Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-01-08
will take the glazed inlay patent with


him."
They had intended to "dicker' with
Mr.. Closby for as many weeks as
might be necessary, but Blackie's lat
est news rather upset them. If Clos
by had sold his store, and was going
away that very night, never to return,
they were quite likely to lose forever
municipal enterprise, based on Span
glerville's only valuable natural re-
source. which already paid profit of
nearly $25,000 year, to which must be
added the immense revenues to be de-
rived from applying the wonderful
glazed inlay to furniture!
As the result of their deliberations
the city clerk was sent to Mr.. Closby
with an offer of $4,000 and royalty
for his patent
The city clerk came back with a
counter offer of 100000 cash.
The city council offered twenty thou.
sand and royalty.
The answer was the same.
They offered thirty thousand and no
royalty.
Same answer!
Blackie Daw, wearing Francis Jo-
sef makeup, dashed in upon the wor-
ried city council with another stolen tel.
egram. 1t was from Chicago and said:
Shall you please come to is S, Clark St.
ANTONIO SCERLATTl.
That telegram settled the business.
The mystery of it was what did the
work. Just thirty minutes before the
bank closed the city council accepted
Henry Closby's offer of $4,000 cash
for his patent on the process of making
glazed inlay, and for his written agree
ment never to engage in that or SINH
lar enterprise as long as lie lived, nor
to sanction such an enterprise. Also.
at their dictation, lie wrote a letter to
Mr.. Tuttle, advising that art agent of
the sale, and that the Glazed Inlay
henceforth and forever was the prop
erty Of the Spanglervllle city council.
Before the 1880 pulled out that night
Walllngford, Blackie and Henry Closby
sat in the drawing room Of the War
den ladies counting money.
"Sixty thousand dollars" announced
Wallingford, beaming at the pile of
bills and turning a triumphant glance
at Fanny. Here's Mr.. Closby's five
thousand. and here's fifteen thousand
to the expense fund, and here's Span.
glcrville's forty thousand contribution
TO the restitution fund" and he hand
ed the thick packet to Aunt Patty with
pleasant bow.
Blackie said nothing. He was grin.
ming serenely into the blue eyes Of Vic.
let Warden, and she was gazing into
the black eyes of Blackie.
"The committed" suddenly cried
Fanny
There they came, pounding down
from the official bus, the mayor and
his three closest councllmen.
I'VE want Henry Closby to sign this
telegram" puffcd the mayor breath.
lessly. THE city council II pay for it,
Gentlemen, you have made IL hid.
eous mistake Walingford said as he
handed the mayor the telegram. Mr.
Closby has never made penny from
the glazed inlay, and he just refused
to sell the patent to furniture factory
because the best offer he could get was
$500. have my information from the
sleuthograph."
ITS lie" gulped the mayor "You
can't fool u.s. We seen his bank state.
mentw
Those receipts consisted entirely of
royalties from the sale of plaster dogs"
Wallngford suavey explained.
From what?' gasped the mayor.
PLASTER dogs" repeated Wallingford
calmly, and from his pocket he pro.
duced copy Of the canine whose for
lornness had started Henry Closby on
the road to a comfortable fortune.
The CONSERVATION ON the faces of the
four members Of the committee was
as the balm Of Gilcad to the soul of
Henry Closby and Blackie, sitting op.
posite him and studying in friendly ad.
miration the whiskered face of the
artist, made a sudden discovery.
You're about a week late In your
trip to Chicago, aren't you?" he in.
qulred.
How do you know?" sharply asked
Closby, turning on him scared coun.
tenance.
by the streaks Of rust in your chin.
chillas," laughed Blacliic, tlcked I'm.
measurably with his discovery. "Am
some detective? amg' And he
jumped up from the table, while Vic.
let giggled and Fanny laughed and
Aunt Patty blushed.
Where are you going?' demanded
Closby, Jumping up also, his usually
ruddy face now turning scarlet as he
glanced at the ladies'.
ITO explain the fatal mystery" re.
piled Blackle. 9TH sting them worse
than anything"
mo, you don't" cried Closby. start.
ing after him. But Blackie had al.
ready passed Walllngford at the door
and was leaning out over the platform
While the conductor was swinging his
lantern.
Antonio Sceriatti!" he called In ella
rion tones.
"Robber" yelled the committee as
Henry Closby laid hold OF Blackie's