The Elbert County tribune., 1909-05-27

shady Hotel Northern on the fringes
of the slums
Ring said he to the night clerk,
tough-looking individual of 40, with
hard, flushed face, drinksodden
gray eyes, fiashy cheap clothes. and a
tall, bony form. how long ago was
1t that Mr.. Banning was mere iast?'
"A week ago tonight" Ring an
swered, quickly. why? l hope there
amt nothing"
A Only missing. that's all. We want
to find him for his family. II he's
still here, and If you make It quiet
and easy for me. why, no questions
asked-that's it. All 1 want is him
see? And nobody else needn't know
nothing about it."
Here, come in here a minute" said
the clerk, hastily. He hurried through
the dining-room into the kitchen, and
standing in the middle of the floor
pointed upward to where a door could
be seen, with three steps of a former
stairway depending from it. The stair
way was sawed short off. the lowest
step hanging ten feet up from the
kitchen floor.
pointing. I'VE cut them down be-
cause we needed the room here more
than we did them. So help me, l amt
telling word of lie, but Mr. Banning
was lodging round up stairs Monday
night, and for some reason or other
he opened that door that we always
keep locked. and tumbled down here
He thought there was stairs, / suppose
he wasn't hurted much, but he could
MT stand, and we would not send him
to his own home, letting on that is
was here he was putting in his time
SO we calls the wagon and
Z sends him to the Relief sta
ton. Why, isn't he out yet at all?
We thought he'd be all right in the
morning, only a trifie shook I'D, and
mebbe the head on him from the lit
tie 5amboree."
While he was speaking the inno-
cent eyes Of the detective were search
ing his face. The clerk wore guilty
manner, but was 1t the flag of guilt
in this particular case, or was it the
general. all-round guilt which a man
OF his calling and stamp is likely to
show when in the presence of the
law? The detective could not saw
But the Relief station would answer
the question, or at least throw enough
light on the subject to start with. Mr..
Banning would be found injured but
had the injury come innocently, from
walking through that doorway? The
main point was that the missing man
would be restored to his home and
the restorer would get the reward.
The manner of the injury was a minor
matter. which, however, properly
looked into. might serve as a whip of
power to hold over the shady Hotel
Northern.
Therefore. after long look into the
clerks shifty eyes, he said abruptly:
II see you again about this, mebbe,"
and hurried to the hospital To his
inquiries an attendant answered that
on Monday evening a man had been
brought in unconscious, suffering from
fractured skull and bruises on the
legs and arms. Two friends who we're
with him said his name was G. O.
Banning. They couldn't give his ad-
dress. In the morning, when they had
patched him up and he was able to
leave the station, he denied that he
was Banning. though he refused to
give any other name, and went away
growing against somebody who had
thrown him down stairs.
WAS he a gentleman" asked Ru.
gersom.
If he was he was thoroughly dis.
guised," smiled the attendant mo.
he was rough fellow, faded and
dirty, weak-minded, sniveIing, a type
we often see here"
The detective hastened back to the
hotel. The clerk Ring regarded him
anxiously.
WAS he hurted bad after all?v he
asked. "'Twould give the house bad
name"
Ring" said Rugersom. looking him
in the eye, sit wasn't Banning. How
could you make such a bull?"
Wasn't Banning!" he exclaimed
Then he laughed cynically. "Oh, no.
OF course mott Didn't / lift him up
from the floor myself? Don't l know
him better than do you? Is he there
yet? Or how is it? What are you hand
ing me?" ~
Ring" said the detective, slowly
and impressively, there's something
phony in this. Out with it or 1t will
be the worse for you"
"Jakey! Mike!" called the clerk,
poiing his head into the larger room.
Come here. / want you"
Two seedy individuals shuffied into
sight. They were the types of young
fellows who always may be seen