FIRST INSTALMENT
CHAPTER I
"But you are going to marry him
Peggy V" . f*??i
There was an agitation ;n th<
voice of Rex Lefevre that uMos
startled his .sister.
"What makes you shy that?" sin
asked. *T><?es it mean that ! an
! reakiri<^ off iry engagement becaus<
Luke is a bad host and has kept u
wailing teti iViiiiutes?"
They Were in the palm court o
the Carlton.
She stood apart with the yeunji
man who was her only ielation, am
no stranger seeing them would im
;.^rine them to he brother and sister
gelt was red-haired, weak-chinned. *
fretful young man with a nervou:
rrick of adjusting his dress tie even
few minutes.
Margaret Leferre had the carriage
and poise of the great lady. She wai
: air-skinned. faultless of feature
^ray-eyed?a model of cold diernitv.
"I don't know." Rex was nibbling
at his nails; he could riot be curec
f this ujily habit. "Only Luke is i
1 !? k
The man who held him must h:
ally and in the most eftortle&s la!
placed hirn on his feet.
ood f.i'i.'w?in a way. Rather
'-i?-ht\v ad."
"Have \wu been borrowing more
again?** she asked, and he \vrigj*l?
.moomfoWablv.
"No?what rot! Oniy Dimly and
had a scheme . .
-She !tn5ked H'--H??yl ;Othai_ momon
Sunn Vwiu' .)). lrnnu; i ? -i ilnvl
?yed OanUm Morrell Nvas watch in
v,, rn."
Luke Maddison came through it
vestibule with long strides. He pause
16 strip his overcoat ami take off h
silk hat, which he almost threw ;
an attendant, and took one step t<
ward the door. As he did so his fo<
slipped sideways on the marble floe
and he would have fallen unploasan
ly hut for the hand that sudden!
. ripped his arm.
The man who held him must ha\
3 been unusually strong, for he lite:
ally; and in the most effortless fas!
ion, lifted Luke Maddison bodily an
placed him on his feet. Luke tit rue
himself looking into a hard, line
face, the color of teak; into two in
smiling- eyes, expressionless.
"Thank you -awfully!"
'4I am glad I was here. Fortunate]
I always wait in the lobby when I ai
expecting- people to dinner. Gooc
night."
Two lives touched at the Carlto
that January night?touched an
went looping away one from the ptl
ei, iu tontii iigitm in a iiioniem n
crisis. Rough roads they were: a bil
ter, heart-aching road for one,
methodical hell for the less favoret
to be tramped with that cynical srrajj
with which "Gunner" Haynes met ev
ery misfortune.
Luke Maddison saw life like tha
?a bewildering; mass of crossing: an
parallel paths. If he fell into error i
was in believing: that his own was th
straight-as-a-ruier highway to whic
and from which all other paths in
clined or diverged.
Gunn|r Haynes, whose strong arr
had saved him from a fractured wris
or worse, had no collateral wort
speaking about. His principal asset
were an immaculate dress suit, a cul
tared voice, and perfect maimers
which more than overcame the han
dicap represented by his lean, daik
sinister face. He lived God know
where, but was to be seen at sucl
of the best hotels as did not knov
him for an expect jewel thief.
They called him 'Gunner*' be cans
of certain happenings in New Yorl
City. It was said hut never proved
that he was the mar. who bumped of:
Lew Selinski, that notorious ganj
leader, and shot his way throug!
Lew's gunmen to the safety reprc
sented by a cattle boat which sailei
from the Hudson River an hour afte
the police reserves answers a rio
call.
Nnhnilv hi?d pvpr sppti him with
pistol in England; but the detective
who arrested him a year after hi
return to his native land fully ex
oeeted run play and came armed.
'When he came up for Irial, iiuuvu
came near him: not his pretfy wif
or his best friend, I>arry Vinmar
Larry was a prince of confidenc
men, young, good looking, plausible
There might be excellent reaso
why Larry should not wish to drav
attention to himself by appearing i:
court; no reason why Millie shoul
not write or do something. She ha
a thousand pounds in hard cash;
good lawyer could have been briefed
?JV: * our when the Guuuu Lad cctt f?
her, she had left the lodging hous
they had occupied. He never sav
her again. A few months before hi
release he heard that she had diei
in a workhouse infirmary.
PM? ,
5v Ms M *53?
iNLHiAki ^3
t
7 copycight e
The Gunner's smile whph Ke heat I a
this was a grim one. He always c
. smiled when he was hurt?and as he v
smiled now. his heart was one great
I- throqbmg wound.
t So he came from prison, and in f
due course to the Carlton Hotel, j
where Mr. Luke Maddison was cele-I 1
i oratb&'g his engagem&nt. Of Luke he .
knew nothing what had brought \
- him there v as a jewel box which s
American lady kept in # the h
f hotel safe all day and In Her neu- 1
ioo?? between I1 p. m. and I a. m.
: Gun wr Haynes had taken a room
1 or. Cue same floor. Y
"What was he like ? in appear-! t
. aike?" Danton asked Luke Maddi- )
i son. V
Danton's voice sounded a little
, hoarse, as though he were speaking v
from a dry throat.
"Who?the man who held me up?" s
> And when the other nodded Luke i
. went on: "A dark-looking fellow---I j
thought he anight be a German?two 1
r scars across his right cheek?the sort I
1 of wound that duelling student love c
. fa :U'iuiih> I vhiiitrnhnr vVir?r? i was I
1
^ /M^pl !
ive boon unusually strong, for ho li'.orshion
lifted Luke Maddison bodily and j j
a! at school in Bonn . .
j Da'hton was not listening nnw. j
y Two scare across the right cheek!
d I Then he. had not heen mistaken. The
| question v. as. had" uie-^iu
J nirrcd him ' it was seven vears since
they had met?pan ton hail heon
t.; clciuirshaven ..and rat her towheaded
c-iin these days. AJuTie Tuayhes uscu in gjeajt
him "the gold-haired hoy" in the
| days of her fascination. He had
ie | grown a mustache and darkened his
djhaiii* down since then?he no longer
is: filled the police description of Lai
u rv v mnmn. no maue tne cnango f
>- long after he bad thrown over Mil- j
?t ;lie and left her to drift to a work- j
>r! house infirmary. !t had been ten - j
t-idevod necessary bv rhe success of ai
yi trick which had left an Australian.
I squatter poorer by eight thousand
e! pounds, and the subsequent aotivir-'ties
of Scotland Yard's conf itlence
)- i squad.
d i Luke Maddison was cheery. The
<i| ma Sage was to he quiet, and only i
dja fe\y guests were to he invited. Re!
i- had only a few minutes before ar
ranging hi? train reservations ? no
5 secretary should perforin that sacred
viduty!
-,1! T hat night Mr. Horace Bird, dej.
j tective, known as the Sparrow, was
I called to number 342. Brook Street
n | Assisted by the white-faced Mr. Dan,j!
ton Morrell. he burst open the doo*
; of a bedroom, and there he found
f Ron Leferre, dead by his own hand.
L-j He lay on the floor, a revolver by
a: his-side: the quick-eyed Danty saw
p, the note scvihbied in pencil on a
e; small telephone message block, and
-J his band closed over the paper. An .
hour later Margaret Leferre, pale j'
t and lovely in her silken negligee.
cj read the message the detective had
t j not seen,
e
h! Margaret darling, I have lost,
i-; For months ! have -keen gr.rn- 1
bling. Today I took a desperate i
ii step on the advice oL Luke Mad
tj dis.on. He has led me tb^ruin-? !
h money is his uod. ! -beg bf you
s not to trust him. He has led me
from or.c act of folly to another.
God bjess you.
REX.
^ ' ' ' I
s She read the pitiful message again
H and again. Luke Maddison: the man
L": she was to marry in a week!
For two days Margaret Leferre
\ moved in a world of hideous unrealv.
ity. Strange people interviewed her:
>, a tall, big-framed man, who was
pj strangely sympathetic hi his heavy
*i \vay; a bank manager who talked!
1 j wildly and incomprehensibly until!
~; Danty appeared and whisked him off. i '
J \ One thunderous fact hammered [
It night and day at her weary brain?
" Rex was dead by his own hand, and j
the man she was to marry, the man
a who, frantic with anxiety, was calls
ing three times a day and being res
fused admission to her. was the
cause. Money was his god!
Luke had been at his office since i
y eight o clock, i*ii iioui Ldmc the are
rival of the staff, and here hisr beardi.
ed manager found him, sitting at his
e table, his head in his hands, his per!.
sonal letters unopened. 1
n Maddison looked up with a start
v as the manager entered. 1
n "Hullo!" he said awkwardly. "Is
d there anything wrong?" '
d There Were many things wrong
a from the point of view of Mr. Stiles.
; that shrewd man of affairs. He laid
^ a small sheaf of papers on the table
e | and detailed the contents ol the doc i,
umcnts bricfly.
s| "Here are four or five transacj
i Lions that ought to be closed today,
I Mr. Maddison. I am rather worried
THE WATAUGA DEMOCRAT?E
p>si nflEfs5
igj'Eyyjiii si
/L?r
?V EDGAR WALLACE
iboai them. The Gulanga Oil atounts
should be settled. We made a
evy considerable loss there."
Luke nodded impatiently.
"SeUk it." he sain. **N"n message
rom?from Miss Lcferre?*'
Gunner Haynes! He breathed f
it tie faster. Down his back ran :i
old shiver of apprehension. Suppose
ic had recognized his old friend
uppose he packed a gun. suppose
ie was waiting out there in the lob >
It was a stupid question to ask, foi
10 had a private phone ami he knew
hat any message that came froir
largaret would be put through tc
lim direct.
The manager shook n i s heat
rioomily.
A bad business, sir. I have nol
poken to you about it because 1 real
ze how badly you must be feeling
rhe Northern and Southern have
>een on the phone this morning aboul
hat check?you remember thej
lueried the signature yesterday?*'
"Yes, yes.' Luke's usually gentle
fjCtce was harsh. "Tell the manage!
t is all right."
"1 told him yesterday, as a mattei
if fact." Mr. Stiles was inclined tc
inger on a subject which was hateul
to the other. In desperation Lukr
everted to the question of the Gu
anga Oil Concession, and for one*
dr. .Stiles*s father interest in thi
>u sin ess irritated him.
"Ol* course, sir, 1 know that Madlison's
is as sound as a hell of brass
?ut there is no getting away from the
act that we have been making rathei
wa vy losses during the past sis
ncbths; and ! am afraid 1 shall have
b call upon your reserves. Person
illy." he went on. oblivious of Luke'j
trowing resentment. "1 have alivay:
gUieved we made a mistage in no!
: c out to a joins stock concern
n private banking lnumoss the pet
;onal security plays too big a pari
or my liking-?"
Mercifully the honss6 phone rate,
it that moment. L.lUe snatched uj
he receiver -and?shiLw;with :
'town.
"Yes. show hivo in, v-lea.-e." And
is he replaced '.he \ c? i. er. "1 an
seeing .Mr. Mo. 1< and I d > not '.visl
0 be intenupted." he said.
Mr. Stik-s made a tilth grimace
Lie had been all his iifo in the firn
!' Maddison & So. . arid he did no
idol called upon to disguise his dis
1 i kea>f _the_ ealle r.
There is something about thai fcl
' >w that 1 dislike very much. Mi
MuMdiroa. I hope-*?e i?re not goim
in carry his account';''
Luke shook iii.s head and noddc:
toward the door.
I5ar?w7v McrrH vu:r.e into r*.
atmosphere which he, sensitive i
such mailers, realized, was charge
with hosililily. Nevertheless he \va
bis smiling self, ami laid his car<
lully urushed silk hat upon the Ui
We. I .like aid not fail to notice tha
he wore a mom nine- tie, and thai
for some reason, was a further'strai
upon his jangled nerves.
"Sit down, will you?" His nianne
and voice were brusque. "You were
friend of poor Rex's?"
Danty inclined his head sorrow
fully.
"Yes, 1 was completely in his con
fidenee," he said. think 1 told yo
the day following his unfortunate?
Luke cut short the recollection.
"Were you so much in his eonfi
dence that you accompanied him t<
the Northern and Southern Ban!
three days ago when he cashed ;
check for eighteen thousand fiv
hundred pounds."
Danty opened his eyes wide h
v. ell-stimulated surprise.
"Why, of course," he said. "Re:
had made very heavy josses in tn
City and I advised him to see you.
understood you gave him a check fo
t.hnfr nmftimt "
"Did he* tell you that?" Luke's blm
eyes did not leave the man's face.
j WHAT DR. CALDWELL
LEARNED IN 47 I
j YEARS PRACTICE j
A physician watched the results o:
constipation for 47 years, and believer
that no matter bow careful people are 01
their health, diet and exercise, constipa
tion will occur from time to time. Ol
next importance, then, is how to treal
it when it- comes. Dr. Caldwell alwayi
was in favor of getting an close to natur<
as possible, hence his remedy for consti
jj' *- - T>r"__ ^V?l>ltpnUro f?vr?t
Pepsin, is a mild vegetable compound
It can not harm the system and is nol
habit forming. Syrup Pepsin is pleasant
tasting, and youngsters love it.
r?- n.u_!-ii ? >
mj i. vwuweu aia not approve o1
rlrastic physics and purges. He did not
believe they were good for anybody's
system. In a practice of 47 years he
never-saw any reason for their use when
Syrup Pepsin will empty the bowels just
as promptly.
Do not Jet a day go by without a
wmct iiiu?ctunw? x/v ai jv .icpd,
but go to the nearest druggist and get
one of the generous bottles of Dr. Caldwell'*
Syrup Pepsin, or write 'Syn;;
Pepsin," Dopt. BB, Monticello. Illinois;
for free trial bottle.
VERY THURSDAY?BOONE, N. C.
Dcvelopm*
;! Alaska \ \\
\ \\
H[ REINOE.-R OftMING
permits. i
RAMOE MOW U46D \ J
| ^ ^
Col. Samuel Hill of Scat
project to build the connecting I
> J road from Mexico lo the Far N
i tional boundary line. The Rein<
; i Srcal herds which serve as foocj
i - - =
"Certainly. Why. what was wrong:? i
I saw the check myself."
There was an uncomfortable pause 1
ami then:
' \ "Did you see him sign it?" askcil j
Luke deliberately.
: Danty's gaze did not falter.
i am afraid 1 dp hot understand!
" you.** lu? said evenly. "1 saw him en-;
: dorse it?"
.< ONTINUED NEXT WEEK) j
Man -So Nervous Feels
His Stomach Jump
'j "1 got to nervous my stomach felt
l! . . ... , . ,
TIIKf U was jurnprng.?vrinn- evvtir^iyi
{relieved the trouble. I fee* better
*, than in years." .1. ('. Duke.
1 'j Vieol is a compound of iron, phos
| phates. cod liver peptone, etc. The
\! ver\ first bottle makes you sleep
ij better and have :? DIG appetite. Ner"
vous, easily tired people are sur !
bo\v QUICK the iron, phos.
phat 'S, etc., give ne\V Ii fand pep?
ff j Viivd tastes delicious. Hodges Drug
, Company. ?Advertisement.
n j
11 why it cosi
"; I trade now
| GOC
; Complete Battery Recharging
y vice, and a Full Line of A
^ l Kinds of Radiator Antif
4 Freeze Solutions.
Centra
< V DISl
; < W. R. Winkler, Man
i
^ J. H. Winkler, Blowing Rock
?ti?
of Alaska Hastened by A
tic, famous international capitalist and p
link between British Columbia and Alask
orth. The road will pass through the Pea
jeer meat industry in Alaska is being fo
1 for the Eskimos.
GIVES THREE FACTORS
IN FARM MARKETING
Raise those things which will Ik
in demand, study the marketing process
and support a co-operative marketing
association are three vita
factors in efficient marketing by an\
North Carolina farmer.
"While Nit appears ridiculous t<
grow sonic product which will he
over-produced, and which will meei
severe competition, the imlividua
farmer cannot he in funned about
this unless he studies the outlook re
pons issued at the l'iist of each yeai
t)v jhe State arid Federal agricultu
rai authorities" says Dr. J. G. Knapp
-marketings oxnert at. State,.College
"The", outlook reports give the in
dividual grower knowledge of tin
probable production of certain crop:
| during the next year. It is econoroh
i suicide for the farmer to go on pro
ducing crops which are not wan ten
hv < < usumers and to net indepen
dently of what other proilucers in al
j puns of tne world are doing."
: Neither can farmers market offi
ertiv unless they know how th:
I e.
.?ut??.vo Aioni inc producer u
onsumer, says Dr. Kiiapp. Thi
general process of marketing is mad*
ts you next to
for safe new
)DYE
. v.v . "!
FIRST ?K?. i
tires offsets the winter's de
Worry alon jjwith your pr<
they'll have little trade-in
I put on now, will still be lik
winter wear on tires is far
travel over hot summer roi
Second, you escape the dela^
repairs on old tires. You ei
ping new Goodyears when i
The shrewd inves
his new Goodyeai
ter protection for
Phone for our esti
and talk it over.
_ good
Ser_ DOUBLE EAGLE,
? ' PATHFINDERS
Here, too!-?Moi
Goodye.
1 Tire Co
RIBUTORS FOR WATAUGA COUI
ager Bo
LOCAL DEALERS:
A. A. Greene, Deep Gap.
inhnnnnnrVfrWA
JANUARY 23, 1930. ^
^cu.- Highway
PGAC& W.a*c?
/{ | Portal
romoter of good iuacls, is hehiiid the
a which will make a continuous motor
cc Portal which stands on the 111 lemastered
by the Government which owns
I up of several services, the signifii
j cance of which must be mastered if
the farmer is to perform them well.
> There are also some steps in the
. marketing' progress which individuals
. cannot perform efficiently. Then
| comes the question of how to secure
\ this efficiency.
j Pi obabiy one of the best means of
, 'oihg this is' to work together co-op
ouatively in associations and thus get
> ; tiie service at cost. In some case's,
i the dealer has proved to he more efi
r ficici-t than 1- he co-bperative asso ition
but generally this Was because
the co-operative was poorly
nonaged. Today, the old-time dealer
. must clearly demonstrate his supeJ
ciority over the co-operative systeu.
- iiecausc the ratter system is making
j gbod all over the nation.
: L-iiiim-15 caillicl nopi* 10 nuif'Ket Ol
ficiently independently of each oth
or. \Vfgvir.g together, they can force
11 better service from the middleman or
- do the wftjrk themselves at cost prices,
hi declares Dr. Knapp.
-1 Eugene Knon, -1-H Club boy of
2 Union Mills, produced 87 .bushels of
> corn pn one acre, winning first prize
L'jin Rutherford County and second in
| the mountain district.
? nothing to I
i
ARS ;
we allow for your present
preciation on the Goodyears. ^
esent tires until spring, and ^
value. But new Goodyears, l
e new in the Spring because * l
less than when they have to 4
ids. 4
< " X
ps and costs of punctures and ^ U
niov t.S? nfolo a#
?J.J y 'f~ V n
t*% most needed. jk
tor trades now for C
's?to wet all-win- J
next to nothing! ^ i
mator?or drop in ^ f
%Ai i:
ALL-WEATHERS J !
i nr?r-> w-i ** * ???
>, arttuwAYS < \
re People ride on < *
ar Tire#. | >
mpany j
4TY >
one, North Carolina. < \
viiu Service Station, Vilas JV