The Starkville news. (Starkville, Miss.) 1902-1960, 1905-03-31
some surprise. He was apparently

| had no desire 10 act as the once aQ-
wiser to any criminal, great or small, but
/ did long to match myself, inan against
man, and brain against brain, in q legal
contest of note, believing that III the
rapid giye-and-take of criminal practice
should not find myself at loss. The
situation appealed to my sense of pro-
fessional duty and decided to accept
Buttsy's retainer.
My insight into the mans character,
| however, warned me to give no advice
| until made sure of my fee, and hinted
as much to Macleod. He replied by
producing a $50 bill and laying it on my
desk.
Il want receipt" he muttered.
l | pocketed the bill and asked him to
explain his case as | wrote the required
acknowledgment.
| Proceed with your story, Macleod"
"All right. he replied, shifting in his
seat and hitching his chair trifie near
er me. This all comes of tryin' coun-
try work / hadn't oughter left the city,
and | don't again after / shake this. 1t
figures out this way: Me side partner
in this deal picked off bunch of houses,
shut up for the winter,-that were full
er loose things. He gave out that there
weren't no risk and we could work EN-
on Off nights. So | up with him and
! cracks the first he'd marked down right
enough. But while we was sortin' tn
loose in the gray along comes some
galoots to do repairs and we had to
vamoose with only about half of the
boot. That was bad enough. but | was
! tryin on coat when me side partner
give me the word. and left me own
| coat with two letters in the side pocket"
Let us consider the details of this par
ticular case seriatim,"I interrupted.
when did this-er-this transaction
take place?s
To-day"
Indeed? AT what hour?"
We cracked about four and we
skipped about seven o'clock
Where was L 8 he tss located % ecnl
tinued, picking up pencil to note his
answers.
AT Walsboro."
"Walsboro." exclaimed why, live
in Walsboro myself in the summer!
WneTedDOutS was the mouse.
Yer can search me, !" he answered. 'It
was about three rotten roads back from
the railway"
This was exceedingly embarrassing.
Still, business was business, and my first
duty was to my client Indeed, there
were people in Walsboro whose misfor-
tune would cost me no tears. Balderson,
for instance; if. by a happy chance, Mac
Leod had selected that pompous ass for
a visitation!
Did the house set back from the
road?'
Yep
Did it have clematis vine over the
front door,
Yep
WAS there big hall clock on the
stairs?'
Yep"
BY Jove, it was Balderson's house. /
could scarcely conceal my delight. but |
managed TO maintain judicial exterior.
Il understand that you-er-retained
some of the property" suggested.
.Aw. we pinched few, but they was
boardin house truck. Eisenblume
laughed tooth out when asked him a
couple of hundred on my lot
drew sheet of paper toward me and
began to map out rough diagram~
This here's wrong he remarked,
with dirty finger on my drawing.
What's the matter with it," asked.
.sThe big rooms on the other side.
81 don't think so" answered. Any
way. it will serve to illustrate the situa-
ton. Now, when the workmen en-
tered
"This parts wrong, too, interrupted
Buttsy. .The stairs amt in the middle
of the hall. They're way off here. :
Don't contradict me, Macleod, 1 an
swered severely. I've been in the house
dozens of times, and know"
Don't care if you've lived in it.! he re-
torted hotly. Il amt been 1t only once,
but guess know my business. 8
Nonsense. MacLeod! interrupted,
with some annoyance. I've no time for
| trifing
Nonsense he burst out, angrily.s
Write it down! Write it down now!
First floor, square all-library to right.
dining room to left-stairs 'longside Ii
brary-three broad steps and turn;
then,
Hold on. interrupted, apprehen-
sively
Hold on, nothing he continued, ag-
gressively. No sneakin' bets now.
seven steps to first landin' hall clock i'll
hole in wall, with gray chiny vase stand-