Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-10-22
By LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE
loo1yrisht 1877, The Bosb.- Merrill O.. }

Copyright 1901, The Bobbs Merrill C~.)
Then, carefully shifting the butt OF
. dead cigar from one corner OF his
mouth to the other, where it was al
most hidden by the jutting thatch OF
hts black mustache, and drawing down
over his eyes the brim OF rusty plug
hat, he thrust fat hands into the peck
cts of his shabby trousers and lounged
against the polished pillar even more
energetically than before. II that were
possible. An unromantic, apathetic
figure, fitting so naturally into his sur
roundings as to demand no second look
even from the most observant; yet one
seeming to possess a magnetic attrac-
ton for the eyes of the hallboy OF the
apartment hotel (who, acquainted by
sight and hearsay with the stout gen.
tleman's identity and calling. bent
upon him a steadfast ard adoring re,
gard, as well as for the policeman
who lorded 1t on the ST. Nicholas ave-
nue. corner, In front Of the real estate
Office, and who from time to time
shifted his contemplation from the In
finite spaces Of the heavens, the better
to exchange furtiye 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 Seventh aveQue
man appeared, walking west on the
north side of the street and reviewing
carelessly the numbers on the illumir
ated fanlights tall man, dressed all
In gray, and swinging a thin walking
stick.
The short, thick-set person assumed
mien OF more intense abstraction
than ever.
The tall man in gray paused indefi-
nitely before the brownstone stoop OF
the house numbered 205, then swung
up the steps and into the vestibule.
Here he halted, bending over to scru-
tiEize the names on the letter boxes.
The short, thick-set man reluctantly
detached himself from his polished
pillar and waddled ungracefully across
the street.
The policeman on the corner seemed
suddenly interested in Seventh ave-
nue., and walked In that direction.
The gray man, having vainly de-
c'phered all the names on one side
OF the vestibAIe, Strengthened up and
turned his attention to the opposite
wall, either unconscious OF or indif-
ferent to the shuttle of feet on the
stoop behind him.
The short, thick-set man removed
one hand from pocket and tapped the
gray man gently on the shoulder.
"I.ookin' for McCabe, Anisty?" he
inquired. genially..
The gray man turned slowly, exhib-
iting a countenance blank with aston
ishment. BEG pardon?" he drawled;
and then. with 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 pro-
trude for some seconds. oh" he
said in tone of great disgust hell"
He pulled himself together with an
effort. Excuse me, Mr.. Maitland" he
stammered, 81 wasn't loolsin' for yeh."
ITO the contrary, | gather from your
greeting you were expecting our
friend, Mr.. Anisty?" And the gray
man smiled.
Hickey smiled in sympathy, but with
less evident relish of the situations
humor.
That's right" he admitted. Got a
tip from the c'miss'ners office this
evening that Anisty would be here at
seven O'Clock lookin' for party
named McCabe. / guess it's bum tip,
ali right; but Of course l got to look
into it,"
"Most assuredly" The gray man
bent and inspected the names again.
81 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 come down, hope, Mr..
mickey.
The automatic lock clicked and the
door swung open; the gray man pass
ing through and up the stairs. Hickey,
ostentatiously ignoring the existence
of the policeman, returned to his post
of observation.
At eight O'Clock he was still there,
looking bored.
At $3.50 he was still there, wearing
a puzzled expression.
At nine he called the adoring hall
boy, gave him a quarter with minute
instructions. and saw him disappear
into the hallway Of No. 205. Three
minutes later the boy was back,
breathless but enthusiastic.
"Missis Simmons" he explained be-
tween gasps, says she amt never
heard of nobody named Maitland.
Somebody rang her bell while ago