The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1910-02-17


watching Brenson."
Johnson being otherwise occupied.
I had asked for Arnold myself.
nodded.
well, he stopped mo at once: said
he'd been on the fellows tracks since
early morning and had had NO time
for luncheon. Bronson, It seems, isn't
eating much these days. / 1t once
jotted down the fact, because 1t ar
gued that he was being bothered BY
the man with the notes."
suggested. indigestion. you know"
Hotchkiss ignored me. well, Ar
mold had some reason for thinking
that Bronson would try to give him
the slip that night, 50 he asked me to
stay around the private entrance there
while he ran across the street and
get something to eat. 1t seemed fair
presumption that - he had gone
there with a lady they would dine lei
surely and Arnold would have plenty
Of time to get back"
What about your own dinner?"
asked, curiously.
"Sfr," he said, pompously, II have
given you a wrong estimate of Wilson
Budd Hotchkiss If you think that
question Of dinner would even obtrude
itself on his mind at such a time as
this"
He was a frail little man and to-
night he looked pale with heat and
over-exertion.
Did you have any luncheon" I
asked.
He was somewhat embarrassed at
that.
I-really, Mr.. Blakeley, the events
Of the day were SO engrossing-"
WELL" said, I'm not going to see
you drop on the floor from exhaus-
ton. Just wait a minute"
went back to the pantry, only to
be confronted with rows of locked
doors and empty dishes Downstairs,
in the basement kitchen, however, l
| found two unattractive looking cold
chops, some dry bread and a piece Of
cake, wrapped in napkin, and from
its surreptitious and generally hang
dog appearance destined for the coach
7 man in the stable at the rear Trays
!, there were none-everything but the
!. chairs and tables seemed under lock
. and key and there was neither napkin,
2 knife nor fork to be found.
!. The luncheon was not attractive In
+ appearance, but Hotchkiss ate his cold
chops and gnawed at his crusts as
!. though he had been famished while
he told his story.
81 had been there only few min
= utes," he said, with chop in one
q hand and the cake in the other, "wher
4 Bronson rushed out and cut across thu
y street. He's a tall man, Mr.. Blake
ley, and l had hard work keeping
close. It was a relief when he jumpet
on a passing car, although being wei
behind, 1t was a hard run for me t
II catch him. He had left the lady.
"Once on the car, we simply rod
- from one end Of the line to the othe
y, and back again. I suppose he wa
passing the time, for he looked a
his watch now and then and when
y did once get look at his face it mad
IL me-er-uncomfor He coul
.. have crushed me like fly, SIR"
~ l had brought Mr. Hotchkiss glas
10 of wine and he was looking bette
He stopped to finish it, declining wit
IL a wave of his hand to have it refille
and continued:
e. About nine o'clock or little lat'
d. he got off somewhere near Washin
le ton circle. He went along one of IL
L. residence streets there, turned to h
We left a square or two, and rang a be
IL He had been admitted when l g
'e' there, but l guessed from the appea
IL ance Of the place that 1t was a boar
ou ing house.
% II waited a few minutes and raj
ks the bell. When a maid answered
l asked for Mr.. Sullivan. OF cour
Is there was no Mr.. Sullivan there.
re. 81 said I was sorry; that the man
I'D was looking for was a new boarde
u She was sure there was no SUI
boarder in the house; the only new q
Of rival was a man on the third floor
she thought his name was Stuart.
"'My friend has cousin by tn
n, name I said. I'll go up and see.'
er "She wanted to show me up, hit
said 1t was unnecessary. So after Re
he ing me it was the bedroom and sittin
ne room on the third floor front, l we
ut up.
81 met a couple Of men on Il
III, stairs, but neither Of them paid al
us attention to me. A boarding house
the easiest place in the world to g
on ter"
au They're not always so easy
ao leave" l put in, to his evident irrit
ton.
When l got to the third story
took out bunch of keys and post
myself by a door near the ones Il
girl had indicated. could hear vote
rs, in one of the front rooms, but cou
ng not understand what they said.
1 There was no violent dispute.
h a steady hum. Then Bronson jerk
I the door open. If he had stepped in
he the hall he would have seen me fifth