The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-06-22

hall-rack loosened his suspenders, turn
ed up the collar of the rain-coat. he had
donned. and sneaked silently upstairs. his
manner that OF a drowsy lodger awak-
ened against his will to make an early
train.
On the second floor he paused. took
out his watch. deliberately set 1t back
half an hour. wrapped II in the wrinkled
skin-like object he had removed from
i Alberts collar, then listening and locat-
ing the sounds in a rear room on that
floor. he approached the door with audi
Bile tread and knocked lightly.
The shuffiing steps ceased within. There
can no answer.
| Il say-pardon me-you folks goin' on
the six-ffty. too?'' he said. sleepily.
Can l borrow collar? Heard you kick
in around and
The door was abruptly opened a crack
by wiry young man, short and with o
pleasant. though oily and Oriental cast
to his features. A small feminine hand
rested on his shoulder and seemed to be
Juggling him back.
"A collar? Sure thing. What size do
you want?" asked the short, ush-faced
young fellow through the door crack.
six and seven-eighths. / mean If
teen an a quarter. Say, you amt the
Twirley Twins, are your asked Poe
from the passageway. throwing back one
side of the fawn-colored Cravenette TO
remove a wallet from his hip pocket.
The very same" cried the amiable
young man. squirting his eyes profess
sionally through the gloom and opening
the door another notch In spite of the
restraining hand on his shoulder.
Saw you work down in San Antoine.
Good act that. Where's the Missis
Clever kid" Poe adopted the easy man
ner OF a sporting man quite naturally.
Thanks. VIII this collar do " came a
forced feminine voice from within, and
a mate to the hand on the Twirley
Twins shoulder pushed a stiff, starchy
circle OF white quiveringly through the
open.
That amt a collar. That's a cuff
cried Poe. quickly dropping behind him
the article he had asked for and select
ing a card from his wallet which bore
the name of Hardy. the name by which
he was known to the sporting fraternity.
He handed IL to the man with a laugh
as an exclamation of disappointment
came from the woman.
Thomas Hardy read the Twirley
Twin. Not the Thomas Hardy. angel
of the Merry whirr show
The very same. What's left of him, :
said Poe. promptly. smiling to himself
at being called angel OF a company
he had formed under his assumed name
only as an adjunct TO a scheme for run
ming down one of the cleverest bank
swindlers in New York. He drew the
raincoat closer about him and edged
into the doorway.
Come in: come in. Glad to see you"'
cried the young fellow. who had been
with the Merry Whirl' company and to
whom its hacker was a great man.
A cry of alarm from the woman. I'm
not dressed Dick. don't let him in. I'm
not dressed"
But her husband "a twin only in the
professiom had already thrown the door
open and disclosed her to the keen eyes
of Christopher Poe. fully gowned in a
somewhat worn travelling suit.
BY George, I'm glad to see you. Mr..
Hardy. Kid, shake hands with the best
in the business. a game hacker and d
good loser. Id tell you TO take on your
hat to him if l thought you'd ever get
II back on straight
Mrs. Twirley bowed stiltedly and said