Tensas gazette., 1916-11-17

iuIO uib CudI. AuO 90 NC ooe SnOAO
wrestling with his own tangled emo
tions before the dark tent of his soul.
Manley stood staring down at him
with both studious and puzzled eyes.
For a man who counts his money
in eight figures" that youth finally de-
clared, II think you're the most un-
mitigated ass that ever wore shoe
leather!"
"Wha-what's that?" demanded the
astounded millionaire.
why, man, are you blind? Can't
you see this woman is sincere, that
she's telling the truth, that she prob
ably holds in her hand the key Of all
your future happiness?"
THE key to my happiness is no
longer in that woman's hands" an
nounced Golden. Yet a tremulous
note in his 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-
parently, was too much for the al
/
with a 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.
Nanley. 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 a few
hundred dollars from him. which may
be of material assistance to you in this
matter you spoke Of"
Manley. who had taken the roll Of
bills from the wallet, was quite sol
emn-faced as he handed the money to
the equally solemn-faced woman. Yet
the shadow of q 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.
What d. you suppose Id 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!"
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 sand of Manhattan
beach, lies q district that might be fit.
tingly denominated as No Mans land.
1t is inhabited by q scattering Of
human derelicts. an uncouth colony Of
squatters and barge floaters as leth.
argic as the scow wrecks and canal
boats rotting along its reedy shadows.
And one Of the least savory habita.
tions adorning that fringe Of city's
flotsam was the ruinous boathouse OF
a certain Oyster Joe.
And Oyster Joe, the river pirate
looked.the part. Even the tan Of wind
and sun failed to conceal the subter.
ranean aspes of his Marlborough.
ened face. A pair of furtive and close
set eyes left him strangely suggestive
of a wharf rat. The unsteadiness OF
his still muscular limbs, the looseness
of his swollen lips, the unkemptness
of his entire surroundings. all united
to proclaim him q 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 q worn
tarpaulin .-side 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 q slender-bodied
stranger who quietly approached his
abode, entered it, and stared studious
ly about What made this intruder
even more mysterious was the fact
that across the upper part of his face
he wore a narrow band Of yellow cloth
The movements Of this mysterious
stranger were marked by celebrity
When his investigations, in fact, were
suddenly interrupted by sound which
grew louder along the narrow road
winding inland through the salty
marshes, he crept to the door, peered
out and prepared himself for a prom
ised intruder. For approaching Oys
ter Joe's boathouse he could plainly
make out two-horse wagon driven BY
a slattern-shouldered and white-beard
ed man of about sixty.
The masked intruder crept bach
through the boathouse, entered the
sail loft and stealthily approached the
still musing figure of Oyster Joe. Al
he did so he twisted together a bit o.
sail cloth which he had caught up or
bfc u-ov IN tho loft Ovor Tho eot,rr