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TWELVE
THE DA Y OF DA YS
PROLOGUE.
"It breaks the speed limit to
smithereens."
That's a candid opinion about
this story. There may have
been swifter tales, but not re
cently. It’s an aeroplane of a
yarn, moving so fast that you
lose your breath while you fol
low it. But you don't need any
breath, anyway, because you
forget about respiration with
your eyes on reading of this
kind.
Every man has his day of
days. Yours may have come
and you may be swimming in
the full tide of fortune. If so,
read how P. Sybarite found
his. If your own ship is still
an the offing, you will enjoy
learning how the little spunky
red headed bookkeeper won a
fortune and an heiress, foiled
all his enemies and had some
of the molt amazing adven
tores ever penned—all in less
time than it takes the hour
hand to round the clock dial
twice.
(Continued from Yesterday).
"What was tha number?" ah* aaked
as ha approached. “Dtd ran notice?
t did, but than thought of something
ale*. and now I’ve forgotten."
*Twa hundred and thirty," replied
T. Sybarite absently.
Between tba two thera fell a little
pauao of constrained silence ended by
Marian.
"I want to saa yon again very anon,
Mr. Sybarite. Coma tomorrow to tea
at tbs Plane ”
“Thank you."
▲bora the hum of chattering voices
roan the hallow of tbs carriage porter.
“Two-thirty!"
“My car." nntd the girl, with a start
▲ handsome town car stood at the
curb beneath the permanent awning of
Iron and glass. Hurrying serose the
aldewalk. Marian [wrmltted P. Myba
rite to help her Into ills rchlcle.
Transported by this proof of her
graciousnees. he gave the chsufTeur
tba address. “Hotel Plars."
With tba Impudent Imperturbability
of bis breed, tba man nodded without
looking round.
rrotn the body of the vehicle Ma
rlan extended a white gloved hand:
“Good night. Mr. Sybarite. Tomorrow
at 5."
Touching her fingers. P. Rybartte
raised hit hat. but before ha could
ntter tba response ready upon Ida
tongue, he was seined by tba arm and
swung rudely away from the door. At
tba asms tins- a voice—the property of
tba owner of that unceremonious hand
—addressed the porter roughly:
“Shot that door and send tba car
along! HI taka charge of this gen
tlamanT
In this speech an accent of trony
Inhered to exasperate P. Rybartte
Half a hundred people were looking
on, listening Angrily ha wrenched
hla arm free.
"What tba devil"—he cried Into the
face of the aggressor, and. In the act
of speaking, recognised the man as
him with whom Bayard Shaynoa had
beaw conversing In tba lobby.
Tn tba bouee detective here," the
Other answered, holding hie eves with
an Inexorable glare. “And If It’s all the
same to you we're going to hare a
Quiet little talk In the olllrs" he added
with a Jerk of hla bead
▲ sidelong glance discovered the fact
that Marian's car had moved away
Doubtless she had left In Ignorance of
thla outrage, or perhaps thinking him
accosted by a hapcbancs acquaintance
“Very well." eeld P. Sybarite, boiling
with rage beneath thin Ice of subiuia
gtoa.
CHAPTER XII.
TK» Brooch.
SHOT7T.DEH to nbouldcr, the tsr
get of two aoore grtunlng or
■urprtsed cures, they ctrodr
•ctom the lobby and through
the office
It wac Immediately closed and the
k»I turned In the lock, mi removed
And pocketed by the detective
In thla room, Mmuil Interior apart
ment plainly furnished as a private of
flee, two people were waiting, a stout,
smooth little man with a nntsta, be of
foreign extraction who. on better no
qualntance. proved to be tbe manager
of the establishment; tbe other Bayard
Bhaynon. stationed with considerable
caution on tbe far ntde of tbe room
"Well?” P By barite demanded of Ids
**ptor tbe moment they were private
“Take It calm, son: take It calm,"
counseled tbe tnnn. bis manner not a I
together lacking In good nature.
"There eeems to be some question as to
your right to attend that party up
■tain we got to investigate you for
the sake of tbe rep. of tbe bouse Get
met"
P. Sybarite drew a long breath. If
this were all!
“I freely admit I have no card of In
utetion."
“Mr. Bhaynon,” went on the deter
fIML-JWtfa.he saw, you, lift a diamond
By LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE
itriMH ti *
you wna coinin' dow n in the slotato.
And while I’. Sybarite gasped the ■
te< tire looked tn Shnynon for confirm
tlon.
"I stood behind him In the elevatm
coming down, leu minutes or ao ago,''
the latter stated heavily. “Mrs Addl
Soli strode we I linmediately In front of
him The cage w-aa badly crowded no
one could move.
“An 1 got In I noticed that Mrs
Rtrone's brooch, a gold bar set with
several large diamonds, was apparent
ly looae—pin hail parted from the
catch, you know—and meant to warn
her she was In danger of losing It. Imi
1 couldn't without shouting over tbl
fellow's bend, so wiilted until we got
out, aud then, when I managed to ge
to her. the brooch was gone l.ater
remembered this—fellpw- and. lookin'
round thn lobby, saw him In a corner
apparently concealing aomethlng aboil
hla person. Then I spoke to yon alwini
It"
P. Rybarlte's face settled Into grim
lines.
"Hhaynon," he said slowly, without
visible temper, "tuls won't get yo'
anything but trouble, llemember that
when I come to pay you out—unles*
you'll have the grace to retract hen
and now."
“To aave lime." Shnynon euggeated
dispassionately, “you might explore 111
coattail pockets first It was then
that I saw him secrete the brooch."
Nervously In his Indignation I*. Nylin
rile caught Ills coattails from beneath
hla Invernesn, dragged them toned In
front of him, and. fumbling, found a
pocket
Oroplng therein, hla fingers hmsbnl
aomethlng strange to him-a small
bard. Irregular body which, escaping
hla clutches, fell with a soft thud to
the carpet at his feet It was the
brooch.
With a noncommittal grunt the dr
trctlve stooped and retrieved this
f s
<T * ■«k .
"Search hia pookafe," auggaatad Shay
nan.
damning Mt of evidence, wMta (tie
manager moved excitedly to hla side
to Inspect tha And And I’. Sybarite
looked np with blank eye* In a pallid
wizened face tu tima to see Shsynon
bara hla teeth. hla llpa curling bark In
a manner peculiarly wolftah and Irrlta
ting, and anarl a mlrthleaa laugh.
It wao aomethlng Inopportune. The
man canid have dona no battar than
keep hla pence. 1 <eft to hlmaelf. P
Sybarite would In all probability hare
floundered and blustered and commit
ted hlmaelf Inextricably.
Rut that laugh was as good as a
douche of cold water In hla face. He
cease abruptly to hla senses, sww clear
ly how this thing had come to pass, the
temptation of the loose brooch to Shay
Don's Augers itching for revenge while
they stood near together la the crowd
ed elevator.
I*. Sybarite smiled sunnily la tha
face of the detective
"Caught with the goods on. ebT" be
chirped. “Come, now, be fatr to me.
Owu up. Tou didn't expect to sea that,
did you f'
The detective hesitated. "Well," he
grudged, "you did have me going for
a minute, you were so cocksure, and
It’s pretty slick work for an amateur."
“It looks bad. eh notT" the mauager
questioned, hla predacious eyea fixed
greedily upon the trinket.
“You think sol" P. Sybarite purpose
fully misinterpreted. "Let me see."
Before the detective could withdrew
T Sybarite caught the brooch from bis
flugcrw.
"Pad?" he mused aloud, examlulng
It closely. "Phoneyt Perhaps It la.
Looks like article do Parts to ma. See
what you think.”
He handled the trinket Indifferently.
"Nonsenset“ Shayuon Interposed In
cisively. "Mrs. Strone's not that kind.
Beside*. It makes uodifference Theft’s
theft.”
“It makes a deal of difference wheth
er It'a grand or |«etlt larceny," P. Svh
arlte flashed—“a difference ns wide
and deep as that which yawns be
tween attempted and successful wife
murder. Mr Shayuon ”
Ills Jaw dropping, a look of stupefy
ing terror stamped Itself upon Shay
pop's.face, lie strove to speak, but for
the time couiii nut
'The tnnn's cruxy." he muttered tick
lahly. rising "I don't know what he's
talking altout. Arrest him-take him
to the station bouse "
"Who'll make the charge?" asked the
detective, eying Shnynon curiously
“Not Bayard Rhaynon!" I*. Sybarite
aaaevuraled with conviction,
"It's not iny brooch." Shnynon as
serted defensively.
“Too saw him take It" the detective
pentlated
“No. I didn't: I suspected bltn. It's
yon who found the brooch on him. and
It’s your duty to make the charge "
"You're one grand little lightning
change of heart artist gotta slip It to
yon for that.” the detective observed
truculently "Now. H«'n; I don't rnnka
no charge"-
"Any employee of the establishment
will do as well, for my purpose." P.
Sybarite cut In. "Come. Mr Manager!
How about you? So long ns I get
my grounds for a suit against the
Blaarre"—
The manager spread out expostularv
palms. "Me. I have Mossing whatever
to do with the matter." he protested
"To me It would seem Mrs Ktrono
should make the charge"
“Well," mumbled the detective of
Shnynon. "how about cha?”
“Walt" mumbled Shnynon. moving
toward the door ''l’ll fetch -Mrs.
Strone "
"Don’t go without aa.vlng goodby."
P. Sybarite ndmonlalied him severely.
“It Isn’t pretty mnnners "
The door slummed tempestuously,
and the little mnn chuckled with «n
affectation of ease to which he was en
tirely a stranger
nis head busied with doubts and sns
plrlona, and with misgivings on Ma
rian's behalf, hut Indifferently mitigat
ed by the refh-ctlon that by now she
would be lit the Plain.
"He won’t be back." P. Sybarite ob
served generally to detective and man
ager and sat him down serenely.
“You feel pretty snre about that?”
the detective asked.
"Walt and see.”
Bending forward, the little man ex
amined the gilt clock on the manager's
desk. "Twenty minutes after 4." he
announced “1 give yon ten minutes to
find some one to make a charge against
me.”
The detective took a chair, crossed
his legs and produced a cigar, which
he began to trim with loving care The
manager, anxiously pacing the floor,
after nnother moment or ao paused at
the door, fidgeted. Jerked It open and
with a muffled “Pardon!” disappeared,
presumably In search of Shnynon.
Pour minutes passed by the clock; no
sign of the manager. Hhsynon or Mrs.
fit rons
“StoryT* tho detective suggested at
length.
"Plant," retorted P. Sybarite as
tersely.
"Salted youT’
"in the elevator, of course."
“It come to me that was the way of
It when he sprung that bunk stuff
about you coarsely loading suld loot
Into your coat tall.” admitted the de
tective. "That didn't aound sensible,
even If you dtd have a skirt to fuss
Into a cab. That was one swell piece
of goods you bundled Into No. 230."
"What?" cried P. Sybarite.
The detective started.
"Wasn't that the number of tha
lady's cab—two-thirtyT"
“Good God!" ejaculated P. Sybarite.
Jumping up.
"What's hit yon?" said the detective.
Ills words were addressed to his own
conscience and to the horizontal folds
of the Inverness that streamed from
the shoulders of P. Sybarite as be bolt
ed unhindered through the Fifth ave
nue entrance. The little maa waa ex
claiming:
“Holt! Blockhead! Imbecile! Idlotl
Numskull! Ass! Simpleton! Loon!"
The chill air of early morning wiped
the blistering epithets from bla lips as
ha fled like a madman down Fifth ave
nue.
Deliberately had ha permitted him
self to tw duped, circumvented, over
reached.
Why had ha never fer xu Instant
dreamed that the werds "two-thirty"
could Indicate anything but the hour of
some otherwise nndeslgaited appoint
ment T Of course It had signified the
number of Marian's carriage check.
"MO."
If he had ere this entertained any
doubta whatever of the ngly grounds
for hla fears, they were now received,
by recognition of Bayard's clumsy
ruse, to keep him both out of the cab
and out of the way while November
and bla lleuteasata executed their In
famous commission
And all that waa now ten—fifteen
twenty minutes old! Marian's car waa
gone, and If It had net reached the
Fiaxa the girl waa loot, irrevocably lost.
Ou (he way to the Bizarre from
refer Kenny's rooms, some freek of a
mind superficially preoccupied had
caused him to remark, on the south
aide es Forty-third street. Immediately
east of Sixth avenue, a long rank of
buildings
Of these, one building boasted the
blaring electric announcement, "All
Night Garage."
Into this hist P. Sybarite pelted at
the top of his spent and pulled up
puffing, to stare nervously round a
place gloomy, cavernous and pungent
with fragrance of oil, rubber and gaso
line Out of the shadows behind him,
presently, came s voice, drawling;
(To Be Continued Tomorrow.)
THE AUGUSTA HERALD, AUGUSTA, GA.
SATURDAY SPECIALS
—l^———■—■
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And the best of all they are the
things you want for right now.
HOSIERY
Whitleather Hosiery, for men, women
and children; every pair
guaranteed, at. 10^
TOWELS
15e extra large size Huek Towels 10<*
Regular yard wide
Percales, at 10^
Regular 25c Windsor Ties, in a good
range of colors, at 19<“
Roys’ vSpring Underwear, Shirts and
Drawers, at 25^
Men’s regular 50c Lisle Spring Weight
Undershirts, at 39^
m- ■ ■
MEN’S SHIRTS
Specially Priced for Saturday
Big range of men’s and boys’ Negligee Shirts, some with soft collars and some without col
lars. There is not a shirt in this lot that would not be a good value at 75c, our price only .. 49^
One lot of men’s Negligee Shirts, picked up at
at groat saving. Extra fine range of patterns.
They should bo worth ordinarily anywhere
SI.OO each, onr special price only 09c
Men's plain blue Chambrav Shirts, with collars attached, worth 50c each, at 39<*
Fine -soft satine Petticoats in black and colors; they
would be good values at $1.50, this sale at 98^
Colored mescaline Silk Petticoats, worth $2.50 and
$3.00, at $1.98
$5.00 Silk Messaline Petticoats, at $3.98
Scalloped Cambric Petticoats, at 59< t
SI.OB new Spring Shirt Waists, at $1.19
$1.25 and $1.50 White and Colored Shirt Waists at 98£
New lot of Children’s Gingham and Percale School
Dresses, worth SI.OO each, at 59^
One lot of Misses’ Percale and Gingham School Dresses
(> to 14 years, in a big range of good colors, made of
material that will wash well and would be cheap at
$2.50 each,-special $1.49
Ladies’ $3.50 Serge Skirts, at $1.98
Ladies’ lnw neck sleeveless Vest, tape in neck,
worth 10c, at T l /*#
Ladies’ Envelope Combinations, very popular
garment for the spring, at $1.49
20e Brown Dress Linens (all pure linen)
special while the lot last at 14<*
24 -inch Straw Suit Cases, worth $1.25
each, at 98^
Here is the banner bargain all new* fresh
stock, just arrived —there is not a line in Au
gusta at $1.50 that is superior; our special
selling price .. 98^
FRIDAY. MARCH 27.
Underwear
Ladies’ low neck
s 1 e e v e 1 ess, knee
[length Union Suits
glace trimmed, spe
p! 25c
| Ladies’ low neck
[sleeveless knee
[length Union Suits,
jeuff knee, 49c