Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-09-21

wv. Solu ne, SlIli!inS WITH pure
contentment as he swung his huge
shoulders. Great job, AMT it, dis
bein' a Director? Moppin' up high
brows, an dom 1T official. Great
practice, all right all right. Good
lively time suits me O. K. First de
doper.. den Crawley an nov dis-it's
comm in lunches. I'm beginnin' to
feel my form again great
a moment he peered after the dis
appearing car; then, with a con-
seriousness of gocsl work we'll accom-
plished. he returned to the now re-
stored peace and concord of The
Little Haven.
CHAPTER. XNyIIt.
Considerably with these lively
events, an interview was going for
ward in the private inner office of
Eliot Vinton, shipping master, on
State street. There, Irvir, Stagg-
having gained admission by some
browbeating tactics toward clerk
rendered possible by his thick neck
and imposing ,frontwas confronting
the elder Vinton, with an offer of in
formation in exchange for cash.
Stages visit to the shipnlaster had
followed hard on the revelations
made to him by Meiny, the night be-
fore. The dope-selling game, Stage
plainly saw, was mp. Perils threat
ened, and ready money might be
needed for flight, Also, the possible
ity of any very considerable graft
being Immediately extoited from
either Bradford or Eliot Vinton was
far from good Nevertheless with
zeal to garner the last possible
sheaves. for the present. .stagg had
now once more entered the Vinton
fields. to undertake the final CLEAN
ing till things might break better
again. There might still be q few
hundred dollars to be extricted from
the fat wallet And II Irvirl could lay
hands on no more than a hundred,
without Meiny's knowledge, that
would at any rate be jus so much
clear velvet.
Pardon tie interruption, my dear
sir" the law ghost was saying now,
with his srnoothest smile, but mat
tiers have come to my. knowledge
which I have thought best to com
municate to you. IF you think them
important, as believe you will, /
shall leave the matter of remunera-
ton to your we'll known sense OF
Justice
"Matters9 What matters?" grunt-
ed Eliot. looking UP sourly from the
mass CT papers on his '1esk. The
shipmstster had grown even thinner
than before. His scalp had become
notably denuded of the sparse gray
hair that had chung to it. only a few
months before. and many new
wrinkles in his cheeks, as well as en-
larged fleshy bags unde,s his eyes.
bespoke the accelerating onset of old
age. But his keen eyes still held
their steely hardness. and his proud,
inflexible expression had grown even
more unbending as disappointment
and MISFORTUNE which .so1tens, mel
lows and ripens some hearts-had
turned his heart to flint.
"Matters?' he repeated, harshly.
I'VE have no matters, now, in COM
mon, that am aware of. When
require your services. will notify
you. This is a very bus.y morning
for me. very busy indeed Do. not
let me detain YOU
81 refer to the domestic situation
had the honor of helping you adjust,
some time ago." SPARED Stage, in no
wise to be rebuffed by this arctic
reception.
THAT, sir, is all over and done
with. long ago" returned the ship
master. 1.-THE books are closed, in
that transaction. Your honorarium
was promptly and literally paid.
can not discuss that matter any fur
Their. If you will excuse me from"
"Ah, but you won't want to be ex-
cused, when you know the facts I've
learned" exclaimed the law ghost,
seating himself beside the, desk and
tapping thereon with .for,eful fing-
ers. Facts, sir, facts! I'm particu-
larry strong on facts, as you prob
ably remember, and have now some
highly important new ones to COM
municate. In the first place, the
woman in the case has not yet left
town, but is at present in hos
pital-"
ever, to me; not the slightest" in
terrupted Eliot, as he looked back
at his papers. "She has permanent
ly severed all relations with my son.
Nothing else matters"
'In addition to that" continued
Stage. undaunted, ~ have come into
possession of some interesting data
concerning the young man. appre-
ciate fathers love, Mr.. Vinton, even
when son goes wrong" He paused
a moment, impressively. II am a
father, myself. l, too, have an only
son. At times he grieves me, but
still I love him. He's flesh of my
flesh and bone Of my bone-a chip
of the old block, if you will pardon
the expression. And whatever comes,
I'll stand back of him. Likewise
you, I know"
what is the meaning of all this
balderdash?" demanded the ship
MASTER with rising irritation. His
nerves. no longer quite as reliable as
six months before, could not endure
the shyster's moralizipgs. you really
must excuse me, this morning. | am
exceedingly busy, and"
"Now, regarding your son, as [
was saying" Stage pursued, with
logged determination, 81 have full
concerning all his move
ments from the time he left that