The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1914-12-17
THE TRIANGULAR
SCAR
The Frank A. Munsey compan,
. BY ELLIOT WALKER

happily IQ0 keeu-6QSeO razor raSpeO
over the customers square jaw; eau
tiously, too, for the growth was wiry
and this stranger possessed a cleft
chin.
job. We BARRIERS can grill our old
trade with some impunity, but a new
man, never! He neither ~forgives nor
forgets-nor. alas. does he eve return.
So l worked with unusual care, and,
with my eager eyes SO near the i'm
passive face, became aware of a
growing conviction that somewhere l
had heard. or read of This man.
l say read, for l read a great deal
in my little room off the shop, select
ing clippings for my scrap-book.
have a hobby-a very interesting
one. to me at least. The undetected
criminal is my hobby.
Think of the thousands of unex-
planned mysteries, murders burglars,
assaults, the perpetrators Of which
are still at e large, unknown, free.
laughing in their f'eeves at the bung-
ling bulldogs of the law.
In my %repentive memory rests the
description of dozens of Williams for
whom the police have vainly
searched for years. Rich rewards
still hold a glittering promise for the
apprehension of many of these worth
les. Somewhere they must abide.
What more likely, 1 ask, than a
quiet barber shop in the dull morning
hours for the slipping in of some
wolf in sleeps clothing" needing his
wool trimmed?
OF this l have thought much and
pleasantly, mapping many ingenious
plans for the capture without harm to
my w skin.
Surely a day would come and a man
with it. After that, encomiums and,
l fondly trusted, financial reward of
high value.
How trade would flock to my sign,
no longer the tiny shop with it's soil
tary chair, but a palatial tonsorial
establishment! Yes, old Snipfellow
should strike luck at last.
These were agreeable reflections.
Mind you. however, that nc suspi-
cion haunted me, as I ben over this
well-dressed STRANGER; naught but a
vague. IL c.:rio. ity. Had
! shaved liz. Le--..
Guess ii 80 cut a Bit
he ordered brusA-. - i a-ointed his
heavy mustache.
Yes, sir. How" l tucked the
sheet in his thick neck.
ooh, just trim it. / wear it long,
Shipping at the back, my fingers
parting the thick crop, stopped fol-
a second, fortunately choking an
ejaculation.
A thing l had seen which made my
heart thump with uncanny horror. A
scar, A triangular white, clear
scar, some three inches from the left
ear and near the crown!
Large triangular scar OF crown
of head"
The words buzzed in NY brain.
What else? An old description.
1 steadied and worked, striving tt
recollect; my teeth clenched, my viii
resolved to master the tremble of my
hands. A similar scar was ASSOCIATED
with some direful ~crime-that l knew
What? What?
Five thousand dollars reward"
All, my tongue ran wetly over my
dry lips. Yes, it was coming to m:
now.
Height, about five feet ten
smooth face, but beard naturall.
heavy; hair, sandy"-enough!
Before me, nodding sleepily in thu
: chair, sat the murderer of old Linus
Sparkling. the H~odgefield recluse
\ wealthy, wicked old Linus, feared
r hated, and little mourned. But
4 was murder-murder by a young mai
= taken under the inhospitable ROOT.
No robbery, but for revenge, or il
the heat of sudden passion.
t cracked skull for old Linus, a swift
! disappearance of his unknown, name
e less guest.
r Sparkling new him, else he woul
Y never have sheltered the mar
Hodgefeld scarcely saw him; but on
individual could describe him az
I curately, and this had uncommon
u interested me.
= A barber. Marcellus Parry, once m
q associate in a shop. had shaved tn
murderer and cut his hair the da
d preceding the night of the crime
Marcellus it was who had NOTICED tina
scar, had given the only description
had even sen me the account for m
s%crap-book.
Now. with my avenging hand, VIII
should dare sheer at the barber?
# butt no longer for cheap jokes, BIT
a man to whom society would tur
h for protection against crime.
h Fifteen years Of escape from til
e clutches Of the law, to be captured b
a barber. And the reward, to m
knowledge. not withdrawn!
I would make Marcellus a present
q hundred dollars, perhaps.
2. Tense with strain and resolution
my mind was busy. Thank heaven
9 the rascal dozed.
My white face glared at me fro
" the mirror - a reflected corpse-lil
- --- ~,,% ha oaoI on6 -cfnor