Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-06-05

Mrs. Klopton received me with dignficd
reserve. The very tone in which she asked
me when 1 would dine told me that some-
thing was wrong.
"Now-what is it, Mrs. Klopton?" 1 de-
manded finally, when she had Informed
me, in a patient and long suffering tone,
that she felt worn out and thought she
needed a rest.
When lived with Mr.. Justice
Springer" she began acidly, her mending
basket in her hands. 1T was an orderly.
we'll conducted household. You can ask
any Of the neighbors. Meals were cooked
and, what's more. they were eaten; there
was none of this here one day and gone
the next business"
Nonsense" 1 observed you're tired
that's all, Mrs. Klopton. And 1 wish you
would go out; l want to battle"
That's not ALL" she said with dignity,
from the doorway Women coming and
going here, women whose shoes 1 am not
nt-I mean, women who are not fit to
touch my shoes-coming here as insolent
as You please, and asking for you"
Good heavens" exclaimed. What did
you tell them-her, whichever 1t WASP"
Told her you were sick in a hospital
and wouldn't be out for a yearl'' she said
triumphantly. "And when she said she
thought she'd come in and wait for you,
slammed the door on her,
What time was she here?"
Late last night. And she had a light
haired man across the street. II she
thought l didn't see him, she don't know
me-" Then she closed the door and left
me to my bath and my reflections.
At five minutes before 1 was at the
Incubator, where l found Hotchkiss and
Mcknight They were bending over a
table, on which lay Meningitis total arma-
ment-a pair OF pistols, an elephant gun
and an old cavalry saber.
Draw up chair and help yourself to
pie" he said. pointing to the arsenal. This
is for the benefit of our friend Hotchkiss
here, who says he is a small man and
fond of life"
Hotchklss, who had been trying to get
the wrong end of cartridge into the bar
rel of one Of the revolvers, Strengthened
himself and mopped his face.
I'VE have desperate people to handle"
he said pompously fand we may need
desperate means"
'Hotchkiss is like the small boy whose
one ambition is to have people grow ashen
and tremble at the mention Of his name -
Mcknight jibed. But they were serious
enough, both of them under 1t all, and
when they had told me what they planned
l was serious. too"
You're compromising a felony" re-
monstrated, when they had explained
I'm not eager to be locked away, but by
joVe, to offer her the stolen notes in OK
change for Sullivan"
I'VE haven't got either of them, YOU
know" Mcknight demonstrated, 'and we
won't have, IL we don't start Come along.
Fido," to Hotchkiss.
The plan was simplicity itself. Accord
ing to Hotchkiss, Sullivan was to meet
Bronson at Mrs. Conway's apartment at
$50 that night, with the notes He was
to be paid there and the papers DESTROYED
But just before that interesting finale ="
Mcknight ended, I'VE will walk I'm. take
the notes, grab Sullivan and give the
police Jolt that will put them out of the
count"
/ suppose not one OF us, Slowing around
corners in the machine that night, had the
faintest doubt that we were on the right
track. or that fate, scurvy enough before
was playing into our hands at last Little
Hotehkiss was in a state of fever; he
alternately twitched and examined the re-
volver, and fear that the two movements
might be synchronous kept me uneasy. lie
produced and diated on the scrap Of pill
low slip from the wreck, and showed me
the stiletto, with its point in cotton bat
ting for safekeeping. And in the intervals
he implored Richey not to make such fine
calculations at the corners.
We were all grave enough and very
quiet, however, when we reached the large
huilCipP usba
ment Mcknight left the power on In case
we might want to make a quick getaway,
and Hotchkiss gave final look at his re-
volyer, l had no weapon. Somehow it
seemed melodramatc TO the verge of farce
In the doorway Hotchkiss was a half
dozen feet ahead; Richey fell back beside
me. He dropped his affectatlon OF gayety.
and thought he looked tired Same old
Sam, suppose?' he asked.
Same, only more Of him"
II suppose Alison was there? How Is
she?' he inquired irrelevantly.
Very well. ! did not see her this morn
Ing" Hotchkss was waiting near the ele.
'Nator, Mcknight put his hand on my arm.
Now, look here, old man" he said, I've
got two arms and a revolver, and you've
got one arm and a splint II Hotchkiss IL
right, and there is row, you crawl under
a table"
The deuce will! declared scorn.
fully.
We crowded out OF the elevator at the
fourth floor, and found ourselves In
rather theatrical hallway Of draperles and
armor. 1t was very quiet: we stood I'M
certainly after the car had gone. and
looked at the two or three doors in sight
They were heavy covered with metal. and
sound proof. From somewhere above came
the metallic accuracy OF a player piano,
and through the open window we could