The Elbert County tribune., 1908-11-05

~ "oo q bi6 udy at the race track
and as 1t was also a holiday, there
we're at least four thousand mer
crowding and pushing one another il
the pool room.
There were three men among the
1000 who were vitally interested il
each others movements, but it was
not until they came In from the sec
ond heat that Mr.. William Lyman
address not found in the directory
discovered J. Brownley OF the San
Francisco detective force standing be
fore the boards. well in front of the
crowds and apparently studying the
odds with thoughtful eye 1t occurred
to Mr.. Lyman that J. Brownley's other
eye was keeping watch on the rear
exits.
Mr.. Lyman melted away into the
crowd like fog before the sunshine, be.
ing by nature ever modest and retiring
when an official appeared on the land
scape. He wriggled his way back un-
til he sighted his friend and co-part-
ner, Mr.. Collins, and retired with him
from the range of inquisitive ears.
Mickey" he mumbled cautiously,
Were pinched."
HE'LL" observed Mr. Collins pro-
fanely, staring around him in an un-
pleasantly suspicious manner.
Sure thing. Brownley's up in
front. He's done up something great,
but you can't fool me on Brownley.
It's him sure"
Mr.. Collins expressed a desire that
the immortal part OF ]. Brownley
might be subjected to a roasting pro-
cess for an indefinite futurity. Under
stress Of emotion. Mr.. Collins was apt
to be vituperative.
Hes follered us all the way from
Frisco" he grumbled wrathfully, "an'
three times this month we've just got
off with our necks The only way to
get rid OF Brownley Is to kill him"
And have the whole U. s. know we
did It? Not on your tin-type, Mickey.
don't throw my head away like that.
Never kill man unless you have to.
S'pose you sneak around front and see
II the roads clear for a break"
Mr. Collins worked his way swiftly
back to the front entrances and casu-
ally looked out. One would have said
that he was enjoying the beauty of the
cloudless sky, SO innocently distant
and distracted was his gaze; certainly
no one would have suspected that he
saw two men look quickly at him and
away.
The two men outside looked at one
another, and moved closer. They were
in no hurry. ]. Brownley's orders
were that unless these two shy. birds
could be captured together at y the
track, they were to be quietly and eau
tiously followed to their lairs, and
there invited to take up their resi-
dence in the nearest police station.
The reasons why Messrs. Lyman
and Collins were so greatly in demand
were numerous and interesting. These
were versatile gentlemen, and II one
vocation proved irksome or unhealth-
full from the legal point of view, they
could always pass on to another They
found it convenient to change their
occupation frequently, as well as their
post office address; it diverted the Of
fetal mind. and kept it guessing.
Mr.. Collins found his partner in a
marvelously short time; he was used
to 1t. He shook his head a trifie,
which meant that their immediate fu-
ture was not of an encouraging nature.
Mr.. Lyman thrust out his under lip in
token of his displeasure, as they edged
away from their nearest neighbors.
"If We run for 1t when the crowd
goes out to the track, thereIl be a
million smart Alecks ready TO help
'em catch u.s." he mused discomfort
edly. II think they mean to catch us
here If they can, or track us down to
good place and nab us. But they
don't know that we're onto 'em. Well
fool 'em. We might raise big row,
Mickey, and light out in the racket
Wen stampede the crowd. that's it!"
Mr.. Lyman radiated good nature
again, as he thought of the mischief
at his command.
Fire." queried Mr.. Collins dubi-
ously
MIN. no, Mickey; that's an old
gag. Wen do somethin original.
Brownley's in front of the whole
bunch-awful reckless to stand in
front of crowd-the other chaps are
back of it, and Wen keep about three
quarters back. and save our shins
while we lose the other fellows Chase.
Mickey; it's most time for the start" :"
Mr.. Collins was not man of many
words, but his little eyes twinkled as
Mr.. Lyman hastily told him what to
do. He wriggled swiftly away, lost
himself in the thickest of the crowd
and managed TO get his brown derby
knocked off. When he came up from
searching for it in the press, several
feet from where he had been. he had
in his hand large and rakish light
felt. which he tilted we'll over one
eye. He was now ready for business,
and If there were any investigating
gentlemen. craning their necks to see
q man in a brown derby. they missed