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GRADY COUNTY PROGRESS, CAIRO, GEOKGia.
AUTHOR OF “THE OCCASIONAL OFFENDER,'
. “THE WIRE TAPPERS,” “GUN RUNNERS," ETC.
NOVELIZED FROM THE PATHE PHOTO PLAY OF THE SAME NAME
tatnittIL ***** »V AUTHUK »T»IN«>
FIRST EPISODE
On Windward iBland.
Tho sea wind, freshening as the
bun fell low, riffled the shallower chan
nel waters and Btruck Inland to cool
the heat-baked dunes of Windward
Island.
'I On the most westerly lip of that
E eland, shaded by a grovo of rustling
luenlyptus trees, a man nnd woman
stood staring across tho boryl-tlnted
sea-arm to where tho shoros of South
Carolina lay low and dim in tho dis
tance.
"You wero not made for a life like
Ithls," Bald the man, speaking with that
full-vowoled softnoBB peculiar to tho
Italian voice.
“It's tho only life I’ve known for
Inine long years," she answered, with
out looking at him.
"And It's the only life you ever will
know," he declared with sudden bold-
jiess, “If you refuse to wake up to tho
fact that your husband Is mad. I am
a physician, and I know. No sano man
brings a woman to an iBland like this,
to an Island that’s only lit for clams
and Beagulls, and spends the best
years of his life—yes, and her life—
looking for a nitrate'mine that never
existed, and nover could exist in such
a place.”
"But my husband's workmen have
found traces of nitrate,” protested
Mrs. Golden, fixed In her determina
tion of loyalty.
Polidorl, tho Italian, laughed softly.
"And that nitrate, dear lady, was
planted thero by Goldon himself. For
your hUBband is deceiving you. He’s
searching for gold, yellow gold, mil
lions of dollars worth of gold. But
that gold he will novor find, for It
exists only in his imagination."
"I cannot listen to words like that,”
protested the azure-eyed wife; “I will
not!"
"That’s because you are afraid of
tho truth. Why do you suppose Golden
has spent thousands and thousands in
saving his miserable island from the
ocean? Why lias ho put up seawalls
and dykos, and constructed a groat
levoo like that to keep tho open At
lantic from encroaching on theBO
precious sand fields of his, at every
high tide? Why, except to keep t}ie
water back from that buried treasure
of his? And what has all this mad
ness brought to you?"
'T think I regret only the day that
brought you to Windward island,” she
quietly replied, ob their eyeB met.
“And I, too, shall regret that day
If It moans I must go away empty
handed.”
“I think my husband would kill you
If ho heard you Bpeak to me like
this!”
Palldori shrugged a shoulders.
He is at least watching us from the
porch of tho manor house there," an
nounced the Italian. “And that I
must accept as a compliment.”
"Then we must go back,” said the
woman, visibly alarmed.
“And you go back not believing in
me?" asked Palldori as he walked be-
Blde her.
“I cannot believe you or bollevo in
you! Even if what you say is true,
how should you know Ills maps and
papers aro worthless?"
"If you doubt mo, I merely ask that
you hand me your husband's keys.
Then I will bring to you a bag of this
Chilean nltrato that ho keeps hidden
away In his inner study, that he scat
ters about in the plantation sandB to
salt his famous mine with. You hesi
tate, naturally. But it this is not true,
why should that Inner room be sc
jealously lockod and guarded?”
“It is guarded only because the
Golden jewels are kept there,” was
the triumphant retort; “JewelB worth
a king’s ransom!”
“Yet his lovelleBt jewel is not kopt
under lock and key,” murmured Pall
dori. "Unless you tell me you will
bring that key to tho shrubbery be
yond the manor house I will take you
in my arms here, under your husband's
eyes!"
“Stop!” cried tho unhappy wife, as
he Btepped closer to her.
“Will you bring the key?” for Pall
dori knew that Jewels worth a king's
ransom were also worth one final ef
fort.
She hesitated, white-faced, as he re
peated the command.
“Yes,” she gaBpcd, as a fair-haired
nervously acknowledged the old re
tainer.
Golden Reaped to his feet. He strode,
white-faced, through tho silent house,
hurried on along the narrow garden
paths, and suddenly slackened his
paco as ho approached the thick shrub
bery boyond. Tho sound of voices
camo to his ear. Creoplng forward ho
cautiously parted the bronchos, There,
Bcreenod from the world about them,
Palldori stood gazing down Into hiB
wife's eyoB.
“I cannot give you the key,” ho
hoard hor say. "My hUBband still has
It.”
“Then what can we do?" askod the
Italian.
“I will give It to you tonight. It
will be safer then,” was tho quaver
ing answer.
"Then you must give me more than
the key,” murmured Palldori.
Golden, dropping back, Btaggered
away like a stricken animal and heard
no more. His last hope had withered
out. Tho worst was known. Ho ro-
entered his home, like a man In a
dream. He sat gray-faced at his desk,
a sweat of agony beading his great
body. Thon, after an hour of Bilent
wrestling with his soul, the natural
belligerency of the fighting man awak
ened in him. Seeing only one course
before him, he sent curtly for. three
of Ills retainers, three huge negroes
whom he knew he could trust. To
each of these he handed out a belt and
holster containing a revolver. Thon
he briefly and coldly gave his orders.
“This island,” ho grimly announced,
"makos Its own laws!"
And late that night, when the hour
for his Intervention drew nearer, he
was almost able to exult In finding
something against which to centralize
all Ills earlier vague suspicions. He
moved with both calmnesB and pre
cision. He showed tho quick instinct
of the trained hunter In seeking cover
behind the heavy portieres, for the
French window beside him command
ed a view of both the library within
and tho moonlit garden without. And
along the shrubbery of this garden he
soon detected Palldori stealing, car
rying a traveling-bag In his hand and
a coat over his arm. Through the soft
ly lighted library, a minute later, the
figure of Golden’s wife slowly ad
vanced. She crept out through the
French windows, which stood open,
stepped down Into the garden, and
passed on through the shrubbery to
where Palldori stood waiting in tho
shadows.
The -watching husband could see the
two come together, ho could hear the
murmur of whispering voices, he could
sea Palldorl's hand go out and clasp
the woman's.
"I will not go alone. I lovo you,
and I want you to be happy!”
The woman’s answer could not be
heard. But Palldori, stopping sudden
ly forward, clasped her in his arms,
and forced back her head until his
lips smothered the cry that rose to
her own.
It was then that tbe planter stamped
on tho wooden floor, not with more
rage, but as a signal to bis waiting
servants. Ho could hear his wife’s
call for help, for already Ills three
huge negroes had dartod through the
buBhes and surrounded Palldori.
The Italian, drawing his revolver
as be wheeled about, found his fire
arm suddenly knocked from his hand.
Even beforo Golden could reach him
be was seized and overpowered -and
held a prisoner. The master of the
manor, once his path was plain, was
not given to hesitation.
"Tio up that man,” was his curt
command, “and-take him to tho manor
cellars!”
Then Golden turned to his wife.
"Y’ou will come with me!” he said,
as he pointed towards tho open
French windows.
It was not until Bhe reached the
center of the lighted room that she
turned and regarded him with wound
ed yet pleading eyes.
- "You have dishonored my home,
and my name. That leaves you only
one thing to do. You will go from
that home,” he cried, with increasing
passion. “I want you to go, and go
now, and never cross my path again!”
"Walt!” she cried, with her hand
on her heart. "Listen to—”
"It Is too late for words, I said. Un
til you leave this house, I cannot
breathe in It."
“But I did nothing wrong. Oh, God,
child of six ran lightly from the manor It I had only known! If I—'
house steps to meet her mother. j “I want you to go!” he repeated.
Palldori, lighting a cigarette, turned j Golden’s hand trembled as she
carelessly away and sauntered to- ' passed out through the door, but oth-
rward the shrubbery of the eastern erwise he gave no sign of the feelings
point. Margory, the fair-lialred child, swaying him.
chattered and fluttered birdlike about I He took a great breath, strode
her silent mother as she approached across .the room, passed down the si-
the house and passed Inside. But on { lent hall, and threw open tho mas-
the wide loggia Enoch Golden, stern-' slve oak door that led to the manor
eyed and grim-lipped, paced back and cellars.
forth, seared by the fires of jealous ' These cellars were a series of
suspicions. He wheeled about and gloomy chambers, almost dungeonlike
strode into the house. . | In the massiveness of their walls, a
He passed through the quiet room relic of the older slave days when
until he came to his study and rang Windward Island was both a dlstribut-
for a servant. , lug point for the African traders and
"Ask Mrs. Golden to come here," he a raiding place for the Caribbean froe-
commanded. hooters. In the largest of these ebam-
“She’s down In the shrubbery at berB still stood the time-worn whip-
the East point with Doctor Palldori,”
ping post, tho archaic branding Irons,
tho heavy oak stocks in which recal
citrants wore punished, togothor with
that flowor of Inquisitional ferocity,
tho SpnnlBh Screw-Jack, an elabora
tion of the tliumbscrow, In which a
prisoner's hand could bo inserted and
slowly crushed to a pulp. Yet cruel
ns scorned those old-tlmo implements
of torluro, Btnlncd with tho tears nnd
blood of another country, they woro
no moro cruel than tho rofontloss light
In Golden's eyes ns ho confronted his
prisoner, tied and trussod In a black
oak chnlr closo beside the old Span
ish Screw-Jack. Tho drunkenness of
blind rage snng through tho planter’s
voinB as ho watched his stalwart ne
groes thruBt tho ancient branding iron
Into its brazier of hot coals.
"That Is the hand that polluted her
body," his heart kopt crying, as ho
commanded tho blacks to force Pall-
dorl’s froo arm into the Bcrow-Jack.
"And now crush it!" ho called aloud.
He wuited for sorao outcry as the
screw tightened on flesh nnd bone.
But tho Italian romatned silent. Gold
on, now white to tho lips, ordored
tho negro beside him to take up the
branding Iron. "For that is the face,"
a voice within the tronzled man’s
hoart kept crying, “that violated her
faco!”
Tho nogro knocked tho coal cinders
from tho glowing iron. Palldorl's mus
cles hardened. But still ho was silent.
"Brand tho dog!" commanded Gold
en. "And alter today I warrant this
handsome faco will bring dishonor in
to fewer homoB!"
Once, nnd once only, as the heated
metal scared tho flesh, Palldori
scroamod aloud.
“That's enough," Golden suddenly
gaBpcd, as he stead-led himself against
“Tain’t no uso, mnstn,” cried the ter
rified negro. "Day's a’ready flooded
more'n man-doep. And wo'so all a'goln’
to bo drowned—O Gawd, wo'so all
goin’ to bo drowned!”
"Get down to those pumpB!" thun
dered Goldon. "And get those sluice
gates shut!"
Ho hud crossed tho room, catching
up his hat and coat as ho went, and
wns already out through the door as
ho finished speaking.' Twenty steps
brought him to tho loggia ratling. And
Golden knew thnt no tlmo was to bo
lost, for already tho Boa had crept to
tho Up of tho munor gardorf Itself.
"Get down to tho wharf-cut and
bring the boats,” ho commanded. Then
ho swung back to his household serv
ants, ordering them to carry above-
stairs everything they could seize.
Then, ob the water rose about his
foot, he suddenly turned and ruBhed
back into tho manor house.
“Margory," he callod, like a man
gone mad. "Margory, whore aro you?”
But that call remained unanswered,
for the old nogro nurse, at the first
shouts of nlarn), had caught up the
child and carried hor out through the
sorvants' entrance, on tho way to the
wharf-cut where Bhe know the boats
to be moored. Tho child had provod
too heavy for the quivering old arms,
so she had left the girl, with her kit
ten still clutched to hor breast, safe
In tho doorway of n cotton-shod, while
Bho hersolf staggered out on Infirm
old legs to solzp an empty punt drift
ing by on tho rising wator. But tho
current was too strong for her, and
as the negress and boat were carried
away tho wator rose still higher about
tho child's feet. Yet, thinking more
of her frightened kitten than of her
own peril, as the flood crept closer'
1—“Brand the Dog!" Commanded Golden. 2—Catapulted His Adversary
Over His Shoulder. 3—He Hurried Her Out of the Room.
Legato In his meretriciously sumptu
ous sitting rooin. . ,Fqr.-"a)lflj»",iWhat-.
over his aspirations In crookdom, wns
still a more underling.
and tho taxi and bo ready.”"'
Yet he'sho'wott no exdltatlBh ab’ho
followed the hobbling Owl along a
darkened passageway and up a flight
'Who sent this?" .4pmai\dod .,Casa-, of wooden stairs-leddhig- to-the floor
vanll as ho took a note from his vIb- above.
one of the cellar pillars. "Now turn
him loose. And If ho is seen on this
Island, after an hour’B time, shoot him
like a dog!”
A nervous swent still showed in tv
scattering of high lights across thB
planter’s sinewy faco as ho locked him
self in his study nnd stared blankly
about tho empty room. Tho wino of
rage had already ebbed from his
blood. Exultation no longer shone in
his steely eyes. He crossed Blowly to
the window nnd closed it. IIo failed
to see, as ho did so, tho stricken figure
that slunk like a wounded snake out
through the garden shrubbery, tho
figure that nursod a crushed hand, yet,
at the brink of tho manor garden,
turned Wratlifully about nnd held his,
uninjured arm obovo his head as ho
said; “May my other hand wither off,
If you do not pay, and pay a thousand
fold, for this!"
But Golden noither saw nor heard,
for nil his being was centered about
his own misery of mind. «.
His faco was still burled in his
hands whon the old negro nurso
opened tho door and his llttlo daugh
ter, Margory, In hor nightdress and
holding a doll under .her arm, crept
In to hor father's side.
“Whore is mamma?" asked tho child
at hor father's knee. Golden steadied
htmsolt with an effort.
“You have no mamma,” ho finally
Bald, looking away.
“But mamma was hero.”
It was too much for tho torn and
passion-tossed father.
“Take hor away," he cried out to
the old negress. “For God’s sake, take
her away!”
Yet even whon nlono again his
agony of mind romatned with him, and
again ho sat in a stupor of misery
beforo his doslt.
He was roused by the sudden clam
or of voices, the excited cries-of run
ning negroes. He stared stupidly
about him, pulling himself together.
Thon ho roBe nnd wont to the window.
As ho did so a negro, liatlesB and coat-
loss, staggered In through the study
door.
"Someone’s done opened all the
sluico gates. The sea's a-floodln’ the
Island!”
Golden was already on his feet.
“Got Johnson and his men down to
the East punjps, and start them work
ing,” ho called out. “And you, Stark,
get Stevens and hiB men out to those
sluico gates and work them shut. Get
them shut if you have to swim out to
them!”
the child clambered up the broken tim
bers of the cotton-shed to tho roof.
There she sat, calling forlornly for
her lost nurae.
Golden, in tho meantime, raged
through the flooded manor house
threatening and storming and com
manding hts sorvants to find his child.
He was still deep In that agonized
search when three of his old serv
ants appeared with a small surf boat
and called frantically for him to come,
while there was still time.
Golden, water-soaked and wild-eyed,
refused their help, ordering them
away and proclaiming that he would
find his daughter. But as he stum
bled amid the drifting wreckage and
fell against the boatside the negroes
dragged him aboard and pushed off,
for already the wator had weakened
tho manor foundations and the walls
wore falling about them.
Their progress was slow. It was
with difficulty in those wild currents
that they threaded their way amid the
levee timbers, outbuildings and melan
choly debris of the plantation. Moro
swiftly-moving, in fact, was a second
boat which one of the negroes sud
denly caught Bight of.
Golden, rousing himself at his serv
ant’s shout, saw that this second craft,
rowed by a boarded white man, was
bearing down on a nearby cotton-shod.
At tho samo momont that ho caught
sight of his daughter Margory on the
roof of this shed he mnde out tho fig
ure of Palldori himself directing the
movements of tho bcardod man so
frenziedly rowing tho boat.
“My child—they will kill my child!"
gasped Goldon.
Open laughter showed on Palldorl’s
sinister face, as with his sound arm
ho held tho struggling figuro in white
cIobo to his side.
“Have no fear of that," ho called
back across tho swirling water, as his
bearded confederate bent to the oars.
“She will live. But sho will live In a
way that will leave you praying she
bad died!”
• ***•*»
Twelve Years Later,
Cnsavantl, the cadot, was a firm up
holder of the pregnancy of apparel.
He believed in keeping up appear
ances. He even reveled in his appel
lative of the Beau Nash of the Ten-
dorloln. His clothes wore of the lat
est cut and from tho folds of his nov
elty cravat always flashed a "shiner”
of the first water. There was, accord
ingly, almost a note of condescension
in his manner as ho received “Slim"
ltor'u hand.
“Logar," was tho answer. Tho cadet
puffod languidly at a cigarette aB ho
opened tho note and read It.
The girt I spoke of will come to
night at twelve.. You w.KI find her n
flower that Is ripe for the picking.
And once the flower gSto In' yotir
hands I want It kept there.—Jules.
Casavantl rostored the letter to Its
envelope. Then ho stood thoughtfully
regarding Ills \tsltor.
“Did anyono she you come hero?”
ho asked. . • ?
“Not; thnt I wns wjse to," wns Slim's
prompt roply. . •>' ■'
"Then soo that you get as quietly
away!"
Slim Legato, accordingly, kept a
weather oyo open ns ho omorged to
the street. Nothing suspicious met
his gaze. It was not until he had do-
Bconded tho steps and reached tho
curb that a closed limousine, running
as quietly as a frozen rivor, flowed
along tho pavement little moro than
ton paceB away from him. At the
first corner It turnod sharply and
stopped, obstructing tho crossing.
Tho debonnir Slim drew up, blink
ing suspiciously at the mysterious ve
hicle. Then he blinked even harder,
for from tho open door- window of the
limousine a gloved hand had unmis
takably beckoned to him. And the, re
markable part of It all, to Slim, was
the fact that tho drawn car curtains
concealed everything but that mys
teriously beckoning hand.
Slim promptly dbclded to Investi
gate. But he algo decided to advanco
with caution. Beforo ho could place a
foot on tho runntngboard, however,
and thrust a portly inquisitive head
into the hooded gloom of tho car, that
car began to move forward again. Yet
before it passed from his reach tho
gloved hand thrust into hls own an en
velope.
On this envelope was clearly In
scribed;
"Dr. Ludwjg Palldori,
Care of Jules Legar,”
and beneath these wordB Slim’s be
wildered eyes'made out the unmistak
able emblem of a laughing mask. What
It meant was more tjian he could tell.
So inscrutable did this mystery
seem, In fact, that Slim, after one’min
ute of deep thought, promptly yet de
licately Blipped the blade of hls pen
knife along the gummed flap of the
envelope and forced It open. On a
single sheet of paper he found written
the cryptic words;'
“Remember the Hammer of God,
which smites, and crushes whom It
smites!”
Slim, tho gay cat and gangster, puz
zled much over .this messago as he
restored It ,to Its violated envelope
and adroitly resealcd-the flap.
"Now, who t’ell’s gettin’ his little
knocker out f’r the Doc?” demanded
that bewildered "worthy of himself as
he made his guarded way back to the
underworld rendezvous which -was
known to his confreres as the Owl’s
Nest
The Owl's Nest proper was an un
savory cellar room in one of tho most
unsavory sections of the lower East
side. Years before it .had been a. wine
cellar, presided over by a Neapolitan
of Mano Nero affiliations, until a fed
eral shoo-fly, in sesarch for “coiners,"
had been found stilottoed behind one
of its casks of Marsala, whereupon
the Neapolitan had. vanished and" In
due time the Owl herself had taken
possession of the quarters.
With the advent of Jules Legar, the
mysterious center of a mysterious cir
cle of evildoers about whom, sho
knew, it never paid to be too tnqusi-
tive, life had become easier for her.
Her collar, inconspicuous in a dis
trict so crowded with equally dubious
warrens, had provod precisely tho type
of quarters the leader of the now cir
cle was in need of. And as Legar him
self stepped down into the cellar, ad
vancing with his peculiarly padded
tread as softly as an animal steals In
to its lair, the Owl romemberod that
the hour of her reward was not far
distant. For sho had proved a jealous
guardian of tho fair-haired girl whom
Legar saw fit'to-keep hidden bo long
from the world.
, It was plain to Bee that Legar was
accepted as a leador by the half dozen
dips and gangsters and moll-buzzers
into whose midst he had so quietly
Blipped.
“Where’s Legato?" he curtly asked
as ho glanced about the circle.
That question answered itself, for
even as it was put Legato himself
Blipped down into the dim light of tho
Owl’s collar.
“What's this?" demanded Legar, as
the new-comer, without spooking,
handed tho letter of mystery to hls
chief.
Bent over a tablo boslde the barred
window ho saw a girl, a girl still In
her tcenB, a girl with a look of In
alienable innocence still In her mourn-
she shrank back, lotting the locket
which she had just tied about' her
neck fall from her trembling fingers.
’■Dop’t cower thnt way!” command
ed Legar. "I haven’t como to boat
you. I guess the Owl gave you enough
of that."
“Then why are you here?" the ques
tioning eyeB seemed to ask him, {
“I’ve come to tell you I think yoi’vo
had about enough of this sort of thing.
It’s going to bo stopped, and you’re
going to see tho world!’ 4 !
"You’re going to set me frtjb?”
gasped tho incredulous girl. |
“Freo as a bird!” announced the
ironic Legar. “And with as fine feath
ers os any bird that ever flew!”
“I’m to bo free?” she repeated, still
dazed. ’
“Sure! So get your things together,
and do it quick. There’s a taxi wait
ing downstairs. That taxi will carry
you straight to my friend Casavantl.
Casavantl is always kind to women,
amazingly kind.” •
He stood, ferret-eyed and impassive,
watching . the girl. as she feverishly
gathered together her meager belong
ings. He hurried her out -of tho room,
then along tho passage and down tho
narrow stairway and out to* tho Street
where the taxi waited.
There McTlguo sat ready for her,. .
Thnt worthy remained silent, how
ever, as a sob or two shook the glrl|s
body and a light of exultation shone
from her timorous eyes. Sho too re
mained silent as they threaded their
way through the darkened streets and
drew up before a brown-stone house.
Up to the door of this house McTIgue
led the still wondering young woman.
There hls finger played cryptically on
tbe eloctric push bell, sounding Casa-
vanti’s pass signal, and a momont
later the door mysteriously opened and
tho girl found herself alone. Even
before the door could close behind her
a silent-running limousine swung up
to the curb and a hurrying figuro
stepped from , its runntngboard. But
before that figure cpuld -mount tbe
steps and reach the house ontranco
tho heavy door had swdng shut,again.
And the wtdei-eyed girl, following a
footman in service uniform,.-mqun.ted
the stairs to Casavantl’s private
room. ;
Casavantl, as he looked up and saw
her, lot the cigarette fall from hls thin-
lipped mduth.
“The Doe waB dead right,” he said
under his breath. “She’s a flowor, all
right!”
Then, still watching the girl, he
said aloud: "Are you afraid of me7” ,
“No,” was her answer.
“Then come here,” ho commanded.
But she still stood gazing wonder-
lngly about the room. A suspicion
that all was not as it should be had
crept over her.
“Why was I sent here?” she de
manded, as Casavantl, white faced,
Btepped closer to her.
“For this,” he replied, as with a
sudden movement hls arms went olit’
and encompassed her shrinking body.
She fought and struggled In that con
taminating embrace, but hor strength
was not equal to her captor’s. Casa-
vantl, bending her body close..to his,
cupped hls impassioned lips over her
parted lips. It was several seconds be
foro he lifted his head.
Before he did so, however, the closet
door-pn hls right opened’and a figure
stepped noiselessly out into the room.
It was tho figure of a man who wore'
a laughing mask.
“One.word, you hound, and it’s your
last!" said the quiet-toned volco be
hind tho mask. But the revolver re
mained pointing at Casavantlls head
as the stranger took the girl’s hand'
and backed slowly towards the hall
door. He groped for tho door handler ’
leveled hls weapon and still-watched
Cnsavantl. But tho door, he dlBcov--
ered, was locked. Perplexed, for one
short second he turned and looked for
tho key. But in that instant the tenso-
limbed Casavantl, beholding the re
volver barrel waver from its targoti’
saw hls chance and leaped for hls
enemy. . I-
Tho force of that impact sent the
mysterious Intruder staggering against
tho wall and the revolver itself clat-.
toring. across tho floor. The girl"
screamed In terror as the two con
tending figures fought and writhed
about the room. Hurrying steps and
voices were already sounding from '
outside the locked door, and Casa
vantl, knowing the slimness of his.
, T , . „ chances, was battling like a wildcat.’
J W “ t J°, fl " d -°"V.. ** th « m *“ ln the mask, with an
odd and quite unexpected movement .•
of tho body, brought into play that
familiar jiu-jitsu trick of catapulting
an adversary over hls own shoulder,-
depending on the force of'the fall,
alone for any final result. And the
fall In this case was not n gentle one.-
Seeing that CaBavant! did not movo
whore ho lay, the stranger took tho
doorkey from the stunned- cadet’s *
pocket and called out for the girl to
follow him.
A moment later they entered tho
limousine and drove quickly away.
"I guess that's one on Legar!" mur
mured the still breathless man In the
mask.
“Who aro you?" domanded the
young woman.
"I’m only a hammer," was the sud
denly sobered roply. "The Hammer
was Slim’s retort. “A gink in a Fit'
avenue go-cart hands me this and
speeds off.”
Legar tore open the envelope. His
ferrety eyes narrowed as ho unfolded
tho sheet.
"Tho Hammer of God again!" he
said with a sneer. But a troubled look
crept ipto his face as ho stood study
ing tho message and the envelope ln
which that message had come, Then
he laughed. But it was a laugh with
out mirth. “Palldori?" he muttered.
“Why should I know anything about
a man named Palldori?”,
"Then we’ll strike beforo the Ham
mer does!” he announced, with sud
den determination. And with a ges
ture of Impatience he commanded tho
Owl to take him to tho girl, tho hid
den girl on whom still hinged hls
dreams of vengeance. “McTIgue," he 1 0 f God "
“"~ 1 wu u* he went, "get Tatano |- ’ (TO be CONTINUED.)