The Winslow mail., 1914-05-09


of his hand across his mouth with a
gesture of finality.
"Mul," he said, they say as it's a
wise cop knows when he's off duty
but that gets my goat. Something's
going to happen. I feel it IN me. And
I'm going to stay and see it through"
Much as he needed the liquid re-
freshment which had presented it's
mental picture SO alluringly to his
mind, O'Sullivan felt that he could not
go home until he had solved the mys-
terry of that chair. He could think of
no mechanical law which would enable
| it to balance itself upon a single
wheel with such tenacity that, with the
exertion of his utmost strength, he
was unable to disturb it's equilibrium.
What was the hidden mechanism
which gave out that buzzing sound? i?
| Suppose this were to be connected at
will with the running gear! Suppose,
| for example, that, hidden under the
seat, of the chair, was powerful gas
engine, capable of exercising sufficient
force to convert it, with a sharp,
wedge-like front, into battering ram
and hurting it at thirty miles an hour
through the crowded streets of the me-
| tropolis! A vista of possibilities
| stretched before O'Sullivan's mind.
Muttering uneasily, he left Mulcahey
and started in pursuit OF the cripple,
with the intention of questioning him
| further.
"Aw, it's only a bicycle chair!" ex-
claimed the other in disgust at his
| friends curiosity, which he felt, in
some vague way, to be reflection up
on his lack of interest. Whats bit
ing you, Danny? Come back!" But
| O'Sullivan was already out of hearing
and crossing the road in the cripple's
! wake, pausing only long enough to
shoe away the pestilential small boys
| that dogged the trail of his quarry. A
| glance back showed that Mulcahey had
changed his mind and was coming aft
| er him.
| But to the disgust of both patrolmen
the cripple's chair seemed to take on
sudden acceleration of motion O'Sul-
livan walked faster. Yes, there was
no doubt of it. Although to his eye
the wheel did not seem to be revolving
more rapidly, yet the distance be-
tween himself and the peculiar vehicle
was materially increased. Then, re-
membering that the man would un-
doubtedly stop at Mr. Staples house,
he proceeded more slowly and permit
ted Mulcahey to catch up with him.
oh ,11
behind when the chair came to stop
| outside the millionaire's residence.
They saw the crippled figure leave it
and move painfully up the steps with
| the aid of two crutches. Long before
| they had come up the door had closed
on the man, and, when at last they ar
| rived, the empty chair was buzzing
amiably upon the curb.
Il guess this story was straight
enough-there's no use waiting, Null, -
said Patrolman O'Sullivan Mulcahey
shook his head doubtfully He was
not sure; he was not by any means
sure that, even if the cripple's exit
were orderly and peaceful, he would
not arrest him on the chance of hav-
ing picked up an ex-convict. But even
while he debated the front door flew
open and the cripple came hurrying
down the stairs with the aid of his
crutches, while from within the hall
resounded the screams of the maids
mingled with the shouts of the finan-
cier.
AS the patrolman dashed to seize
the fellow Staples came bounding
down the steps.
ARREST him!" he yelled, purple with
fury. Hes an escaped convict and
he's got five thousand dollars of mine,
damn him, in his coat pocket. Held
me up with pistol and made me open
my safe. Hold him!"
We're holding him. answered Null
cahey grimly, as he clutched the man
by the collar, while O'Sullivan extract
ed from his pockets bulging wallet
and revolver. Loaded in every
chamber!" he exclaimed, inspecting
it. "Hey, youse must be mad, young
feller This amt no wild west show
this is Brooklyn!"
The cripple's face remained entirely
impassive as the policeman bundled
him back into his chair. Followed by
the wrathful cries of the financier,
they prepared to wheel him to the sta
ton house.
"My money!" cried Mr.. Staples. II
identify that. He stole it from me a
minute ago."
Sorry, Mr.. Staples" replied Mulca-
hey respectfully, "but you'll have to
get it from the sergeant, sir. That's
the law, Mr.. Staples, and I'll have to
take it with me. You can reclaim it
any time, sir" he continued. cor if
you care to come along now"
He had turned his back on the chair
as he began to speak, while O'Sullivan,
holding the pistol and the wallet, was
pushing back the crowd which had in
stantly assembled, his arm resting up
on the hand-wheel in order to keep
the vehicle motionless. OF sudden,
quick as flash, the cripple's mighty
right arm shot forth and c1utched him