The Wister News (Wister, Okla.), Vol. 1, No. 24, Ed. 1 Friday, February 11, 1910 Page: 4 of 8
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il.tor and Pub
0K1.A
WISTER,
PICTURES BY A.
WEIL
BRASS
BOWL
By LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE
(Oopjrljffat 1907. The hohl -M«rrlil Co.)
8YNOPSIS.
"Mad" Dan Maltland, on reaching his
Hew York bachelor club, met an attrac-
tive young woman at the door. Janitor
O'Haffao assured him no one had been
within that day Dan discovered n wom-
an's Unger prints In dust on his desk.^
along with a letter from his attorney.*
Maltland dined with Bannerman, his at-
torney. Dan set out for Greenfields, to
get his family Jewels. Maltland. on
reaching home, surprised lady In gray,
cracking the safe containing his gems,
fihe, apparently, took him for a well-
known crook, Daniel Anlstv. Half-hyp-
notised. Maltland opened his safe, took
thsrsfrom thf jewels, and gave them to
tier, first forming a partnership in crime.
The real Dan Anisty, sought by police of
the world, appeared. Maltland overcame
Mm. He ana the girl went to New York
in her auto. He had the Jewels. She
was to meet him that day. A "Mr.
Snalth" Introduced himself as a detec-
tive. To shield the girl in gray. Maltland,
•bout to show him the Jewels, supposedly
lost, was felled by a blow from "Snaith's
cane. The latter proved to bo Anlsty
himself and he secured the gems. Anlsty.
who was Maitland's double, masqueraded
as the latter The criminal kept Malt-
land's engagement with the girl in gray.
H > gave ntr the gems. The girl in gray
visited Maitland's apartments during his
absence and returned gems. Maltland,
without cash, called up his home and
heard a woman's voice expostulating.
Anlsty. disguised as Maltland. tried to
wring from her the location of the gems.
A crash was heard at the front door.
Maltland overwhelmed the crook, allow-
ing him to escape to shield the young
woman The girl in gray made her es-
cape. Jumping into a cab. An instant
later, by working a ruse, Anlsty was at
her side He took her to Attorney Ban- j
nerman's office.
CHAPTER XIV.—Continued.
Behind her the door closed-eoftly;
and there followed a thud as a bolt
was shot. An Instant later Anlsty
caught her by the arm and. roughly
now and without wasting speech, hur-
ried her into the next room. Then,
releasing her, he turned up the lights
and, passing to the windows, threw
two or three of them wide; for the
air in the room was stale and lifeless.
"And now," said the criminal in a
tone of satisfaction, "now we can talk
business, my dear."
He removed his overcoat and hat,
throwing then^oyer the back of a con-
venient chair, drew his fingers
thoughtfully across his chin, and,
standing at a little distance, regarded
the girl with a shadow of a saturnine
smile softening the hard line of his
lips.
She stood where he had left her, as
If volition was no longer hers. Her
arms hung slack at her sides and she
was swaying a trifle, her face vacant,
eyes blank; very near the breaking-
down point.
The man was not without percep-
tion; and recognized her state—one
In which, he felt assured, he could get
very little out of her. She must be
strengthened and revived before she
would or could respond to the direct
catechism he had in store for her. In
lis own interest, therefore, more than
through any yielding to motives of
pity and compassion, he piloted her to
a chair by a window and brought her
a glass of clear cold water from the
filter In the adjoining room.
The cold, fresh breeze blowing in
her face proved wonderfully invigorat-
ing. She let her head sink back upon
the cushions of the easy, comfortable
leather chair and drank in the clean
air In great deep draughts, with a
sense of renewing vigor, both bodllj
and spiritual. The water helped, too;
she dabbled the tip of a ridiculously
small handkerchief in it and bathed
her throbbing temples. The while,
Anlsty stood over her, waiting with
discrimination if with scant patience.
What was to come she neither knew
nor greatly cared; but, with an in-
stinctive desire to postpone the inevit-
able moment of trial, she simulated
deadly languor for some moments aft-
er becoming conscious of her position;
and lay passive, long lashes all but
touching her cheeks—in which now a
faint color was growing—gaze wander-
ing at random out over a dreary wil-
derness of flat rectangular roofs, livid
In the moonlight, broken by long,
straight clefts of darkness in whose
depths lights gleamed faintly. Far in
the south the sky came down purple
and black to the horizon, where a sil-
ver spark glittered like a low-hung
itar— the torch of Liberty,
i 1 Uilnjf," Anisty'g clear-cut tone*,
incisive as a razor edge, crossed the
listless trend of her thoughts. "I think
we will now get down to business, my
lady!"
She lifted her lashes, meeting his
masterful stare with a look of calm in-
quiry. "Well?"
"So you're better now? Possibly It
was a mistake to give you that rest,
my lady. Still, when one's a gentle-
man-cracksman—!" He chuckled un-
pleasantly, not troubling to finish his
sentence.
"Well?" he mocked, seating himself
easily upon an adjacent table. "We're
here at last, where we'll suffer no in
terruptions to our little council of war
Beyond the watchman, there'i prob
ably not another soul in the building;
and from that window there It 1b a
straight drop of 24 stories to Broad
way, while I'm between you and the
door. So you may be resigned to stay
here until I get ready to let you go.
If you scream for help, no one will
hear you."
"Very well," she assented mechanic
ally, turning her head away with a
shiver of disgust. "What is it you
want?"
"The jewels," he said, bluntly. 'Ton
might have guessed that."
"I did—"
"And have saved yourself and me
considerable trouble by speaking ten
minutes ago."
"Yes," she agreed, abstractedly.
"Now," he continued, with a hint ol
anger in his voice, "you are going to
tell."
She shook her head slightly.
"Oh, but you are, my lady." And
his tone rasped, quickened with the
latent brutality of the natural crim-
inal. "^And I know that you'll not force
me to extreme measures. It wouldn't
be pleasant for you, you know; and
I promise you I shall stop at nothing
whatever to make you speak."
No answer; in absolute indifference,
she felt, lay her strongest weapon. She
4
r
Springing to His Feet He Drew His
Revolver.
must keep calm and self-possessed, re-
fusing to be terrified into a Quick and
thoughtless answer.
"This afternoon," he said, harshly,
"you stole from me the Maltland
jewels. Where are they?"
"I shall not tell."
He bent swiftly forward and took
one of her hands in his. Instinctively
she clenched it; and he wrapped his
strong hard fingers around the small
white fist, then deliberately inserted
a hard finger joint between her sec-
ond and third knuckles, slowly In-
creasing the pressure. And watched
with absolute indifference the lines of
agony grave themselves upon her
smooth unwrinkled forehead, and the
color leave her cheeks, as the pain
grew too exquisite. Then, suddenly dis-
continuing the pressure, but retain-
ing her hand, he laughed shortly.
"Will you speak, my lady, or will
you have more?"
"Don't," she gasped, "please—"
"Where are the jewels? Will you?"
"No."
"Have you given them to Maltland?"
"No."
"Where are they?'(
"I don't know."
"Stop that nonsense unless-- Where
did you leave them?"
"I won't tell—I won't Ah, please,
please!"
"Tell me!"
"Never. Ah-h!"
An abrupt and resounding hammer-
ing at the outer door forced him to
leave off. He dropped her hand with
an oath and springing to his feet drew
his revolver; then, with a glance at
the girl, who was silently weeping,
tears of pain rolling down her cheeks,
mouth set in a thin pale line of de-
termination, st'rode out and shut the
door after him.
As It closed the girl leaped to her
feet, maddened with torture, wild eyes
casting about the room for a weapon
of some sort, of ofTense or defense; for
she could not have endured the tor-
ture an instant longer. If forced to It,
to fight, flght she would. If only she had
something, a stick of wood, to defend
herself with. But there was nothing,
nothing at all.
The room was a typical office, well
but severely furnished. The rug that
covered the tile floor was of rich
quality and rare design. The neutral-
tinted walls were bare, but for
couple of steel engravings in heavy
wooden frames. There were three
heavily upholstered leather arm-chairs
snd one revolving desk-chair; a roll
top desk, against the partition wall,
a waste-paper basket, and a flat-topped
desk, or table. And that was all.
Or not quite all, else the office equip-
ment had not been complete. There
was the telephone!
Hut he would hear! Qr was the par-
tition sound-proof?
As if In contradiction of the sugges-
tion, there came to her ears very clear-
ly the sound of the hall door creakin
on Its hinges, and then a man's voice,
shrill with anger and anxiety.
"You fool! Do you want to ruin
us both? What do you mean—"
The door crashed to, interrupting
the protest and drowning Anisty's
reply.
"I was passing," the new voice took
up Its plaintive remonstrance, "and
the watchman called me in and said
that you were telephoning for me—"
"Damn the interfering fool!" inter-
rupted Anlsty.
"But what's this insanity, Anlsty?
What's this about a woman? What—"
The new-comer's tones ascended a high
scale of fright and rage.
"Lower your voice, you ass!" the
burglar responded, sternly. "And—"
He took his own advice; and for a
little time the conference was con-
ducted in guarded tones that did not
penetrate the dividing wall save as a
deep rumbling alternating with an im-
passioned squeak.
But long ere this had come to pass
the girl was risking all at the tele-
phone. Receiver to ear she was im-
ploring central to connect her with
Ninety-eight-nine Madison. If only she
might get Maitland, tell him where the
jewels were hidden, warn him to re
move them—then she could escape
further suffering by open confession.
"What number?" came central's lan
guid query, after a space. "Did you
say nine-ought-nine-eight?"
"No, no, central. Nlne-o-elght-nine
Madison, please, and hurry—hurry!"
"Ah, I'm ringin' 'em. They ain't
answered yet. Gimme time. There
they are. Go ahead."
"Hello, hello!"
"Pwhat Is ut?"
Her heart sank; O'Hagan's voice
meant that Maitland was out.
O'Hagan—is that you? Tell Mr
Maltland—"
"He's gawn out for the noight an'—"
"Tell him, please—"
"But he's out. Ring up In the
marnin'."
"But can't you take this message
for him? Please—"
The door was suddenly jerked open
and Anlsty leaped into the room, face
white with passion. Terrified, the
girl sprang from the desk, carrying the
instrument with her, placing the re-
volving chair between her and her
enemy.
"The brass bowl, please—tell him
that," she cried clearly into the re-
ceiver.
And Anisty was upon her, striking
the telephone from her grasp with
one swift blow and seizing her savage-
ly by the wrist. As the Instrument
clattered and pounded on the floor she
was sent reeling and staggering half-
way across the room.
As she brought up against the flat-
topped desk, catching its edge and
saving herself a fall, the burglar
caught up the telephone.
"Who is that?" he shouted, impera-
tively, into the transmitter.
Whatever the reply, It seemed to
please him. His brows cleared, the
wrath that had made his face almost
unrecognizable subsided; he even
smiled. And the girl trembled, know-
ing that he had solved her secret; for
she had hoped against hope that the
only words he could have heard her
speak would have had too cryptic a
significance for his comprehension.
As, slowly and composedly, he re-
placed the receiver on its hook and
returned the instrument to the desk,
a short and rotund figure of a man. In
rumpled evening dress and wearing a
wilted collar, hopped excitedly into the
room, cast at the girl one terrified
glance out of eyes that glittered with
excitement like black diamonds, set
In a face the hue of yeast, and
clutched the burglar's arm.
"Oh, Anlsty, Anlsty!" he cried,
piteously. "What Is It? What is it?
Tell me!"
"It's all right," returned the burglar.
"Don't you worry, little man. Pull
yourself together." And laughed.
"But what—what—" stammered the
other.
"Only that she's given herself away,"
chuckled Anlsty; "beautifully and
completely. 'The brass bowl,' says she
—thinking I never saw one on Mait-
land's desk!—and 'O'Hagan, and who
the dlvvle are you?' says the man on
the other end of the wire, when I ask
who he is."
"And? And?" pleaded the little
man, dancing with worry.
"And It means that my lady here re-
turned the jewels to Maltland by hid-
ing them under a brass ash-receiver on
his desk—ass that I was not to know!
You are 'cute, my lady!" with an'
irodit: salute to the girl, "but yon'vt
met your match in Anisty."
"And," demanded the other as the
burglar snatched up his hat and coat,
"what will you do, Anlsty?"
"Do?" — contemptuously. "Why,
what is there to do but go and get
them? We've risked too much and
made' New York too hot for the two
of us, my dear sir, to get out of the
game without the profits."
"But I beg of you—"
"You needn't"—grimly. "It won't
bring you in any money."
"But Maitland—"
"Is out. O'Hagan answered the
'phone. Don't you understand?"
"But he may return!"
"That's his lookout. I'm sorry for
him if he does." Anisty produced the
revolver from his pocket, and twirled
the cylinder significantly. "I owe Mr.
Maltland something," he said, nodding
to the white-faced girl by the table,
"and I shouldn't be sorry to—"
"And what," broke in the new comer,
"what am I going to do meanwhile?"
"Devil the bit I care! Stay here
and keep this impetuous female from
calling up police headquarters, for a
good guesB. Speaking of which, I think
we had best settle this telephone busi-
ness once and for all."
The burglar turned again to the
desk and began to work over the in-
strument with a small screw-driver
which he produced from his coat
pocket, talking the while.
"Our best plan, ray dear Banner-
man, is for you to come with me, at
least as far as the nearest corner.
You < an wait there, if you're too cow-
ardly to go the limit, like a man. I'll
get the loot and Join you, and we can
make a swift hike for the first train
that goes farthest out of town. A pity,
for we've done pretty well, you and I, j
old boy; you with your social entree
and bump of locality to locate the 1
spoils, me with my courage and skill
to lift 'era, and an equitable division.
Oh, don't worry about her, Banner-
man! She's as deep in it as either
of us, only she happens to be senti-
mental, and an outsider on this deal.
She won't blab. Besides, you're i
ruined anyway, as far as New York's ,
concerned. Come along. That's fin-
ished; she won't send any important
messages over that wire to-night, I
guess.
"My dear young lady!" Rising and
throwing the overcoat over his arm, j
he waved his hat at her in sardonic |
courtesy. "I can't say it has been a
pleasure to know you, but—you have
made it interesting, I admit. And I
bid you a very good night. The char-
woman will let you out when she
comes to clean up In the morning.
Adieu, my dear!"
The little man bustled after him,
bleating and fidgeting; and the lock
clicked.
She was alone—utterly and forlorn-
ly alone—and had lost—lost all, all
that she had prized and hoped to win,
even—even him.
She raised fluttering, impotent white
hand9 to her temples, trying to collect
herself.
In the outer room a clock was tick-
ing. Unconsciously she moved to the
doorway and stood looking for a time
at the white, expressionless .dial. It
was some tin^e—a minute or two—be-
fore she deciphered the hour.
Ten minutes past two! Ah, the life-
time she had lived in the past 70
minutes! And the futility of It all!
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
CHICAGO MERCHANT
HAKES STATEMENT.
After Spending Thousands of Dollars
and Consulting the Most Eminent
Physicians, lie Was Desperate.
CHICAGO, ILLS.-M \ J. Q.
Becker, of 134 Van Buren St., a
well-known wholesale dry goods
dealer, states as follows:
"I have had catarrh for more
than thirty years. Have tried
everything on earth and spent
thousands of dollars for other
medicines and with physiciansv
without getting any lasting re-
lief, and can say to you that I
have found Peruna the only rem-
edy that has cured me per-
manently.
"Peruna has also cured my
wife of catarrh. She always keeps
it in the^ house for an attack of
cold, which it invariably cures in
a very short time."
USE IT IN
ADVERTISING
Lena Schmidt of Dudley, Tex.,
Writes a Letter About Cardui
Haviug Helped Her.
Dudley, Tex.—"You may use this
letter in your advertising, If you like,"
writes Mrs. Lena Schmidt of this
place.
"A few years ago, I suffered every
month, I was relieved right away.
"Cardui has surely done me a sight
of good. It brought me back my
health. I am now strong and well,
and feel better than in years, and am
doing all my housework."
Every woman needs a tonic, to take
when she feels blue, miserable, sick,
weak, under the weather.
The tonic to take at such a time la
Cardui, the woman's tonic.
Cardui Is also a medicine.
For pain and discomfort, due to fe-
male ailments, no medicine is so good
as Cardui.
The main Ingredients of Cardui are
imported direct from Europe, especial-
ly for this one woman's medicine and
tonic, and are not for sale at ordinary
drug stores.
Cardui acts specifically on the worn-
anly organs, preventing unnecessary
pain and building up womanly
strength.
Try it for your troubles.
It will certainly help you.
ALL BORE THEIR TRADEMARKS.
Occupations of Vacationists an Open
Book to This Man.
Sherlock Holmes, seated on the
boardwalk, languidly injected a pint
of cocaine Into his sunburnt arm.
"My dear Watson," said the detec-
tive, "let us beguile an hour by pick-
ing out the occupations of these va-
cationists. In their cheap white flan-
nels they all think they look like mil-
lionaires, but—ha, ha—what a delu-
sion!
"There goes a waiter. Waiters are
to be told by the size of their feet and
the soft, careful way they set them
down.
"The man in the imitation Panama
hat is a tanner. His clear and ruddy
complexion gives him away. The tan-
ning trade imparts to the face a pe-
culiarly healthy look. Why shouldn't
it? WThat is good for dead skins must
be good for live ones.
"She 1b a cook, the stout, scarlet
lady getting weighed. Her Are, of
course, gave her that unmistakable
color, but it was not the eating of food
that made her so fat. No; cooks have
notoriously poor appetites. It was the
inhalation of the rich fumes of food
in her kitchen that filled her out.
Cooks inhale their fat. That is cheap-
er for the mistress, isn't It?
"The little, thin chap in the large
bathing suit is a grocer. All grocers
are small and bow-legged, and they all
wear tight trousers and are partial to
brown.
"Do you see, my dear Watson, the
stately man whose overtures the giri
In white just repulsed? Well, he Is
an actor. The muscles of his face
show it. Actors, you know, by the
continual practice of expression, de-
velop face muscles as marked as tbt
arm muscles of a baseball pitch**"
For
Sprains
Sloan's Liniment is the best
remedy for sprains and bruises.
It quiets the pain at once, and
can be applied to the tenderest
part without hurting because it
doesn't need to be rubbed — all
you have to do is to lay it on
lightly. It is a powerful prepa-
ration and penetrates instantly —
relieves any inflammation and con-
gestion, and reduces the swelling.
Here's the Proof,
Mr. L. Roland, Bishop of Scran*
ton, Pa. says:—"On the 7th of
this present month, as I was leaving
the building at noon for lunch, I
slipped and fell, spraining my wrist.
1 returned in the afternoon, and at
four o'clock I could not hold a pen-
cil in my hand. I returned home
later and purchased a Nettle of
Sloan's
Liniment
and used it five or six times before
I went to bed, and the next day I
was able to go to work and use my
hand as usual."
A Sloan's Liniment
is an excellent anti-
septic and germ
killer— heals cuts,
burns, wounds and
contusions, and will
draw the poison
from sting of poi-
sonous insects.
2Bo., 60o. and $1.00
Sloan's book on
l)nr«e«, cattle, ihfrp
and poultry ««a|
free. Addrcaa ,
Dr. Earl S. Sloan,
Boston, Mass., U.S.A.
M.
PATENT
Booknnd Advice FKKB. *««*,
I rn lrk it l.anrvnrr, Washington.
DC. 1UL. 4U yri. Boat rufereuuet
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Harder, A. A. The Wister News (Wister, Okla.), Vol. 1, No. 24, Ed. 1 Friday, February 11, 1910, newspaper, February 11, 1910; Wister, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc131702/m1/4/: accessed March 28, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.