The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-01-07
A Night With
Whispering Smith.
BY FRANK II. SPEARMAM
Copyright by s. 8. Mcclure 6 Coz

WHO says swped III"
Nobody has said 1t right out. The back-haired fell
low that works at the last chair in the barber shop
downstairs claimed he could tell about it II you
say first. Boys. right?"
II didn't swipe money from nobody"
81 never thought did. Where did you get it?'
II made dat Diet fr friend o. mlne II It's won d.
stuff is his'n."
He 81 me de money to put up day befo yeste'day
and bet it till yesteday.
The way It's turned out It's a good bet Give me a
match Charlie. said Whispering Smith. cam right
Gus? 1t was good bet Thanks Charlie Now, who's
your .I,, friend en-,
THE fellow that you the money
I'll never tell y dat"
why not"
"'Cause said wouldn't"
oh yes, you WILL" observed whispering Smith,
~ en- eff you want. VII never get nthin
out me. boss
OBJ. Oh yes. we Will VIII.
Wen pound the life out of you. CHARLIE"
The muatto reached for his revolver. The
grappled Harris. dead shut door
bang; whispering Smith rained perfectly frightfu
shower of blows the head of the obstinate darley
Outside the landlord hammered the door, the tout
stuck pistol in his face and swore he would shoot
Darkies are hard to work time limit" painted
Whispering Smith. standing his minute later
Now Charlie. behave yourself"
n towe but you mustn't monkey. I'll kill you before
amt going fool with and you'll only
pounded worse II You hold !. up on u.s. Here's the
the Treasury note before the dazed the
ored man. whom he helped sit down the bed
Give the and I'll count 800
Don't be clam"
He'll kill me II give him up"
"If he does youth die rich. Charlie. you take mo
I'll make it $3.50. and In big bills. needn't
afraid of the fellow because shall pinch him off,
ANYWAY
Give me the name you BLACKBOARD; my word is good
said Whispering Smith wiping hand the shoulder
OF his victim while with the other he passed
handful Of money.
IT'S oliver Ames; 81 money"
What did tell your asked Whispering Smith
calmly. appealing to me rs he days nights now
Charlie? Give him the $780, Gus. It's all right SO
"of eouse do; and Gus. you Just step outside the
Where's Ollie working now?'
At the Richelieu?'
There was a silence like death My breath caught
"At the RlcheIieu, little detective at last
"on the bells"
ON tho bels-days?'
where he raise this Charlie?"
II dunnohes got plenty mo-
Plenty more. guess; and where's he roomlng?'
AT the Empress
over on Wabash?"
Yes, sh"
Charlie. I'm obliged; take care OF yourself Good
You will have to stay here just a minute till I can
get plain clothes to watch this coon.'' continued
Whispering Smith Harris and CROPPED to the
hall. Eve got two-fifty in him. and don't
him get away till 1 down his story He hurried
out 1t was o'clock when he got back with
lief and shaking hands with Harris. sent him uptown
in cab.
How do these gamblers do so much for you. Cor
DOM" I asked.
1--WE have let some people rob this town to keep
others from getting robbed divide all people into two
elasses-those that get robbed and those that
don't. All we look after are the latter Now for what
may be not only interesting-but tough"
we stood on the curb. and with the words he helped
do you think the nulatto lied?" said L.
NO. I'm pretty confident he didn't" He paused
No This bell-boy isn't the thief he may be in-but
no. don't believe it. tell you. I'm In the air. 1t
never worked by be-boys con. 1t throws
up-thats all there is to IT.
He sprang from the cab at the Empress door with
nervous alacry, and the sidewalk
! barely caught a glimpse Of Wabash Avenue in the
wicked hour. | followed through the swinging
doors and hurried after him up the deadened stairs
to arouse the clerk sitting in browse in big
chair
Hello. my friend, murmured whispering Smith
Hello Say, want to see Ollie Ames minute Do
you know whether he's come In YETI"
ollie Ames? 1 guess he's In
All right. Let's see-same old number?"
"rwenty-slx."
'.rwenty-sx is on the third floor isn't 1T? Oh in
tho annex Say, they closed up McCagues place to-day.
That's righ getting in this town day amt
"a ferret. stumbled behind him through a dark hall
way mar down an intervening stairway and up again
matches Whispering smith made his way from door
door to twentysx Then he put his finger on my breast
don't know this duck Some of them are quick with
gun. You had better stand here this side of the
door not in front of It, mind YOU nor over there and
shot anu you don't hear3ine after IT. get out to the
street quick as you can ana turn In tho alarm at the
corner patrol box. Here's the key.
stop a bit" l broke In. You mean may get
killed."
Not chance In a thousands but 1 don't want to
leave you here like fool II do. Moreover, II he gets
me he win run out and down the hall ana i you stand
Rcheleu Will be here In minute anyway. Now he's
nor going 10 get me- But we must DO ready ne does
shall try his docs with the wlre and may get In
without disturbing him"
stood where he put me In tho dark. heard
the manipulation OF tho lock with the skeleton my
heart hung on every faint click Of the sliding bolt
heard the knob softly the door sprng on Its hinges
and from within through an open window came puff
of night air after moment the heavy respiration of