Carroll County democrat. (Huntingdon, Tenn.) 188?-1971, 1916-07-14

THE key to nay happiness 10 no
longer in that woman's hands, an
nounced Golden. Yet a tremulous
note in ais great voice sent a wave
Of pity surging through the younger
man. whose arm went out to the stoop-
ing shoulder so close to him. And
that Unexpectedly intimate touch, ap-
parsntly. was too much for the al
ready unneryed man at the desk. for
with gesture oddly poignant he lift
ed his hand and pressed it against his
closed eyes, as though In an effort to
shut away actualities which were too
dark TO be endured.
Marley, as he did so, slipped hand
In under the lapel Of the older mans
coat, lifted a wallet lightly from its
pocket, and stood upright again.
Then, with a shrug that was almost
one Of pity as he looked down at the
still silent millionaire. he turned
away and slipped out Of the room.
The departing woman had already
passed through the street door before
he could overtake her. She stopped
wonderingly at his call to her.
"Mr. Golden, madam, seems to have
changed his mind. Here are q few
hundred dollars from him, which may
be Of material assistance to you in this
matter you spoke Of
Marley, who had taken the roll OF
bills from the wallet, was quite sol
emp-faced as he handed the money to
the equally solemn-faced woman. Yet
the shadow OF smile played about
his lips as he watched the austere
figure In black disappear from sight.
Then he turned back to the library.
There he found Golden pacing back
and forth, padding grotesquely about
from pocket to pocket.
"Manley, my wallets gonel" was
the financier's cry.
Was there any money in til" in
CURED the secretary.
What d. you suppose I'd keep in
it," was the impatient demand. "Tal-
cum powder? OF course there was
money in it--over four hundred dol
lars in greenbacks!"
Marley shook his head in mock sor-
row.
This, sir, looks like very grave
carelessnessl"
1T looks like very grave thievery to
me-" snapped the older man.
The EmIssary in Oak.
Midway, between that portion Of New
York harbor, known as the Upper bay,
and the open reaches Of the sea that
wash up the sands Of Manhattan
beach, lies a district that might be fit-
tingly denominated as No Mans land.
One Of the least savory habita-
tons adjoining that fringe Of city's
flotsam was the ruinous boathouse Of
q certain Oyster Joe.
And Oyster Joe, the river pirate,
looked the part. The unsteadiness of
his still muscular limbs, the looseness
of his swollen lips, the unkemptness
of his entire surroundings, all united |
to proclaim him lover Of the cup that |
can cheer and at the same time inebri- |
ate. This fact, indeed, was further |
evidenced by the earnestness with |
which Oyster Joe, himself making his |
way into the sail loft, lifted worn |
tarpaulin aside and studied row Of |
cognac casks.
So intent was his study Of this
wealth of Joy to be that he saw and |
heard nothing Of slender-bodied |
stranger who quietly approached his
abode, entered 1t, and stared studious-
" about. What made this intruder
even more mysterious was the fact
that across the upper part Of his face
he wore narrow band Of yellow cloth.
The movements Of this mysterious
stranger were marked by CELEBRITY.
When his investigations, in fact, we're
suddenly interrupted by sound which
grew louder along the narrow road
winding inland through the salty
marshes. he crept to the door, peered
put and prepared himself for a prom
sed intruder For approaching 0ys-
Ter Joe's boathouse he could plainly
make out two-horse wagon driven by
/ slattern-shouldered and white-beard-
ID man of about sixty.
The masked intruder crept back
through the boathouse, entered the
Iail loft and stealthily approached the
till musing figure Of Oyster Joe. In
. moment he had the old pirate bound
md gagged.
Then, hearing the wagon wheels al
most at the door, the stranger dragged
lis inert captive to a nearby beam,
ashed him to 1t and over him threw
he tarpaulin from the cognac casks.
Slipping back to the outer rooms
he masked stranger drew his revolver
nd stood close in beside the shadow
i the door, calmly waiting for the
nan who had already alighted from
he wagon.
From the mouth behind the white
came a squeak, like the
queak OF a rat behind a wainscoting,
$ the strangers revolver was thrust
nexpectedly into his startled old face.
'efore he could quite recover from
hat initial shock Of surprise strand
rope was around his wrists and he
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