Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1921-02-10
CHAPTER u.

The Master Of the plrtY Many.


A week Before thiss story opens.
Uriah Devon had steamed the length
Of the lake, anchOriDg his boat as near
Ithaca as he dared. Even TO his wife.
Edith. he had not cOnfided why he had
brought her to town where yawning
prison doors CAPPED for her every pass
ing hour.
II won't go, Riah," Mrs. Devon had
cried when her husband had made the
statement that he intended to visit
Ithaca. "YOu couldn't get me near
that place with rope around my
neck"
But the very fact that she now sat
on a small bench against the boat rail.
gazing moodily at the water. proved
that Uriah Devon had cOntrived to
have his way.
Occasionally Mrs. Devon lifted her
head to listen and turned her eyes to
the west where a narrow path zig
Jagged its length up the hill TO the
boulevard Into her tortured soul
had come belief since the night be-
fore, that TOny's "Gloriest God"
would send her man home.
Suddenly the sound of heavy foot
steps in the forest path brought her
sharply around. At last he was COM
! ing, this man she loved. perhaps
drunk, perhaps to beat her; hut new
ertheless he was coming. and that was
all she cared about.
Uriah Devon slowly walked up the
gangplank in silence.
"Where you been?" the woman
forced herself to say. But instead OF
replying, he demanded:
"Where's TOnnibel?"
81 dunno. was the answer. "a min
ute ago she was over there not ten Of
your legs jumps from here.
Where you been all this week."
He'd been on a terrible spree she
decided. He looked as-if he had been
drunk for days That he had some
thing unusual on his mind, she knew,
and she knew, too, it was about Ton
nibel, for hadn't he asked for the kid
the moment he'd returned?
"It's about time we was doing
things. EIDE" he said. turning grimly.
1--WE waited as long as | dared. Rege
says Paul Pendlehaven hasn't an inch
leeway before he's in his coffin
Mrs. Devons face grew deathly
pale.
what do you mean, honey?" she
faltered
1--WE live like rats in hole" took
up the man. after pause, while If
Tony was made to do her nart we'd
he on easy street. That's what mean.
We've got TO have money and lots of
It. Reggie's willing tn marry the kid
II you mind your business afterward.
His MARVIN her amt sayir' he'll stick
to her. But we got TO have boOdle.
and we can't get It only through her."
"He shan't have err" the woman
said, with hard tones and flashing
eyes. How many times We got to
say II over TO you? II that's the why
you've come to Ithaca, sou might as
we'll turn the cold seow horth. and go
back again. He's bum," she went
on. "A dude and fool and every
thing else that's bad. He's thief.
too"
Devon lnnghed.
$50 am I. Eide" said he. $50 re you
for that matter II Reggie knew that
Tony was Paul PendIehaven's kid. we
wouldn't get one d--n cent Of her
money. He SWITCHES from the Pendle-
havens and his mother because he
don't get cash enough other ways. A
feller's got to have spendin' money"
"Pretty small plckin's.'' sneered
Edith Devon. "StealIn from folks al
most in the grave amt my style. Reg
gie's some second-story man, that
young duffef Is"
"You sneaked PANS kid" tainted
Devon. "He wouldn't be almost in
bis grave now II you'd kept your
hands of'n Tony"
The, woman turned on him savagely,
paying no heed to his words.
\ Get your blasted Reggie TO steal
enough for us all from the Pendleha-
vens," she said. God knows they've
got II and ITO spare. It's better'n
handin' Tony over to i'm. He lives at
Pendlehaven's. don't hep
4IIe won't DO liz cut 10 Devon.
Reggie ain'tgot the nerve to hnrn his
ringers too deep. Paul Pepdelhavensd
send him up for that. n he caught
him. NY plan & 10 Get Tony married
70 Rege, and before the ild's screwed
down on Pepdlehaven's face, shove