Newspaper Page Text
ivIURSDAY. FEBRUARY 12.
SEVEN KEYS JO BALDPATE
By EARL DERR DIGGERS : : : : Copyright 1913 by the Bobbs-Merrill Co.
(Conunued from Yesterday)
"Cnn i lie.,i luu'r ' Hu* mayor de
inmnliil "Will, ilifiv anything about
' " . W
“I did my work. I want my pay.”
that In the agreement? I did my work.
I want m.v pay. I’ll have it. Mr. Hay
den.”
Hayden's voice was cool and even as
he spoke to Bland.
"Got tlie money. Joe?"
“Yes." Bland answered.
“Where?"
"Well, we'd better wait, hadn’t we?"
Bland's voice was shaky.
“No. We'll take It and get out," an
swered Hayden.
"I want to see you do it!" cried
Cargnn. "If you think I’ve come up
here on a pleasure trip 1 got a chart
and a pointer all ready for your next
lesson. And let me put you wise.
This nobby little idea of yours about
Baldpate inn is the worst ever. The
»place 1 1 as full of people as if the reg
ular srumer rates was being charged."
“Theoevil it is!" cried Hayden. His
voice betrayed a startled annoyance.
“It hasn’t worried me none.” went
on the mayor. "They can't touch me.
I own the prosecutor, and you know
it. But it ain’t going to do you any
good on the avenue if you're seen here
with me. is it. Mr. Hayden?” ,
“The more reason.” replied Hayden,
"for getting the money and leaving at
once. I'm not afraid of you, Cargan.
I'm armed.”
“I ain’t,” sneered the mayor. "But
no exquisite from your set with his
little air gun ever scared me. You
try to get away from here with that
bundle and you'll find yourself all tan
gled up in the worst scrap that ever
happened.”
“Where's the money, Joe?” asked
Hayden.
"You won’t wait?’— Bland begged.
"Wait to get ray own money—l guess
not! Show me where it is.”
"Remember,” put in Cargan, “that
money s mine. And don’t have any
pipe dreams about the law—the law
ain’t called into things of this sort, as
a rule. I guess you’d be the last to
call it. You'll never get away from
here with my money.”
Mr. Magee opened the card room
door farther and saw the figure of the
stranger. Hayden, confronting the
mayor. Mr. Cargau's title of exquis
ite best described him. The new
comer was tall. fair, fastidious in
dress and manner. A revolver gleam
ed in his bund.
“Joe,” he said firmly, “take me to
that money at once.”
“It’s out here.” replied Bland. He
and Haydeu disappeared through the
dining room door into the darkness.
Cargan and Max followed close be
hind.
Hot with excitement. Mr. Magee
slipped from his place of concealment.
A battle fit for the gods was in the
air. He must be in the midst of it.
Perhaps again in a three cornered
fight it would be the third party that
would emerge victorious.
In the darkness of the dining room
he bumped Into a limp, clinging figure.
It proved to be the hermit of Baldpate
mountain.
"I got to talk to you. Mr. Magee." he
whispered in a frightened tremolo. “1
got to have a word with you this min
ute."
“Not now!" cried Magee, pushing
him aside. “Later."
The hermit wildly seized bis arm.
“No, now." he said. "There’s strange
goings on here. Mr. Magee. I got
something to tell you-about a package
of money 1 found In the kitchen."
Mr. Magee stood very still. Beside
him in the darkness he heard the her
mlt's excited breathing.
Undecided. Mr. Magee looked toward
the kitchen door, from behind which
came the sound of men's voices. The
hermit of Baldpate fairly trembled
with news.
“Since I broke in on you yesterday
morning,” he said In a low tone, “one
thing has followed another so fast that
I’m a little dazed."
"You ....- ■ . <tif iiiutiii i
Ifrrt." MIIRIV IHIHIVIT 'il.
"Well." wont 'Hi i lif lif milt. ”n» t
Niiy, through nil this downpour of |if>>
pic. Including women. I've hung on t<>
olio Idee. I'm work Ihr for you
That's why I feel I ought to sire what
Information I got to you."
Mr. Manor agreed Impatiently.
‘•Where you Hud women." Peters
continued, "there you Hud things lie
yond understanding. History"—
“Get to the point."
"Well. yes. This afternoon I was
hunting iiround in the hlg refrigerator
with ii eandle. thinking uinyla> some
little token of food laid been left over
from last summer's rush- something
iti a can that time cannot wither uor
enstom stale, as the poet says—and
away up on the top shelf. In the dark
est corner. I found a little pnekage.
"There was money in that paekage
lots of It: enough to found a uni
verslty or buy a woman's gowns for a
year. 1 was examining It careful-llke
when a shadow came in the doorway.
1 looked up"—
"Who?" asked Magee breathlessly.
“That little, bllnk.v eyed. Professor
Bolton was standing there, most owl
ish and Interested. lie enine into the
refrigerator ‘That package you hnvo
in your hand. Peters.' he says, 'belongs
to me. I put it in cold storage so It
would keep. I'll take it now.’ Well,
Mr. Magee. I'm a peaceful man. I
could have battered that professor Into
a learned sort of Jelly If I'd wanted
to. but I'm a great admirer of Mr.
Carnegie on account of the library, and
I go In for peace. I knew It wasn't
exactly the tiling, but”—
“You gave him the pnekage?"
"That’s hardly the way I would put
It. Mr. Magee. I made no outcry or
resistance when he took it. 'l'm just
a cook.' i says, 'in this house. 1 ain't
the trusted old family retainer that re
tains its fortunes like a safety de|x>s!t
vault.' So 1 let go the bundle. It
was weak of me, 1 know, but I sort
of got the habit of giving up money,
beiim married so many years."
"Peters." said Mr. Magee. "I'm Sorry
your grip was so insecure, but I’m
mighty glad you came to me with this
matter.”
"He told me I wasn’t to mention it
to anybody." replied the hermit, "but
as 1 say, I sort of look on it that we
were here Hrst. and if our guests get
to chasing untold wealth up and down
the plnce. we ought to let each other
in on it.”
"Correct.” answered Magee. “You
are a valuable man. Peters. I want
you to know that I appreciate the
way you have acted in this affair."
Four shadowy figures tramped in
through the dining room door.
CHAPTER XVII.
The Open Window.
rr AGEE stood up. and in the light
|V| of the tire met Hayden. Now
I he saw that the face of the lat
_est comer was scheming and
weak and that under a small blond
mustache a very cruel mouth sought
to hide. The stranger gazed at Magee
with an annoyance plainly marked.
“A friend of mine—Mr.—er—Downs,
Mr. Magee, muttered Bland.
“Oh, come now," smiled Magee.
“Let’s tell our real names I beard you
greeting your friend a minute ago.
How are you, Mr. Hnyden?"
He held out his hand. Hayden look
ed him angrily in the eyes.
“Who the devil ure you?” he nsked.
“Do you mean.” said Magee, "that
you didn't catch the name. It’s Magee
—William Hallowed Magee. I hold a
record hereabouts, Mr. Hayden. I spent
nearly an hour at Baldpate inn—alone.
You see, I was the first of our amiable
little party to arrive. Let me make
you welcome. Are you staying to din
ner? Y'ou must."
“I’m not,” growled Hayden.
"Don't believe him, Mr. Magee,”
sneered the mayor, “he doesn't always
say what he means. He’s going to
stay, all right.”
“Yes, you'd better. Mr. Hayden," ad
vised Bland.
“Huh—delighted. I'm sure,” snapped
Hayden.
"Peters," said Magee, “an extra plate
at dinner, please, 1 must leave you for
a moment, gentlemen.” He saw that
their eyes followed him eagerly—full
of suspicion, menacing.
Hayden slipped quickly between Ma
ge<> and the stairs. The latter faced
him smilingly, reflecting as he did so
that he could love this man but little.
“Who are you?" said Hayden again.
"What is your business here?"
Magee laughed outright and turned
to the other men.
“How unfortunate,” he said, “this
gentleman does not know the manners
and customs of Buldpute in winter.
Those are questions, Mr. Hayden, that
we are never impolite enough to ask
of one another up here.”
He ran upstairs and passed through
No. 7 out upon the balcony. Trudging
through the snow, he soon sighted the
room of I’rofessor Bolton. And as he
did so a little shiver that was not due
to atmospheric conditions ran down his
spine, for one of the professor's win
dows stood wide open, bidding a wel
come to the mountain storm. Peters
had spoken the truth. Once more that
tight little, right little package was
within Mr. Magee's ken.
He stepped through the open win
dow and closed it after him. By the
table sat Professor Bolton, wrapped
in coats and blankets, reading by the
light of a solitary candiw
CHa****"*
“Murder —that ia hardly in your line."
“Good evening, professor." said Ma
gee easily. “Don't you find it rather
cool with tlie window open?"
“Mr. Magee." replied tlie much wrap
ped gentleman. “I am that rather dls
Ilu lling progressive— a fresh air devu
tee. I feel that God's good air was
meant to be breathed, not barricaded
from our bodies."
"Perhaps," suggested Magee, “I
should have left the window open?"
The old man regarded him narrowly.
“I have uo wish to he inhospitable."
he replied. “But, if you please"—
“Certainly." answered Magee. He
threw open the window. The prose sor
held up his book.
“I was passing the time before din
ner with my pleasant Old companion.
Montaigne. Mr. Magee, have you ever
read his essay on liars?"
“Never.” said Magee. “But I do not
blame you for brushing up on it at the
present time, professor. I have come
to apologize. Yesterday morning l re
ferred in a rather unpleasant way to
a murder in the chemical laboratory
at one of our uniid'islties. I said that
tlie professor of chemistry was miss
ing. This morning's paper, which I
secured from Mr. Peters, Informs me
that he has been apprehended.”
“Y’ou lietsl not have troubled to tell
me.” said the old limn. He smiled bis
bleak smile.
"I did you an Injustice.” wont on
Magee.
“Let us say no more of it,” pleaded
Professor Bolton.
Mr. Magee walked about the room.
Warily tlie professor turned so that
the other was at no instant at his
hack. He looked so helpless, so little,
so ineffectual, that Mr. Magee aban
doned his first plan of leaping uprfu
him there in tlie silence.
“1 suppose,” he said, "your love of
fresh air accounts for the strolls on
the balcony at all hours of the night?”
The old man merely blinked lit him.
“I mustn't stop," Magee continued.
"I just WHiited to make my apology,
that’s all. It was unjust of me. Mur
der—that is hardly in your line. By
the way. were you by any chance in
ray room this morning, Professor Bol
ton?”
Silence.
"Pardon me,” remarked the profes
sor at last, “If I do not answer. In
this very essay on—ou liars, Montaigne
has expressed it so well. ‘And how
much is a false speech less sociable
than silence?' I am a sociable man.”
“Of course,” smiled Magee. lie
stood looking down at the frail old
scholar before him and considered. Of
what avail a shuttle there in that chill
room ?
He went out through the open win
dow, and in another moment stood
just outside Miss Norton's room. She
put a startled head out at his knock.
"Oh, it's you,” she said. ”1 can't in
vite you in. You might learn terrible
secrets of the dressing table -stuaiurau
is bedecking herself for dinner. Has
anything happened?"
"Throw something over your head,
Juliet." smiled Magee; "the balcony is
waiting for you.”
She was at his side in a moment,
and they walked briskly along the
shadowy white floor:
“I know who Inis the money.” said
Magee softly. "Simply through a turn
of luck I know. I realize that my
protestations of what I am going to do
have bored you. But it looks very
much to me as if that puckuge would
he in yonr bunds very soon.”
She did not reply.
“And when I have got it and have
given It to you if I do," he continued,
“what then?"
“Then,’’ she answered. "I must go
away—very quickly. And no one must
know or they will try to stop me."
“And after that?"
"The deluge." she laughed without
mirth.
Up a hove them the great trees of
Baldpate mountain waved their black
arms constantly as though sparring
with the storm. At the foot of the
buried roadway they could see the
lamps of Upper Asquewan Falls; un
der those lamps prosaic citizens were
fHE AUGUSTA HERALD. AUGUSTA. GA.
hurrying borne witli the supper gro
ceries through the night. And lot one
of those <jttxeus was within miles of
guessing thul up on Hie Imlrony, of
Bald |late Inn a young tunn had scir.ed
a young womtfn'a baud and was say
ing wildly, "Beautiful girl 1 love
you."
Yet tlint was exactly wliab Billy Ma
gee was doing. The girl had turned
her face away.
"You've known me Just two days,"
she said.
"If I can care this much In two
days." lie said, "think lint that's old.
isn't It? Some time soon I'm going to
say to you. ‘Whose girl are you?' and
you're going to look up at me with a
little heaven for two in your eyes and
any, 'l'm Billy Magee's girl.' So before
we go any further I must confess ev
erything—l must tell you who this
Billy Magee is—this man you're going
to admit you belong to. my dear."
"You read the future glibly," she re
plied. "Are your prophecies true, 1
wonder?"
"Absolutely. Home time ago—on
my soul, it was only yesterday! 1
asked if you had read a certain novel
called 'The Post Limousine,' and you
said you had and tlint It wasn't sin
cere. Well, I wrote It"—
"Oh!" cried the girl.
"Yes," said Magee, "and I've done
others like it. Oh, yes, my muse lias
been a nouveau riche lady in a Worth
gown; my ambition, a big red motor
car. I’ve been a ‘scramble n cent.
mister.' tmuiNidour beckoning from
the bookstalls, i turned tired of that
sort, and I decided to try the other
kind—tile real kind.”
"Don't tell me.” whispered the girl,
"that you came lip here to—to"—
"Yes," smiled Magee, "I came up
here to forget forever tile world's gid
dy melodrama.”
The girl leaned limply against the
side of Baldpate inn.
"Oh. the irony of it!" she cried.
"I know." lie said. "It's ridiculous.
1 think all this is meant just for—
temptation. I'll do tlie real stuff, so
that when you say—as you certainly
must some day—'l’m Billy Magee's
girl,’ you can say it proudly."
•'l’m sure." she said softly, "that If
I ever do say it—oh. no, l didn't say 1
would!”—for lie had seized her hands
quickly—"if 1 ever do say it—it will
certainly lie proudly. But now-you
don’t even know my name—my right
one. Y'ou don't know what 1 do nor
where I come from nor what I want
with tills disgusting bundle of money.
1 sort of feel, you know, that this is
in the air at Baldpate even in the win
ter time. No sooner have the men
come than they begin to talk of—love
—to whatever girls they find bere--on
Ibis very balcony—down there under
the trees. And the girls listen, for—
it’s in the air, that's all. Then au
tumn comes, and everybody laughs and
forgets. May not our autumn come—
when I go away?"
"Never!" cried Magee. "This Is no
summer hotel affair to me. It's a real
hi winter and summer love, ray dear,
in spring and fall, and when you go
away I'm going, too. about ten feet
behind."
“Yes," she laughed, "they talk that
way at Baldpate—the last weeks of
summer. It's part of the game.” They
had come to the side of the hotel on
which was the annex, and the girl
stopped and pointed. "Look!" she
whispered tireathlessly.
In the window of the annex bad" ap
peared for a moment a flickering yel
low light.
"I know.” said Mr. Magee. "There’s
somebody In there. But thnt Isn't Im
portant In comparison. This is no sum
mer affair, dear. I love you. and when
you go away I shall follow."
“And tiie book?"
“I have found better Inspiration thnn
Baldpate Inn."
They walked along for a time In si
lence.
“You forget.” said the girl, "you only
know who lins the money.”
“1 will get It." he answered oonfl
dently. "Something tells me I will.
' ‘■Ur m iaL | ■ -■ '&■,') fofMl 1, ' flju M
yH ßmp* wk ™ 1 WmWWhvfr * Ctjjaf ts§S3 wr jBB Kmm‘
•>. / / wUf WMjm IwhBHF aS <* xysK jpsffi,
The Excruciatingly runny Second Act Court Room Scene, a Laughable Travesty on the Modern Divorce Trials, in "K
Modern Eve,” at the Grand Next Monday, Matinee and Evening.
Cntll I do I am content to sav no
more."
"Ududby," said (lie girl. She stood
In the window of her room, while a
harsh voice called, "That you. dearie?"
from Inside. "And I may add," she
smiled, “Itiat in my profession a fol
lowing Is considered unite -desirable."
(To be Continued Tomorrow.)
At The Grand
"HONEY BOY" EVANS.
When (leorgc Evans offers Ills new I
program of minstrelsy at the Oram!
this evening and tomorrow, maitnar
and evening, It will be found that ho
has fortified himself strongly for hi'
t txth year as a star In tn'nstrc'sy. j
The production, scenery, costumes, ,
music, songs, and many if the peo I
pie will he now, ami the entire pro
gram will be found brl-tllng with ett
tertnlnlng novelties by a comp in ad j
mlnthly suited to litlng out the best
points In tin* producer's efiorts or
course, such favorites as John King.
Sant l,ee, Tommy Hyde, Vaughn Com
fort. Juraes Meehan ami .lose h (VI- \
lespio, have been re engaged, hut new j
faces will lie found In William II
Thompson, formerly leading bat lion* I
with Mine, i-’chuinnn llelnke, "Rigs’l
Pelghton, than whom, no hotter ee '
centric dancer has ever entertained I
an audience. Eldon Durand, an ini
personatof of colored femininity, who i
costumes bln characterizations with l
rare taste. A feature of the singing |
program of the evening which Is ’
promised to he of unUß'itl Interest!
will lie the Introduction of Master
Paul Van Dyke, n Swiss Yod'er |
"Honey Boy" Evans has been In min '
strelsv a good many years. He ;
started as a ballad singer with Haver
ly, and he vouches for Matter Vin j
Dyke being the greatest yodler ever j
heard In minstrelsy. I
mmr •< 'MM
“Honey Boy’’ Evans, the Little Miniatrcl Favorite, Coming to the Grand Thursday and
Friday, Friday Matinee, With Hi 3 All Now Minstrels.
"A MODERN EVE"
The season's greatest jnuslcal
comedy trlnm It. "A Modern Kve,”
Imported from Berlin, where It hus
been the reigning success for more
than two yenrs, will he the uttrac
Him nt (lie Qrand next Monday,
matinee and even tig Since Its pfe
tuleto p esenistlnn In Chi sgo, where
It rati for two-hundred and fifty
nights, Us clever I oik, hrl'llant
seencs, pure, sweet atmosphere, rich
I humor and alluring tunes, have been
welcomed by the public ns ii genuine
relief from the average musical of
firing The spontaneous sneeera of
“A Modern Kve" has onh been equal
led In the part decade by "The Merry
Widow." B’emtt'' of the many clever
numbers requrlng girl ensembles,
the large beauty ehotux attracts
more than ordinary Interest In “A
Modern Kve." They are particular
ly efeetnlve In the several snappy
dance numbers. The raging tittle of
the year, "Hood-bye Kver body," a
waltz song by lean (Jllhert, wnt col
InhorateJ with VI lor Hollander on
the music of "A Modern Kve" heads
the list of song hits, among the
others being "III,a. My Margarita,"
"Hello Sweetheart," "l« The Hlrl
You Married Still the Hlrl You l.ovo,"
and "You've Such a I .ones nine Moon
Ton glit." Edward Hume as the
Modern Eve's husband him a eomedv
part that fits Ills peculiar method*
perfec ly, even funnier than hi* bril
liant success of last season the chim
ney sweep characterization In 'The
Heartbreakcrs."
STRATFORD UPON AVON
PLAYERS.
The Stratfnrd-Upon Avon Players,
who appear ni tln* (irnnd Theater In
tills city next Wednesday, February
18th, for a matinee and evening | or
formnr.ee; nr# finding touring tn
America an Impressive business.
These players are mak'ng their first
appearance I" the United States this
srnson. and have an equipment In
proportion to Its size, and requires a
special Iran to carry it Irom city to
city. The company, which Includes
Mr F R, Benson, numbers forty
players hikl ha* a repertory of fouP
tent plays. Needless to say, they ara
a I Shakespearian dramas Two par*
lor ears and a dining car are undef
tiipilslHou for the company's travels,
while iho costumes, properties and
Hcttlngn for the plays will fill four
baggage ears.
r.’o American manager would at
tempt to present Shakespeare on such
a scale. But the Htratford-Upon-
Avon Players have been under he d?
ruction of Ihe Shakespeare Memorial
Theater for over thirty . ears. This
Is the onlv endowed theater among
the nations speaking the Englsh
togune. As thl* Is their first Ameri
can tour, the Board of Oovernors was
determined 'o make It as tnemorab'e
as possible and so selected their most
able actor.- and the plays in whlrh
they have won notable success to
take to Canada and the United
Siaten.
For the matinee perfortnnnee Wed
nesday. "As You Like It" will he pre
sented. while the evening perform
nitre will lie given the “Merry Wive!
In Windsor."
THE “SMART SET."
An attraction that Is welcomed by
theatre managers and the public
alike Is "The Fmart Set", announced
for the Ornnd next Tuesday, mati
nee and evening. The Cornier wel
come* the show because it ni»ans a
packed house and the latter be
fnitso It means the coming of the
greatest colored show In existence,
a sltow with the most clever come
dian, Salem Tutt Whitney, that ever
gave out laughs In rapid fire actum,
a tthow with the greatest ca*t of
principals, the greatest bunch of
Creole chorus girls and the most
elaborate scenic production en tour.
With the announcement that this
season the show is all new, and know
ing that the show has each year been
better than previously, the public
ntay well anticipate the coming en
gagement with grent pleasure.
FIVE