The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-09-24
copyright, 1915. by Arthur String
EPISODE XIX.
The Cave of Despair.
/.
The Tangled Web
ht, 1915, by Arthur stringer.

~ ARGoRY GOLDEN was nat
V. urally of a happy disposition.
A Yet as she sat in the June
N ragrance of the color
4 splashed rose garden and let her
thoughts dwell on the recent events
which had so rudely shattered her
most cherished ideals, the pensive-
eyed girl could not repress a long
drawn sigh which betrayed only too
clearly her distress of mind. From a
branch overhead a liquid noted robin
poured his melody of spring and glad
ness into the unheeding ears of the
silent and preoccupied figure on the
rustic bench.
Suddenly the feathered songster
ceased his joyous carol as Margory
heard the sound of approaching steps
on the graveled walk. The newcomer
stood looking wistfully down at the
sweet-faced girl whose golden air
glinted in the shaft of sunlight filter
ing through the soft spring foliage.
She met his look with one of sur
prised inquiry.
Il hardly expected to see you here.
Davy, after all that has happened"
she said in tones of gentle reproof.
Il had to come, Margory," he an
swered quietly, 81 couldn't stay away
from you any longer. Won't you be-
lieve that 1 am truly sorry for what
l have done and try to forgive me?"
The silent robin which had been
regarding this masculine intruder
into its peaceful domain with some
uncertainty now took wing in O. sud-
den f1Itter of apprehension. For at
that moment manufactured indi-
vidual had crept up back of the tree
with an alarming stealthiness of
manner. Unconscious of the pres
ence of this hidden eavesdropper. the
sad-eyed girl, after a little hesita-
ton, answered the impassioned plea
of David Marley.
Il do forgive you" she said in a
voice tremulous with emotion, and
then, as she saw a hopeful light flash
into the eyes of her penitent COM
panion she added in a firmer tone,
but you must not expect too much
of me at first, Davy. You have hurt
me deeply and it is best that you
stay away until the wound is quite
healed"
THAT shall be as you say" he re-
piled tenderly, "for you have given
me hope that some day you will let
me come back to you
Then he slowly took from his pocket
a folded square of note paper.
II had almost forgotten to give this
to you" he said, extending the paper
to the wondering girl. ct found it
fastened on the thorn bush near the
great bowlder on Seven Oaks Hill.
It Is addressed to you and I think it
must be from the Laughing Mask,
for he has been seen around there a
number of times"
As Margory hastily glanced at the
penciled note she saw that Davy was
right in his conjecture, and he re-
gained much that he had lost in her
affections as she realized what a
struggle it must have cost him to act
as message bearer for his masked
rival.
9TH trouble you to hand over that
letter, Miss Golden" demanded Cap
tain Bracket in authoritative tones
as he stepped from his place of con-
CSdllQCuJ. tO llcQ lily oOopto cibOob
your wantin' to land that masked
criminal in the cell where he belongs
ever since you steered us wrong the
time he made his last getaway, an
perhaps this little dockyment will
help throw some light on the subject"
The angry police captain had
scored a bull's-eye in his surmise re-
garding the damaging evidence con-
tanned in the note. He must have
read something of this in Margorys
face and taken alarm, lest she de-
stroy that discriminating bit of paper,
for his beefy paw suddenly shot out
and firmly clutched her slender wrist.
But the resisting girl found a timely
ally in the person Of David Manley,
who perceived that for reasons of her
own Margory did not wish to sur
render the note, and, with quick
movement, snatched that object of
contention from her fingers and
stuffed it in his pocket.
The belligerent captain now adj
vanced threateningly upon the new
factor in this unexpected resistance
to the majesty of the law.
Come across with that paper,
young man." he beloved furiously,
''or I'll show you what it means to
interfere with an officer performin'
his duty"
Then as. the calm-faced Davy ex-
hibited no indications of complying
with this demand, the irate police
man attempted to decide the issue
by physical force. Roughly throw
ing a pinioning. arm about the de-
f1ant Marley, he made a vigorous eff
fort to extract the much-coveted
paper from his prisoners pocket.
But while Davy was no match for
the powerfully built captain in point
of strength. he twisted and turned
In the grasp of his adversary with
a disconcerting agility, displaying an
eel-like evasion of that exploring
hand.
AS the struggling figures thrashed
and trampled over the orderly flower