Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1917-02-16

| On and on that chase continued,
sweeping past long stretches OF level
farm lands, rumbling across steel
spanned rivers. flashing through scat
tered hamlets. and then as the two
| dust-enveloped vehicles struck into the
uplands their speed perceptibly slack
ened,
Among these rolling uplands were
the stately summer mansions Of q
millionaire colony which migrated
here annually from the sweltering me-
tropolis. II was in this abiding place
OF wealth that Enoch Golden had
erected q great rambling manor house
on the brow of a gentle rise overlook
Ing q sapphire lake winding away
among the hills.
The aged banker now stepped out
OF one Of the French windows open.
Ing on the broad veranda and stood
thoughtfully surveying the peaceful
landscape glimmering in the June sun
light. 1t was only recently those
quiet glades had sheltered a murder
Gus band Of criminals. led by q soar.
scared man thirsting for vengeance.
Had these ruf1ans gone about their
devious affairs or were they still lurk-
Ing in the neighborhood, seeking an
opportunity to strike at him or those
he loved more dearly than life itself?
Deeply occupied by thoughts of this
nature he failed to hear a light step
hn Nd
until soft. clinging hand slipped into
his that the harassed millionaire be-
came aware of the presence of his
gentle-faced wife.
What is troubling you, Enoch?' she
inquired tenderly; do you think we
may still be in danger from that man
who already has caused us SO much
suffering?"
1T isn't that l fear for myself"
Golden replied, fondling the hand that
lay in his, but that human monster
seems bent on striking at me through
harming Margery. He is capable of
anything, but | hardly believe he will
dare remain in this vicinity with both
OoPsoAh III oShCtl anu
Kirby on his track"
Even as he spoke those two redoubt-
able, II somewhat heavy-featured, po-
lice officers turned in at the graveled
driveway and strobe toward the yer.
anda with every evidence of selfsatis-
faction.
It's all right, Mr.. Golden" called
out the red-jowled police captain as
soon as he got within hailing distance,
mot a trace Of that bunch of yeggs.
They must have been tipped OF I was
workin' on the case"
That's fine" called out a sweet girl.
ish voice from the house, now father
can't refuse to let me have that gallop
Major and l are both longing for"
AS Enoch Golden turned toward the
speaker. look of tender pride surged
into his care-lined face. Framed in
the long window stood a girl with
finely chiseled features, her head
crowned by halo of wavy golden hair,
and her slender lithesome figure at.
tired in smart riding habit.
1T would be hard for me to refuse
you anything. Margery," responded the
affectionate father, and IL Captain
Bracket thinks it will be safe, l Ger.
tainly don't want to spoil your pleas
ure"
Your daughter will be in no dan
ger while I'm around" pompously an
nounced that officer. and now the
Iron Claw bandit has cleaned out,
I'm goin' on a still hunt for that
masked gum-shoe artist. That paper
your secretary got OF Red Egan leaves
a lot of bad Jobs that need explainin'."
A few minutes later a groom ap-
preached the veranda leading a spirit
ed black horse, whose tossing head
and dancing feet showed a restless
Impotence for the road. He greeted
his mistress with q little whinny of
recognition and thrust an inquiring
muzzle into her hand for the lump
of sugar he never failed to find.
AS Margery swung lightly into the
saddle. the groom sprang to one side
and she was OF with a rush of flying
hoofs. Turning into the highway, she
waved her hand to the watching group
on the veranda and then gave the
thoroughbred a free rein. With fat.
tened ears and heightened stride he
stretched himself ipto a steady rae
ing gait that conveyed to his rider the
exhilaration Of a bird on the wing.
AS the mettlesome black horse
swung into the lake road he slowed
down to an easy canter that gave
Margery a chance to drink in the
beauty Of the scene nature had paint.
ed with lavish hand She became so
absorbed in the liquid-noted duet of
two mating song birds that when Ma.
jor suddenly pricked up his ears and
SHE'D to one side of the road her eQui.
librium was seriously threatened for
the moment. AS she regained her pre-
carious balance and quoted her high
strung mount Margery discovered the
object of his fright was a black. dust.
coated limousine standing half con-
cealed in the thick shrubbery. A mo-
tionless figure sat in the drivers seat.
his visored cap pulled low over his
face. Not knowing what this mysteri-
GUS limousine might portend, It was
the girls first impulse to turn about
and gallop for home. but there was
something in her fearless nature that
revolted at such q decidedly prudent