Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-12-20
Seuen Keys to Baldpate
BY EARL DERR BI0GERs
downright hx Bobbs-M Merrill Coz

Ever since came into this room,
he went on, ''the eyes of a pompous
little man have been following me
about. They have constantly recalled
to me the nightmare of my life. You
have noticed, no doubt, the pictures
of the admiral that decorate these
walls?"
II have" replied Magee. He gazed
curiously at the nearest Of the por-
traits How persistently this almost
mythical starched man Wove in and
out of the melodrama at Baldplate
Inn.
well" continued Kendrick, the
adniirals eyes haunt me. Perhaps
you know that he plays a game-a
game of solitaire. I have good rea-
son to remember that game. 1t is q
silly inconsequential game. You
would scarcely believe that 1t once
sent a man to hell n.
He stopped. E
II am beginning In the middle OF
my story" he apologized. LET me
go back. Six years ago 1 was hardly
the man you see now-I was at least
twenty years younger. Hayden and
worked together in the office Of the
Suburban railway. We had been,
CAOSC IL AOAlOo at COllGBC--l DofIGV6u III
him and trusted him, although
knew he had certain weaknesses L
was happy man. / had risen
rapidly, I was young, the future was
lying golden before me-and I was
engaged. The daughter of Henry
Thornhill our employer-the girl you
have met here at Baldplate-had
promised to be my wife. Hayden
had also been a sutton, but when our
engagement was announced he came
to me like a man, and / thought his
words were sincere.
One day Hayden told me of a
chance we might take which would
make us rich. 1t was not-aItogether
within the law. But 1t was the sort
of thing that other men were doing
constantly, and Hayden assured me
that as he had arranged matters it
was absolutely safe. My great sin
Is that agreed we should take the
chances sin for which have paid,
Mr.. Magee, over and over
Again he paused, and gazed stead
lily at the fire. Again Magee noted
the gray at his temples, the after
math of fever in his cheeks
"We--took the chance" he went on.
For a time everything went well.
| Then-one clustering March night
Hayden came to me and told me we
were certain TO De caught. Some of
his plans had gone awry. 1 trusted
him fully at the time, you under
stand-he was the man with whom
had sat on the window-seat of my
room at college, settling the question
of immortality, and all the other
great questions young men settle at
such times. l have at this moment
no doubt that he was quite truthful
when he said we were in danger of
arrest. We arranged to meet the next
night at the Argots Club and decide
on what we should do
I'VE met-in the library Of the club.
Hayden came into me from the card
room adjoining, where he had been
watching the admiral doddering over
his eternal game. The old man be-
came a; fixture at the club, like Park
err down at the door, or the great
chandelier in the hall No one paid
any attention to him; when he tried
to talk to the younger men about his
game they fed as If from pestilence
Well, as say, Hayden came to NEE,
me, and just at that moment the adj
niral finished his game and went out
We were alone in the library.
Hayden told me he had thought
THE matter over carefully. There was
nothing IN A. h-if To clear ore ~