The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-08-29


Copyright, 1914. by the Star Company.
All Foreign Rights Reserved.
TOR several months after old Mr.. Mar.
wins death. Owen had kept to his
= cubby-hole room adjoining the I'm
ancier's small. plain-furnished. workaday
office. But recently he had got the habit
Of doing his work In the library, whore
the tall. pure statues looked down upon his
skulking head and the grand old books that
had borne their messages Of good from gen.
Grafton to generation. held their high
thoughts in stately contrast to his skilled
and cruel plots.
Above the bowed bald head that was
planning the death of young girl to gain
her fortune stood a figure Of Persephone
child of innocence and sunlight-shad.
owed by black robes Of Dis. Upon the
coward who feared all but the darkest and
most devious passages Of crime shone high.
clear brows Of Caesar and Aurelius. Gray
folios Of Shakespeare held up to the am
bilious migrate the warning titles Of Lear"
and Hamlet" and Macbeth And by his
side brooded ever that mystic relic Of the
farther past-the Mummy. from whose case
had stepped . daughter Of the Paraohs In
the likeness of Pauline.
But Owen thought little of contrasts.
He still chose to work in the library.
He was opening his mail there on
morning in early May when he came across
an envelope addressed In the awkward
scraw1 Of Hicks. He tore it apart nervous
", for II Hicks could be moved to write. 1t
must be a matter Of concern. This was
the note within:
"Dear Owen-No doubt he suspects
r. So a. -
torneys and IL about to take steps to
have you removed from the trustee
ship
The paper cracked in Ovens trembling
hand. His watery eyes peered covertly
around the room as he reached for his
steadying drug.
Braced by the morphine. he read tho let
ter again. SO the BaskinelN incident had
gone q little too far. Harry Marvin had
sense enough to know that no would not
have to fight three murderous Italians and
Q rabble Of Chinese unless there had been
. plot behind Pauline's peril. It might b
best to 30 directly after Harry-to put him
out Of the way Arst. And yet. Owen pom.
dered, there was NO proof Of anything
wrong. Pauline was admittedly plunging
into these adventures Of her own free will.
Nothing could be proved against him or
Hicks.
He resumed his WORK. Among the let
tsrs lay an advertising dodger which had
been dropped through the door. Owen
glanced ct It carelessly ct Arst. then with
keen interest ~ an idea seemed to strike
him. He read it over:
"DALLooN ASCENSION FROM
PALlsADE9.
olanor PanateIla. The famous Italian
Asrenaut, Will make parachute drop
from height never before Attempted"
The ascension was to be made that al
ternoon from ono Of the amusement parks
ON the New Jersey shore OF the Hudson.
Owens nerves were beginning to auttef
again. The fear that Hicks's note had In
stilled was returning.
This % Providence" he muttered to him
self, catching up the dodger. But he stop
ned ana tottered back to the table like Z
Strickan man. He braced himself by the
table. reached In . drawer and found the
stimulant -
Aftsr . moment he was strong enough
to move around the room. He opened Ill
the dark cases and groped inside. He
looked under tables and behind the great
couch. Surely there was someone In the
room. Surely . cleartoned voice had 70.
poated after him the word Providence"
But he could md no sign Of life. Even the
nyutsrious Mummy held It, rapt repose.