Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1916-04-05

panels ana grained 10 look like oak
which Golden had once used as his
bondroom.
That room, although not used for
years, was at the present moment far
from empty. For pacing resuessly
back and forth, as the stranger quietly
entered, was a golden-haired woman
OF little more than twenty. The face
under the mask smiled little at her
sudden movement and gasp of sur.
prise as he confronted her.
Are you still afraid of me?" he
asked
N-no!" hesitated the girl.
I'D give a good deal" declared the
other, ito know who you are!"
'I'm-Im afraid can't help you
any, in that" she finally told him.
Why not?"
Because l don't know myself"
4 want to take you to a man who
may be interested in you, who may
even prove to be very kind to youl"
The pale face with the haunted eyes
suddenly hardened.
i no longer ask for kindness from
men" was her almost passionate re.
tort.
"Oh, this old scoundrel won't be too
dangerously kind, especially until the
ice is broken. ] warrant you that
/ much. But with him, III also warrant,
you'll face none of the affronts that
you may have faced in the Owls
Nest"
But why should he be interested
in me?"
Because you may remind him of
daughter he himself once had"
Then what must / do?"
You must put on dress l have
ready, one exactly like the one his
own daughter used to wear. And I'd
like you to let down your hair"
So the girl, still touched with won
der, was cautiously led to another part
Of the great house, where she let down
her hair and dressed herself in a girl.
ish little frock which she found al
ready laid out for her. And the won.
der was still in her eyes as the masked
stranger struggled her quietly down
through the house, and, as the aged
millionaire bent low to unlock the bot
tom drawer OF his desk, motioned her
noiselessly into the library and into
an armchair facing the desk
BY the time Golden had raised his
head again the mysterious stranger
had slipped out OF sight
Golden, as he sat upright, stared for
several moments Of silence at the
strange figure in the armchair.
who are your the grimfaced old
flnancier finally demanded. But the
girl remained silent.
Golden, studying her more closely.
rose unsteadily to his feet
how did you &c here?" he asked
And passing a hand across his mois-
tened brow he asked still again who
are your"
Il don't know" answered the girl.
Golden rose e. his feet, and still
staring hungrily at that mild yet cloud
ed lace, crossed 10 her side.
He held her face between his hands.
peering into it. Then, with a weary
shake OF the head, he dropped his
hands.
1t was too much to expect" he
huskily murmurel Too much to hope
for!"
His grief-stricken face touched the
girls heart
oh sir, what had you hoped for?"
she managed to ask
4 hope for nothing, was the
broken mans reply But once / had
a daughter, and lost her"
How did you lose herr"
She was stolen from me, as a
child.
And what became of herr"
God only knows Yet, for a mo
ment ] was mad enough to think, TO
hope. But l have no longer any right
to hope he added with sudden pas
sion. An Task is that once before /
| die meet lace to face that one-armed
devil with his scar of shame!"
"One-armcd, and with a SCARF" cried
the startled girl, leaning suddenly for
ward in her chair.
Golden wheeled about at her cry.
what does that mean to your"
Why it was a one-armed man with
| 2 SCARED idce VINO Kept me pris
oncr. it was be Legsr, VINO always
told me my parents we're dead.
"Legar! repeated the bewndered
millionaire "Legar? But my mans
name was raddoIi
GIL ict ME see your arml"
Ws.a ben Hs nges he thrust up
she Htn1y aee staring breathiessiy
r
at the miIk-white skin. Then a groan
| Of disappointment broke from his
throat
mo the mark is not therel"
What mark?" asked the wondering
| girl
My daughter carried a scar on her
| right arm. Ny men. when she was a
child ON Windward island. caught.and
killed a shark. The child. when no one
| watched her, thrust hand in between
the brute's jaws. Those dying jaws
closed on the flesh. and an iron bar
| had TO be used to open them again.
And they said that scar would always
stay with her"
The girl, wide-eyed. dropped back
into the armchair.
Why, / seem to remember she