Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1920-05-07
Dead or Alive
n
BY R. RAY BAKER

Tee%%e%&NNNNNNNeNeN
Copyright. 1919. by the Mcclure News
paper syndicate)
Grimes stuffed the remnants Of a
sodden doughnut into his mouth and
washed them down with the last Of
the hot coffee, which he had brewed
himself, and which was more hot than
1t was coffee.
Tiptoeing to the bed, he touched hi0
lips to the forehead of the wan, glrllsh
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
unused. He sighed slightly, and his
arm, white upper teeth drew his low
err 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 a shiny brown coat
that had been draped over Its back.
From nail on the wall he took a
gray-checkered cap with rain-ruined
frontisplece and pushed 1t back over
his 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
tight were vielng In contest Of bril-
fancy. Something like smile, in
which hope merged with pride, crept
Aacross his tanned young face, but 1t
bded instantly, and his dark eyes glis-
teAed again when a hacking cough
frogn the bed confirmed the tale told
oy = red spot on either cheek of the
OCCUPANT.
lie olened the door and stepped out
on the bard sidewalk just as hell
diver swotped down from the blue and
snatched . breakfast from placid
Traverse bay, With a vigorous stride
he started p his Commute walk to
the exclusive Harbor Beach colony.
Il won't have her this time next
year unless l gether out West by next
tall" was the trent of Crimes thought
as he passed the A,mbering castles in
which the idle wealthy Of the cities
sought rusticatlon. Lord knows driv-
ing Archlbald's speed cruiser wouldn't
bring enough coin In tw0 years to do
It,"
AS he skirted the cluster of trees
that sheltered the clubhouse veranda
from the complexion-ruinlng morning
sun and came In sight of the Archi-
bald palace, gazing down hapghtIly
from lofty bluff, he was so absorbed
In cogitation he all but colllded with
rugged, florid-vlsaged, pleasantly no
fund little man attired In blue md
wearing an official-looSlng cap On
which gold lighthouse cleaned. \
"Ahoyp called the llghtkeepera
"veer off or you'll hit this rock Of Glib
raltar. What's the matter with yer
compass, me boy"
As they came to 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. IAN whyfor the big rush about
beginnin' the daily labor2 Sure, OIL
man Archibald aln't gettin' up at no
five O'Clock for pleasure spln-you
can't tell me that"
mo better" was Crimes rueful re-
loinder to the first query. "Tm going
to take a run out on the bay and see
If can't make the fourth cylinder hit
as 1t 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 llghtkeeper, reaI
commiseratlon In his voice. an have
me own woman run over to yer shack
this afternoon an see If she can chase
some o. the gloom away. BY the way,
O. course you amt heard the stnrtIln'
news from the SpringsT'
THANK you, captain; hate to leave
her there alone all the time. What
startling news do you meanT
"Mebbe you wouldn't call 1t start
lin" responded the captain, brond
grin manifesting his enjoyment of the
role Of sensation monger. ITS Jest
the little matter o. $4,000 bein' stole
from the First National last night or
early this mornln'. The safe was
bowed open In regular professional
manner. l 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
aliye"
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 1t looks like a one-man Job.
You better look sharp on the bay. He
might be stickin' around somewhere,
though 1t amt likely he tarrIed long in
the vicinity. Well, I've gossiped long
enough. Gotta be movin' on"
AS the llghtkeeper, with wave Of
q 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
O revolver clutched In huge, hairy
hand. A giant Of n man with bushy
brown whlskers lowered back OF the
weapon.
welcome, little stranger" said the
man with the gun, champlng viciously