Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-10-22

ous uHuerWoTid gambler. But hc had
points Of contact with worlds above
his own. In the rear Of his gaudy
saloon there WAS an Office to which /,
good many of New York's prominent
men had been known to make sur
ruptitiouS visits
ODay was absolute ruler in his own
domain. lie had ~ certain pride i'm his
calling, or rather In his success in that
calling. He had power over his lieu
tenants, and they had complete faith
In his power over other men and over
such things as seemed worth the con-
ccntration Of his talents.
He was u big man Of the 1urly, red
faced type, who could not fail to be
cast as villain In any melodram;
whose director had keen eyes. He
wore clothes which emphasize his pat
tern because of their own haunting
color and cut.
He had never been caught in any
undertaking which was distinctly out
side the law He managed to keep
within necessary pounds without ever
recognizing that ethics and dcccncy
and sense of fair play existed.
On the day before the benefit game
O'Day and two of his most trusty
minions were in secret conciavc in
that office In the rear of his saloon.
They had met to consider the weighty
problem Of how to beat the game"
Tomorrow.
That there would be great deal
of betting previous events had proven.
and O'Day had taken vast amount
OF money on his assumption that the
Giants would lose. and the publics
faith that they would win. Now his
assumption seemed rather unlikely to
fulfill itself--unassisted
O'Day was prepared to give the needy
assistance
"Kerrigan is the only man that can
heat the Yanks. If we dispose of him,
we can safely play the Yanks to win"
How are you going to do that,
Matt asked Lefty Hogan, grinning
eagerly. His smile became even more
evil and more satisfied in his choice Of
a leader as O'Day outlined his plan.
Here you, Lcary. suppose you think
up the literature ordered MIR. ODay.
In accordance with the commands of
the captain. Mr.. I-eary produced two
literary masterpieces.
The first one read Miss Malone-
Your ball-p.aying lover has another
girl. II you doubt it. watch at the
wilton Inn tomorrow morning at .
o'clock 4 FRIEND"
The second one read: MIR. kerrigan.
While you are furnishing the fiat.
your lady friend is meeting another
1T the deserted inn at Wilton. See
for yourself at $3.50 tomorrow morn
ing. a FRIEND"
Both of them gave Martin ODay
keen delight They fitted in perfectly
with his plans. The point at issue
was: Would the people to whom they
were sent make the moves in the game
which he desired of his puppets?
Rita Malone's jealousy Jared just as
ODay had hoped it would. But II
displayed itself in one move which he
could never have foreseen. She turned
to me for help. And not in his widest
calculations had II occurred to Mr..
O'Day that he would have any one
more dangerous to deal with than a
jealous girl and man whose sus-
picions had overcome his reasoning
power.
How the flrst letter Jared. we know
The fate Of the second one was slightly
different
When the bellhoy at his hotel
brought Bert Kerrigan the second
ODay masterpiece. il reused momcn
tary puzzlement. but that same quality
OF self-oposscssion which had made
kerrigan pitcher famous for his
ability To get his team out OF tight
places through his almost perfect
control" stood him In good stead in
dealing with anonymous letters. Eer-
rigans control was ont merely over
his pitching arm-it was over himself
He determined to call un Rita and
ask her II she had any part in the little
joke which was. as he felt, an attempt
to get his goat" and the unpleasant
but desired. effect of which he did not
propose to permit.
When Mrs. Malone managed. in spite
Of her vcrhosity TO convey TO Kerri-
gan that Rita had gone out to meet
some one and had refused to tell her
mother who thar some one was. ker-
rigan'S smile faded.
Then Bert kerriean squared hack his
shoulders anerily. He loved Rita M1-
lone, and that meant that he trusted
her. too, and that his trust was not to
be destroyed at the first breath of sus-
picion.
lie would go 10 the Wilton Inn and
explain to himself once and for all, that
Rita was as sweet and fine and worthy
of his love as had felt her to be when
first he asked her to be his wife.
SO Bert Kerrigan started off for the
Wilton Inn TO assure himself that his
DOUBTS OF Rita were unworthy And
Rita Malone set forth on a similar mis-
sion with Mr.. kerrigan as the one TO
be proven guiltless.
Neither one mistrusted the other
hut neither one had quite enough con-
fidence 10 go on without proof Each
one expected the other to he vindi-
Gated, but that rmdication had to he
visualized. II could not merely be
felt-taken on faith
FROM various angles. there were n
number of people setting out 10 insure
the permanency of the love affair OF
Miss Rita Malone.
Jilllmy and | meant to assure our
selves OF that young woman's safety
and so did kerrigan, oil whose terri
fed consciousness the fear was grow
ing that some evil might befall Rita.
So we all set out to rescue pretty
Rita Nalone-who was not the person
to be rescued at all!
Out over the dusty road which led TO
Wilton Inn pretty girl was trudging
YEARLY. She wished she had the
strength of character to put her faith
in Bert kerrigan and to take Beatrice
Fairfax's attitude toward anonymous
letters.
She wished that she could force her
weary feet 10 turn about and trudge
back again toward home She wished
desperately for some miracle ot faith
to convince her Of her own folly. She
wanted desperately to go back-but
she went on!
Al last she came to dinGy building
with that air Of aloofness from the con-
Germs OF man which deserted houses
often, show. This, as the grimy sign
hanging over the tumble down steps Of