The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1914-06-03
BY SEWELL FORD

afternoon call. him bein' a little
runt OF q gent that never does
anything on his own hook. And
II he hadn't denied Il so brassy
| shouldn't have called him down
30 hard, right in the front hall
with half the roomers Iistenin'.
Next day i noticed the sign
hung up; but I didn't know
which sky parlor was vacant until
l strolls In at five-fifteen Friday
night and finds my things out in
the hall and a new lodger In my
room.
"Oh. WE'LL" says I, what's a
sudden move now and then to a
free lance like me?"
So ! gathers up my suitcase and
laundry bag and beats it. Not
until I'm three blocks away does
| remember that all the cash I've
got In my clothes Ia three quarters
and a dime, which comes of my
l.stenin' to Msllory's advice about
soakin' my roll away in a bloomin
savings bank.
Looks like I'D spend the night
In a Mills hotel" says /, unless
find Mallory and make a touch. .
1t was chasin' him up that
fetches me over on the West Side
and through one of them nice. re-
spectacle. private-house blocks
Just below 18th street.
Well, was moseyin' along
quiet and peaceful when all of a
sudden about a cupful OF cold
water strikes me in the back of
the neck
"Wow!" says /. Who's play
in me for a goat now?"
- With that | turns and inspeets
the windows of the house I'D just
passed. There's no signs of any
kid cut-up concealed behind the
lace curtains, though, and none
of the sashes was raised.
: If IL hadn't been for the way
things had been comm criss-cross
at me, | suppose I'D wiped off my
collar and gone along. lettin IL
pass as a joke, but I want feelin
very mirthful Just then.
So | steps into the area, drops
my baggage, shins up over the
side of the front steps, and flat
tens myself against the off side of
the vestibule door. Then I waits.
q IL amt more'n a minute before
i hears the door openin' cautious,
aud all | has to do Is shove my
foot out and throw my weight
against the knob. Somebody lets
out a howl of surprise, and i'm an
other minute I'm inside, facin' a
twelve-year-old kid armed with a
green tin squirt gun. He's one of
fhnaa 81 10 ll.lyfNRf
sters, with silky light hair, big
dark eyes, and a sulky mouth.
"You-you get out of herei"
he snarls.
mot until you've had a dose of
what you handed ne. sonny" says
l. "Give it up now. Reggie boy"
Il WON'T" says he. I'LL
have you thrown out"
you will, eh?" says I, maxim
a rush for him.
Cocoon. Aunty, Aunty!" he
squeals, dashin' down the hall.
Now, say. the way | was feelin'
then, I'D have gone up against a
whole family. As he turns into
the room on the left I'm only a
Jump behind, and all that fetehes
me up is when he does a dive be-
hind an old lady in a big leather
chair.
why. Hadley!" she remarks.
Whatever is the matter now?"
"He--he chased me into the
house," whines Master Hadley,
from behind the chair.
Did your" says the old girl.
Sure" says 1. He's too
blamed fresh -
There. says she. You
mustn't way of Had
ley. y ally a little boy, you
know"
"Yes'm," says I.
"And he was only INDUCING in
innocent play" she goes on.
"Come Hadley, unite me, now.
Please, Hadleyi"
Say, | hadn't noticed IL before.
but the old girl is roped solid, feet
and arms, to the chair legs, and
it's clear that when nobody was
goin' by for little Hadley to shoot
at he'd been usin' Aunty for a tar
get. The damp spots on the wall
behind the chair and one OF two
on her dress showed that.
Excuse me, lady" says I, but
IL looks to me like there was
something comm to Hadley that /
ought to tend TO. This amt on