Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1919-05-09
CHAPTER |.
A Dod and a Damsel,

square after half past eleven in the
evening dog came trotting up to me,
stopped at my feet and whined.
There is nothing remarkable in hav-
ing a strange dog run to one, nor in
seeing the creature rise on its hind
legs and paw at you for notice and
caress. Only, this happened to be an
Eskimo dog.
l stroked the beast, which lay down
at my feet, raising its head sometimes
to whine and sometimes darting off a
little way and coming back to tug at
the lower edge of my overcoat. But
my mind was too much occupied for
me to take any but a perfunctory in
terest in it's maneuvers. My eight
years of thankless drudgery as
clerk, following on a brief adventur-
ous period after I ran away to sea
from my English home, had terminal
ed three days before upon receipt of a
legacy, and 1 had at once left Tom
Carson's employment.
Six thousand guineas-thirty thou
sand dollars-the will said.
had seen for some time that Car
son meant to get rid of me. 1t had
been a satisfaction to me to get rid
of him instead.
He had been alternately a prospec-
tor and company promoter all the
working years of his shabby life. Tom
was as secretive as a clam, except
with Simon Leroux.
Leroux was a parish politician from
some place near Quebec, and his
clean-shaven. wrinkled face was as
hard and mean as any city boss in the
United States. He and old Tom used
to be closeted together for hours at
time.
never liked the man and 1 never
cared for Carson's business ways. ]
was glad to leave him the day after
my legacy arrived.
My plans were vague. l had been
occupying, at u low rental, a tiny
apartment consisting Of two rooms, q
| bath and what Is called n Kitchen.
ette," at the top of an old building
| in Tenth street which was about to be
pulled down., l had half planned tC
take boat for jamaica. l wanted tC
think and plan.
The Eskimo dog was growing un
easy. 1t would run from me, looking
round and uttering a succession OF
short barks, then run back and tug a
my Oye-coat again.
Evidently it wished me to accom-
pany it, and / wondered who it's mas
ter was and how it came to be there
rose and followed the beast, which
showed its eager delight by runnin:
ahead of me. turning round at time
TO bark, and then continuing on, it
way with a precision which showet
me that it was certain of its destina
tion.
The dog turned down a street in tn
Twenties, ran on a few yards, bound
ed up a flight of stone steps and be
gan scratching at the door of a hous
that was apparently empty.
This place knew by reputation.
was Jim Daly's notorious but decent
conducted gambling establishment
which was running full blast at tim
when every other institution of thi
character had found it convenient t
shut down.
} SO the creatures master was insid
Daly's, and it wished me to get hil
out. looked in some disappointmeT
at the closed doors and turned ava
I meant to go home, and had pr
ceeded about three PAGES when tt
lock clicked. l stopped. The froI
door opened cautiously and the gra
head of Jim's negro butler appeare
Then emerged one of the most bea
tiful women that / have ever seen.
She could not have been more thf
twenty years of age. Her hair WI
of fair brown, the features model,
splendidly, the head poised upon
fawless throat that gleame' white b
meath a neckpiece of magnifice
sable.
She carried sable muff, too, Al
under these furs was a dress of u
stylish fashion anT cut that contrast
curiously with them. l thought tn
those loose sleeves had passed aw
before the nineteenth century died.
one hand she carried bag, into viii
she was stuffing large roll of bill
She passed so close to me that i
dress brushed my ovefcoat, and for
instant her eyes met mine. There W
a look in them that startled met
ror and helplessness, as though 5
had suffered some benumbing she
which made her actions more au
matte than conscious.
was bewildered. What was q {
like that doing in Daly's at half p
twelve in the morning?
She began walking slowly and ratl
aimlessly, it seemed to me, along
street in the direction of Sixth a
g nue.. My curiosity was unbounded.
followed her at q decent interval
see what she was going to do.
she did not seem to know.
The street loafers stared after
and two men began walking abreast
her on the other side of the road.
followed more closely.
AS she stood upon the curb on
asst side of Sixth avenue / saw
.-Inncn timidlv nm and down hef