White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1922-07-16
SYNOPSIS


CHAPTER I.-During the height of tho
New Orleans carnival season Jachin Fell.
wealthy though somewhat mysterious cit
izen, n DR.. Ansley, are discussing a
as the Midnight Masquer. who. Invariably
attfred as an aviator, has long defied the
police. Joseph Maillard. wealthy banker.
Y giving a ball. that night. at which the
Nasquer has threatened to appear and
rob the guests. Fell and Ansley. on their
way to the affair. meet q girl dressed as
columbine, seemingly known to Fell. but
masked. who accompanies them to the
CHAPTER II.-Lucie Ledanois. recent
" the ward of her uncle. Joseph Mall
lard. In the Coiumbine.
CHAPTER III.-In his library Joseph
hAillard and . group OF friends are held
up and robbed by the Midnight Masquer.
CHAPTER Iv.-Lucis Ledanois. the last
Of an old family. IL In straitened .circum-
p~tances. Joseph Maillard's handling. of
her funds has been unfortunate. Fell II
an old friend of her parents and deeply
interested In the girl. Henry Gramont,
really the prince de Gramont. son OF
French father and an american mother:
tnamored OF Lucie and believes himself
q NOT unfavored sutton.
CHAPTER v.-Gramont's chauffeur.
Hammond, sergeant In the American
army IN France. and there known to
Gramont, lives with him. He was the
for a particular purpose. after discover
ing Hammond's activities. assumes the
role. Where Hammond had been a rob-
Der for financial gain. Gramont. of
course. is not. lie arranges to return
the loot to those whom he has robbed.
The Jewels and money. In Individual pack
ages. are got ready for delivery next day
TO their original owners. That night they
are stolen from Gramonfs auto,
CHAPTER vI.-Ben Caeherre. an if
dividual of unsavory character, appeafs
10 be associated with joachim Fell. He
has a peculiar interview With one Mer4.
phis Izzy Gumberts. notorious influential
crook. In which there Is significant refefr
enee to a mysterious "boss." -
CHAPTER vu.-Lucie summons era
mont to her home and shows him the
packages from his auto. He admits he
her that he had 40 thought of robbryk
lie refuses. however. 10 explain his yrf
pose. The packages are returned top
their owners.
CHAPTER vIrT.-That evening Fdi.
Gramont. and DR.. Ansley. at the Kreyc
toxicated masked individual whom they
recognize as Bob Maiiiard. He invites
them to a ~convivial party In a private
the building. Joseph Maillard seeks his
son. fearing public scandal as n result. OF
Bob's condition. With Fell and Ansiey
tesy ind The room where bsr o fns . Jewels as are ,rs
rividuai. attired as an aviator, In the act
z OF robbing the intoxicated youths. T.
q struggle that ensues Maiiiard Is shot
and killed. The 'Masquer" escapes.
mond. visits Terrebonne, a wild section
of the country, to inspect Lucie Ledanois'
land. which he believes contains OIL. He
nnds Indications of apparently almost un-
hatfaVa hfa n4fa nfiftaa nf tina stun. Whtla
STOPPING over n pool of water. which
clearly shows traces. of oil on Its sur
face, Gramont hears his name spoken.
fC0NTfNUED FROM LAST WEEK.
Not me-" was the answer.
Gramont scarcely knew how he de-
parted, until he found himself scram-
bling back through the underbrush of
the Ledanois place.
He rushed Into the house. found the
fire had died down beyond all danger.
and swiftly removed the few things
they had taken from the car. Carry
Ing these, he stumbled back to where
he had hidden the automobile. He
scarcely dared to think, scarcely dared
to congratulate himself on the luck
that had befallen him, until he found
himself In his own car once more, and
with open throttle sweeping out
through the twilight toward Paradis
and Houma beyond. A whirlwind OF
mad ~exultation was seething within
characterization as sudden and tre-
mendous as the past weeks had been
u%neventful and dragging.
Gramont, In common with many
others, had heard much Indefinite
rumor of an underground lottery game
that was being worked among the ne
groes of the state and the Chinese vii
lagos along the gulf coast. And now
he knew definitely.
Lotteries have never died out In
Louisiana since the brave old days of
the goyernment-ordained CANDLES,
laws and ordinances TO the contrary.
No laws can make the yellow man and
the black man forego the get-rich-
quick heritage of their fathers. On
the Pacific coast lotteries obtain and
will obtain wherever there is a China
town. In Louisiana the days of the
grand lottery have never been forgot
ten. The last two years Of high
wages had made every negro wealthy.
comparatively speaking. The lottery
mongers would naturally find them a
ripe harvest for the picking. And who
would gravitate to this harvest field
II not the great Gumberts. the I'M.
caught Memphis Icy. the promoter
who had never been "muggedi"
Here. Mt one stroke, stumbling on
the thing by sheer blind accident. Ora.
mont had located the nucleus of tho
whole buslnessi
Gradually his brain cooled TO the
realization of what work lay before
him. lie was through Paradis, almost
without seeing the town, and switched
on his lights as he took the highway
20 Houma. Sober reflection seized
him. Not only was this crowd of
crooks working a lottery. but they
were also managing n ~stupendous
thicverv Of automobiles. IN which cora