Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-25
VIII-Continued.

Time" said the short and thick-set
man. casually, addressing no one in par
ticular.
He shut the lid of his watch with
snap and returned the timepiece to his
veyed both sides of the short block be-
one comprehensive glance.
Presumably he saw nothing OF interest
to him. 1t was not a particularly inter
esting block, for that matter. though
somewhat typical of the neighborhood.
The north side was lined with five-story
fiat buildings, their dingy-red brick ia
cades regularly broken by equally dingy
brownstone stoops. as to the ground floor.
by open windows as to those above. The
south side was mostly taken up by a
towering white apartment hotel with an
ostentatious entrance, against one of
whose polished stone pillars the short
and thick-set man was lounging.
The sidewalks, north and south,
swarmed with children of assorted ages.
playing with that ferocious energy char
acteristic of the young of Harlem: their
blood-curdling cries and premature
Fourth-of-July fireworks created an ap-
mature denizens had apparently become
calous. through long endurance.
Beyond the party-colored lights Of a
drugstore window on 18th avenue the
electric arcs were casting q sickly radi-
ance upon the dusty leaves of the tree
lined drive. The avenue itself was
crowded with motor cars and horse
drawn pleasure vehicles. mostly bound
up town. their occupants seeking the
cooler airs and wider spaces to be found
Speedway. few blocks to the west
Cathedral Heights bulked like a great
wall. wrapped in purple shadows. its
jagged contour stark against an evening
sky of suave old rose.
The short and thick-set body, however.
seemed to have no particular appreciation
of the beauties of nature as exhibited by
West 11Sth street on summers evening.
If anything, he could apparently have de-
sired a cooling breeze. for. after mo-
ments doubtful consideration, he unbut-
toned his waistcoat and heaved sigh Of
relief.
Then. carefully. shifting the butt of a
dead cigar from one corner of his mouth
to the other. where 1t was almost hidden
by the jutting thatch of his black mus
tache. and drawing down over his eyes
the brim of rusty plug hat. he thrust
fat hands into the pockets of his shabby
pillar even more energetically than be-
fore. if that were possible. An unro-
mantle, apathetic figure. fitting so nat
urally into his surroundings as to de-
mand no second look even from the most
observant, yet one seeming to possess a
magnetic attraction for the eyes of the
hallboy of the apartment hotel (who, ac-
Quainted by sight and hearSay with the
stout gentlemans identity and calling.
bent upon him a steadfast and adoring
regard). as we'll as for the policeman who
lorded il on the ST. Nicholas avenue cor
ner. in front of the real estate office. and
who from time to time shifted his con-
temptation from the infinite spaces of the
heavens the better to exchange furtive
nod with the idler in the hotel doorway.
Presently-at no great lapse of time
after the short and thick-set man had
slowed away his watch-out of the
thronged sidewalks of It'll avenue man
appeared. walking west on the north side
of the street and reviewing carelessly the
numbers on the Illuminated tanlights-a
tall man. dressed all in gray and swing
ing thin walking stick.
The short. thick-set person assumed
mien of more intense abstraction than
ever.
The tall man in gray paused indefinitely
before the brownstone stoop of the house
numbered 205 then swung up the steps
and into the veStibule. Here he halted,
bending over to scrutinize the names on
the letter boxes.
The short thick-set man reluctantly de-
tached himself from his polished pillar
and waddled ungracefully across the
street.
The policeman on the corner seemed
suddenly interested in 18th avenue and
walked in that direction.
The gray man. having vainly deciphered
all the names on one side of the vestibule.
Strengthened up and turned his attention
to the opposite wall, either unconscious of
or Indifferent to the shuttle of feet on the
stoop behind him.
The short. thick-set man removed one
hand from a pocket and tapped the gray
man gently on the shoulder.
"Lookin' for McCade, Anisty?" he in
quired. genialy.
The gray man turned slowly. exhibiting
a countenance blank with astonishment
BEG pardon?" he drawled. and then,
with a dawning CLEAN of recognition In
his eyes: why, good evening, Hickey!
What brings you up this way?'
The short. thick-set man permitted his
jaw to droop and his eyes to protrude for
Of great disgust. 'h-ll!' He pulled him
self together, with an effort. Excuse
me. Mr.. Maitland" he stammered. Il
wasn't lookin' for yeh.'
greeting that you were expecting our
friend. Mr.. Anisty?" And the gray man
smiled.
Hickey smiled in sympathy. but with
less evident relish of the situation
humor
That's right he admitted. Got tip
from the c'miss'nsr's Office this evening
that Anisty would be here at Z O'Clock
lOOkin for a party named McCabe. l
guess it's bum tip all right, but, of
course. | got to look into it.
Most assuredly." The gray man bent
and inspected the names again. Il am
hunting up an old friend" he explained.
carelessly. "a man named Simmons-knew
him in college-down on his luck-wrote
me Yesterday. There he is-fourth floor.
east. I'll see you when l come down. 1
hope Mr.. Hickey"
The automatic lock clicked and the door
swung open, the gray man passing
through and up the stairs. Hickey os-
tentatiousy ignoring the existence of the
policeman, returned to his post of OBJ
Servaton.
At o'clock he was still there. looking
bored.
At $50 he was still there. wearing
puzzled expression.
At he called the adoring hallboy. gave
him quarter with minute instructions
and saw him disappear into the hallway
of No. Dos. Three minutes later the boy
was back. GREATNESS but enthusiastic.
"Missis Simmons he explained. be-
tween gasps. says she amt never heard
of nobody named Maitland. Somebody
rang her bell a while ago an apologiZed
for disturbin' her-said he wanted the
folks on the top floor. l guess yer man
went acrOst the roofs: them houses is all
connected. and yuh en- walk clear from
the corner here tub half way up tub 10Th
street. on Sain' Nicholas avenoo."
'Uh-huh." laconically returned the de-
tective. Thanks. And turning on his
heel. walked westward.
The policeman crossed the street to de-
a In n fvrpf nS. C oh M