The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1914-02-01

against the door OF the room. Mrs. Twir-
ley sat on the ult-case. one cheek drawn
up in a hardened, sarca site smirk. her
eyes smoldering sullenly.
How long have you folks been out OF
work? asked Poe sharply.
Seven months" said Twirley in hol-
low tone
II see That's long time" unused Poe.
"And you've been living In this room
two months"
''on credit" put in Mrs Twirley with
twist Of her lips.
Stranded" added her hus band
Too bad, You must have been dos
Perste. continued Poe thoughtfully,
switching his gaze to Mrs. TwIrley. mo
Damn hard luck. Clever. people you
were, too-too many acrobatic teams
thoush-that was your trouble"
Yes, we used to get good money
we stayed stff-necked u while. and then
when we was ready to take cheap book
ings nobody wanted us; other head liners
had come down first an filed in
your brains? Why didn't you beat the
conditions, adapt yourselves TO a new
act?'' asked Poe IN a hish-pitchcd earnest
tone tone; Il can't @ see why the devil two
clever people like you should ever get
stranded. You've been in this room two
months, and right through that shade be-
hind YOU Mrs. T.. you saw the house
couldn't have missed hearing the rumor
that he kept his fortune in cash in his
mattress You heard, too. the barking of
that big beast that protected his wealth
With your clever mind why didn't YOU
work out sketch for you and DIckie to
do in vaudevile?"
He stopped. and looked squarciy al,
about, their fingers BdGeting. Now, YOU
were interested in this harlequin blad-
der that smells OF chloroform', contIn-
that IL was, used in an act by clever
young couple I once knew in-WeIl I'm
Paris? What if"
oh, don't beat around the bush,
cried Mrs. Twirley sullenly. then blazing
UP. What's Your game? What are you
trying 10 get at2 What"
christopher Poe held UP his hand for
silence as TwirIey, his eyes bulging, his
fingers and eyelids twitchIng
Now wait-wait' Here's sketch idea
for YOU folks. Listen to it, continued
Poe. You can pull down three hundred
week with IL easy with your acrobatlc
ability and cleverness.
Once upon tIme-ln Paris. YOU un-
pie IKE YOU Kids. Stranded team Of
acrobats. paDtomime people They lived
In a rear room OF cheap theatrical
rSSoming, ,Soi house. jus, one flight up, where
wall a courtyard containing big beast
shacklcd on running chain To protect
mlser's gold.
one day the woman, the cleverer OF
the two, goaded 10 envy and despair by
the sight OF professional women finely
clad and at work. suddenly thought of the
great dependence that old miser had on
his man-ea ting dog"
The Twirley Twins were drawing nm.
consciously nearer together as though
FOR protection, and the flush was leay-
ing their faces. slowly fixing into aWed
gaping blanks as Christopher Poe con-
tinued.
The money Of that inlser worried the
woman. She couldn't sleep. she coudn't I
eat, and finally she worked out a scheme
"a good scheme, shrewd scheme. She
told II TO her husband in wild mood
never thinking OF IL a practical mat
ter. He, poor devil, urged on BY debt
took a practical view OF Il. and they were
about to execute the scheme when sud
denly the idea came that while the
chances were that their careful plan
would work they Nigh, be caught later
on; and the thought came too. that they
might not enjoy the miseTs gold. after
they had t."
Mrs. Twirley tossed back her head and
laughed sharply, artihcially, az Poe
paused. He fixed his eyes on her
80 the woman suggested that since
the idea OF robbing the old miser was
defy detection. and since they were let
ier-Perfect In rehearslnG the act. II
would be better To play sure thing. SO
ucal plan of the robbery into twenty
minute vaudeville skit for herself and
husband. and they had already got into