Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1909-07-15

c~ountenance with a winning smile.
night"
Under the stimulus of the cham
payne, to. say naught of his relief at
having evaded the ordeal of the cut
lery, Hickey discoursed ~variously and
a. length uponSthe engrossing subject
of Anisty, gentleman-cracksman, while
the genial counterpart of Daniel Matt
land listened with apparent but decep-
tive apathy, and had much ado to keep
from laughing in his guests face as
the latter, perspiringly earnest, I'M
folded his plans for laying the burg.
lar by the heels.
From time to time, and at inter
walls steadily decreasing, the hand of
the host sought the neck of the bottle,
inclining it carefully above the thin
stemmed glass that Hickey kept in al
most constant motion. And the de-
tective's fatuous loquacity flowed as
the contents of the bottle ebbed.
Yet, as the minutes wore on, the
burglar began to be conscious that it
was but a shallow well of information
and amusement that he pumped. The
game, fascinating with its spice of
daring as it had primarily been. began
to pail. At length the m~asquerader
calculated the hour as ripe for what
he had contemplated from the begin
ming; and interrupted Hickey with
scant consideration, in the middle of a
most interesting exposition,
You'll pardon me, I'm sure, if l
trouble you again for the time"
The fat red fingers sought uncer-
tainly for the %timepiece; the bottle
was now empty. The hour, as IN
nounced, was ten minutes to two.
I've an engagement" invented
Anisty, plausibly, with a friend at
two. If you'll excuse me-? Garcon,
l'addition!"
Then und'stand, Mister Maitland,
we en- count on yeh?"
Anisty, eyelids dropping, tipped back
his chair a trife and regarded Hickey
with a fair imitation of the whimsical
Maitland smile. Hardly, | think
why not?"-truculently.
ITO be frank with you, l have three
excellent reasons. The first should be
sufficient: I'm too lazy"
Disgruntled, Hickey stared and
shook a disappearing head. Il was
afraid of that; yeh swells don't never
seem to think nothin' of yer duties to
soci'ty."
Anisty airily waved the indictment
aside. Moreover, l have lost nothing.
You see, / happened in just at the
right moment; our criminal friend got
nothing for his pains. The jewels are
safe. Reason No. 2: Having retained
my property, | hold nc grudge against
Anisty."
WELL dunno"
And as for reason No. 8: | don't
care to have this affair advertised. II
the papers get hold of it they'll cook
up a lot of silly details thatll excite
the cupidity of every thief in the coun-
try, and make me more trouble than l
care ELECTROMAGNETIC
Hickey's eyes glistened. "Of course,
If yeh want it kept quiet" he sug-
gested, significantly.
Anisty's hand sought his pocket.
How much?"
We'll, ] guess / can leave that to
you. Yeh oughttuh know how bal yeh
want the matter hushed."
"As l calculate it, then, fifty ought to
be enough for the boys; and fifty will
repay you for your trouble"
The end of Hickey's expensive pan
e.ela was tilted independently toward
the ceiling. Shouldn't wonder If II
would" he murmured, gratified.
Anisty stuffed something bulky back
into his pocket and wadded another
something-green and yellow colored
Into a little pill, which he presently
iicked carelessly across the table. The
detectives large notified paw closed
over it and moved toward his waist
coat.