared, senor. That is what I was sent to learn, atid I find>( you are not prepared." "Not ready! We are organized and sworn to service." She seemed to lean forward, her voice changing almost to a whisper. "I see that, your eagerness, your devotion. But that is not readiness for such a duty. Who has been chosen for the act itself?the post of danger? No one. Until the man I need not name dies, we can accomplish nothing. You have taken no ballot. If the singly word was flashed tonight, 'Go.' and it may he, who among you is authorized to execute the order?" She paused, hut no voice spoke. "Nor is that all; the money from England yet lies untouched. Surely your instructions were clear, and nothing is being accomplished for the cause while it rests in the vault. It will require- all of thirty days to distribute this into the proper hands, here and in Chile, yet nothing has been done. We supposed it was already in circulation. What caused the delay?" One of the men on the bench spoke, a heavily built fellow, with a long gray mustache, and horn spectacles shading his eyes. "All I know iss et vait on der order of Gustave Alva to be indorsed by Senor Mendez. I hoi' ett so in trust, from the agent. Ett was in a private safe, a package of currency, only I know where. The bank hav' nothings to do with der deal." "I understand. The agent gave you personally the letter of credit, which you immediately cashed, and you now hold the currency subject to call?" "Certainly; dat voshow ett vos. The agent he tell me." "The agent? Oh, you mean 108? What about that arrangement, Mr. Horner?" I recognized Harris Id the reply, his voice perfectly calm and confident. In all probability he lied, but it was done most convincingly. "Those were my positive instructions in London," he said coolly. "The banking house there was not to be involved in the slightest degree; no trace of the transaction was to appear on their books." "But why has the money not been drawn and used?" "That is for Alva to say. I tried to get him to act. but he refused without another authorization from Mendez, and special instructions." "You never received these, Senor Alva ?'* "No. I asked by code: T supposed he would answer by messenger." There was a pause, a silence. I imagined I could understand something of what Harris was endeavoring to accomplish in this delay, this getting the entire sum transferred into currency in private hands. It was one more step in his intricate scheme of robbery, but so cautiously concealed as to arouse no suspicion/ What else had he done to this end already? To achieve delay, and thus gain opportunity, had he intercepted, or even changed, the code message sent by Alva to Washington? All this was possible enough, yet it was evident that the woman accepted the explanation as satisfactory. "I do not know how true all this is." she said at last, slowly. "I was told the money was already being used. I do not believe there is any necessity of any further Indorsement, as Senor Alva is working under direct commission from the junta, with full authority to act. However, I will verify this .tomorrow. T am g< ing to retire now. senors, and leave you alone to discuss the matters I have presented. Above all it is necessary that I should know at once who you select for the important work, and when we.may expect results. This information I must positively take back with me." "When do you return?" "On the midnight train. I have j three hours yet." (To be continued next week.) Read The Herald, $2.00 per year. f i t i S. GS-. MAYFIELD tiik CI ; rhe Milrary Colic ATTOIIXKY AT LAW j Hi i Practice in all courts, State and CHA kLLS KederaL j _ Ranked as "Disi Office Opposite Southern Depot. I College by the \\ Oners a four-yet RAMBKKG. S. C. tans. with elective! ? inir, sciences, and J. WESLEY CRUM, jr., \ sh j ATTORXEY-AT-LAW | ;v te'filled'1!, Bamberg, S. C. | umlnation July 8tl ? j For application ii 1 .i ti. -i,i:_~ 1 /v > _ i WIUVCS 111 IlL'I'iUU I>U11U111^ j V.()l. ' DOIKl, Practice in State and Federal Courts. | ~ Loans negotiated. 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