Bogalusa enterprise. [volume] (Bogalusa, La.) 1914-1918, 1915-08-26
FIRST lNSTALLMENT
cHAPTE 1.
The Cryptic Coin.


closed her desk, stepped to the waFa-
robe and took her coat and hat.
Taking her little collection OF copy
paper from the desk, with the prN-
lege of long tenure in Office she walked
to the desk of the city editor, Who' al
though himself married man, mac oil
this time without success tried u
look at the work before HIN ana ho'
at the trim figure of Kitty Gray max
ing ready for her luncheon Journey.
when will You deign to return!
asked he with a certain lapse in jour-
nalistic dignity.
"When | have a better story than
this guff-in the vernacular.'
Kitty's favorite lunching place was
in one of the great department stores,
where women were made welcome and
comfortable, and she bent thither her
steps; but midway in her journey she
paused, as often she did, to gaze into
the window of the little antique shop
which occupied space in one OF the
unimportant side streets.
Kitty Gray's eyes were arrested by
something that she saw-an object
which she did not recall ever before
to have noted in the window. 1t lay
close to the glass, just tilted back so
that it might be the better seen. 1t
apparently was an ol0 coin or part
of one, curiously done in some dark
metal, probably silver badly oxidlzed
AS Kitty bent down to examine it
more closely, she saw that the coin
bore an inscription, or what appeared
to be such-an inscription broken
across by the fracture which had d.
,vided the coin itself.
Her curiosity excited, Kitty Gray
stepped into the little shop, whose
proprietor she knew very we'll.
Good morning, Mr.. Mainz," she said
with the customary newspaper in
version of the order of the day, "how's
business? Any new fans. idols,
coins"
Coins? Vot? Sure, got something
new dot is olt. choost t'ink of him.
He ISIS only part of himselluf. Should
l show him to you?"
ooh, maybe saw 1t in the window,
said Kitty, Smiling. You mean the
broken coin?"
Sure. Wait till got him."
She took up the coin now from the
case, and some strange sort OF thrill
came over her as she did so, she
could not tell why What was its mes
sage, hating, broken, incomplete:
Did it hold story? What was the
story?
Its odd, isn't it," said she, ant
laid it down again carelessly-with
carelessness well feigned, for Kilt!
Gray had bought antiques before now
and knew we'll enough when to sup
press interest.
"Odt? ] should say it vas odt,' re
Joined the old dealer Kitty had picke'
I'D an inlaid mother of pearl fan ant
was studiously examining that now.
"How much?' asked she, holding u
the fan.
"For the broken coin?"
mo, the fan"
81 want twelf tollar for him"
"For the coin?'
mo, for the fan. For the coin-Va
you gif me?'
"Why, what earthly use would
have for a broken piece Of metal Tx
that, Mr.. Mainz?'
"Gif me for the fan eleven dollaI
md | make you present of tn
broken coin anyway.
Kitty Gray's heart gave a sudden Il
tie jump. She would have given tWlc
eleven dollars for the coin itself, bV
she made good pretense.
Eleven dollars is good deal
money said she. Il would nave
so without lunch for quite while
"You are a goot sport, Miss Cray
said the old dealer Il dank you yel
mooch. should wrap them up?"
THE fau-yes. Let me see the col
again" She pushed across the countt
almost the last al The tightly foldf
bills in her purse.
Read the inscription fer me, ana
knock off two to.lars from the fan.
said Natnz. "Vot is il? l-ls not Che