Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-06-23

Ofncer IN the great war, who breaks
Shadow vsrne. noted figure Of under.
world. and In charge Of various biz
steals that have set London agoE.
PAUL. CREMARRE. noted French
thief, who has met Newcombe In
the, back waters Of the war. along
RuNSELLs. q valet. who has done
some big thsfts on his own account,
THE FOURTH sTRAGoLER. who
hears the crooks agree to combine
after the armistics and who disap.
POLLY wIcKEs, a fower-girI, whom
Newcombe has adopted and sent 70
America to q finishing school. with
of the best before he leaves England,
after executing some big hauls. She
IL the friend OF
DORA MARLIN. daughter Of an eccen-
trio millionaire, and her guest on Q
big show place on tho Florida keys.
Mi. MARLIN. the mad rnagnats. has
buried more than half a million dol
oombs learns inadvertently from
his, beautiful ward,
HOWARD LOCKE. son of big BUSH
ness man. who takes Newcombe and
! launch. He falls in love with Polly.
tS 7r~'gT' The Fight .-
For a moment. gFim-lipped. Locke
stood there at the door. He had
accomplished exactly the opposite
TO, what he had intepded-the old
man. the money. were both In IN
firitely greater peril now than
under almost any other circum-
stances of which he could conceive.
He did not blame himself-tbe
orfa irt1n m
al promptings OF an insane mind
we're beyond his control or guidance.
1t was the last thing he had expect
cd tho old maniac to do. But II
was done now: II was too late to
consider that phase OF II. There
was work for his own brain to do
--he hoped more logically.
He turned sharply now and began
to make his way as best he could
in the darkness toward the window
at the end OF that aisle OF tanks out
side OF which he knew the masked
man Ind stood. He dared not snow
any light here, though by so doing
me- would have been able to move
more swiftly. The man who had
been at the window was almost
certainly gone now-to watch for
the old maniac's appearance outside
the house. And Mr.. Marlin would
assuredly. and as quickly as he
could. scurry outside to hide his
money away again. And even II
the man in the mask had had no
previous knowledge OF the old mad
mans strange nightly movements,
which would be Il very unsafe as
sumption on which to depend, he
would have heard enough at the
window. IL not to know. then. at
least. to expect that the old
>mdniac's one thought now would
he to secrete his money. and that
the hiding place. this time lock that
God had made. as the old man had
called 1t. was somewhere outside the
house. But the watchers new
lurking place might still embrace a
View OF tho window. and IL he,
Locke. climbed out with this light
1ehind him
He was at the window now. He
smiled grimly. He was pitted
against no fool---but then he never
lad been fool enough himself ever
to- place Captain Francis Newcombe
Ia that category The man IN the
mask had left no telltale evidence
cr hts presence Behind him. The
Shade was drawn down; tho window
closed.
Locke lifted the shade now. raised
tho window quietly, aid stood for an
instant listening. staring out. He
could see little or nothing. ether
than the swaying branches OF trees
against the sky line: and there was
no sound save the sweep OF the
wind, which was stlll blowing half
a sale. AMI now he swung him.
self over the w'ndowsill. dropped the
N Of 10 h., a
ed against tho wal, listening. stsr-
ing again into the blackncss
Nothing! The moon. burrowIns
deeper under the clouds made Il
even blackcr than II had been n
moment ago. 1fe Strengthened up
and began 20 ruin toward the front
or the house. IL was perhaps a case
OF ind mans buzz. but there was
not an instal. TO lose. and, deprived
OF any aid from the sense OF either
sight or hearing, he was left with
only one thing 10 10. From the
living room window little while
ngo he had seea Mr.. Marlin coining
toward the house from across the
lawn. after Havin;: presumably Just
unearthed his money from it's hiding
place: the chances were that It was
by the same route tho old maniac
would return now.
Locke ran on. stumbling, half
Eroping his way through what
seemed'a veritable maze Of out
buildings here at the rear of the
house. The minutes seemed to be
neing-wasted. The old maniac. II
he had left the house the moment he
hSd run from the aquarium, must
bs now have had good three
minutes start: and II the man In
the mask had at once picked up the
trail. then
No; he was not too late, He had
reached the front corner Of the
house now. and across the lawn,
where in the open space It was
lietle lighter, something. blacker
thing than the darkness. moving
swiftly. caught his eye. II was the
figure OF man running toward the
trees In the direction OF the path
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