The Montgomery tribune., 1910-12-30
CHAPTER Xxx.
Finer Details.

Finer Details.
At ten minutes before two the fol-
lowing day, Monday, I arrived at my
Office. l had spent the morning put
ing my affairs in shape, and in trip
to the stable. The afternoon would
see me either a free man or a pris-
oner for an Indefinite length of time,
and, in spite of Johnson's promise to
produce Sullivan, was more prepared
for the latter than the former.
Blobs was watching for me outside
the door, and it was clear that he was
in state of excitement bordering on
delirium. He did nothing, however,
save to tip me wink that meant las
man to man, I'm for you" / was too
much engrossed either to reprove him
or to return the courtesy, but heard
him follow me down the hall to the
small room where we kept outgrown
law books, typewriter supplies and, in
cidentally, our wraps. I was wonder
ing vaguely If l would ever hang my
hat on it's nail again, when the door
closed behind me. 1t shut firmly, with
out any particular amount of sound,
and I was left in the dark. l sroped
my way to it, irritably, to find it
locked on the outside. l shook it fran
! tically, and was rewarded by sibilant
whisper through the keyhole.
Keep quiet" Blobs was saying
huskily. You're in deadly peril. The
police are waiting in your office, three
of 'em. I'm goin' to lock the whole
bunch in and throw the key out of the
window"
Come back here, you IMP of Sa-
TAM" / called furiously, but / could
| hear him speeding down the corridor,
and the slam of the outer Office door
| by which he always announced his
| presence. And so stood there in the
| ridiculous cupboard, hot with the heat
of a steaming September day, musty
with the smell of old leather bindings,
Uttered with broken overshoes and
handleless umbrellas. l was apoplec-
tic with rage one minute. and choked
with laughter the next. It seemed an
hour before Blobs came back.
He came without haste, strutting
with new dignity, and passed outside
my prison door.
well, guess that will hold them
for a while," he remarked comfort
ably, and proceeded to turn the key
1--we got 'em fastened up like sardines
In a cant" he explained, working with
the lock- Gee whiz! you'd ought to
hear 'em!" When he got his breath
after the shaking gave him, he be
gan to sputter. How'd l know?" ht
demanded sulkily. "You nearly broke
4 your neck gettin' away the other time
And ] haven't got the old key. It'i
lost"
II Where's 1t lost?" demanded, will
another gesture toward his coat col
lar.
II Down the elevator shaft" Ther'
was a CLEAN of indignant satisfaction
!, through his tears of rage and humilia
. tion.
And SO, while he hunted the key II
the debris at the bottom of the shaft
, quieted his prisoners with the as
!, surance that the lock had slipped, an,
that they would be free as lords a
(. soon as we could find the janitor witt
, pass-key. Stuart went down finall,
and discovered Blobs, with the key Il
his pocket, telling the engineer hoy
!, he had tried to save me from arres
and failed. When Stuart came up b
was almost cheerful. but Blobs did nc
| appear again that day.
Il Simultaneous with the finding q
i the key came Hotchkiss, and we wen
: In together. ! shook hands with tw
4 linen Who With Actchldsa made n