Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-06-09
By FRANK L. PACKARD


into society, but who is really
Shadow Varne, noted figure OF under
world, and in charge of various Dig
steals that have set Lona Ia AGE srch
PAUL CREMARRE. Ts.ed,,,, Fseni ~
the back waters of the war. along
with
RUNNELLS, valet. who has done
some big thefts on his own account
THE FOURTH sTRAGGLER. who
hears the crooks agree to compine
after the armistice ana who disap-
FOLLY pI1.Y w1cKEs. = nower-sarl. whom
Newcombe has adopted and sent to
America to a finishing school, with
the idea Of insuring social contacts
Of the best before he leaves Engiano,
after executing some big hauis. She
DoRA MARLIN, daughter of an eccen-
trio millionaire, and her guest on 2
big show place on the FLORIDA Keys
Mr.. MARLIN. the mad magnate. has
lars, the existence Of which New.
combe learns inadvertently from
his beautiful ward.
HOWARD LOCKE, son or cS ous,.
ness man, who takes Newcombe AND
Runnells to Florida on his steam
launch. He falls in love with Polly
"Dear Guardy"
"Sood," said the ex-captain OF
territorials. How about the mail
ANY letters?"
Il have put a letter on the table
| beside YOU" said the Frenchman
.It is In time. The stamp from
America. The handwriting of lady.
You will read it yourself when you
are able"
"Able!" echoed Captain Francis
Newcombe, with sudden asperity. Il
won't be able to do anything Tor
another week, let alone read. open
it! You know damned well it's only
from my ward in America. And
! since I'm going out there soon as
I'm fit again, I'm rather keen to
know what her immediate plans are
home for the summer. I've ex-
planned to you before that her
mother did a rather big thing fol
me once. and I'm trying to repay
the debt. Open 1t, and read 1t to
me. There's nothing private about
it."
But, certainly" agreed the
Frenchman, as he opened the letter.
The Corals,
Il Manwa Island, Florida Keys,
Tuesday, June 30th.
Dear Guardy:
You knew, Of course, was going
to visit Dora Marlin and her father,
Mr.. Jonathan P. Marlin. this sum-
mer, so you won't be altogether sur
prised at the above address. You
than I expected, so that your last
letter, forwarded on from New York,
has just reached me.
I am wild with delight to know
that you have decided to come out
to America for visit. l showed
your letter at once to Dora and Mr..
Marlin, and they absolutely insist
that you come here as their guest.
You will. won't you? You old
dear! You'll have to, else you won't
see me-so there! YOU see, we're
on an island in the FLORIDA Keys,
and it's ever so far from the main
land, and there's no other place on
it to stay except with us. l wonder,
l wonder If you'll know me? I'm
not the little Polly I was, you know.
full here! The house is really a
castle, and it's built mostly of coral,
and is so pretty; and the foliage is
a dream-the whole island, and it's
really an awfully big one, is Just
like a huge garden. And, too, it's
just like world all your own. The
servants are mostly Negroes, with
pickaninnies running around, and
they live in jolly little bungalows,
ever and ever so many of them,
that peep out Of the trees at you
everywhere you go. And then there
is the aquarium. It's Mr.. Martins
hobby. l couldn't begin to describe
it. l never knew such beautiful and
wonderful and queer creatures
existed in the sea.
Dora's a dear, Of course. I'm sure
you'll lose your heart to her at once.
And I've already grown SO fond Of
Mr.. Marlin. and the more so. per
haps, because Dora is frightfully
worried about him. / am afraid
there is something very serious the
matter with his mind, though q
great deal Of the time he appears
to be quite normal. I don't UNDER
stand 1t. of course, because It is ali
about the financial conditions in
the world; but anyway
He has great sum Of money IN
panknotes here; half a million dol
lars. he said. He showed It to me.
1t was hard to believe there was SO
much. Why, you could just make
a little bundle OF 1t and put 1t under
your arm. asked him why he had
II mere, and he patted it and smiled
at me, and told me 1t was the only
sa1e thing to do. And then he tried
to explain lot Of things to me about
money that couldn't understand AZ
all. ''"~ al
Paul Cremarre looked up and
waved the letter about jubliantly.
Yes. Yes!" he cried. AZ am
awake! See! / pinch mvseIf r.
Is amazing! In banknofesi IN
american money! That il valuable
eh! And a little bundle that ons
could put under ones armiS
Yes, of course; for what could he
better-or suit us better? We ara
ABOUT to lay low for a while because
II was becoming too hot for m an
this side of the water--and. presto
IKE gift OF the gods, there i'm.
neoiateiy awaits us fortune on the
Captain Francis Newcombe .,a.
denly thrust out a clenched hsna
toward the other. N
NO" he said in q low voice.
Bon Dieu!" gasped the French.
man helplessly. But aon.+
understand" Noh
Then I'll try to make It plain !"
SAID Captain Francis Newcombe in
level tones. There are limits to
what even I will do, and IL IL wall
over tnat limit here. To 10 there
monsieur was a guest, I Under
stand, of the Earl Of CIoyerlev a
Few days ago" interrupted ths
Frenchman quickly. ~
"Yes!" said Captain Francis New.
comDe tersely. And the guest be-
fore that Of many others. Buf , Ala
not have a ward to consider unon
whose reputation I was 10 trsda
and which would wreck. Do yo,,
understand that? ?" ~