Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-09-15
Silver v r
Sandals
A Detective Story of Mys-
terry, Love and Adventure.
By Clinton H. Stagg
Copyright. w. ]. Watt & Co., t.
CONTINUED From Yesterday
Copyright. w. ]. Watt & Co..
International News Service.

| xsnr.-s-.r.r.-.r.---.-s--
Continued From Yesterday
The blind man leaned back in the
cushions. every tired muscle of his
aching body relaxed; his burning
eyes soothingly cooled by the vino
that rushed past them at cycione
speed. II Michaers work had oeen
good before, it became wonderful now.
The big car Jumped ahead. every
wheel seeming leave the ground Tor
| feet at a time. Careening until there
seemed no possibility of 1t ever STAYING
upright 1t took the first turn. The
| frightful jolting told the .biind man
that they were on some httie-useo
crossroad. Another turn worse .nis
time, into some bylane. AS rough
as a newly plowed field, this new
course shook and ratified the big car
| till II seemed impossible or mechan-
ical endurance to stand it longer. For
an hour, in, out, twisting, turning,
through lanes, over CROSSROADS, the
Irishman drove the car with the dar-
ing of his race and the instinct or
direction that is in the makeup OF all
good automobile drivers. The blind
| man was in the air as often, and as
long, as he was on the seat. Every
part of him was a steady, sharp pain:
But when he felt the smoothness OF
the main road under the tires they
had lost the following car. Michael
shouted the news.
Don't let up!" Cotton shouted. He
knew the bulldog nature OF the cap
| tain too we'll for any chance-taklng.
| The blind man must have an oppor-
tunity to play his third move alone.
Alone! There was certain grim
humor in that word. The players IN
the game he was trying to solve had
sought to cripple him by forcing him
to work alone. Now all the resource
fulness of his chauffeur had been
needed to keep his lone hand when
he needed it.
From his pocket the blind man took
a folded paper. He opened 1t, and
pspyrus. 1t was the first chance he
| had had to study this thing for which
every one was looking; that had been
stolen, then stolen again. In the speed
| ing car, Colton's fingers went over
and over the surface, feeling each line.
visualizing the whole, until it was as
clearly N his mind as it would have
been before the eyes of a person who
could see.
The cryptogram! The million-dol-
lar cryptogram that had caused the
murder of the strange old man who
had believed so utterly in his own
solution of the one great secret. 1t
had cost him his life; it had put into
danger the lives of three others whom
he loved; and it was in Colton's hands!
He had stolen 1t. He had forced the
hands of the guilty ones by holding
the crow as bait. They had not sus-
pected that he held the cryptogram
as we'll as the key. He had given
them no chance to suspect that. Not
even the girl knew!
THAT must be the house, SORT"
| f01, oaltc cd 10
study of the curious papyrus crypto-
gram.
Deserted, isn't it?" Cotton asked.
"All closed an boarded, sorr."
"Drive up to the front door,"
'Lettin' thin know yer comin'?"
gasped Michael. turning his head in
surprise.
mot much chance of a blind man
crawling up through the shrubbery to
discover whether or not any ones
around" Cotton remarked dryly. ~
guess some one will see me-"
The big house, shuttered and board
ed, was set far back from the road,
completely hidden by giant pines. 1t
was such place as the solitude-loving
Philip Bracken would have chosen,
and it was just the kind of place for
any one who wanted to hide.
Take the car around back" or
dered Cotton, as he alighted under
the porte-cochere. You'll find the
garage where the Fairfield was stor-
ed. Wait, but don't come near the
house. Keep out of sight,
Yes sorr." MichaeI obeyed with
out even dubious shake of his head.
He knew the blind man.
The problemist's lips pursed in a
soft whistle, the slim stick twirled
idly In his long fingers, but in the idle
swings there was method. Each move
told the blind man where he was and
where he was going. He stopped di-
rectly in front of the big door. His
hand found the bell without a false
movement. His keen ears caught the
ring of 1t in the depths Of the house.
He waited. No answer. Another
ring. There was no impatience.
Thornley, Cotton jabbed the button
easily. A short ring. Silence again,
except for the soft whistle. The pur-
sed lips Strengthened in a smile that
fitted instantly. Soft footsteps had
sounded at the other side of the door.
and Cotton continued his musical eff
fort.
The door opened silently, the blind
mans cane followed Its movement.
GOOD morning" Cotton doffed his
hat politely. and the whistling stopped
only for the two words. There was
no answer, no sound. But as the door
had opened Cotton had heard the
swish of skirt. He knew that before
him stood the old woman of the res
taurant = Silver Sandals, the silent
He knew that she had determined to
play her part as she had played 1t for
twenty-five years - the part that tbe
police Of New York had never made
her betray. She was deaf and dumb
because her will was steel. He was
blind. was
interesting" Cotton got the word
In between two bars of the one or tbe
latest musical atrocities.
The woman's strange eyes narrow
ed, her wrinkled face was drawn in
black scowl; but there was no Other
movement of her body. The blind mar
knew the scowl had come the minute
it appeared.
The whistling annoys your" he