The Mount Holly news., 1919-11-04
Dead or Alive
n
By q. RAY BAKER


dps to the forehead Of the wan, girlisf
face, and with glistening eyes, watched
shaft Of early sunlight dart through
the window and blend with the pure
gold hair curled on the pillow.
"a ray of hope-mebbe," Grimes
nused. He sighed slightly, and his
firm, white upper teeth drew his low.
er lip beneath them and crushed the
skin with a pain he did not notice
Turning from the bed, he reached to-
ward the chair he had just vacated
and struggled into shiny brown coat
that had been draped over its back
From nail on the wall he took a
gray-checkered cap with rain-ruined
frontispiece and pushed 1t back over
mis- contrary black locks.
Grimes paused with his hand on the
knob of the door and looked back at
the bed. The golden hair and the sun
light we're vieing in contest of bril-
liancy. Something like a smile, in
which hope merged with pride, crept
across his tanned young face, but it
faded instantly, and his dark eyes glis-
tened again when O hacking cough
from the bed confirmed the tale told
by red spot on either cheek Of the
occupant.
He opened the door and stepped out
On the board sidewalk Just as a hell
diver swooped down from the blue and
snatched breakfast from placid
Traverse bay. With a vigorous stride
he started on his Commute walk to
the exclusive Harbor Beach colony.
Il won't have her this time next
year unless get her out West by next
fall" was the trend of Grimes thought
as he passed the slumbering castles in
which the idle wealthy OF the cities
sought rusticatfon. Lord knows driv-
ing Archibaid's speed cruiser wouldn't
bring enough coin In two years to do
It."
AS he skirted the cluster of trees
that sheltered the clubhouse veranda
from the eomplexion-ruining morning
sun and came in sight of the Archf-
bald palace, gazing down haughtily
from lofty bluff, he was so absorbed
in cogitation he all but collided with a
rugged, fiorfd-visaged. pleasantly ro-
tund little man attired in blue and
wearing an official-looking cap on
which gold lighthouse cleaned.
"AhOyr called the lightkeeper.
"Veer OF or you'll hit this rock of Glib
raltar. What's the matter with yer
compass. me boyT"
As they came to a halt Grimes was
obliged to smile away his gloom as in
reflection Of the beaming, weather
cracked lines Of the others counte-
nance.
"An' how's the wife this mornin' :"
ratified on the guardian of the beacon
in that genuinely hearty, sympathetic
tone. "An' whyfor the big rush about
beginnin' the daily labor2 Sure, oil
man Archibald amt gettin' up at no
five o'clock for pleasure spin-you
can't tell me that"
mo better" was Grimes rueful re-
5oinder to the first query. I'm going
to take run out on the bay and see
IL I can't make the fourth cylinder hit
as it ought to-" he added. "The boss
was talking of showing off the Light.
ming to some speed demon"
"Now, amt that too bad about the
wife, observed the lightkeeper, real
commiseration In his voice. 'Tn have
me own woman run over to yer shack
this afternoon an see IL she can chase
some O. the gloom away. By the way,
O. course you amt heard the startlin'
news from the Springs?"
Thank you. captain; hate to leave
her there alone all the time. What
startling news do you mean2"
"Mebbe you wouldn't call 1t start
lin',' responded the captain. a broad
grin manifesting his enjoyment Of the
role of sensation monger. TITS Jest
the little matter o. $4,000 bein' stole
from the First National last night or
early this mornfn'. The safe was
blowed open In a reglar professional
manner. I Jest happened over to the
Springs at an unusual hour and there's
excitement galore A thousand dollars
reward has already been offered for
the capture of the burglar, dead or
alivef"
Grimes started.
"But don't worry. me boy" went on
the captain. "The First National has
plenty to make good all the savin's ac-
counts, and the loss of $4,000 amt
goin' to start no run on the institution.
They say it looks like one-man job.
You better look sharp on the bay. He
might be stfckin' around somewhere,
though it amt likely he tarried long in
the vicinity. Well. I've gossiped long
enough. Gotta be movin' on"
AS the lightkeeper, with wave of
a hand, vanished behind the trees,
Grimes hurried out on the Archibald
dock, where the Lightning was moored.
He drew the boat to the landing by
means of the painter, leaped aboard,
and, STOPPING, entered the little cabin
that sheltered the engine and crew in
stormy weather.
When he Strengthened up inside the
cabin Grimes looked into the barrel Of
a revolver clutched 10 a huge, hairy
hand. A giant of man with bushy
brown whiskers lowered back Of the
weapon.
Welcome, little stranger" said the
mau with the gun, champing viciously
on cud Of tobacco.
Grimes grew white beneath the tan
and braced himself along the wall Of
the cabin. Such situation was enough
to unnerve the most veteran soldier of
misadventure.
How long will it take to get this
here little racer inter action7" inquired
the master Of ceremonies as he strad-
died a stool and waved the revolver
In the direction of the six-cylinder mo-
tor. Manhattan Landing win be our
port Of debarkation, an we can't get
there any too quick"
Grimes resorted to strategy-clumsy,
as 1t proved-for loophole of escape.
Il need gas before we can start" he
said. Il can get some up at the cot
tage."
The big man grinned with savage
sarcasm, displaying two rows of sharp,
uneven yellow teeth.
mo, you don't do nothin' Of the
kind" he announced in tones that car
rled conviction. II looked inter the
little old tank. and there's enough to
carry us to Manhattan, all right; an
the spark plugs is ali o. k, and there's
plenty Of cylinder oil. When do we
startT'
Abandoning for the present all at
tempts to evade the issue, Grimes
switched on the spark, procured the
crank and spun the motor. 1t started
on the second trial. spiuttering ex-
postulation until the cylinders re-
sponded to the friction warmth and
the gas began steady flow Grimes
unleashed the Lightning from the dock