The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1916-07-27
or the wagon.

" VIZ "S5SA'
He directed his course towards that
subterranean haven oe Illicit beverages
known as the Owls Nest. where
Margory Golden was listlessly max
ing preparations for the coming meal.
She started suddenly as she stopped
over the fire smoldering In the
blackened fireplace. For from .
crevice in the wall. . crevice no big
ger than a mans hand. . piece Of NOR
tar Enthusiastically dew out and struck
her on the arm. She was still staring
incredulously into this crevice when
q futter Of white passed her eyes and
q small square Of paper fell 1t her feet
close to tho edge of tho Goals. She I'M
folded the missive and read:
"A cask of cognac rs coming. II Le.
gar and his men drink from It they
should be drugged asleep inside Of ten
minutes. Press spring concealed on
top Of cask and follow directions there.
Don't give up. And II you understand
his. tap twice with tho Are tongs."
Below these words was the sign Of
he Laughing Mask.
So fortifying was this knowledge IN
act, that when Casavauti and Legar
himself entered the gloomily'lighted
room. Margory Golden no longer
cringed at tho sound of their voices.
Casavanti. walking over to her,
turned her face to the light. He peered
at 1t hungrily. from half-closed eyes.
"Legar," he called out to that
worthy. who had remained at the door
to warn his stickup to admit nobody
but Immediate members Of their band,
Il like tho spirit In this girl. She's as
sleek as q she-psnther."
Legar's stickup lodged in through
the door.
Say, chief, there's an outsider tryin'
to butt In here!"
Both men promptly wheeled about
at those somewhat disconcerting
words.
who is he'" was Legar's quick
query.
AN Oh boob wit barl o. brandy.
Says he's driven In from Oyster
Dump"
Legar looked relieved. Casavanti
even lighted another cigarette.
That's all right. It's Old Eli. Help
him In with 1t. But see that nobody
else gets near that outside door."
There's always help around, Casa.
vanti, In q case like this proclaimed
the scoffing Legar as whlte-whisk-
cred old figure in bottle-green coat
and hat laboriously rolled the cask Of
liquor through the opened door. The
Owl. with unlooked-for nimbleness in
one Of her years, was already close
Mt hand. waiting with bung starter and
glasses.
Margory watched the suddenly clam.
orous group as they clustered about
the open barrel. Her heart sank as
glasses were refllled and the clamor,
instead OF diminishing, grew louder
and louder.
Then, even as she stood depressed
and troubled by this thought, a soft
pedal seemed to be slowly applied to
the tumult about her. The soporitic
Owl herself, stumbling to chair,
sank inertly into it. Then one after
another they sank into dreamless
stupor.
1t was then, and only then, that
Margory dared to move. She studi-
ously stared at that uncouth company
Of sleepers. Then, no longer watch
door through which their lookout
might at any moment appear, she
CROPPED her way to the side of the bar
rel. There she felt about the black
ened oak barrel top for the hidden
spring. A gasp Of relief escaped her
lips as she found it. The covering fell
back on it's concealed hinge, and float
ing inside it she found a white pine
shaving on which was written:
"Turn barrel and empty it. Then
get in and replace cover. All will be
we'll"
The stickup so covertly yet so dis
consolately watching for any suspi-
cious approach to Legar's watergate
quarters, was astonished, few min
utes later, to behold the white-whisk-
cred old man in the bottle-green coat
once more drive up to the door Of
the Owls nest