The Starkville news. (Starkville, Miss.) 1902-1960, 1905-09-22
The Prina
DOnna's Jewels
HE meaneSt man l ever saw,

said Spike McGunn, of Detroit,
who used to be a swell hotel sneak.
was a mug | falls in on in room in
the Palace hotel. San Francisco.
Il studied the makeup of the hall
mems platoon in that house for a week
or ten days watching for off duty ones,
before | got chance 10 do anything.
Then the third floor front hallman
turned up missing one afternoon.
S'pose he was sick or on drunk, or
something like that.
Il figured that they couldn't get an
other mailman TO take his place before
the next morning. and SO | decided to do
q little business along the line OF the
third floor front right quick. | hap
pened to know that there was some
good people located in that part OF the
house. and | took a rubber al the key
rack and found that lot Of them were
out. their keys being piseonholed.
All | had TO do was to take the front
elevator. ride up to the third floor. step
off. and the third front hall was mine
for operations. | went up. and there
was no third floor front hallman. it
looked too easy.
This is like cunning a souse.' |
thought. as | gumshoed down the hall
in the direction of a certain suite of
rooms that | had in mind-a prima
donna's suite.
The number of the entrance door 10
this suite was 6S 1t was kind O
shadowy down that way. and I'm bit
nears sighted anyway: and SO instead Of
getting d held of the knob OF No, GS
docr-teeiing of my bunch Of skeletons
with the other hand-what do | do bur
give the quiet twist on the handle of
No sc.
The door was not locked. and knew
right Off that somebody was inside th
room | was all ready with my Beg
pardon-made a mistake when
heard Come in given out by some guy
with a deep bass voice.
Well, it was up to me. and in |
stepped. 1t was handsome room, and
over by one of the windows a big. good
looking duck was standing in his shirt
sleeves in front Of small hand glass
shaving himself.
He didn't turn around ar all as en-
tered. but | felt that he was piping me
of. all the same in that little shaving
glass. He went right on scraping his
map. though.
LII have to ask you to excuse me.
began. standing up straight and throw
ing out the Sandow chest for a bluff
The twists and turns in this
The bloke lowers his razor and
wheels around and hands me the wiz
some smile.
Cut that, PAL says he. wiselike.
Don't pass me that kind
What do you mean?' | asked him.
1T looked from his style that he was
on the get himself. but didn't intend
to be baited into any trap with my
lamps open.
Guess you were after the SingStreSs'
stuff hey. Bud? says he to me. and in
the dark you got mixed on the rooms?
Well she's out, all right. and SOS her
maid I'd ha' gone after her gear myself,
but that kind O. works BIT out O. my
line. and I'm some clumsy at it. Sit
down. She's singing at a matinee, and
you've got plenty o time. Much doin'?'
Well this looked pretty much like
he was member of the craft in some
branch or other of it. He had the patter
down all straight enough.
Moreover. his grayish hair was
clipped right short, and it struck me that
he might be lag who'd just finished
stretch over the road, SO that his hemp
hadn't had time to shoot out to the right
length for such a good locker. But |
didn't propose to nibble until had his
game copped dead to the right.
Look here, my friend says |. do
ing a heavy I'm-not-wise gag. what the
deuce are you talking about?'
We'll sir. he just threw his head back
and hollered.