Show I GEORGE GEOR HOWARD Plot by THE SOCIAL SO SOCIAL CIAL PIRATES PIRi ATES HUGH H MR C cj COPYRIGHT BY DY 31 KALEM ALEnt CO COMPANY PANY S Story tory N No o. o 4 A WAR OF WITS i tired tirel of ot the city said salil Mona Hartley Ia 1 She was looking from th the window o of ot the tho apartment sh she slurred sl d with Mary Burnett her ier chum arid Jn in a a. sense her partner Did Dill you ever see such a day A high wind drove a mixture of ol ofrain ofrain rain and hall hail and snow against the window The streets were covered Witha with a treacherous half frozen slush that sent pedestrians and horses down constantly slipping sliding sUding falling as a aas ort often n as the they kept their feet It was wa health trying trying try try- trying an ugly day dar dangerous to ing to the temper i Jt awful said Mary ary coming coining to tc th window and looking out with a shiver of ot disgust Wo We ought to get away said Mona Jona Cant Casi t we go south Mary Mary or or north for tor that matter I 1 wouldn't care which either sunshine or 01 a steady cold would be better than this We Wo cant can't have either said sald Mary firmly We cant can't afford a a. vacation Our money Is running pretty low lona Iona We cant can't afford arford to waste any I suppose not said Mona regret regret- fully J Interested Interested Inter Inter- Anyone who was sufficiently ested eted In the two girls to speculate about them at all aU must have supposed comfortable in in- in that they enjoyed a come They were not what Is known I as ns working women They seemed always al always al- al ways W YS to have enough for their needs a and it was the natural presumption that the they possessed if not a fortune c comfortable and independent means at it least Yet ret nothing could have been furth furth further fur fur- th ther r. r from the truth Both had in inthe inthe the tho beginning seemed to be assured of Just such a a. comfortable protected life ite as such conditions Insure Both had been thrown upon their own resource re re- re sources source And both thanks to their attractiveness had had the same bitter bitter bitter bit bit- ter and disillusioning experience Men had sought to prey upon them unwilling un un- un- un willing t to allow them to do what they wanted whIch which was to earn a living by br- Y such work as they were fitted tb t do f i heY had bad been resolute enough to top p i t every snare every trap that haden had haden en baited batted for them And they had mme ome In the end to feel that they were were Justified in obtaining from the world by the exercise of ot a a. superior intelligence that living which they r t e it owed them and which they I had bad ad been unwilling to accept at the price they had bad been asked to pay They had bad for some time levied tribute upon those who had bad believed them likely to be easy victims They had played Clayed upon the credulity the desires a nd 1 1 the weakness of certain people yo o had made it a practice In one way gay or another to take advantage of ot precisely such euch weakness In others 1 fot ot once since they had determined lo live so 50 to speak by their wits tad d they despoiled anyone who did richly deserve to suffer for some meanness meant eEs of character More than once Indeed the they had with only Incidental pro profit tit to themselves right right- etL wrongs TOngs and brought happiness to toBe iose Be se who io greatly g needed nee lep It Their ep had hall been unconventional but fey ley had avoided conflict with their 4 twp consciences as well as with the 1 t w. w Oh Oli cheer up said Mary Man after a Mona e. e Something will turn up r pu u know were know were we're pretty lucky and I 1 Ie l eve e that we wouldn't be If we were ci jg altogether wrong even wrong even if it some would call can us adventuresses ey knew ILet Jet them said M Mona na We are Mary We Weve We've ve never taken taken of anyone who didn't didn t deIt der deI derp de- de r rp P It But But But- But oh Ph h I wish it would I II ar yip up J a 0 firm inn gesture Mary drew fl n shades and switched on the ctrl light fI little mental science i Is the tho treat- treat dt for tor you you he she Wild gaid Id with deter- deter 1 Now it Now cold its cold cold and clear sl c. c and its it's late eo so that its it's dark e glad to to- tobo tobe bo be home after ater a brisk briskI I d c-d and l well we'll read the tho evening D t na a laughed and sank still stin smiling while Mary telephoned OO v Oo j for fOl the tie afternoon papers to be besent sent up to them In a few moments i Vere vere both settled in easy chairs jf ti l ng And suddenly Mona ex- ex ji lIsten tab listen she sho cried We WeI I t a afford tord a vacation but vacation but theres there's reason ason why we shouldn't go south is there i now asked Mary dropping r own awn paper W theres there's there's theres here from tW a story X w Springs Springs one one of those society age jage stories that the hotel corre- corre 1 s send out Mary Letty Mary Letty Mc- Mc s T A an n i is there f L tty spendIng tty spending the money rooms room fest s at ht Yellow Springs prices Youre You're l e ing things Mona Ilm not Its It's true She's I v. v scared scared- e ISm Gout Sciatica Just 1 I of things you'd expect her to S XO McLean said Mary thou thought thought- ht- ht v c- c tJ Oh but Id I'd like mo to get set even eyen F- F i h. h h her f f J i Do Dp you rou know her asked Mona l Y v Yes but but not the way you mean b Ji know me at an any rate Oi Once when I 1 I was working at Stacy's r ye counter another girl sirl and I 1 had hada 1 wretched little flat fiat in a a a tenement house she owned One of us got sick f arid she had us put out because we r k were were a week late with the rent The w. P. P j 7 collector almost cried cried but but said he het hett t tt c help himself that she was so t t 1 n shed lied fire him in a minute if he E r let Jet anyone anono have any time Oh she's u. u th the meanest old wretch aU alive ve an and d She's thea worth millions simply millions simply millions millions' k why wh Well why shouldn't we see what's 1 1 to be done I f Hm tm said Mary doubtfully I be believe be- be lieve it would be easier to borrow mon mon- ey from a a. bank without security than f to o get set anything out of ot Letty but but well well theres there's nothing else in sight is there v- v 1 dont don't know that it would be risking v o yo O very much Lets Let's try It We e can Mum turnaround around and come back If we see me that its it's hopeless Yellow ehlow Springs is a curious anoma- anoma Tous sort of place There Is a n village of If that rame A few tew small houses a astore store or so BO a postoffice and and the i railway station These make up the f village They are in a valley ringed about the mountains And then two f miles mUes away t Is the real Yellow Springs s sa a a vast ast hotel A group roup of hotels really since one building long since ceased to be enough to accommodate the visiting the visiting crowds The history of the resort Is a written plainly in the hotel buildings L There re are jre groves of ot trees frees wide lawns formal gardens In the Dutch and Italian styles statues summer summerhouse bouse house terraces everything to delight the eye The TiLe bubbling sulphur springs geser of hot mud all the medi- medi 1 t 1 f J J cinal waters that the earth y yields Ields i e ethe f for forthe forthe o r the alleviation of ot human suffering and pain are rendered unobtrusive Beautiful spring houses exquisite bath pavilions pa are harmonized with the thc general design And to this place every year flock thousands of those who ibo are arc ill ill or who like to believe that they need need the waters and the l baths Many come who really are ill many more who need only a re ret rest t and a change of ot scene Wonderful automobile roads roath have havo been laid out there are golf links UnIts tennis courts paths through the woods for those who like to ride rides facilities for every sort of game There is a casino too where the play often otten runs high Restraints are few the local government of county and v village mage is far too wise to Impose strict rules upon the tho rich people who come to Yellow Springs to spend their money It was here that Mary Interestingly pale came accompanied by her de devoted devoted devoted de- de voted and good looking maid Mary it II was given out was recovering from froma a severe Illness and her appearance bore out this statement It was forrest for forrest forrest rest rather than the cure that she had come come Mary Mary had balked resolutely against drinking the waters and taking taking taking tak tak- ing the baths She had fel moreover moreover moreover more more- over that It might be a good thing to have an excuse for keeping to her rooms Mona 1 In her character as t 1 Mary's Marys rys maid wasted no time after their ar ar- ar- ar rival They reached th the Springs late in the afternoon n before bed time Mona was familiar with Mrs McLeans McLean's McLean's McLeans Mc Mc- I Leans Lean's routine It had not proved difficult difficult difficult dif dif- dif dif- to gather the facts she he had wanted to learn The whole place talks about her she told Mary l when they were in their I rooms here with a a. maid and she's taking medical treatment from a Dr Brown Brown Brown-a a nice looking young oung fel fel- feh- feh low She spends the whole who e morning on the terrace every day sunning herself and for the last day or two she's been quarreling with the doctor because she doesn't get well more mor quickly She is always complaining or ot the expense and saying shell she'll have to go to live In one me of her own tenements to ec economize no- no mize when she goes home I 1 bet she will too too too-she's she's done that before I the maid look like just ordinary ordinary and and she's not one ne of Lettys Letty's regular servants She was picked up for this trip and I think she's pretty tired of her Job She he talks a good deal about Letty Lettys I meanness I 1 think she's been used to 1 living tying with rich people and that Letty's Lettys Lettys Letty's Let Let- Leti i tys ty's rather a shock to her I II I can quite believe It said Mary Shed be a shock to almost anyone who was used to dealing with human beings eings you know We WeI you'll I-you'll you'll bundle bundle bun bun- dle lIe me up carefully tomorrow morning morning morning morn morn- ing ing and find a a. nice long chair for me meas meas met as t near to Lettys Letty's as you can manage I l IThen Then rhen well we'll see what well we'll see There wasn't so 50 much for them to fact it was what see ee as a a. matter of was they heard that was Interesting as It ft turned out ut What the they saw was a woman well over sixty dressed in faded black with a shabby sh shawl about her thin shoulders and a bonnet bonnet bonnet bon bon- net long out of style perched upon her ier thin gray hair This was the formidable Letty McLean who was supposed to be the Richest woman Inthe in inthe the he world and was certainly the mean mean- est st Her maid brought her o out t to her accustomed chair where the sun was strongest and in a few moments her doctor bustled up up-a up a young man man energetic energetic en en- and forceful At once mice Letty broke out into a sharp tirade a against jim him You rob robber er she cried In a high nervous voice Just because Im I'm supposed to have a little money you think Ill I'll 1 submit to extortion Youre You're like Uke all aU the lest rest of or the thieving crew I 1 wont won't pay your bill no bill no wonder you sent it to me and were afraid to present present pre pre- sent it yourself Its It's extortion Im sorry you think so said the doctor a a. little angry but amused too it was plain Ive simply made m my usual charge Mrs McL McLean an You must remember that youve you've claimed m my undivided Undivided undivided un un- divided attention since youve you've been here Yes Yes and and a Il lot of pf C good youve you've done me too tool t she said shrilly Im fOrm no better than I 1 was T when I came CaIne down here Its It's all a conspiracy to part me from my hard earn earned cd mone money Mona and Mary exchanged meaning glances And suddenly they saw that were they-were not the only interested auditors auditors auditors audi audi- tors of or this dispute A distinguished looking bearded man of ot the professional professional professional type who stood below the terrace terrace ter ter- race was listening too He lie smiled as if it it were an excellent Joke The Th two girls looked at him and at one another Ive seen him somewhere said Mary Mars MOo 0 I ISo So have I said Mona but I 1 cant can't place him I 1 wonder wonder- I fI think I 1 know how to find out said Mary Take rake me In In rm Im I'm going to write some letters It was three days before the ans answers s ers to the the inquiries that Mary had made came On second thought she had telegraphed instead of ot wilting writing and and had used a sort of or code to defy possible possible ble curiosity concerning herself Meanwhile Meanwhile Meanwhile Mean Mean- while things had ha pot been at a standstill standstill standstill stand stand- still so fa far fa as Mrs McLean was vas concerned concerned con con- She had heaped more re reproaches reproaches re- re upon uvon Dr Brown and he had finally been angered to such a point that he ha threw up her case and refused to treat her This had given the bearded man his chance Mona 1 had learned that he I was registered as Dr Ransom and he had managed in some someway way to insinuate In Insinuate Insinuate In- In sinuate himself Into Mrs McLeans McLean's good graces So it had come about that it was he and not Brown who was now her ber physician Moreover his treatment had already proved itself beneficial After two days Letty was able to walk with more freedom and her pain seemed considerably reduced They say its it's really Dr Browns Brown's treatment that has helped her Mona reported got to 10 be quite friendly friend friend- ly with her maid She says Mrs McLean McLean Mc tc Lean didn't give his treatment a fair fairchance chance that chance that he had told her from the start that the effect wouldn't be apparent at once but took time to tode de develop elop Keep up with her hel maid advised Mary l I shouldn't wonder at all If jf there might be a chance for you to succeed herIve herIve herIve her Ive thought of that too said Mona with a shudder Ugh Think of having baving to be a slave to that nasty old woman even for a a. few days Still Still Still-I I wont won't back out if that seems to be the way Im puzzled about this Dr Ransom Ran Ban som mom said Mary I I wish they'd hurry hurry hurry hur hur- ry up and answer my may telegrams Every time Ive I've seen or heard of him somewhere but theres there's some puzzling thing that eludes me when I try to remember him Its It's as If hed he'd changed his appearance in some fashion I know Mona nodded It bothers mo me the same way There ought to toi i bs bEl a a. mail mall from the North in now now- now now- Ill I'll go down and see If it anything has ha come In a few minutes she was back an and brought a couple of letters with her Each opened one and each cried out ii In delight Dr cried Mary Mars who it Is ts The man who waso was wa wasso wasso so nearly caught and sent to prison Ii in inthe the Twilight Sleep fraud Do you re remember remember remember re- re member His real name wasn't wasn known known known-It And they called him because because be be- cause hes he's the man who suggested th the way that drug could be used criminally criminal criminal- ly Oh of course And I know wh why we were puzzled too too Its its it's that beard He has grown that lately of him bin Yes Yes heres here's heres a photograph without the beard said aid 1 Mary Marj Its It the same man man theres no sort soil of doubt doub about that And hes he's Letty McLeans McLean's doctor Do Dont t you suppose bo's |