davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-06-04

Owl herself, stun bling to @a a chair, sank inertiy 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 com- pany of sleepers. Then, no longer watching them, but with her eyes on the door through which their look out might at any moment appear, she groped her way to the side of the barrel. There she felt about the blackened oak barrel top for the hld- den spring. A gasp of relief escaped her lips as she found it. The cover ing fell back on it's concealed hinge, and floating beside it she found a 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 covertly yet dis consolately watching for any suspi- cious approach to Legan's watergate quarters was astonished, a few wh1skered old man in the bottle
 
 door of the Owls nest.
 "Hi, you, gimme hand with this bar'l!" that bewhiskered driver con- manded.
 "What have you got this timer" Inquired the watchman.
 T was bonehead enough to leave the wrong cask with the chief! Sung him with thirty gallons of cooking bo1q alcohol!"
 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 work ers!''
 And the bunch already soused wit it." commented the even more env1- ous stickup, as he helped roll the sec- ond barrel into Legar's inner quar- ters.
 Slowly the two men carried out the barrel and lifted it to the wagon. Then the driver climbed aboard.
 It was not until that driver was well away from the waterfront, and had rounded many a corner, that he ventured to pull up and tap on the oak slaves beside him.
 Its all righti" he called out as he felt about the rough oak and found the hidden spring. "Just hold steady now, and I'll help you out"
 
 The Race for Freedom.
 Those two worthies known as Old Eli and Oyster Joe had, in their time, knots never 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 worked until their muscles ached and their lips druled. But every effort seemed fruitless.
 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 fiatties of Manhattan, decided to circle homeward by way of Oyster Joe's, in hope of that refreshment which had more than once cheered him on his dusty journeys. !. 4 4 4
 Instead of finding refreshment, however, he unearthed two ferocious- eyed and dry-throated captives, who. when about to be released, danced and gesticulated incoherently about their habitation. Then. when speech had returned to them, the visit of the mysterious stranger was explained and the necessity of getting in touch with Legar made plain.
 It was not long, accordingly, before three men and a car naively missing
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-06-04
Now Go on With the Story.

mothers response. The man at the desk looked suddenly up at her.
 Then why haven't you found her?" demanded the man of millions.
 That would take time and money. And have little of either"
 A frown of suspicion crept over Golden's studious face.
 ''So it's moneyv' he mocked. "Of course it's money! It's always money!"
 "The help of others would have to be hired," explained the woman, with the humility of desperation. with money detectives could be put to work"
 "so you have suspicion where she is?"
 Yes" acknowledged the patient eyed woman.
 What are those suspicious founded on?"
 "On certain words which I over heard. words spoken by very evil man."
 What Is that mans name?"
 He is a one-armed man, named Legar."
 Golden half rose from his chair.
 For years have kept little res- taurant for art students and shop girls just off Washington Square. It Is near the Italian quarter there. Sometimes a foreigner or two comes in. mostly by accident. But yester- day. when was in the kitchen. three men came in a hurry They had I I1do to being seen by a plain clothes man. could hear their talk through the little kitchen slide through which we pass our dishes. And when I heard their voices opened the slide a little, and knew at once that one of the men was Palidori. or Legar, as he calls himself now. He was talking mostly to a man called Casavanti. Then
 Wait a minute" interrupted Golden, with his finger on the bell button, T want my secretary to hear this. I prefer a witness for these dispositions. And he may have some- thing to say about this himself!"
 The woman in black sat silent until Manley had re-entered the room. Then Golden motioned for her to con- tinue.
 T heard Legar mention your name" she went on, still unmoved by the older mans lf-sneering in- credulity. Then he blamed Casa vanti for some scheme that had failed, some scheme to degrade my Margery. But he had the girl back, he said, and this time he'd expect Casavanti to do his part. Then the third man wanted to know why she couldn't be held for ransom. if it was true her father had so much money, But that led Casavanti to explain that her father was a skin-fiint, as he put it, and to claim there was Il ) sense in trying to bleed tight-wad who'd sell his soul for a 2-cent stamp"
 "A skin-fint!" interjected Golden, with snort of anger. "A tight-wad! The scurrilous hounds!"
 "Casavanti also said he wanted that woman for himself, and declared she'd come like hungry cat when he'd finished with her. l knew then what he was. I knew what Legar was planning on. lit made me forget everything. l started for the table where they were. I tried to hold Legar. IT think called for help. I chung to him as he stag gered toward the door. But one of his men struck me. They escaped, then. for I was too dazed to do any, thing r>o~~ .
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-06-04

It was Manley who spoke next, an eager light in his scowling young eyes. But where did they say the girl was?" he asked.
 They did not say. But one of them spoke of Oyster Joe, who'd stolen some casks of old cognac.A This man Oyster Joe was sending the casks by another man named Old Eli to some secret hiding place. I think it must have been cellar, from the way they spoke"
 But how can that help'us?" asked Manley.
 q thought, with those names to work with, I might in some way find my child, find her and save her. Surely, with money, men could be hired"
 Do you hear, Manley," broke in the grim-jawed man of millions. Its money again! It's always money" He wheeled about and confronted the tired-faced woman. This Is the sec- ond pretty story I've had to listen to lately. And, madam, I may as we'll tell you now that don't believe a single word of it. Whether you're another come-on for that Cookson gang or not, I don'tN know. I don't even care. But I know that twenty years ago you deceived me and lied to me- You robbed me of more than my home then. But you'll never do it second time!'
 The white-faced woman was also on her feet by this time.
 For a man who counts his money in eight figures" that youth finally declared, 'I 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 wonlan's hands," an- nounced Golden. Yet a tremulous note in his great voice sent wave of pity surging through the younger man, whose arm went out to the stopping shoulder so close to him. Manley, as he did so, slipped a flip pantly questioning hand Tn under the lapel of the older mans coat, lifted @ wallet lightly from it's pocket and stood upright again. Then. with a shrug that was almost one of pity as he looked down at the still silent mill lionaire. he turned away and slipped out of the room.
 The departing woman had already passed through the street door be- fore he could overtake her. She stopped wonderingly at his call to her.
 Mir. 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
 4 4 <
 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 a smile played about his lips as he watched the austere figure in black disappear from sight.
 The Ernissary in Oak.
 Midway between that portion Of New York harbor known as the Up- per Bay and the open stretches of the sea that wash up the sands of Manhattan beach lies a district that might be fittingly denominated as No Mans land.
 It is inhabited by scattering of human derelicts, an uncouth colony of squatters and barge -fioaters as Iethargic as the scow wrecks and canal boats rotting along its reedy
 ;.''ows. And one of the least saw
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-06-04

suddenly as she stopped over the fire smoldering in the blackened hre- place. For from crevice in the wall, a crevice no bigger than a mans hand, piece of mortar unmistakably flew out and struck her on the arm. She was still staring incredulously into this crevice when a fiutter of white passed her eyes and a small square of paper fell at her feet close to the edge of the coals.
 4 4
 That square of paper she promptly rescued from the perilous heat, ai- ready scorching its corners. Then looking quietly about to make sure the Owl was still asleep, she unfolded the missive and read it.
 "A cask of cognac is coming. If Legar and his men drink from it they should be drugged asleep in- side of ten minutes. Press spring concealed on top of the cask and follow directions there. Don't give up. And if you understand this, tap twice with the fire tongs."
 Below these words was the sign of the Laughing Mask. And, strange as was the message this slip of paper brought her, Margory Golden knew, as she glanced about at the snoring Owl and ventured to give the ex- pected double tap with the tongs, that her unknown benefactor was not all together ignorant of her predicament. So fortifying was this knowledge, in fact, that when Casavanti and Legar himself entered the gloomily lighted room Margory Golden no longer cringed at the sound of their voices.
 Casavanti, walking over to her, turned her face to the light. He peered at it hungrily, from half-closed eyes, between studious whiffs of cigaret smoke. Then, still viewing her with proprietary and half-mock- ing eyes. he began to whistle Mighty Like Rose"
 Legar. grim-eyed, moved toward the couple.
 Legar's stickup lodged in through the door.
 Say, chief. there's an outsider tryin' to butt in here!''
 ''Who Is he?" was Legar's quick query.
 An ol' boob wit bari O. brandy Says he's driven in from Oyster Joe's dump!.'
 That's all right. It's Old Eli. Helr him in with it. But see that nobody else gets near that outside door. ' Then Legar turned to Casavanti. .l guess you'd better get away with that girl, right now, while the going's good!"
 Casavanti. however, languidly puffed his cigaret. Then he smiled his sinister and one-sided smile.
 Didn't I hear something about some Eighteen Forty y-eight cognac?' he suavely inquired. And me with throat like a lime kiln!"
 The door opened. before Legar could speak, and three or four of his down. at-heels henchmen drifted in. There was no misjudging the expectant light in the eyes of those faithful adherents. Even the Owl herself had taken on new lease of life.
 4 4 4
 Margory watched the suddenly clamorous group as they clustered about the open barrel. She watched them quietly yet intently, with ar interest that was almost breathless Her heart sank as glasses were re- filled and the clamor, instead of di. minishing. grew louder and louder Whatever the Laughing Masks plar may have been. she felt that in some way it must have gone astray.
 Then, even as she stood depressed and troubled by this thought, soft pedal seemed to be slowly applied te the tumult about her. The soporifis
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-06-04
(The Maruelous Story, Hitherto Unpublished, From Which the Pathe Photoplay of
 the Same Name Was Mode)

SYNOPSIS.
 7,NOCH GOLDEN beautiful cfe daughter Margory Zves happiness Iszand home Paidor his is Golden seeming aQuiescence Goldems him the cea the oe 6rand his he e after breeding dis thG PGldorf ldnd daughter, late Paidor aoth oowng
 Tsoel0e hood She has been held ot ag ssu the sohn Casduan tendelo prince thro to the o clutches CasaUan her she has hardly rced bis en laughing nudes himself amd the oth Casavan As they oalk the grl Who youg T hamne is tue suddenly Soeed "The
 
 Golden had hardened millionaire. He studiouy bntded ith hts eath hid the David MGny relation to him. He the the h him. Golden looked surprise aint geam questioning the girl Manley dUed sohch Doctor Sten setting fires instrument the i9ntes buildings three miles Manley police scith raid They 90
 
 Now Go on With the Story.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-06-04

RING that woman in here!" commanded Enoch Golden ns he flung open his library
 door. He stepped inside the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-06-04
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Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-03-24
Army's Plans Well Guarded.

Here on the hillside was observed for
the first time the other units of the
flying column. the artillery, the negro
cavalry and other organizations. Some
of them had previously marched from
Fort HuaChuca, AriZ., and other dis
tant points. and such was the secrecy
thrown about their movements that
even the officers of lesser rank did not
know of their coming. In fact the Off
GERS of the organizations themselves
moved more or less in the dark. Their
orders directed them TO proceed to GER
tain points where other orders would
be found They proceeded thus by
stages, not knowing where the next
orders would take them, and the ap-
pearance of Gen. Pershing, first at
Hachita and then at CulbeStsons, plain
" surprised the soldiers and some of
their officers.
At Carrie the first meal in Mexico
was eaten. 1t consisted of army bacon,
part of the five-day rations issued to
the men; bareback, which tastes some
what like the matZo of Jewish religious
feaSts, and unsWeetened coffee. OFF,
| GERS and men Jared alike.
Gen Pershing allowed the command
TO rest until noon. The order then was
70 make all speed to reach the big
OIitos ranch, formerly the property of
a brother of Admiral Lord Charles
Beresford of Great Britain. at nightfall.
OJitos is sixty miles from the border.
AT I o'clock that night camp was be-
side irrigation bitches, through which
flowed the first running water they
had seen in Mexico. Here also were
seen the first Mexicans other than the
two who were observed a few miles
north of Ojitos, silhouetted against the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-03-24
Houses Occupied by Bandits.

The colony of Dublan contains sub
stantial brick houses for more than
100 families. Large. roomy dwellings
they are. in marked contrast to the
Most of the colonists have been here
since its Establishment more than thir-
ty years ago. When the last warming
of the United States government to get
out of Mexico was given, all but TWEEN
ty-five families left. The homes OF the
absentees were occupied promptly by
Mexican families and held by them
until Villas last trip there. The ban
dit leader. still raging, ordered them
to get out. He told them he had killed
number of Nexicans at Corralitos be-
cause they We're working for Ameri-
cans, and he warned them that if they
persisted in living on property belong
ing to Americans they would meet the
same fate. only three of the houses in
the colony were occupied by MeXicans
when the American troops arrived.
Wherever American troops go camp
dogs follow Four made the long
march with the flying columns from
the border to this point without APP
parent trouble. Their appetites, zeal
ously catered to by mess cooks. were
unaffected. There was a fifth dog,
little brown spaniel. that started with
the troops dispatched from Fort Hua-
chuca. He lasted until the pass of
Puerto San Vicente was reached Then
a packmaster of one of the mule ira ms
noting his exhaustion. picked him up
and let him ride pack into camp.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-03-24
Lost Only Three Mules.

The second, or flying column, which
under Gen. Pershing's personal com
mand made the dash from Colbertson' $
ranch, lost three mules The trans
port animals of the latter however,
were more lightly burdened.
Cen Pershing's cavalry escort crossed
the boundary at 3:17 O'Clock Thursday
morning, March 16. II was a brilliant
moonlight night and freezing cold, but
the brisk cavalry trot kept the men
warm.
The sun rising over the mountains
gave the men their first view of the
country a dreary desert. sunscorched
mesquite and bunch grass dotting a
level valley foored with red material
eroded from an eminence thrown up
by volcanic explosions in pre- historic
ages
AT 80 the flying column made Car
RIO The negro caValrymen and sol
diers Of the artillery hospital units
and field radio outfits that had preceded
the escort were encamped on the sides
of a granite butte fronting the canyon
in which Geronimo, the famous Apache
warrior. made his final stand and sur
rendered TO American troops more than
thirty years ago. These facts recalled
TO many officers, some of the older of
whom participated in the Apache cam =
paign, that the present expedition into
Mexico had set no precedent, and that
bandit hunting in a foreign country OF
Independent sovereignty was not new
thing for the United States Army.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-03-24
Mules Stand March Well.

In this column every man was mounted,
and the numbering wagon trains We're sup
planted by army mules. which made the
entire distance under heavy packs with
the loss of only three of their number.
Battery of the 6th Field Artillery
commanded by Capt. Edgar H. Yule and
Lieut.. Charles =. George. formed a unit
Of the flying column While the cavalry
traversed trails through bad country of
the Sierra Madre mountains six to eight
thousand feet high, the battery, incum-
bered by ambulances and field wireless
equipment. Travelled the valley roads,
longer by eighteen miles. Nevertheless
il reached camp only an hour and half
behind the cavalry, without the loss of a
mule or horse and not a sore back among
any of the animals. Officers declared this
exploit would long stand as a record of
speed and endurance.
The 18th Cavalry. because of its ac-
complishment in driving Villas greatly
superior numbers out of Columbus after
brief engagement. was given first place
in the first column. Muster rolls of the
Villa command found here after he passed
through going southwark eight days ago,
showed that he made the raid on Column
bus with $50 men. Paving in anger after
his defeat. deserters reported that the
chieftain killed five of his officers and
men as towards. There were 293 in his
command when he retreated through Co
lonia Dublan The 18th accounted for the
rest
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-03-24
TROOPS ARE BEYOND LOCALITY
WHERE MOTOR TRUCKS CAN GO
Below Casas Grandes Supplies Are Being
Sent by Pack Mules-Sandstorms and
Intense Heat Cause Much Suffering.

COLUMBUS. n NJ, March 24.-The
American campaign to capture Francisco
Villa has reached the point in the foot
hills of Chihuahua where it has been
found necessary to dispense with heavy
motor trucks as transport facilities and
TO depend entirely upon army pack mules.
il was learned here today. II rs known
that the trucks have encountered many
difficulties in the sandy regions through
which the troops have passed. Motor
trains probably viii I've used. however. for
transport purposes between Columbus and
the advanced base at Casas Grandcs.
The American advance in Chihuahua IS
proving hard. yruelins march, III which
both animals and men are enduring great
hardships. according to reports brought
here today by J. c. Marlowe OF Douglas.
Marlouc, who is the first of the civilians
who started eight days ago with the eN-
peditiouary force to reach the border. as
serted that the army is more and more
realizing its utter dependency on the
knowledge of the country shown by the
civilian scouts.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-03-24
Carranza Officials Cooperate.

Army officers said they found Car
rama officers, both civil and military,
ready to accord hearty cooperation in
the task of hunting down Villa and
his bandit band. The intelligence de
partment of the American punitive eX-
petition. headed by Maj. Ryan. re
ceived much information from Carran-
"a sources. Americana colonists near
the old town of CaSaS Grandes, south
west of the army camp, declared the
feeling among the MeXicanS there was
tense, but there has been no evidence
of it.
The American troops brought in the
first silver money some of the MeXicanS
had seen for years. and willingly paid
double the prices that prevail at the
international boundary for food and
the rough. dirty and strong native to-
bacco. There was, in fact, so little
metal money among either the MeXi
cans and the small band Of American
Mormons who have braved the dangers
of reported Villa raids. that many were
unable to provide change for a silver
dollar.
The one Chinese storekeeper found in
Nueva Casas Grandes was asked what
he would give for an American five
dollar bill. He opened his cash drawer
and with an expressive motion of the
arms and hands indicate that he was
willing to exchange for il the bale of
Carranza and Villa paper money it
contained.
Marching slowly on account of the
wagon trains, the heads of the first
column did not enter the base camp
here until Monday at noon, after a
march of 1871 miles from Columbus. The
machine gun troops of the 18th Cav
airy, the wagon trains and other units
lost altogether twelve mules.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-03-24

est priced minor league player in the
country.
Ever since the Federal League ceased
to exist. Messrs Rupert and Huston
have been trying TO unload sweeney. y
year ago he signed war contract call
ing for Il salary OF 5000 a year for
three Years
Is = member of .'rcsnahan's team h"
viii probably receive - SALARY OF about
Sc.J00. This means that the New York
club VIII have to pay sweeney tho dif
ference. s.. 800 q year for tW" wears.
his was an iron bound contract
Sweeney has been ordered to report to
Bresnahan At pawsoV Springs. ny. al
once for practice.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-03-24
All Truck Drivers Accounted For.

Arriving on a motor truck train after
a thirty-hour ride over rough. dust
filled road from near Casas Grandes,
Marlowe was a vivid example of the
physical difficulties of the march. His
face was gaunt, burned and bistcrcd
by the glare of the desert sun y
weeks growth of beard was caked
with alkali dust. his clothing marked
by many encounters with cactus and
mesquite.
Lieut.. J. L. Parkinson of Salt Lake
City, Utah, who was in charge of the
trucks on which Marlowe arrived, said
that all of the American truck drivers
have been accounted for, and that
American troops have not clashed with
any Mexican force since crossing the
border.
On the trip down to Casas Grandes
Lieut.. Parkinson said that he had