Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-09-01
||WaIlingford|
!, In Il! ! His Prime
D GEORGE RANDOLPH CHESTER
Copyright 1913, By the Bobbs-
Merrill Co.

- z
Merrill Co. 4
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
CHAPTER XIV.
Getting Away With Il.
'RUNK checks" demanded q
muscular faced boy. as he
deposited the hand luggage
of the two travellers In the
faded blue bus.
de careful of that black wardrobe"
warned WalIingford. II think there's
= hinge loose"
.All right. answered the boy. deeply
grisved- '.I'll writa that on my re-
port"
He was embellished with a green
band on his faded blue cap. A yellow
banded man. with ladder under his
arm, crossed the station platform aud
oxel an electric light bulb.
II know. its comic OPERA" guessed
Wallingford. "Who wants to read
about my trunk hingeT'
1.-THE Spanglerville city council. I'm
fh/ Official baggage CARRIER" and he
tiomped away.
Don't you get it," laughed Blackie
paw. His u q political job. The
tthsr one II the official bulb fxer and
here comes the official bus driver. I've
Keen municipal ownership towns, Jim.
but this one must be the limit
THAT means there isn't live dollar
IN the burg, and our trains pulling
but" regretted Wallingford. and with
'eome disfavor he Viewed the approach
5f the Official bus driver. who wore q
blue band on his cap and carried q grin
$ull Of holes.
Good evening. gents" hailed the
tooth shy officer. Il got two good
sGats left In the grand stand" and he
produced pair Of faded blue past
boards from which the printing bad
(ong since worn away. II reckon most
BIZ the councumen have sold their regu-
lar seats BY this time. but these is
good Front row, right next to the
official box"
We're in luck. JIM" declared
Blackie. Inspecting the penciled num-
beers on the tickets and slipping them
Into his pocket ri was afraid We
wouldn't get seats at all. By the way.
Sergeant, what are they for7s
why. don't. you known inquired the
driver In surprise. Its the regular
Saturday night festival. Why. people
come from miles around. from all these
summer rAsors and health cures. to see
the fireworks. The city council makes
d heap Of money of Of 'em. The whole
courthouse steps Is covered with a
Erandstand that's left there winter and
summer"
. Don't people ever have business In
the courthouseY' asked Wallingford.
Tho driver paused to help the lug
gage carrier lift a trunk on top Of the
bus. They so In by the back door," he
briefly explained.
"Do we get ice cream conesT' de-
pnanded Blackie.
anything Jon want" asserted tho
ofncer largely. ''The city council amt
ovefioolkin' any chances"
They must be the leading Industry"
snrmised Wallingford.
~T'"v're right peart lot" assented
~ inl driver, as the muscular boy
uI4., led with the last trunk. Some
Vt ems been in the council fifteen year.
1--WE held Office twelve year myself. Do
kou know how much money there Il in
The ct.- treasury"
'Yll bite" consented Wallingford.
''Whst's the answerT'
'Nish on. to 500, door, proudly stated
ths citizen.
I "Apd what might your business bef'
asked the Office holder, looking back
with eordia! interest
/, "Hush.' warned Blnckie in hoarso
whisper. and. leaning forward. he con-
t1ded, I'VE are detectives"
you don't say sor' responded the
shocked driver In the same breathless
Fashion. '.Who are you after?"
Maybe you can help u.s." went on
Blackie solemnly. though wincing from
the pain Of vigorous kick that Wal.
lingford had secretly administered.
| .Do anything l can for you" offered
the driver 20 hastily that he forgot to
whisper. II don't reckon there's any.
body In town better posted than me-
"Being an official suspector, sus-
pSCSoO I'D OuSAp ASIA lieu obuCAISs
keeuIy interested. There is a man in
this town who goes away every little
while. ana no one knows where he
goes or why
Henry Ciosby." aiiirmed the driver
with 4 prompt1ess that shocked Black
u. for he had only talked at whimsical
fandon. forgetting that in every town
thsresls 1t least one man whose unex-
plailed goings and comings are an AZ
Erav1tion and IN insult
"Describe that man." demanded
lBlaclda
.wsll" obeyed the driver carefully
land accurately. "Henry closby Is a
bacheIor. about I'VE foot nine. fair to
imiddAn', heavy ret, dresses like
dude, has Z pink face, wears fancy
eyeSfasses, with little dingus like 4
spring tapemeasure to wind up the
istrinG; has blue eyes and shiny black
hair and beard and mustache. He
ksepD tsss general store"
mot the party" declared Blackie
dejactedly and with an honest impulse
10 cj6ar the unknown Closby from I'M.
tust suspicion. Then his whimsicai
natdre came uppermost again. and in
spite Of himssif he added, Unless he
1disgutses."
~By Jlnks. I never thought Of thatr'
unclaimed the driver, struck BY the.
lstaftling. supposition. ..Whiskers II