EIGHT PAGES DAILY EAST OREGON! AN. PENDLETON. OREGON. WEDNESDAY. APRIL 7. 1915.
PAGE SEVEN
Com.
WTlW, IK I, by Sow rubUotln Orpcntfea.
SIXTH EPISODE
rbc Siege of the House of O'Keefe.
CHAPTER I.
A PLATOON of th finest wheeled out of tb
f ttatloa bouse od dowD Deshley street,
their brati buttons gleaming In the light
of tbe sunset Oppwlte the little fountain
of the Cupid with tbe chipped none and In front of
Tim Courky' saloon t'jr- platuon baited and saluted
the bent and twisted Widow O'Keefe, standing on
ber doorstep. Dad not tbe veteran Dan O'Keefe
been the most popular man on tbe forcet Id all bis
Uf Dan bad never mad ao arrest off bis own beat
or on If be could belp It or made trouble for a broth
er officer or refused to lie fur bis friends.
Oat of the third story window leaned pair of
gleaming gums, surrounding which was the plea
' lug, blgb cheek boned face of tbe one wbo was
known solely ss Marie. Sergeant Clancy stepped
orosi to convey the time of day to the Widow
i Keefe. Sammy O'Keefe, fine, tall boy with a
uny head, came to tbe door snd gripped the hand
. . Sergeant Clancy wltb the grip or a man.
Suddenly tbe red gummed young woman In th
v iuduw brightened until she glistened and waved
- red hand energetically, the Widow O'Keefe put
enty additional wrluklea of Joyous welcome in
..er countenance, young Sammy O'Keefe straight
' did a full Inch and pinked with pleasure. Sergeant
mucy and the platoon of tbe finest saluted and
.iked their rough gentlest, and tbe last ray of tbe
.i ting sun shot across on tbe cracked nose Cupid
u.d reddened him Into life.
A beautiful young girl bad come hurrying down
rrout the corner, her for cap set Jauntily on ber
wavy brown hair and a green tassel dangling over
one ear. Sb slackened ber pace as aba cams la
sight of all these friends sod breathed a sigh of
relief. She wss safe here. And as If to reassure her
self I he glanced back orer ber shoulder. Tbat bad
become a bablt wltb ber of late. Tbe look of worry
swept Instantly from ber brow as her big eye
turned sbyiy up to the stalwart platoon. A friendly
nod and a radiant smile for each of tbe big police
men, a word of inquiry for Tat Casey's little Hig
gle, a ware of the trimly gloved band to Maria In
the window, a sudden dash of mischief aa aba prim
ly returned tbe salute of Sergeant Clancy, a pat on
the hand of Widow. O'Keefe, a touch of silvery
laughter for Sammy, and she bad hurried up tba
stairs.
"She's the sunshine of the precinct, the darlln"
declared the Widow O'Keefe.
"She's a lady!" announced Sergeant Clancy wltB
deep convlctlou.
"I'll tell you sometbln'." The widow Inclined her
head confidentially. So did Sergeant Clancy. So
did Sammy. "She's hldin from some one, Ood bleaa
ber!"
"Oh. la sber And tbe officer of the law glanced
up at tbe third story window. It was vacant
"Whoever It la, they're no good."
"They are not" And tbe Widow O'Keefe collect
ed all her wrinkles about ber Up.
"She's safe bere," asserted Sergeanf Clancy and,
with a grin, jerked bis thumb over bis shoulder to
ward tbe atalwart platoon. "She's In th midst of
hi-r friends. (J ood evenln', Mrs. O'Keefe. Wood
onln', 8ammy."
He strode serosa the street "Boys," said he, "our
in friend up yonder don't want to be found. Net
i tier does our friend Marie."
A one man the platoon glanced np at the vacant
third floor window and nodded, and at tbe word of
command they faced left and marched. Then, and
not until then. Officer Moran and Officer Toole, tn
pair In front dropped out ef th ranks and stood at
attention while tbe platoon paased between them,
and when th pis toon bsd turned th corner they
wheeled. Bide by aid they marched Into Tim
Coorky'a saloon.
"Good evenln', boy. And what can 1 do for your
askd Tim Courky.
"A glass of water, Tim," said Moran.
"Th Sim for me, Tim." ald Officer Tool.
"It's a fin vnlo'," said Tim Courky, and on tba
bar be set a large glasa of foaming yellow water
tor Officer Moran and a (mall glasa of rich brown
water for Officer Toole.
Marl at that moment wis brushing th ahlnlng
hair of ber beautiful young mistress, and both wr
happy In that occupation.
Poor, dear Ned I How June did long for blml
But he must be patient, as she must They would
b far, far happier when, earning her own living,
sb could go to him Independently, exchanging lov
for love, not lov for charity.
Ned Warner at tbat moment was approaching th
little cracked Cupid of the fountain, and as be cam
down angling Duck alley bU mind was in a whirl
of aavag fury. Gilbert Biyel Gverywhere tbot
Ned or bis detective bad found a truce of June
they had found a trace of Biyel Even now th
scoundrel waa in this vicinity searching, as Ned
wis, for June. Or waa be following to Join her?
Ned Warner clinched bis Hits, and his face black
ened wltb passion.
And Blye? II was only a few rods away. H
waa coming down diagonal Desbley street and b
was tt about th asm distance from th corner
of Tim Courky'a saloon as was Ned on Duck alley.
Prom her third story window of th O'Keefe bnus
Jun happened to gianc out In th gathering dink
ah saw tba two figure steadily approaching th
corner, wber they would meet nnder th light;
tha aa Ned Warner deadly clutch gripped around
th throat of Gilbert Bly ab wonld b abi to ne
ogala their upturned facesl
It waa then that Officer Moran and Officer Tool
bad a pleasant avenlng to Tim Courky and strode,
aid by aide, out of the door In the point of th
wedge. Just a Ned Warner and Gilbert Bly ap
proached th light, Ned Warner with murder tn bis
beart, and Gilbert Bly all uncoiiclous of bis peril.
and Officer Moras turned left, and Officer Tool
turned right
Has you seen a (lit wearing for cap wltb a
green tassel r akd Ned Warner and Gilbert Blye
almost simultaneously of Officer Moran and Officer
Toole.
1 did," Officer Moran replied. "She wis bere
only a few minute ago and dropped a letter In
bos."
"Doe ah lire down this wayr aaked Ned.
"Never aw her before." Officer Moran Impressed
Ned' feature on bis memory. "1 think she took
an uptown car."
He hurried away.
Officer Tool waa not quite o quick In his mind,
oceans h waa mor elaborate. He held a tbick
forefinger In the deep dimple of bis chin,
"A girl wltb a fur cap and a green tassel over
one ear, be repeated, making tbe normal gesture
for the tassel, as the black Vandyked man bad done.
"Oh, yea, a girl with a green tassel over one earl
Tea, there wss a girl wltb a red tassel plsyln' shin
ny her this mornln', but she waa a little girl. Pat
Casey' Maggie. And there waa a girl with a blue
tassel down ber yesterday workln' for an orphans'
benefit" All thl wsy of assembling hi mind while
he studied Gilbert Bly whisker by whisker. "But
the girl wltb the green tassel rather a email young
lady, round like, and a pretty face, wltb a' smile V
"Yesl" Blye, was all eagerness.
"Well, I don't know snytblng about ber myself,
but I think I saw such a girl askln' a question of
Officer Morrlsey, two blocks beyond."
Bly looked up the street to where, against the
-
yOU like pretty. things, pout you ?w
bin. Officer Morrlsey stood, gaunt and stiff, handling
bis tangle of dray traffic.
"Thank you." And Bly (truck out for Officer
Morrlsey.
Tbat busy person scarcely looked tt tb man wltb
th black Vandyke; Just on roll of his gray eye.
"No."
"OhP Mr. Bly was very much disappointed,
"Tb officer below said that be bad Been such a
girl talking to yon."
"Tea, I remember. She asked me tb time of
day, and sb headed over thla way."
"Over tbla way" was at right anglea to Blye's pre
vious course. By the time he reached Traffic Officer
Bchmelts Patrolman O'MaUey bad carried the word
to that corner from Officer Toole, so that Schmelts
waa prepared for th coming of Blye, and by th
time Bly got away from Schmelts th word wa all
through th district
"Hav you en a girl wearing a tor cap wltb a
green tassel over one ear?"
Gilbert Blye bad asked tbla question of fourteen
policemen. Something struck him a famUlsr in tb
way thla on beld a thick forefinger la tb deep
dlmpl of his chin. It wa Officer Tool again.
"Sure," said Officer Toole, with remarkable prompt
ness. "Sb went by ber not a minute ago. Right
that way." And he pointed up the hill toward Offi
cer Morrlsey; then a Bly started off, panting, b
beld bis side. "Oh, well. It was dull times on tb
best these nights!"
The dusk bad deepened Into darkness when Offi
cer Moron's palm proved not broad enough to carry
away the grin from under bis yellow mustache, and
th grin, escaping, broadened Into a huge laugh
Blye stood It wltb remarkable quietness.
"It leems to me I've been furnishing a llttl
amusement for the boys," he surmised, frowulng.
"You bnve," laughed Mornu. "It's what In Scot
land they call 'chasing the gowk.' As for the girl
you mentioned," and he swung bt club happily. "1
don't suppose one of us bas ever laid eyes on ber."
Blye's black eyes dwelt on Morao piercingly; then
. bis susve smile came.
"Hav a cigar" And be passed over one which
Officer Moran kept for Christmas.
Bly stopped smiling ss he walked away, and hla
eye narrowed In concentrated thought He stroked
hla black Vandyke wltb bis long, lean, white fingers.
Tbey bad bad their Joke wltb bini, these tblck po
licemen. Tbcy had made him dash madly from cor
ner to corner, over many weary blocks, but without
knowing that tbey were doing so they had con
vinced him of one thing that Jon lived In thla
vicinity and that tbey all knew of ber.
De was passing tb corners aa be arrived at this
uncertainty The corners were a tangled knot of
street and alley Intersections wber one might angl
off In almoHt any direction and go nowhere.
Ned Warner at that moment was sending a score
of detectives Into this neighborhood.
j-gV :.- ""; " aumy v
N'SY iTTw i ; l ; s , - -J
4H hi !
KVflr WITH TOMMY WAS A WHITE MUSTACHEP MAN- - rJVl V .
.Tired and half famished, Blye ate hi delayed din
ner la company with tb vivacious brunette Tommy
Thomas and tb whit mustached, pink facd Orln
Cunningham and wltb a heavy, silent, thick y
lidded man wbo wor abort cropped hair on bis big,
round bead.
Tommy and Cunningham and Bly sat for com
time together after tb big man bad left They
wer evidently planning something.
Finally all three went out-and atepped Into Blye'
luiurlou limousine. Before tbey hid gone very far
Blye, sitting by th girl, leaned toward ber and
began talking to ber In low tones. By and by th
tree of a smile cam to ber lips.
In a tastefully furnished drawing room a kindly
looking woman beld th bubbling Tommy' hand
between both ber own while they talked. There
were both aadness and loneliness in Mrs. VUlard is
(be drew Tommy to a seat on tbe couch beside ber,
but she bsd spirit, too, for sb displayed a most
eager Interest in the beautiful portrait of June War
ner, which presently peered np at ber from Inside
tbe lid of June' little gold watch.
When Tommy rejoined the men In tbe brilliantly
lighted limousine the handed Bly June' watch
wltb a triumphant laugh.
CHAPTER II.
JUNE, busy with ber own thoughts, did not
notice tbe closed cab which stood at the Cor
ners the next morning as she left the bouse.
As she passed by, however, walking briskly
op to tbe surface car. Officer Mack, wbo bad been
watching that cab and tbe handsome brunette whose
vivacious face bad occasionally appeared at the win
dows, saw the cab start and alowly move away.
Jun had stepped from her uptown car and waa
crossing to Broadway when a closed csb passed ber,
turned and drew op from tbe opposite direction,
and a gloved band tapped on the window. Tommy
Thomas, the girl to whom Gilbert Bly bad intro
duced herl
"Which way, pretty maldr Tommy'a glowing
face protruded from tbe door of the cab.
"To tbe employment office, kind lady," sb laugh
ed, and June exhibited ber little addresa slip.
Til take yon over," offered Tommy.
w
5AWME
Before'
Tb tw girls langhed together a they drove
away, but at the neit corner Tommy excused ber
elf for a moment and ran Into a drug store to tele
phone. Tommy hurried out and returned to ber
place In tb csb wltb June, but Mrs. VUlard. to
whom she bad phoned, remained at tb telephone
and called np another number.
When June walked Into tba Acme Employment
burean. having chosen a new one, quite naturally,
sine the old on bad sent ber to a gambling bniie,
she found a new addresa ready tor ber A latly
wanted a companion.
Her eyes widened with pleasure as she saw the
beauty of Mrs VUlard s home. It was sean-ely visi
ble from tbe street, set hack of uud below a tangled
profusion of shrubbery nud trees. Before tt rolled
the broad, smooth Hudson. Her timidity was set
entirely at rwt when In the cozy parlor Just back
of tbe stiff dm wing fWm she met the kindly faced
Mrs VUlard.
Companion; She was not to be a communion to
.this charming and sweet and yet sometimes sad
lady She was to he a Trleud. a sister, s daughter.
They knew that much In tbe lirst three minutes of
their conversation, and tben Mrs VUlard took .liius
up to a wonderful bedroom which had once been
child's, upon tbe walls of which were pem-ocks and
rooster and gnomes snd elves It was visiting day
among the VUlard cottages and the rottagea beyoml
whlcb were not VUlard cottages, and June had tb
Joy one more of giving, mingled wltb tbe sorrow
tbat there wa need.
It was late when they arrived at the cottage of
the Groggs, and as they entered the front door Mr.
GroRR came up from the lower rnnd and entered
the back door, fully ten feet behind bis breath H
was i red faced man wltb no blend In his counte
nance whatsoever Nose, ears and all, be was tbe
same tint of red fiom where his neck rose out of Its
? , .- ,
-'' ' li1'' '"'',f' W'''' ''-'' ' ' v'.
in ft I
V. " Mill"- -ni ,n,,..' J- V, J)
aprawllng collar to wber bis low forehead disap
peared in bis sprawling yellow hair.
"D'afternooa, ladle," observed Mr. Grogg cheer
fully and bowed bis smile la tb direction of tb
severs eyed Mrs. VUlard and the abocked June.
"Brought yon a little present Lous," and, with aa
much extravagant Importance ss if this bad been
the rajab'a Jewel, be bestowed on Mrs. Grogg a
geranium in a papier macb pot
Mrs. Grogg was a thin woman, chiefly distin
guished for drooplness and bollowneea as viewed
from almost any direction.
"AT th woman's vole concealed a tremor "can
we pay Mrs. VUlard anything on tbe rent today T
"Ain't yon got any money?"
"Why, Al. yon didn't give me any money."
Tb man searched unsteadily through all his pock
ets. He finally discovered a half dollar and a dime,
"Never mind," broke In tbe aoft voice of Mrs. VU
lard aa ahe saw tears In tbe eye of Mrs. Grogg.
Mrs. VUlard, wbo bad com to know life In many
sordid phase, took June away.
"Have you an evening gown, June, dear?" asked
Mrs. VUlard In a matter of fact sort of way and
eying June solicitously ss she made this abrupt
change In their subject of thought
"Tea," drawled June. "I'U get tt tomorrow."
"We are to have guests this evening." And Mrs.
VUlard studied June's height snd figure wltb a
calculating eye. "1 have a new little dinner dress
which I am sure you can wear charmingly. loo
are to be my family, my dear," sb rattled on to
cover June' embarrassed half protests. "I want
you everywhere wltb me. We shall have to do
some shopping, yon and I, one of these days, loo
Uke pretty things, don't you V
"Why, of course," laugbed June.
On the corner of Vender street and Duck alley
was Ned, Interviewing a skinny legged girl, who
sniffled continuously, both while sb was pulling np
ber stockings and while she was not In ber cbeek
f was a wad of gum, and In ber eye was all tbe live
ly expression found In tbe eye of a dead fish. Ned
Warner dredged for Information for two sordid
minute and went away, and Officer Tierman walk
ed straight over to tbe stocking puller.
"What did tbat guy wantr he demanded.
"ITS A RMI EVEHIN
"H wa astln' about a girl"
"This party described tbe girl, dldnt heT
"Un-buun sawed off blond. Say, what's It to
you?" And she sniffled swsy.
Officer Tierman walked back to bis post with a
troubled brow, and he shook bis long, narrow bead
aa be looked after tbe Industrious Ned Warner.
CHAPTER III.
J
CNB sprang suddenly from ber little bench
overlooking the river. Mrs, Gropg and her
Intolerable position persisted In jumping into
June's mind and staging there. The guests
bad not yet arrived The impulsive girl hurried
dowti and out of the back door, across tbe beautiful
rear porch and down the winding and twisting little
steps toward the VUlard cottages Mrs Grogg was
sitting In the kitchen tu stony silence hen June
arrived there, a silence from which weeping bad
long since passed.
"Sit down." And .Mrs. Grog:; irave up th un
broken chair "Al s sleeping It off."
"1 Just ran in." observed the grt.
"Ves Tell Mrs VUlard that it Al gets home with
any money tomorrow I'll save ber out what I can"
"Oh, I didn't come about the rentr June returned
hastily. "I Just ran In to see If there was anything
1 can do."
"No, there's nothing can be don. Al drank be
fore 1 married him and be drinks yet"
June's eyes contracted.
"Why does be have his own way about It T
"Because he's my husband. I'm scared of Al
when he'a drunk "
"And you re not afraid of him when he' sober?"
"Well, no Tbcte don't seem to be anything par
ticular about Al to be scared of."
The horror of drunkenness that was Itt
"I wouldn't be afraid of him.'" June suddenly
popied out
Tb woman looked at ber wltb vfiCSsSA 7t
Tbe door movsd, and Al Gregg appeased k 1
doorway la hi shirt sleeves, coOsrUiaa, kit 14
to use led.
"What yon get for enpperr b growl!
"Why. Al-I-I didn't tblnk you'd want aaj-" ft
tb woman' role wa trembling.
"On, you didn't think sol WsU. I want eema aw
perl"
"Why. Al. I ain't got any money."
"Well, why ain't you? Com berr Hi M
went up.
"AIT' A wall of terror wa la th vole.
June stepped swiftly from behind th stort Cad
confronted tb man, ber small fist clinched, bT
cheeks flaming, ber eyes biasing. 8h glared at Ma
all ber contempt and all ber loathing and something .
more ber superiority. The fist wblcb bad been up
raised came slowly down. His shoulders drooped.
He was whipped!
Al Grogg's wife watched that transition In him
wltb amazement the dropping of the eyes, the low
ering of the fist tbe drooping of tbe shoulder. And
small young woman tn a Huffy evening gown bad
done this tbingl
Smash! A geranium pot Just missed Al Gregg's
bead and broke on tbe bedroom door. Bangl An
other spraddling geranium whlcb bad split down tbe
center brushed Al'a cbeek as its pot crashed past
"Looky here!" Al Gross's tone wa chiefly on of
surprise.
Other flowerpots followed from Mrs. Grogg
bands. She bad at last discovered tbat Al Grogg
could be made afraid.
June looked at ber a moment and then trudged
np tbe hill, somewhat frightened at ber own re
sponsibility In this domestic upheaval. The guetts
bad arrived when she reached tbe bouse Tommy
Thomas! With Tommy was a white mustached,
pink faced man. Tbe runaway bride was surprised
and puzzled at the appearance of Tommy In thl
place, but the white mustached man occupied mor
of ber thought Tbey were finishing dinner when
Mrs. VUlard -was called away. Tbe white mus
tached man was trying to Induce June to smoke a
cigarette. June suddenly looked op and saw In the
doorway between tbe portieres of beavy velours tb
dark, handsome face of Gilbert Blye! '
"Tut tut Orin!" came the suave voice of tb
black Vandyked man. "I won't have this Uttl
runaway bride taught bad habits!"
June flushed and turned with some embarrass
ment to Mrs. VUlard. who foUowed Blye into tb
doorway.
Blye! Always Blye! He hovered about after tbey
bad lounged into tbe billiard room and conserva
tory, but tbe white mustached man monopolized
June, Every time she tried to get away from him
Tommy Thomas managed by some accident to throw
them together again. June finally left tbe guest
and went to her room. She had decided to go bacfr
to tbe O'Keefe house of refuge.
i
Closer and closer had gathered tbe siege on tbe "
bouse of O'Keefe! Bit by bit r.tom by atom, trace
bad been picked up.
Closer and closer grew the tolls until Marie
longer dared stick her nose out of the window lest
aome one sb&uld report ber to Ned or to June's fa
ther and mother. But Ned's detectives finally got
definite information.
One day long, lean sllnker wltb cadaverous
cheeks came up to Ned from Duck alley and looked
up at tbe O'Keefe residence with solemn interest
"That's the place," he said.
'"Tea, It's the place." Ned Warner's voice wa
bollow, but there was a. JubUaot ring to It
"Go and tell Mr. Moore."
Tbe lean Individual hurried away and presently
came bsck on the driver seat of a limousine. Insld
were tbe stern faced father and the gentle faced
mother of June and June's bosom friend, tbe ebul
lient Iris Blethering, and Bobble Blethering.
"This Is tbe place," said stern John Moore, look
ing up at tbe narrow front of tbe O'Keefe resi
dence, and, stalking out he helped tbe others alight
Sammy O'Keefe came to tbe door in answer to
Ned's ring, and a much wrinkled face poked tteelf
out of the second story window.
"Does June Warner live here?" asked Ned.
No. sir."
Tbe bead In the second story window was Jerked
In Immediately, and there was hasty shuffle oa
tbe stairs leading to the third floor, sbufile mau
by setting up tbe right foot first and pulling tb
left one up to it Also there was a mad scrambling
on the third floor, while Sammy O'Keefe in th
front doorway looked tbe throng tn tbe ey wlU
admirable truthfulness, and swore that there wa no
Juue Warner there, no June Moore, no Jun any
thing "What' the matter here. Sammy?" the Widow
O'Keefe herself asked, panting considerably.
"Come, search the bouse!" she proudly dared them.
Some of them were for holding back, but Ned
Warner was perfectly callous as to whether or ao
be took any one's word or doubted It Ue meant to
Dud bis wire.
By the circumstance of bringing home a genr-li
gourd to little Masjjle Casey, June came home
around by au extremely back way and so niLssed
the searchers.
"Search the cellar, if you please!" mocked th
Widow O'Keefe. leading the way. "Maybe you'U
look tn the kindly bin! And here's the coal chutel
Now come on upstairs! Here's tbe ball that yoO
saw before, ami here's my son Sammy, fine young
boy still; and this Is the parlor. Tbe organ there,
sir. is not bollow. as you cm tell by lifting up tb
lids! Open all tbe doors and see."
The place was vscsnt! No oue was there, Ned
Waruer, puzzled and determined. Inspected tb third
floor. No results. Tbe Widow O'Keefe bad gath
ered up all tb clothe and belonging and put them
In a sheet and poked them Into Mr. Mci'herson'
third itory window.
June Wsrner tripped lightly across tb street lt
herself In st tb Widow O'Keefe' front door and
trotted briskly op tb stair. Sb swung round tbe
curving ba ulster.
"Maybe you'd Ilk to look up tb chimney, rag.
pested tb Widow O'Keefe to th searchers oa tb
third floor.
Ned Warner walked toward the ball door.
June Warner started up to tb third floorl
to a comnuiD.
:i
!
' I
! ? f
f t
SI
It
"I
r