Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-03-26

police station.
II appeared that this driver Of cab No.
11H had been thrown out OF a saloon about
. o'clock on the night OF the murder, dead
drunk, and had been taken to the nearest
station house. 1t was not until he had
slept off the effects Of his spree that he
was able to tell about the loss Of his cab.
instead Of being allowed TO go free, as he
had expected, he was astonished to hear the
magistrate commit him to prison as a ma
terial witness, II not something more
closely connected with the murder.
To an experienced criminologist the cab
mans innocence would have been evident
from his manner, and from the straight
forward way in which he told his story.
All he knew. he said, was that when the
cab had disappeared he had gone to the
saloon to telephone. As it was cold night
and his fare had given him IS, he had
proceeded TO get warm by imbiblng hot
WHISTLES. In his opinion the drinks that
he had taken earlier in the evening were
stronger than he imagined. There was no
other way to account for his being knocked
out so quickly. He depended on the saloon
keeper to prove an alibi, so far as his
possible presence at the dock was con-
cerned. Fortunately for him. having been
gathered up from the sidewalk by the po-
lice he was able TO trace the saloon in
which he had passed the time Where the
house to which he had taken his fare was
located he could not remember. 1t was
either a block above or below the saloon,
and TO the right or left. He had no idea
OF the number. The police attached no inn
portance to that, apparently. All they
cared for was to satisfy themselves that
this man had not driven the cab to the
dock where # was found. The riddle for
them 70 solve was: Who had?
Having read all about the case, Hartley
stuffed the newspaper into his pocket.
After he had looked oyer his morning mail,
he rang the bell and told the boy to send
in Mr.. James Mcbride.
Mcbride was a tall, handsome young fell
low, with blond curly hair. He had a de-
cidedly good face and a certain look about
him that suggested cleanness, both in body
and mind. His clear blue eyes and red
cheeks told of healthy outdoor life. Nc
Bride was Hartley's confidential secretary
and had better prospects than any man in
the office. His appearance and his abilities
Hartley had remarked, would make his
fortune II he would only attend a little
more strictly to business; but the young
man was little too fond Of athletics.
Hartley, however, always expressed the
hope that his secretary would STEADY
down. in time.
LAS long as he doesn't get to be cham
pion," Hartley had remarked to a friend.
''he is all right. But the moment these
athletic fellows get to be champions and
the girls begin running after them, they re
no good for business. I gave the trainer
a fifty to keep Mcbride from ever being
good enough to enter for the champion
ships, and just to make things sure 1 al
ways have some little matter to attend
to in Denver or st. Paul the day the
championships come off"
Even without being a champion James
Mcbride had more than his share of at
tention from the girls, but this did not
alarm Hartley so much. LAS soon as Miss
Right comes along" he used to say, James
will be a redhot lover. and 1 don't think
the engagement will be a long one. The
sooner the better for me; because once
a mans married you've got him. Married
men are not so quick at giving up their
jobs as single ones, and they don't care
much about championships"
After his usual good morning greetings
Mcbride took his instructions carefully
and went over briefly some matters that
required Hartley's personal attention; all
in a very businesslike way, which evidently
pleased Hartley so much that he said he
was sorry James did not smoke, or he
would offer him one Of his 5O-eent cigars
Mcbride thought smoking interfered with
his wind, and he considered his ability to
do a quarter in flfty-four seconds much
more important than the enjoyment of a
cigar. 1t was the wind that Hartley was
anxious to break up.
About ten minutes after the morning
conference was finished and Mcbride had
returned to the outer office, he tapped al
the door, and put his head in with a smile
"Mr. Douglas just called up on the tele
phone, sir, to know IL you were in. Says
he'll be right down." and the smile broad
ened, as If the news were a good joke.
you don't mean Frank Douglass"
Eyes, SIR" still smiling.
what the dickens is he coming here
for?"
Il thought It rather curious myself, sir
He hasn't been in this office since tina
little stock transfer about two years ago
What shall l say when he comes? Tha
you will see him."
"Oh, yes. / suppose I'll have to see him.
Hartley had not long to wait. That Franz
dent. He STROBE into the private offic
without even saying good morning One
inside, he shut the door behind him yer
carefully, and looked as If he wished I
/, lock It. Then he took rapid steps to MI
Hartley's desk, and fumbled in his pocket
He did not even take off his hat.
Pulling out a newspaper, ard thrustin
it under Hartleys nose, he jabbed a bi
headline excitely with his forefinger.
Read that" he gasped under hi
breath. by CAD! this is a pretty kettle q
fish"
Hartley was quite taken aback by hi
visitors manner Was there a big ban
failure, or what had happened?
sit down my dear fellow" he said II
assuringly. you seem TO be all worke
up about something. What's the matter?
Matter? Read that was all Dougls
could say, jabbing his finger into the pap,
again.
b, Hartley glanced at the paper and fouu
y that the part indicated was under n
double headlines OF the cab murder cas-
He glanced down the column carelessly.
wei, my dear fellow, l don't see an
thing in this that interests me particular