The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1912-1984, 1916-03-14
AUTHOR OF 1.-THE OCCASIONAL OFFENDER"
THE WIRE TAPPERS," GUN RUNNERS" ETC.
NOvElIzED FROM THE SAME NAME

Both men promptly wheeled about
at those somewhat ! disconcerting
words.
who is he?" was 'Legar's quick
query.
IAN OF boob wit bar'l 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 it. But see that nobody
else gets near that outside door"
There's always helH around, Casa
vanti, in a case like tlis," proclaimed
the scoffing Legar as white-whisk-
cred old figure in bottle-green coat
and hat laboriously rolled the cask of
liquor through the opened door. The
Owl, with unlooked-foI nimbleness in
enc of her years, was already close
at 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 refilled and the clamor,
instead of diminishing, grew louder
and louder
Then, even as she stood depressed
and troubled by this thought, soft
pedal seemed to be slowly applied to
the tumult about her. The soporific
Owl herself, stumbling to a chair,
sank inertly into it. Then one after
another they sank into dreamless
stupor.
It was then, and only then, that
Margory dared to move. She studi-
ously stared at that uncouth company
Of sleepers. Then, no longer watch
ing them, but with her eyes on the
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 its concealed hinge, and float
ing inside it she found white pine
shaving on which was written:
Turn barrel and empty it. Then
get in and replace cover. All will be
WELL"
The stickup so ccvertly yet so dis
consolately watching for any suspi-
cious approach to sLegar,s watergate
quarters, was astonished, a 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.
Hi, you, gimme hand with this
bar'l!" that bewhiskered driver com
manded.
What have you got this time?" in
quired the Waterman.
II was bonehead enough to leave
the wrong cask with the chief! Stung
him with thirty gallons of cooking
sherry that's about one-half wood al
cohol"
And what's that?" demanded the
lookout, with envious eyes on the
cask.
This is the real stuff! That raw
dope's for Doolan's election workers."
And the bunch already soused wit
it," commented the even more envi-
GUS stickup as he helped roll the Sec
ond barrel into Legar's inner quarters.
Slowly the two men carried out the
barrel and lifted it to the wagon.
Then the driver climbed aboard.
1t was not until that driver was we'll
away from the waterfront and had
rounded many corner, that he ven
tured to pull up and tap on the oak
slaves beside him.
Its all right" he called out as he
felt about the rough oak and found
the hidden spring. Just hold steady
now, ana I'll help you OUT
The girl uttered a sigh of thankful
ness as they once more got under way.
The Race for Freedom.
Those two worthless known as Old
Eli and Oyster Joe had, in their time,
struggled with many knots. But new.
er had they worked harder than over
the knots of the mysterious stranger
who had left them trussed and bound
to the beams of their own sail loft.
They might, indeed, have remained
gurgling and writhing there like two
tethered copperheads while the care,
less tides rose and fell about them.
had not one Scupulo visited Coney
Island in his dilapidated car of an
cient vintage, and having there con-
ferred with lush dip in hiding from
the flatties of Manhattan, decided to
circle homeward by way of Oyster
Joe's, in the hope of that refreshment
which had more than once cheered
him on his dusty journeys.
Instead of finding refreshment, how
ever, he unearthed two ferocious-eyed
and dry-throated captives, who, when
released, danced and gesticulated in
coherently about their habitation.
Then, when speech had returned to
them the visit of the mysterious