Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1911-03-22
IN SIMMY'S CELLAR
BY Robert Carlton Brown.

Copyright 1909. by The Pearson Pub.
fishing Co.
John Beggs, for fifteen years watch
man at the big Merchants National Of
Boston. locked the massive door to the
bank behind the last clerk, at about
five o'clock one recent Tuesday after
noon. He glanced idly &, the two old
hays who had begun scrubbing at the
middle of the big banking room, half
an hour before, and were then working
their painful way with stopping rag
and scrub-brush toward opposite ends.
The same women had done the same
service for over two years. Beggs
called to them to hurry, as they must
leave before five-fifteen. at which min
ute Beggs had to signal daily to the
central station of the Burglar Insur-
ance Company, thus informing them
that the bank was closed for the night
and it was time to set the automatic
electric alarm. protecting the door,
windows and safe
He had already pulled down the steel
shutters closing the windows from the
street and, as the clock struck five, he
settled into dull routine, and made
his customary round Of the big cage
divided room. Having finished, Beggs
leaned lazily against paying teller's
window in the corridor, all his weight
on one leg, like tired horse. for he
had missed his usual amount Of sleep.
He braced his elbow on the narrow
edge OF marble running around the in
closure and yawned Then his elbow
slipped off the support. he said some
thing uncomplimentary concerning the
ledge, damned the elbow back into
place, and yawned again.
His mouth never closed At that in
slant a gag was thrust between his
weary jaws from behind, a hand
clutched his throat. he grew giddy. and
reeled A moment later. when his
eyes popped open. he found himself
fiat on the floor. staring into the dead
white. ghoulish face of man with
close-cropped light hair and hungry,
watery, hollow eyes, the pupils greatly
dilated. The man was dexterously
trusting him up with all the skill of
a champion English rope-wrestler. II
had happened in half minute; Beggs
had gone down without cry. Out of
the tail OF his eye he suddenly saw the
scrub-woman, who had been working
near him, stagger to her feet, a soapy
hand clutching at her heart, and her
eyes fixed in horror.
She had no more than risen, when
the dead-faced man whirled and caught
her a staggering blow full in the face,
which sent her spinning over her pail
of water; she struck with clap on
her head. hitting a marble corner.
With a sudden. frightened start the
man rushed to the rear of the bank,
where Beggs knew the other scrub
woman was working. He had passed
out OF Beggss scope, for the Waterman
had been placed face down. against
the wall.
A shrill feminine shrek came from
the rear; stool was kicked over.
There was the splash of water and the
hollow plop of a pail. as though the
second scrub-woman had thrown the
thing nearest at hand at her assail-
ant Then came a blow. scream, a
moan. and all was silent in the big
Merchants National, of Boston.
John Beggs stared at the floor and
his legs: which were all he could see,
except the motionless body of the old
drab near him. His narrowed mind
fixed on details. He stared at the thin.
stout cord. with which he was trussed.
and wondered vaguely why il was wet.
And while he was wondering. the dead
faced man suddenly appeared beside
him in thick-stockinged feet and forced
a moist sponge beneath Beggs's at
tenuated nose.
In two minutes time, John Beggs was
dreaming that he lay In a large bed
of beautiful roses and he wondered
why the flowers had pitchfork prongs
for thorns, and wished emphatically
to know why somebody didn't bring
him a chew OF tobacco before he froze
to death on top of the North Pole.
which had suddenly sprouted up be-
meath him and lifted him from his bed
Of roses.
He was just Waiting with mer-
maid and was asking somebody TO
please hand him the Metropolitan
tower. being quite sure II was his own
individual ivory tooth-pick. which he
always carried In his vest pocket. when |
somebody suddenly turned Niagara
loose upon him. and stuck a red-hot !
bar Of iron down his sizzling throat
Then he opened his eyes for the first |
time. muttered, Remember she Is still |
your mother" and looked into the won |
iering blue eyes of policeman, who |
was forcing brandy down his throat, |
and hopping his brow with the scrub |
cloth.
The cashier of the bank. routed from |
,aI oopna In dismissed tho !