Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1913-09-16
ESCAPING BY A HAIR
BY MAURICE SMILEY.

1t was no evidence of any special
shrewdness on my part that / knew
what Wilson was watching the train
for
The papers were full of the details
of Judson's last exploit The trick he
had turned on this particular occasion
was the lifting of tray of diamonds
from the importing firm of Couyier
Freres.
The police had followed Judson
pretty sharply and / knew that VIII
son must have got some tip to the
effect that Judson was going to take
train for cooler habitat-mcssts
probably the $40 for the west.
Now, Wilson and l knew each other
by sight. We had had a professional
rub or two on former occasions. and 1
knew with what 1 had to deal.
it just happened that / saw him get
a telegram at the station office and
that gave me two ideas which l pro-
ceeded to put into effect. One was to
intercept the messenger boy attached
to the Office, and for a quid pro quo
induce him to hand to Wilson this mes
sage, scrubbed on telegraph blank:
Mr. Wilson: / forgot in my hurry
to copy the message just delivered to
you. Kindly return it to me for a
moment and l will hand it to you at
any time.-Mary Emerson, Operator"
Five minutes later the boy handed
he
1t read:
Anderson says Judson will take the
g.: 40 train for Chicago. VIII wear a
long white beard.-Foley."
Foley was the chief His dispatch
threw new light on the Judson tip. So
Anderson had turned against Judson.
1t happened that / was going to take
the $40 train myself, and l determin-
ed to keep sharp outlook for any
body with long white beard. / was
smooth shaven myself.
But the second idea. 1t was ridicu-
lousy easy to write message my
self, and my convenient messenger
friend for another quid pro quo
handed it to Wilson. My message ran
like this:
MADE mistake. Judson will leave
on the 9:15 Cor Montreal-Foley.'
1t was already 9;O5 and Wilson had
barely time to catch the 9:15 train,
for he swallowed the spoon, hook and
bait.
With Wilson safely side-tracked.
boarded my train.
Message for Henry Wilson. Is Mr.,
Wilson in this carr"
"Ah, yes, l guess that's for me-
remarked, casually, reaching out my
hand for it as the conductor stopped
at my berth. OF course 1t was from
Foley. 1t read:
Anderson makes complete confes'
sion.. Says story of Judson being dis
guised was a blind. He will, SO far
as Anderson knows, be smooth shaven
as he does not suspect he will be fol
lowed, but thinks he has sidetracked
us. Williams is at Buffalo, and will
meet the train at Lees Landing
Foley"
The plot was thickening.
How far are we from Lees Land
ing, porter?" 1 inquired.
Next stop, sir"
I started on another exhaustive In
spection Of the car, but there was no
body there whom I thought Williams
would be likely to spot as Judson.
But there was gentleman with q
long brown beard, sitting all alone in
one end of the car. z white beard
might be dyed overnight.
Would you mind stepping into my
drawing room compartment, sir2"
said in weak voice as 1 bent over
the brown-whiskered gentlemen.
Certainly, sir" he replied, rising
and accompanying me to my drawing
room. Once the door was locked and
there was something doing in two min
utes.
That's a very fine bunch of whisk
ers you have there, my friend" l said
fiercely, land I shall have to trouble
you for them! Don't make any fuss
now and you won't get hurt!"
The sheer absurdity of my words
made him blink bewilderejly and be
fore he got through blinking had him
tied hand and foot and two minutes
later l had neatly shipped of his
beautiful brown beard.
1 had become suddenly alive to the
fact that a pair of whiskers was
something that I needed In my husi
ness. l usually went provided with
spirit gum and other toilet accessories
but had neglected to grow a bunch
of side whiskers or provided myself
with set of false ones.
lees Landing!" shouted the brake
man, as l stepped out of the drawing
room to run plump into Williams
whom 1 spotted instantly.
He's in the drawing room there!'
I whispered hurriedly in Williams
ear
Eyes. This is Wilsonl I am detail
ed or another lay; that's why you
were wired to meet me. Grew these
ever night Good luck"
Then half holding my whiskers with
my hand to keep them from falling
off, pulled my hat down over my
eyes and made my getaway.
1t wasn't a very close shave for the
parson, but 1t was for me, all on &C
count of that traitor Anderson just
escaped by hair-that is, by con
veniently large number of hairs, Judi
ciously used.
oh, yes, I was Judson. You have
guessed that.
Copyright. by Daily Story Pub. Coz