The Kenna record., November 11, 1921, Image 2

About The Kenna record. (Kenna, Roosevelt County, N.M.) 190?-1924

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THE KENNA RECORD
The Mystery of
theSilverOagger
By Randall
Parrish
Author of
"The Strange Case
of Cavendish"
OopyrUM, by Handell Perrtnk
CHAPTER XIII Continued.
I stood Irresolute, undecided as to
my next move. 1 felt convinced 1 was
at last on the right trail but how
could I verify my suspicion? There
scorned to be but one sure method.
Whoever had actually committed the
murder and robbery, I still clung to the
theory that Ivan Waldron knew him.
and would demand his share as the
price of a silent tongue. Nor would
he, under present clrcumstunccs, be
content to wait very long for such
a division. He needed the money
more thun ever to escupe from the
observation of the police. If Wine
had possession of the valise he would
certainly be called upon to deliver a
portion of Its contents very shortly.
My best course, then, was to keep an
eye open for Waldron; If he came,
there would be no doubt as to the
exact nature of bis errand.
The stairway gave me no advan
tage; It was open and doubtless fre
quently used. To be seen loitering
there for any length of time would at
tract attention. I ventured to try the
private door, but, as expected, found
It securely locked, nor did I dare ex
ert any force, not knowing who might
be inside. The office remained quiet,
no one either leaving or entering,
nor did I observe any shadow on the
frosted glass Indicative of movement
within. Baflk-d and uncertain, I had
barely returned to my point of con
ceal nieut, when an elevator stopped
at this floor level, and three men
stepped out into the corridor. Two of
them attracted no attention, but the
third was In his shirt-sleeves and wore
a cap with some Insignia tjpon It.
lie advanced briskly, and flung open
the door leudlng into what had once
been the "ltallwny Exchange," and
piotloned the others to enter. As the
three vanished, I heard him explain
that this wus the only vacant suite on
this floor, and then another voice
said, dissatisfied, that it was altogeth
er too small for their purpose. When
they came cut the agent closed the
door carelessly and pressed the ele
vator button, saying lie would show
them something on the second floor
above.
liven as they shot up out of Bight
I was across the corridor with hund
on the knob. I feared a sprlnglock.
but was pleasantly dlsnpi.olnted, the
door opening Instantly, permitting me
to slip Inside. There were two rooms,
both smnll, and Uttered with the frag
ments left by the late occupants.
What struck me forcibly was that
there was no connection between
those rooms and the next suite; they
were separated by a thick wall. I
could hide here securely enough, and.
by slightly lifting the glass, gain good
,vlev of the corridor, but It would be
Impossible to overhear anything tak
ing plnee In Wine's office. At that,
the position was better for my pur
pose than the open stairway, and I
jinfastenpd the window sash, propping
K open a crock so as to afford me a
fnlr view. If Waldron appeared I
would endeavor to discover some
nienns of learning the object of hit
visit. Meanwhile I was safe enough,
and oI'Ip to observe every mov(;nieit
on thp flnnr.
Suddenly, when I least expected t,
the dour of the Investment olIKie
opened, und a young womun came out.
She had her hat on, and I took note
of a pencil stuck Into her hair, aiVtl
fell no doubt she was Wine's stenog
rapher, who hod finished her day's
work and was departing for home.
Then the man was probably MlM there
alone. The girl disappeared down
the elevator, and could' scarcely huve
reuched the lower floor, when a cage
traveling In the opposite direction
stopped and discharged a passenger.
It was a woman who stepped out,
glancing quickly about as though un
certain where to go, and I recognised
Marie Oessler.
' She started down the corridor, look
ing for the numbers on the doors, and
then, discovering herself wrong, re-
. traced her steps and approached
Wind's door. Even then she ap
peared to doubt her next move, glanc
ing around as though anxious to re
main unobserved before venturing
further. Then, opening the door
quickly, she disappeared within. In
that moment, before the door closed,
I co light the sound of, a n en's vo(ce..
atartled. uttering" a single surprised
exclamation.
"You here I What doe thla mean?"
Then a low spoken answer, the
Vortln Inuudlblj, and ended by a click
f the latch.
That closed door aeemed to arga
uj la icarn. wtat waa transpiring v
yoari; I coald not Ctfht back tb
temptation. But would it opeT had
It been left unlocked? The only way
In which I could ascertain was to try.
There was no one to witness my at
tempt, and, even if some office door
suddenly opened, I could quickly find
concealment In the nearby stairway.
I crept out through a narrow crack,
and approached on tiptoe the entrance
(o Wine's office.. No sound reached
me from within, and my fingers si
lently pressed the knob, which
turned without resistance the latch
was off. A half inch at a time I
opened the door, listening for any
noise behind, my eyes peering through
the narrow crock at whot was re
vealed within. They perceived little,
merely a small, unoccupied room, evi
dently an outer office, containing a
cheap desk, two chairs end a type
writing stand, the machine covered.
Two mops hung upon the walls; In
one corner was a gloss water-bolder,
and in the other a diminutive closet,
the door. ajar. That was all, except
thnt indistinguishable voice were con
t slug pnjTPwhpre beyond the parti
tion and weil out of view.
Encouraged to believe this I thrust
my head far enough forward to make
sure. A step to the left would doubt
less have revealed Wine, but from
where I stood the end of the partition
Interfered. By slipping to the right It
wnud be quite possible for me to en
ter without belnu seen, and three
cautious steps would bring me to the
security of the closet From there,
with the door Into the corridor closed.
I might overhear all that passed be
tween the two. I had ventured too
far now to retreot. and, without a sec
ond of hesitation. I pressed through
the narrow opening, and silently
closed the door behind me. Confident
that I had not been detected. I
crouched Into the narrow closet,
scarcely knowing whether to be
ashamed or proud of my success.
I could clearly distinguish the
words of conversation. At first these
were hardly understandable, seeming
ly having no connection with any mat
ter with which I felt concerned. The
two were evidently discussing money,
to be sure, but In terms involving the
payment of Interest, and the Impossi
bility of extending a loan. I over
heard her say, quietly but firmly:
"I came to you, Mr. Wine, because
of our connection In other matters. I
overhenrd this discussion, and felt
you ought to be forewarned."
"I appreciate your kindness." he an
swered, evidently surprised, "but sim
ply ennnot raise the amount today
It Is too late."
"It does not hove to be raised to
day, but before the closing of bank
ing hours tomorrow."
"I can hnve it by then." desperately.
"I was sure you could, if I only ex
plained the necessity.1
She arose as though her purpose
hod been accomplished, but appar-1
ently the man was uneasy, and de
sired to know more.
"But I foil to understand your In
terest; why should you take the trou
ble to come here and tell me this?"
She laughed lightly
"Why? really It Is easily enough un
derstood. We jre together, are we
not? Now that Captain Alva Is dead.
It Is generally believed ynu will be
selected to lend In this work. Oh.
yes It Is; I huve already been so In
formed. And in that case It Is ab
solutely necessary that your bank
connections be excellent. There are
other funds already In this country."
"Other funds! I supposed this last
payment was to be all."
"Assuredly not; the cause cannot
stop for an lnstnnt merely because of
this loss. Moreover, that will doubt
less be recovered."
"Do you think so?, nave the po
lfce found any clues?"
"The police I Uurdly, but there are
others searching, not so easily turned
aside. We believe we know already
who got the money."
"You you think you yon know?"
he could not keep the tremble out of
his voice. "Was was It one of us?"
"It cogld scarcely be an outsider,
for the secret was guarded well. Only
those of that circle knew the money
was here even, while not more than
two or three were aware of its hav
ing been passed over to Alva. I can't
say any more at present, Mr. Wine.
Yotf knew Captain Alva very well, did
you not?" 1
"Y-yes; that Is, . we were good
friends." We hod much In common."
"Are yoa German?"
"By blood yea, but born In Po
land: Captain Alva'a mother woa also
a Pole; this brought na closer o-gethw.'Tr-T--:
.
"And yon tava b aosplctoa of any
one who could hove known, and been
guilty of this murder and robbery?"
' "Why should I? " Why you ask me
that?" excitedly.- "There were muny
there; perhaps all know except me.
You not suppose I know l.e he die?"
"Oh, no: I merely thought you
might have some suspicion, that Was
all. It was a .-trange weapon he was
killed with."
"A strange weapon I What you
mean, a strange weapon? Do they
know what it was that killed him?"
"Certainly; it was picked up in the
bottom o the auto a dagger hat
pin, such as women wear. See, it
was Just like this of mine."
She must have plucked the orna
ment from out her own hat and laid
If on the desk, for I heard the faint
click of Its fall. There was a mo-
ment of Intense silence, and I could
vision the Intense horror with 'which
he was staring at the Instrument, un
able to command words.
"That thing I" he burst forth final.
ly. "Kir.-rj -ith thnt I"
"No, not tha : but one exact! )!V
it"
"Who eays so the nollce? Oott!
It could not kill a man. Why you tell
me this why?"
"Oh. only because I thought nn
might "be Interested. However, let's
not talk about It any more. Yqu will
settle that account before the rlo
of banking hours tomorrow?"
"IT Yes, I will settle."
There was the sound of a foot on
the cement floor of the corridor with
out, and, almost at the same Instant
the electric light, which had been
. M
"Felt. You Ought to. Be Forewarned."
turned on, revealed a man's shadow
on the glass of the closed door, lie
seemed to stand there hesitatingly;
then he rapped with his knuckles an
the glass.
1 fluttened myself out against tho
Inner. wall -of the closet, aware, that
the two In the 'second office were com
ing forward together. Wine giving
vent to a starred oath. In his exciter
irent. He strode straight to the door,
and, opened it with a Jerk.
"You. hey I What the devil do you
wont here?"
"A word ' with you, and d n
quick"
If was Waldron's. voice, but his
speech ended abruptly, as his eyes
caught sight of the womun. She
wasted no time. .
"I was Just going," she snid calm
ly, Ignoring him, but speaking directly
to Wine. "I will see, you tomorrow
then.""
She passed between the two, with
out ao much as favoring the Russian
with a glance, and' he stared after
her with open mouth, then stepped
brick' to watch her progress down the
corridor. Wine drew him hastily
aside, closing the door tightly and
shooting the, nlght-tatch.
"The d n girl never locks this door
when she goes out.", be muttered
angrily, wheeling about to face the
other. "Now, speak up. ' will you I
whot sends you butting In here?";
"Well, first yoo tell me,'! thundered
Waldron, gripping, the other angrily
with one hand, "what business that,
female baa with you? By God. Wine.
If yoa are. trying to double-cross, you'll,
find, me no easy ,nmrk. '.: Answer, you
cur what was she here for?", ' .
"Nothing, only pi a re business. '
"Ynu promlaed, to her tomorrow?"
"Yes, It was to pay a not. Cone
In here, and I'll explnln all There's
nothing to frighten you, Waldron."
The two disappeared Into the Inner
room, Waldron's voice still rumbling,
with Wine Interjecting a word now
and then. I ventured to stand erect
again In the confines of the closet,
and .ires my ear to the crack of the
Inner door. Both men were confident
of being nliyie, and so deeply im
mersed in their own affair r to speak
with little restraint. Waldron, really
affrlghlened at tlds discovery of Miss
Gessler, adopted the method of a bully
to carry Ills point, more eager than
ever to escupe the city.
"Well," he began, thumping the
desk '.vlth a flat, "now you begin to
tiplll. Don't try to work any game
on me. What do you mean by pay
ing a note.? You owe her something?"
"No; now listen, and don't get mad.
I tell you Just how It was," and Wine
endeavored to be smooth and plaus
ible, his voice pitched so low- I had
difficulty In hearing the words. "She
said I wis to. succeed Alva, and be
the revolutionary agent; partly she
came to tell me this, but some way
she learning of my indebtedness, that
I have an overdue note at the bank "
"How the h 1 did she know that?"
"I could not tell," apparently sur
prised himself. "I never asked, but
maybe Kruntz lie told her. When
they talked, over my being Iven
charge of the fund yes, that must be
Ihe wny, for she Insisted I must
straighten that matter up quick, be
fore other money was given ftie."
(TO BE CONTINUED.) '
CAN NOT HIDE WEAKNESSES
Philadelphia Writer Draws a Moral
From the Life and Works of
Two Men N
.
There were two men.
One, in order to hide his faults from
the eyes of th public, surrounded him
self with many friends, better than
himself in character. .
, The other mun had a single friend,
as sterling In character, sympathies
and perceptions as himself. t
In the first case the man fooled the
public, which seemed to see him
througji his friends.
In the second case, however, tha
man and his friend were misunder
stood and neglected by the public.
The first man, during life, was
praised and fluttered, for, being yety
wealthy, he could very easily purchase
empty words, but not loved or re
spected. The 'second man, after death, was at
lost understood, respected, honored
and loved, but to no avail ; for he
could not be brought back from the
grave.
It was a cose of the same old story
of an unjust, blind world.
Moral Armor will not hide one's
weaknesses. Charles Flngerman, In
the Philadelphia Record.
The Joy of Living.
I have never had much money, but
I have always enjoyed the things at
hand. -I have become so familiar wltd
the face of Nature that It Is as the
face of an old friend and I know and
love It In avery mood. My years hrve
been full of Joy, but they have been
years of simplicity and economy. I
have never sated myself with anything
and the bloom Is still on my life.',
I have kept young because I hove
kept free from worldly and selfish am
bitions. If 1 hod been miserly and
grasping, I would have been old and
unhappy long ago. There Is nothing
like love to keep you young love for
your fellow man and for Nature and
love is Nature's finnl low. Someone
once asked ' me how I had kept so
young nnd I answered thnj 1 had been
born y6ung and had never thrown my
youth away. John Burroughs.
The Water Spider.
A correspondent of English Country
Life describes a peculiar spider I hut
lives Under water the greater part of
Its life. It builds a dome-like nest of
silk among weeds, in ponds and
ditches, and fills the nest with air.
In thnt strnnge house It lives and
lays ,lts eggs. In autuiqn it makes
another nest nt a greuter dlstniice
below the surface of Hie water, and,
having sealed Itself Inside, It sleeps
until spring. Taken out of the water,
the Spider looks like any other, but as
soon as It Is put back, the bubble of
air thut It collects round It body mnkes
It look like, a-hall of quicksilver. It
Is the only spider ithut has taken tc
a wholly aquatic life, says the writer.
Time Enough. .
"Am I right In surmising that you
have something of. serious import to
say to my daughter?"
"Oh. no. sir. I'm merely going to
propose to hen I'll talk over the aerl
oua details with y ti after the
wedding." Detroit Tjines,"
Leave It to 8tat Legislators.
Man , was some millions of years
reaching hl9 present stage of develop
ment ;' but Be 'It Enacted may speed
him vp.--St.' tio'ula Olnbe-Democrat.
, '''
DruRlsta would rathei sell 'if podhd
f cure than an ounce of prcvaoUoo,
Watch Your Kidneys !
That "bid back" U probably due to
weak kidneys. It ahowa in a (lull,
throbbing backache or sharp twinges
when atoopine. You have headaches,
too, diziy apella, a tired, nervous feel
ing and irregular kidney action. Don't
ncRlpot it tiicre is dancer of dropay,
gravel or Bright's diacaee! Use Doan's
Kidney Pills. Thousands have saved
themselves more aerioua ailments by
the timely use of Voan'$. Ask your
neighbor I .
An Oklahoma Case
N Carl Groves,
I T5 machinist, 110 K.
JSj Cameron 6t. Tul-
V - -'T sa, Okla., a0'n:
I V "I waa down with
." kidney trouble
. 4-' - 3k and my back
; jvjnaa to lay on
I yKiffrJ'fp from work. I
lT X cou'd s"et no relief
' 1 and every move
J. pained awfully.
-v My klilneya didn't
used Doan's Kid
ney Pills and they Rave me relief. My
kidneys haven't troubled me since.
Cat Doan's km Store, 60e a Boa
DOAN'S SDTiV
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New Method
Nuj'ol is a lubricant,
not a laxative.
Without forcing or irri
tating, Nujol softens the
food waste. The many
tiny muscles in the
intestines can then re
move it regularly. Ab
solutely harmless-try.it.
WHEN THEY ASKED
GRANDMA PARK
ABOUT CONSTIPATION
She Just placed some root and herbs In
hot water and made the tea which has
made her known ail over the world. We
have combined her knowledge of nature
with the present-day methods of scientific
manufacture, and produced the original
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LIVER and STOMACH
TEA
Bewtfre of Imitations!
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It will absolutely relieve constipation,
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attention. GRANDMA'S LIVER ANI
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Ten full doaea to a package. At all druar
atorea.
Dont cougk
THE violent paroxysms of coughing
. soon eased by Dr. King's New
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remedy for colds. Children like it.
No harmful drugs. All druggists, 60c
Dr. King's
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For Colds and Cougns
Make Bowels Normal. isauiZeTi
way is the way of Dr. King's Pills
gently and firmly regulating the bowels,
eliminating the intestine clogging
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D PROMPT I WONT GRIPE
. r. Kinffs Pills
Let CHlicura Bo
Ycut Beady Doctor
Saaa 25c. Oinbneat 25 aaJ SOe, Talcaa Tx.
i ) 1 1 in
1 lj eld i vc. nfOrCfr
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wotlj. livery womaa who has Wwd t
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