Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1916-06-15

your future happine5s?"
"The key to my happiness is NJ
| longer in that woman's hands," an
nounced Golden. Yet a tremulous
note in his great voice sent 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-
parently, was too much for the al
ready unnerved 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
Manley, as he did SO, slipped hand
in under the lapel of the older mans
coat, lifted wallet lightly from its
pocket, and stood upright again.
Then, with 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 oyertake her. She stopped
wonderingly at his call to her
Mr.. Golden, madam, seems to have
changed his mind. Here are a 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
emnfaced as he handed the money to
the equally solemp-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 gone!" was |
the financier's cry.
Was there any money in it?" in
quired the secretary.
'9Wlat 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!"
Manley shook his head in mock sor-
row.
This, sir, looks like very grave
carelessness!"
ut 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 district that might be fit
tingly denominated as No Mans land.
One of the least savory habita-
tons adjoining that fringe of a city's
fotsam was the ruinous boathouse of
a 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 I
evidenced by the earnestness with
which Oyster Joe, himself making his
way into the sail loft, lifted worn
Larpaulin 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 it, and stared studious- {
y about. What made this intruder
sven more mysterious was the fact |
hat 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, were {
interrupted by a sound which {
grew louder along the narrow road
winding inland through the salty
marshes, he crept to the door, peered
tut and prepared himself for prom
sed intruder. For approaching Oys- E
er Joe's boathouse he could plainly
make out two-horse wagon driven by
slattern-shoulder and white-beard-
ID man of about sixty.
Inc masked INTRUDER CTepC DdCh
through the boathouse, entered the a
all loft and stealthily approached the
till musing figure of Oyster Joe. In g
moment he had the old pirate bound ?
nd gagged.
Then, hearing the wagon wheels al I
lost at the door, the stranger dragged S
is inert captive to a nearby beam, a
ashed him to 1t and over him threw s
ne tarpaulin from the cognac casks
Slipping back to the outer rooms "
le masked stranger drew his revolver y
nd stood close in beside the shadow y
the door, calmly waiting for the Il
ian who had already alighted from "
lie wagon. L
From the mouth behind the white 8
hiskers came squeak, like the y
lueak Of rat behind a wainscoting, :.
, the strangers revolver was thrust -
1expectedly into his startled old face. -