The Barnwell people. (Barnwell, S.C.) 1884-1925, April 28, 1921, Image 3
a •
THE PEOPLE, BARNWELL, S. C
mi ■
THBfiC
By Randall
\j' Parrish
Author of
M The Strange Case
" of Cavendish*’
■% -i V V-'
Ooprrlcht; by B4ad*ulRM«iak
If
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ACTION! ACTIONI-
•—-Z,% :
Adventure-—romance — mys
tery—battle, murder and sud-
dtfh death! Wall, rather. And
action, action, action~H>n every
page. That's Randall Parrish’s
new story, “The Mystery of the
Silyar Dagger.”
Suppose you were an Ameri
can diplomat and you fell in
love at first sight with a won
derful, mysterious girl who was
apparently deep in an interna
tional revolutionary conspiracy
and you had the identity of a
famous crook thrust upon you
. and you found one of the chief
conspirators dead from a stab
with the mysterious girl's silver
dagger hatpin 1 And suppose
you set to work to break up the
conspiracy and solve the mur
der and win the girl—wouldn’t
you be busy? Well, that’s this
hero and this hero’s job.
As to Randall * Parrish, all
novel-readers know him and hie
stories. And this is one of his
best. v; '
!*:
< m
Mm
;
L ■
9HAPTER I.
^ '•) The MeMage In the Box.
Antic4patlng the possibility of my
train arriving late, I had named the
hour of my meeting with ^Jammings
as three o’clock, and, In consequence
'''iff our reaching fluTcity exactly on
time, was compelled to loiter idly
about the hotel for an hour. However,
in passing through the corridor my
attention was attracted by an unique
curiosity shop occupying a small side
room, and, merely to pass the time
pleasantly, I entered and began exam
ining the strange collection of wares
on display.
There were several articles I lin
gered over, tempted to purchase, but
drifted on, rather undecided, until my
eyes perceived a very quaint lacquered
jewel box, of a class of workmanship
quite unusual. The proprietor, per
ceiving my interest, joined me.
“The Jewel box attracts you,” he
said pleasantly, openlug ihe case and
bringing It forth. “You have love for
such things?” t ^ \ ’ *
“A deep Interest at least,” I admit
ted, taking the article from his hand,
“a collector-ln an amateur w’ay. What
is the workmanship—surely not Jap
anese?” ' ^
“No,” smilingly. “Although posi-
- lively I cannot answer as to Its or
igin. The inscription, which can only
be read with a microscope”—he traced
with his linger—“is ancient Arabic,
but no wild Arab ever did the lacquer.”
“Yet so arrange a curio must have a
■history, an imaginary one, at least.
What Is the story?”
“Positively none,” he admitted re
gretfully. “The fact Is, this article was
found by a chambermaid in one of the
hotel rooms, and turned in to the man
ager. He made every effort to trace
the guests, only to learn, that they, two
men, by the way, had registered false
ly. He even advertised, but wlfh ho
response, and finally, after thirty days,
, was persuaded to accept my offer for
the article,”
J -
“You have put a price on this?”
“Yes. ridiculously low, no doubt, yet
bringing me a good profit.”
He named a price, and, still lytth the
box in my hands, I yielded to the temp
tation. and bought it. Tfie article was
—sufficiently small to find lodgment in
an overcoat pocket, and, ns Cummings
appeared a little later, was soon for
gotten in the earnestness of one-icon-
l "-v; ' ^
4 versatlon. We latex^had dinner to
gether, and attended the theater in
j company, my mind so occupied with
other matters that I scarcely once
thought of the strange purchase 1 had
made, which remained securely hid
den, It was only after returning to
my own room, then nearing midnight,'
that It was again recalled to memory.
Only an Idle curiosity and a feeling
of sleeplessness Induced me to draw
the article forth, and remove its wrap
pings, but the sight served immedi
ately to increase my Interest. It was
certainly a wonderful find, artistleal.ly
beautiful, and most urrasunl in design.
There was a mystery that must have
exercised a strange spell over my
Imagination, for I dreamed of the long-
dead workman who fashioned it,- for
getful of the -passing night hours. A
clock somewhere In the neighborhood
struck, and I counted twelve, arousing
myself. Perhaps 1 was already half
sleeping, for ns I turned to rise my
sleeve struck the box at the edge of
the table, and before I Mftild prevent
the fajt, it lay upon the floor at my
feet.
t As I stooped hastily to recover the
overturned box, I was astounded to
discover the bottom slipped partially
aside, as though some secret spring had
been touched, revealing so narrow a
receptacle that the ordinary eye would
never suspect the possibility of! Its ex-
Istence. Not only was there a false
bottom, but the Opening revealed a
Closely folded paper. I grasped this
quickly, a thrill running through me.
What ancient and long-buried message
iras about to be unfolded?
s -if • <«-4>
But no! - This was plainly modem-
a clean, whitfe sheet, no folded parch-'
ment of old, blit some mystery of yes-
, terday. There was writing there, In
Spanish, so faintly traced I could
barely decipher the words, yet clearly
revealed as of this day and generation.
I know Spanish fairly well, having had
a year in Mexico City, yet it required
some time before I could puzzle out
the message on this sheet. The paper
had been torn, seemingly sundered
from a much longer letter, and pre
served merely because of the specific
address and Instructions It contained.
Beyond doubt all else had been de
stroyed. What remained may have
been sufficient guidance to the party
who had the benefit of what went be
fore In the original epistle, but was
obscure to anyone else. Yet It was
modern, something relating to this
very Lime, a menace; something to be
grasped and understood. This convic
tion absolutely grippecTme. I stared
at the rather sinister words? blindly
groping at what lay hidden behind
them, instinctively scenting a conspir
acy of evil which - I could not deter
mine. All unintentioned I had stum
bled into a clew which might lead to
startling results, yet it seemingly gave
me no hint of who was involyed, or
of Its real nature. I put the words to
gether. Weighing each one with care
as to its exact meaning, and read them
over with increased bewilderment. The
torn fragment began and ended ab
ruptly ; I could only guess at its mean
ing, yet the Impression left upon my
mind was both sinister and menacing.
I wanted to know more.
108 sailed Saturday from Stockholm. 'Will
deposit letter of credit with Kranti to
your order. Amount ample all needs. See
to this at once, and advise 876 Cans, Eo
as to be no delay. Two raps, three—Cer
vantes. Waldron favors action this month;
suggest Watonla. Can you be ready? Use
South A code,
That this letter was authentic I had
no doubt, nor was Its meaning alto
gether obscure In the light of certain
events. Several allusions were famil
iar to me and these were what caused
ray earlier suspicions to crystallize into
probability. It bore all the earmarks
of a plot, a revolutibnary plot? and one
iSP
Questioned Him Relative'to. the Mys
terious Box.
not yet brought to consummation. To
he sure the note was undated, and the
box had been left at the hotel thirty
days before. Yet the Watonla was cer
tainly the name of a ship and to my
memory suggested fiOentral American
trade. Thi& did not necessarily imply
that the conspirators had abandoned
their purpose. More likely they were
not qdite ready In time to operate on
the sailing date of that particular ship.
Some delay had occurred, and, possi
bly, even now prompt action might
overturn all their plans. { undressed
and went to bed, but not to sleep, for
the darkness brought new thoughts
and suggestions for the morrow.
I was still in government employ, al
though unasstgned, and felt this dis
covery to be a direct call upon my
service. While my first inclination
should naturally have been to turn the
whole matter over to the proper bu
reau for Investigation, two facts led
me In another direction-—I was suffi
ciently young to seek adventure, and
,1 desired to verify my suspicions be
fore creating any false alarm.
As I rested there, sleepless, staring
-up at the black ceiling, the words of
the strange fragment of letter re
mained vividly before me. Little by
little I dug at the truth, coming finally
to this conclusion: “108” wps, no
doubt, the recognized number of some
agent who had been dispatched to
America on a special erraiid to -the
conspirators In this country. He had
sailed Saturday, a month ago, or more,
and. must have long since arrived at
some port, bringing with him instruc
tions not to be Intrusted to the mall,
and sufficient money, In form of letter
i'of credit, with which to finance what
ever nefarioos scheme of revolution
might be contemplated. This money
was to be paid out to the authorized
party through , a man named Krantz.
Who was Krantz? There was a well-
known banking firm, Kulb, Krantz A
Co., in Wall Street, and it was quite
probable these might prove the ones
Involved, although to my knowledge
they, ha,d no outward junta connec
tion^ of this nature. “Cans”, was evi
dently a street, although I could recall
none bearing , so peculiar appellation,
while the password was in itself proof
almost, positive as to the South or Cen
tral American sympathies of the con
spirators.
These facts were fairly* clear as I
thus weaved them together, but they
were rendered more damning by the
other name mentioned—Waldron. If
this .was Ivan Waldro'n, I had good rea
son to know the fellow, and to con
nect his activities with any .-scheme
destined to embarrass the government.
He was a professional agitator of tin*
most pronounced type, a socialist radi
cal, who in the past bad openly advo
cated opposition to all law and order.
Moreover, the fellow had a large and
desperate following, to whom be was a
high-priest. He was reported, to be a
Russian by birth, but spoke English
without an accent, and I felt no doubt
but what a sufficient amount of money
would engage his Interest In any des
perate cause. The desire to “get him”
added zest to my interest in the affair.
If he was actually at the head of these
fellows, these plotters against the neu
trality of the United States, the catch
would be worth while. *
— Aa soon-aH’ possible next morning I
sought out Burke; T ihe manager of the
hotel, with whom I bad a speaking ac
quaintance, and, without confiding the
extent of my discovery, questioned him
relative to the mysterious box; and the
guests who left it behind. Two men,
he said, both well dressed, but with
nothing particularly to distinguish
them, had registered together late in
the afternoon of Friday, September 27,
and on request had been assigned to
one' room with twin beds and a bath.
The larger man, who had inscribed him
self as “P. S. Horner, Detroit,” alone
had a bag; his companion, known to
the hotel as “(Juatave Alva, Toledo,
Ohio,” being without baggage. The
bill was paid the next morning by
Horner, and the two departed together.
It was an hour later when the cham
bermaid on that floor reported finding
the box in the room vacated. After
holding it for a day or two In expec
tation that it might be called for, no
such inquirjes being made, the hotel
endeavored to trace the men,' but to
no avail. The fellows had either false
ly registered, or were entirely unknown
where they claimed residence. The
first was the most probable condition.
After thirty days, and having exhaust
ed all reasonable efforts to find the
rightful owner, the^hotel felt legally
Justified in selling the trinket. That
was all Burke knew of the matter, and
his interest In it was not keen.
I am inclined to think now that I
went^ at the problem without-much
system, and that any success a (Waved
was. through pure accident. ~ During
the forenoqn I dropped in upon Clem
ent Breckenridge, cashier of the Do
ver’s National bank. We had been
classmates at college,, and ^ generally
called on him when in the. city. This
time I led the conversation (to Kulb,
Krantz A,Co., on the pretense that I
bad received mail from them relative
to some recommended Investment.
Clement knew Krantz. well and favor
ably, and my probing elicited the in
formation that the man was Austrian
by birth, but a naturalized citizen,
rather deeply Interested In political
matters. If his sympathies were at all
revolutionary he had carefully re
frained from any such open expres
sion. The firm had made a specialty
of handling South American business,
and had intimate financial connections
in both Ulo and Buenos Aires. The
company ranked high In financial
circles. . . ■ -
“The present war must have cost
them a rather heavy loss,” I hazarded.
“However, this Is nothing to me. By
the way, Clement, do you chance to
know of a Cans street in this town?”
“Gan8? That is a new one on me.
Try the City directory—there“onTthe
edge of the deSlt.’* ~
The name was not to be found, nor
any other approaching it In sound or
spelling, and I finally drifted out onto
the street, really no wiser than when
I first entered. I made one more effort,
however, telephoning to a detective
sergeant whom I knew well, ns tor the
present whereabouts of Ivan Waldron.
The 1 Trtkt heard of Waldron, he was In
West Virginia, speaking to striking
miners; that was* less than a week
ago; he had not been seen In the city
since. ' 1
COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE
OF THE HOUSE CONTAINS
' t*-
NO SOUTHERN MEMBER.
i
FULMER FARES FAIRLY WELL
Representative Stevenson Secures Ap
pointment to Two Committees of
More or Lees Importance.
Columbia.
Washington, (Special).—In view of
the general insistence of every South
erner in congress that he is first of alj
the friend of the farmer, it is regard
ed as a remarkable circumstance that
in the assignment of democrats to
house committees no man from the
District of Columbia to Louisiana was 1
made a member of, the committee on
agriculture.
The great Southeast — Virginia,
North and South Carolina, Georgia,
Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and
Tennessee—is without representation
on this committee, which seeks * to
conserve the basic industry of the
South, if not the nation.
The assignments of South Carolina
members are as follows:
Fulmer, alcoholic liquor traffic, elec
tion of president, vice president and
representatives and Indian affairs.
Byrnes, appropriations.
Stevenson, banking and currency,
printing.
McSwain, cersus. enrolled bills,
pensions and war claims.
Logan, claims, Elections No. 3, ex
penditures in the state department......
Dominick, judiciary.
Stoll, .military affairs.
Press Association to Meet.
The dates of the semi-annual meeV
Ing of the South Carolina Press asso
ciation have been changed by the exe
cutive committee of that organization
’from June 15. 16 and 17 to July 6, 7
and 8, according to announcement
made by Harold C. Booker of Colum
bia. secretary, who said that a poll of
the executive cpriimittee taken by the
president, A. B. Jordon, had resulted
In favor of the .change.
The Annual meeting of the Southern
Newspaper Publishers’ association,
which will be held in Asheville, N. - C.,
conflicted with the first dates chosen
by the association and as quite a num
ber of South Carolina newspaper men
are members of both organizations, it
was decided to change the date of the
South Carolina meeting.
An effort will be made to secure the
attendance of every editor and pub
lisher .In the state at the Greenville
meeting. The Greenville people are
making elaborate plans for the meet
ing. The annual meeting of the asso
ciation was held In Greenville In 1919
and was one of the most delightful in
the history of the organization. In*a
letter to Secretary, Booker, J. R. Mc-
Kissick, editor of the Greenville Pied
mont, says that the Greenville news
paper men hope to make the one this
year surpass that of 1919.
Autos and Trucks Unregistered.
Figures compiled by the state high
way commission show that a large
number of automobiles and trucks are
yet unregistered in South Carolina
despite the fact that the law says the
motor vehicles shall be registered o»-
tween January, 1 to February 1.
The commission estimates that
around 20,000 motor vehicles are yet
unaccounted for up until this time, us
ing the 1920 figures as a basis. •
TAKES CARE
OF 5 CHILDREN
Mr*. Taylor'* Sickness Ended
by Lydia E. Pinkham’s
Vegetable, Compound
Roxbury, Maas.—”1 suffered contin-
aally with backache and waa often de
spondent, had dizzy
spells and at my
monthly periods ft
was almost impos
sible to keep around
at my work. Sines
my last baby came
two years ago my
back has been worse
and no position I
could get in would
relieve it, and doc
tor’s medicine did
.not help me. A friend
recommended Lydia E. Pinkham’s Veg
etable Compound and I have found great
relief since using it My back is much
better and I can sleep well. I keep
house and have the care of five children
so my work is very trying and I am very
thanxful I have found the Compound
such a help. I recommend it to my
riends and if you wish to use this letter
am very glad to help any woman suf
fering as f was until 1 used Lydia E.
Pinkham’a Vegetable Compound.”—
Mrs. Maude E. Taylor, 6 St. Jamas
Place, Roxbury, Mass.
Backache is one of the moat common
symptoms of a dwplacemen tor derange
ment of the female system. No woman
Money Call From Corporation.
Richard I. Manning, > president of
the American Products Export & Im
port corporation, is calling upon those
who have subscribed to the stock of
the corporation and who have not
paid their subscriptions, to do so at
•nee. -
‘‘In view of the plans now making
to export a large volume of cotton, it
is essential to the best interests of
the corporation and of the country
that we have on hand as much cotton
as possible,” says Governor Manqing.
Does Not Recognize Divorces. v
Ruling that a divorce granted In an
other state is not recognized by South
Carolina because this state does not
permit divorces, Judge George E.,
Prince in the common pleas court at
Greenville, declared invalid and or
dered annulled the marriage of Ches
ter M.* Goodyear, Jr, and Mrs. Nina
Reynodls Goodyear. It was alleged
that the defendant, Mrs. Goodyear,
had at the time of the marriage, in
November, 1919, A living husband
Jrom whom she had been divorced in
Georgia.
New Road Contracted for.
The Stewart-Jones company of Rock
Hill has been awarded the contract
for constructing the road from Cam
den to the Richland county line by the
Kershaw, county commissioners. This
link of roadway is on the Washington-
Atlanta highway and Is one of the im
portant stretches of road to be com
pleted during the present year’ to
wards making this highway complete
from the- Georgia to the North Caro
lina line.
Methodists to do Mg Things.
Methodists of South Carolina will
have an opportunity to do big things
for the educational institutions of the
Methodist church, South, May 29 to
Juna 5. in subscribing to the )33,060,-
000 fund to equip better and endow
their schools, colleges fcnd universi
ties. Columbia college will get $300,-
000; Wofford college, Spartanburg,
will get 1500,000; Carlisle school,
Bamberg, $75,000; Lander college,
Greenwood, $300,000; Horry Industrial
school, Aynor, $76,000; Textile Indus
trial institute, Spartanburg. $50,000;
Wofford Fitting school, Spartanburg,
$75,000.
About Ready to Pay Pensions.
The comptroller general, Walter E
Duncan, has apportioned to the vari
ous counties the pension fund for
1921, amounting to $600,000, and the
probate Judges will receive within
the next few days the amounts for dis
tribution among the Confederate vet
erans and widows of veterans. Peu
sions should be available, through the
judges of probate, during the coming
week. Mr. Duncan said.
There are on the pension rolls for
1921 a total of 9,783 pensioner*.
Heyward Made State Chairman.
D. C. Heyward has been appointed
chairman of the state - organization for
University Summer School.
-The University of South Carolina
summer school will open Wednesday,
June 15, according to the announce
ment of Prof. J. A. Stoddard, director
of the school.
The faculty of the school has now
been completed. —V
The aim- of the school, as stated In
the bulletin announcing the curiicu-
lum and regulations for fh# achool, Is
“to give training In the subject mat
ter which high school teachers have
to teach, to add to the teacher’s stock
of scholarship inlh/jse subjects, and
to make some. study of the high
school pupil.
Big Collections In March
South Carolinians, especially the
“poor farmers,” who have vigorously
protested against the assessing of
$6,000,000 tax bill against the people
by the legislature, will doubtless be
pleased .to receive the announcement
that South Carolina during the month
rell . e ' »' the ramtQS attua- o( Mtr(;V m ,. ^ the
tton. . A. J. Cauthen ot Onsite ,ur & g p vcrnnlen t *8.060,345 «6 In tscom.
ha9 been named director and E. O.
Black of Columbia, treasurer.
Want Moving Picture Reels.
Governor Cooper has received a let
ter from the International committee
of the Y. M. C. A. In which officials of
the “Y” ask for reels of moving pic
tures of farm life and general condi
tions in South Carolina for exhibition
to Immigrants held at Ellis Island.
and excess profit taxee.
Good Work of Federal Bbard.
The federal board for vocational
and educational traing now has 4,50o
men In training in this district which
cotiiprises the states of Tennessee,
the Carollnas; Georgia and Florida.
In South Carolina there are now 400
receiving instruction in placement
and institutional vocational training.
Men with tuberculosis and . conse
quently not fitted tor training are b€^
Ing cared for at the federal board
training centers.
Many applicants are coming In and
good progress is being made.
Converse Added to List.
New York, (Special).—The Car
negie Foundation for the advance
ment of teaching announced here H
has added Converse college at Spar
tanburg, S.'C., and Washington and
Lee university, at Lexington, »Va., to
the list of institutions associated with
Its work. ^ .
v
should make the mistake of trying to
overcome it by heroic endurance, out
rofit by M ra. Taylor ’a experience and try
diaE. Pinkham’sVegeUbleCom pound
pro
Ly
MAN’S
BEST AGE
A man is at old as Us organs; ha
can be as vigorous and healthy ft
70 as at 35 if he aids his organa in
performing their functions. Keep
your vital organs healthy with
COLD MEDAL
*Ug£*c*
The world's standard remedy lor kidney,
liver, bladder and uric add trooblee since
1096; corrects disorders; stiaralatas vital
or gene. All druggists, three dees.
Comfort Baby's Son
With Cuticura Soap
And Fragrant Talcam
SeapSSc.1
DAISY FLY KILURBSSnuDi
'v-r-.Y
i-pi .V'iLijjr
+ iTa— .4 —i V
HABOU) aOMBU. 1» Do Kaft Am. SntUm. M. Y.
Repair first and grumble afterwards.
ASPIRIN
> •-
Name “Bayer” on Genuine
Take Aspirin only as told in each
package of genuine Bayer Tablets of
Aspirin. Then yon will be following
the directions and dosage worked out
by physicians daring 21 years, and
proved safe by millions. Take no
chances with substitutes. If you see
the Bayer Gross on tablets, yon can
take them without fear for Colds,
Headache, Neuralgia, Rheumatism,
Earache, Toothache, Lumbago and
for Pain. Handy tin boxes of twelve
tablets cost few emits. Druggists also
sell larger packages. Aspirin Is the
trade mark of Bayer Manufacture of
MonoaceUcsddester of SalleyUcadd.—
Adv.
Character Is a portrait of the souL
Small Tree Is Wanted.
The Lor Angeles chamber #f com
merce has written the governor / and
requested him to furnish that body
with a tree, typical of South Carolina
to he planted in the grove of state
trees. Nearly all the other states
have trees planted in Ihis grove, and
the chamber of commerce is anxious
that the Palmetto state be represent
ed in the grove.
Any person interested in furnishing
the tree i» asked to let the chief ^xe-
rufife know and arrangements cam
be made to forward
■f-'
(TO BE CONTINUED.) ,
And Thars You Havo It
Elizabeth, when asked,the ages <A
her two brothers, answered, “I am big
ger than the Uttlest one and Uttiar
than the biggest one.”
t 0 Amend Cotton Future Act.
Washington, (Special)" 1 .^--- -Senator
DIjI of South Carolina has again In-
troduced a proposed amendment to
the cotton futures act which would
have tendency to break the strangle
hold which, he charges, the cotton ex
changes have on the cotton producers.
It appears to he the consensus of
opinion that the Dial amendment will
have a better opportunity" at passage^
than the amerfdment of former Sena
tor Comer of Alabaaaa. The amend
ment of the former senator passed
the senate, but tailed ia the house.
j - .... .
Juniors Banquet Seniors.
Members Of the University of Souths
Carolina law school heard a number
of neat toasts and an able addeas by
John P. Thomas, Jr., former dean of
the school, at the regular Junior-sen
ior banquet at the Columbia hotel.
The occasion was one that will he
pleasaqtly remembered by the 100 or
more members who participated in the
■ V • r**«-*• .-i t.-Y W,- •:
function.
The banquet was giAn by the JunL
ors to the seniors. The dining room
wss artistically decorated, having
been decorated by Mrs. C. T. Reamer.
No cigarette has
the same delicious
flavor as Lucky
Strike. Because
Lucky Strike lathe
">S..
' UgL
-v ■