The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-03-21


It didn't ring said Bruce. You
didn't wind the alarm
The other men in the room looked
curiously at the speaker
Why, how do you know that? :"
asked the man in the chair
Its simple enough replied Bruce
The janitress who rooms across the
hall from You hears the alarm go off
every morning regularly. This morn
ing. she didn't hear it and noted the
fact
The Managing Editor moved impa-
tiently
What did you actually do after you
left your place. he asked. sharply
Well" replied the man In the chair,
| shaved first and, as il turned out,
that was pretty important thing
though | had no idea OF it then II /
hadn't shaved, | couldn't have carried
through my blur about being Green
ing II there had been 4 two-days
growth of hair on my upper lip-as
there was-why then this stableman
here would have seen at once that
couldn't be the man whom he had seen
the night before with full mustache.
When I'd finished shaving. +
started over to Manhattan. bought
paper on the way, and you can guess
what start it gave me when saw
theF'd found the body or course.
bought all the other papers then and
read all they had and when | saw they
be- r S.fs
however, that I'd better not waste any
time
got to Fifty eighth Street about
hve O'Clock and as went along the
street, l saw the janitor sitting out on
the steps. I judged he was the janitor
by his overalls.
Well. he didn't seem in any hurry
to go and after I'd waited more than
an hour. got SO hungry-you see I
hadn't had anything to eat since seven
O'Clock the night before--I went off
and had a good dinner. l spent some
time over it. too. and when I got back
1t was nearly half-past seven
walked up and down on the other
side of the street TO see If the coast
was clear and If I could see anybody
cross over when saw two men come
along and go up the steps"
Bruce looked up from his writing
and caught McGinnis's eye
was half block away al the
time, the speaker continued, and it
was getting dark pretty fast. I
couldn't see either of you two men
very clearly, but you didn't look to
me like detectives. an&2 yet l didn't
feel easy in my mind about you. So I
waited to see il anybody was going 10
turn on the lights in that room on the
second floor. If I'd seen a light. 1t
would have been me to the woods.
Yes" said Bruce, quietly, and you
would have been perfectly safe. for
1t would have always been taken for
! granted that you were the dead man
and that IL was he who was in hiding.
That is, unless the head came to the
top. too"
guess that stone did its work"
said the man In the chair. THE other
didn't and SO I'm here. ANYWAY. 1
waited outside watching those win
| dows for half an hour, and then got
/ SO nervous couldn't wait any more.
! So | unlocked the front door as softly
/ as could, didn't shut 1t again for fear
| the clicking of the latch would make
1 too much noise, crept upstairs. lis
4 tened outside the door, didn't hear any
/ thing. and went in. I'd bought a re-
volver in pawnshop on t',e way over,
but didn't really thinI n ! need it
! not 80 soon, anyway
/ That bathroom was so dark I
n - -na f,r . H. H.. ~. 80
/ I'd seen on the steps didn't know
who he was. All | could see was that
he was tied up and gagged
The Managing Editor stirred.
What's that" he broke in. You
said something about mix-up with
the jsniior before. ! was going 10 ask
about that What was 1t, Bruce"
/ The reporter smiled
- didn't put 1t In the story said
he, because, according TO our news
paper ethics. 1t didn't seem 10 belong
there. Why. the fact is, the janitor
wanted hundred dollars 10 keep his
mouth shut. Threatened 10 rip off
either the American or the World il
We didn't pony up. So McGinnis and
| tucked him away safely In the bath
room
:" Where is he now" asked the Man.
aging Editor
Still there. ! trust" said Bruce I
hope he's incommunicado until we get
this story on the street"
ioH many others did you have to
tie up? asked the Managing Editor
with grim smile.
Only one other" said Bruce.
What exclaimed his superior
You don't mean TO say you bagged
two Who's the other one,s'
Faith, y broke in McGinnis, twas
only copper"
What, " roared the Managing Ed
tor. Yon two desperadoes put a DO
liceman out OF business. He'll.
thought | knew this story off by hear
and | find I'm Just getting started"
The man ins the chair laughed a hol
, low. hopeless laugh.
Well. it must have been a kind o
surprise said he, 10 hear me yell
Ing for the police after I'd failed t.
bribe these two here TO let me go.
saw. Of course. that they thought
| was the millionaire's son, SO | knew