The Jasper news., 1919-05-29
EPISODE NO. |.
COPYRIGHT, I7l7, BY WTA6RAPH

SuIl. Dtu ANulSOlnCt SNo
faring man, lived in a pretty cottage
near the coast, in southern California.
OF comfortable means and good
health, he lived only for the happi-
ness of his daughter, Polly, young
woman of unusual charm, whose hap
plness, in turn, was bound up in Dick
Van Brunt, neighbor, honest, hand
some and of mighty strength and dar-
ing 1t was the only secret Ransome
held from his daughter-that some day
she should marry Dick.
And that Dick Van Brunt, impul-
sive and adventurous, had been In
love with Polly since the beginning,
no one who had ever seen her would
doubt. There was that about her
which made men turn their heads as
she passed, lightness Of step, an
airy swing, a tilt of the head that
marked her for the thoroughbred that
she was and made her linger in their
minds long after she had passed the
range of their vision. Seeing her and
Dick together, the most casual OBJ
server would have said, "Kismet. 1t
is fate" And old Capt. Ben Ran
some, wise with the lore Of years and
the seven seas, smiled cunningly as
he plotted their future happiness.
Polly and her father were seated in
the living room in their lifelong COM
panionship, but her eyes constantly
turned to the gate beyond the ar
bored porch. Ransome knew the rea-
son and laughed happily when Dicks
CHEEKY call rang out and the girl,
with kiss and blush, ran from the
room to greet her sweetheart, to lead
him away to secluded spot in the
pretty garden.
No place could have been more ideal
for two lovers than was the seques.
tered spot among the vines. Before
them the broad Pacific spread inter-
minable away to the far distant isles
of the South Pacific; isles where they
half laughingly planned to spend their
declining days under the palms with
the great rollers of the ocean piling
themselves up in creamy foam upon
moonlight like arctic SHOWS, and
where ones footprints glowed phos-
phorescent and shimmering as quick
silver. Sitting there hand in hand
in the hush of that silent land, little
did they dream of what was in store
for them; the peril and pain that
was stealing upon them like night
mare; remorseless, brutal; as mercl-
less as a jaguar as it stalks Its prey.
And into this happy scene there
stole man of evil face, across which
was an ugly scar that bespoke crime
of years before-Scarface Bender
Stealthlly, he stole through the
grounds, his eyes fastened on the cot.
tage door. Once he paused at the
sight of the lovers and sneer es
capped him, for there was nothing OF
love in Scarface's makeup.
Within the cottage, Captain Ran
some, left to himself, had opened his
great sea chest and taken therefron
a piece of cloth, one-siXth, it was, OF
the launch flag of the ship Lion, which
years before had brought his father
around the Horn in search of for
tune. And as he held the flag, q shadow
fell across the window. 1t was Scar
face, and an evil light sprang into his
eyes as they caught sight of the flag
Pistol in hand he stepped through the
door. Startled at the sound, Ransome
crumpled the piece Of flag in his hand
and slammed down the lid of the desk
and locked 1t. Rising, he confronted
the intruder, who spoke with threat
"Rnnsome, give me that flag"
The aged man leaned forward as II
to learn the identity Of his callel
and caught sight Of the scar, and, a.
he recoiled, the latter sneered:
"Know me nowf"
"Scarface Bender" exclaimed the
old pioneer, and as he held no enmity
extended his hand in friendly man
ner. But Scarface thrust it aside con,
temptuously, repeating his demand for
the KEY to the chest. Then, realizing
he must fight, Ransome grappled with
Bender. Slowly forced to his knees
Ransome kept his grip on the others
pistol and cried for help.
The fight was an unequal one. Cap
tnin Ben, lusty old seaman though he
was, had long ago seen his best physi
cal days, while Scarface, much his
Junior, had the native strength of q
gorilla. Locked in each others arms
they struggled back and forth across
the room like two bulls with horns
interlocked, filling the air with thell
muttered curses and deep breathings
But though for the first few moments
they seemed evenly matched, gradually