Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1914-08-06

" say IudL Il wealthy anu prominent
citizen like Mr.. Carr would take either
that or your trumpery brass watch"
1T isn't trumpery nor brass either!!"
interrupted Thompson. with an indig-
nant howl. tits a gold repeater,
worth 5000"
ut would be all the same if it were
worth $4,000. Mr.. Carr doesn't know
anything about it."
"Of course don't, Jamison," put in
William Carr. And I don't know how
that silver thing got into my pocket.
I'm sure l didn't put it there"
"Well, I'm going to find out what else
you've got"
AS Lieutenant Thompson growled
this be was about to thrust one of his
big red hands into William Carr's in
side coat pocket-and there was an ex-
preston on his large face which sug-
gested that he might stand the old gen
teman on his head if he deemed it
necessary-when there was a diversion
of q most welcome nature to the bad
gered and perplexed Mr.. Carr.
A well dressed elderly lady, accom-
panied by a very pretty young girl,
dashed up to him, and the girl threw
her arms around his neck and kissed
him effusively.
"Why, William, where have YOU
been?" asked the elderly lady, m
what severely, as she put up a jeweled
ear trumpet to catch his reply.
"Yes, pa, where have you been?"
chirped the young girl. We've been
looking all over the station for you.
The car is waiting outside"
"We were a little late coming to the
station" went on the matron, still with
her a trumpet in position, land they
told us the train from Boston had been
in several minutes. But we thought
you would be in the waiting room or
would come there. So Joan and I have
been there all this time. Why, how do
you do, Mr.. Jamison?'
"Quite well, Mrs. Carr" shouted
Jamison into the ear trumpet. II found
Mr.. Carr in q controversy with this
er-gentleman," he continued, indicat-
ing the Tuning Thompson with a care
less jerk of the head. land I've been
eApLulu1uS mdlLefS.
"Explaining?" exclaimed the GIRL.
whom her mother referred to as Joan.
what was there to eXplain?"
But before Jamison could reply a
tall man of supernatural dignity in the
gorgeous uniform Of an inspector Of
police stepped up to Thompson and
drew him aside.
The others saw Thompson speak
earnestly to the inspector. Then, as
the inspector looked at William Carr
and shook his head. they heard him
say:
That's not the professor nor any,
thing like him, you mutt That's Will
liam Carr Of Scott, Carr & CO. See me
at headquarters in On hour"
The inspector stalked off mugnif-
Gently in m direction, and Thomp-
son. without q word or look for Will
liam Carr OR those with him. sneaked
away In another-if such q word as
"sneaked" may be applied to the loco
motion Of SO revered a being as q lieu
tenant Of police.
Fourteenth street Just east of Third
avenue Is a neighborhood with a dis
tinction oil its own
The denizens Of the district are sui
gener1s. They are dodgers or boarders
In the somnolent houses, and, while
their daily or nightly avocations vary,
they are alike in that they work hard
when they are at work and enjoy rest
when they a get it.
Many Of them are in the theatrical
business, and vaudeville performers
predominant Besides the theatrical
element there are numberless individ-
uals who earn money apart from the
stage. but who live in this quarter be-
cause it is cheap, retired and conven-
lent OF situation. Who they are and
what they do outside Of their home no
body knows.
In q front on the top floor Of
one Of these boarding houses Jack
Doogan sat comfortably in a Morris
chair in his shirt sleeves, with his feet
on the sill of the open window, calm
ly smoking a cigar and enjoying the
cool night dir. 1t was 10 o'clock, and
he and Nell had just come in, after
walking down Madison avenue, cross
ing to Fourth at Twenty-third street,
and so down to Fourteenth. Nell her
self stood behind him, gazing thought
fully at the vista Of roofs and chin
neys, broken at intervals by some
gaunt ~skyscraper, and all outlined
mystically against the great dark cur
tain Of the sky. with it's spansles OF
blinking stars.
'That was a good stunt of yours,
Nell, to drop the badge into the old
geezer's pocket The thing wouldn't
be any use to me. I lifted it off the
cops vest because I saw it g%littertnc
and because he was so dead easy.
That's why I took the watch in the
first place. That fellow was lust ripe
for picking. I didn't know he was Il
bull till l saw his shield"
Jack Doogan took the cigar from his
lips and laughed softly.