Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1914-02-05

had discovered musical talent in the
bartender and was seated at a batter
ed piano laboriously experimenting
with the accompaniment to an Irish
: ballad: Higgins and Locke were talk
Ing earnestly. Locke, as usual. sat
! facing the entrance, his eyes watch
| ful. his countenance alert. To sober
eye It would have been patent that he
1 vas labocing under some strong ex-
citement, for every door that opened
! caused him to start, every stranger
that entered made him quake.
"Grandes' fellow ever met Hiy-
gins was saying for the hundredth
time. Got two faults, Anthony; he's
modesht an he's lazy-he won't work .
"Yon and he are good friends, eh?'
"Best ever
"Would you like to play a joke on
himY
"Joke7 Can't be done. He's wises'
guy ever. I'VE tried it an always get
the wors' Of it."
! "l1l tell you how we can work It.
I've got ticket for Central America
in my pocket The boat sails at 10.
Let's send him down there"
''Wha' torT'
Locke kept his temper with an effort
ITO make man of him. Well go
through Ids clothes, and when he lands
hen b broke. He'll have to work
Don't you see7"
mo" Anthony's friend did not see.
''He don't want to go to Central Amer
ica." he argued. "He's got new au-
tom'bile''
"But suppose we got him soused,
went through his pockets and then put
him aboard the boat He'd be at sea
BY the time he woke up. He couldn't
get back. He'd have to work. Don't
You sect He'd be broke when he land
ed and have to rustic money to get
back with. think It's an awful funny
idea"
The undeniable humor of such a sit
uation finally dawned upon Higgins
mind.
TN get him full If you'll help man
ego Il" Locke went on. "And here's
the ticket" He tapped his pocket.
SWhered you get it?"
Bought e yesterday. It's first class
and better. and he'll At my description.
We're about the same size. Wait"
Locke rose and went to the bar. where
b called loudly for the singer. Then
when the bartender had deserted the
piano he spoke to Anthony: Keep it
up Cd man. You're doing fine"
Foe some moments he talked earnest
y to the man behind the bar. No one
observed the transfer of another Of
those yellow bills Of which he seemed
10 have an unlimited store
Strangely enough. Mr.. Jefferson
Locke's plan worked without hitch.
Within ten minutes after Kirk An
thony had taken the drink handed him
he declared himself sleepy and rose
from the piano. only to seek chair.
into which he flung himself heavily
'It's all right" Locke told his drunk
en- companion. 1--WE got taxi wait
ing. Well leave Ringold where he is.
Twenty-four hours later Adelbert
Higgins undertook to recall what mad
happened to him after he left Mnllers
place on East Fourteenth street. but
bis memory was tricky He recol!ected
q vaguely humorous discussion of some
sort with stranger. the details of
which were almost entirely missin.
Unexpected and alarming occurrences
made It imperative for him tn ter
inmate his connection with his college.
as big Marty Ringold had done earlier
In the day. and begin to pack his be-
longings. Partly out of Difference to
the frantic appeals of his widowed
mother. partly owing to the telephoned
advice OF Mr.. Michael Padden of Sixth
avenue. who said the injured man mad
recognized one of his assailants. ne
booked passage to Japan by the next
steamer out of Vancouver
Strictly speaking. Kirk Anthony did
not awake to realization Of his sur
roundings, but BECAME conscious OF
them through long process of dull.
dreamy speculation. He said to him
self:
Nov. begin all over again. Kirk
Ringold was very drunk. Good. Ev
erything is clear so far Next YOU
were playing piano with yellow teeth
while somebody sang something about
. Little Brown Cot After that
Lord. you must have been drinking
Well. let's run through it again"
But his efforts were vain. He conld
recall nothing beyond the piano, so
fell to wondering what hotel this
could be.
"Some east side Joint" he decided,
"and cheap one. too. from the size Of
this STALL" He noted another brass
bed close at hand and reasoned that
Ringold or Higgins must have risen
early. leaving him to finish his sleep
That was considerable, of course. but
Good heavens. 1t must be late. And
be was due to motor to New Haven Mt
nooni he raised himself suddenly
and was half out OF bed when he fell
back With q cry as If an unseen hand
had smitten him. He clapped both
palms to his head. realizing that he
was very sick indeed The sensation
was unlike anything he had ever felt
before. His head was splitting. he
felt frightful nausea. the whole room
was rocking and Keeling as If to pitch
him out Of bed. It was terrible. SO he
arose blindly and felt his way toward
the telephone. Failing to finG It, he
pushed button instead. then tumhjed