Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1914-08-26

/
arcade. He retraced his steps, passing
and recognizing the shadow, went to a
bootblack stand and calmly took a
chair.
The shadow. surprised. at first
thought that this was a ruse Of the
man he was stalking to avoid him, but
when he saw Hawkins take the chair
he stood of and under cover told him.
self that his task was still a simple
one.
As Greek boy rubbed and polished
his shoes Hawkins pondered how best
to proceed next. Had Kearney not IN
covered his hand in the attempt to
bride him to betray his friend he would
have been puzzled to fathom the mean
ing of this shadowing. Now he under
stood why he had been released from
prison and why his steps were being
logged. 1t was not mercy and kind
ness that had been the motive Of his
deliverance. 1t was police craft. New
ertheless he was out on probation and
to stay out as long as he violated no
law.
The problem before him was to gain
that probation by his own honest effort
and not by being made a Judas. His
knowledge Of detective methods, gain
ed in evil days, now stood him in good
stead for good cause. He knew that
some time during the late afternoon
or night his shadow would be relieved
by another. If necessary, the man fol-
lowing him would arrest him as sus-
picious character. take him to a sta
ton and hold him just long enough to
have his relief look him over from
under cover and then follow him. That
he would not be held for long, he
knew very we'll. The police wanted
him free so that he could make his
way to his friend and guide them to
their quarry.
He was concerned chiefly in getting
in print the reply to Montgomery's per-
sonal. To manage this best he would
return to his old associates of the un-
derworld. Unwritten. the words of
the brief message would be passed
along until they reached the Herald
Office and found their way to type and
eventually to the man they were in
tended for.
His shoes were polished. He paid
the Greek boy and returned to the
Bowery with his shadow.
Hawkins entered the 'reading ROOM
of lodging house just north Of Chat
ham square. One table. Uttered with
CASTOR newspapers and three or four
old and we'll thumbed magazines, was
in the center Of the room. Around the
walls were ranged chairs placed as
closely together as the seats on the
average New York park bench.
AS he fumbled among the papers his
keen eyes swept the faces of the down
and outs who had been able to pay for
the shelter they would have during
the coming night.
Kearney's man followed him into the
room after minute. pulled a newspa-
per from his pocket and found a seat
near window.
The probationer expected some one,
but he was not among the men gather.
ed here. He took a paper and found
seat in the same row with the detec-
tive.
Without craning his neck and lean
ing forward the detective could not
watch Bills movements. Still, there
was no way for Bill to leave the room
without being seen by him, and the de-
tective was satisfied with their relative
positions
1.-THE Butcher" beside whom the pro-
bationer had worked in the cutting
room. had told him to seek this spot If
he needed any help. Generally about
noon 1.-THE Butchers" friend, Boston
Ed" Fallon, came there to get his mail
and read the papers after breakfast. A
part OF Eds duties in life was to keep
up the underground communication be-
tween the outside world and the con-
victs in Sing Sing. 1t was he who had
sent in the cash with which Montgom-
cry was staked when he made his get
away. Bill would know him by a
birthmark under his dropping left eye.
The noon hour passed tediously for
Kearney's man, but comfortably for
Bill. He read paper after paper, en-
joying every line of the news of the
world from which he had been shut off
so long.
Toward o'clock Boston Ed" a
middle aged man. dressed as a .aborer.
entered the room and went to the table,
where he fumbled among the papers
and sized up the other guests and
"sponges'' of the Chatham square lodg-
Ing house. He uncovered the headquar-
tiers man in glance from under his
heavily lidded eyes and flashed a signal
with look to Bill, whose eyes he saw
peering knowingly at him from over
his paper.
Bills fingers began to move, and
without appearing to look his way 1.-THE
Butchers" birthmarked friend read a
message in the deaf and dumb Ian
guage, telling him to stand by for a
talk.
He chose q paper and seat, placing
the table between him and Kearney's
man. With his hands in his lap. "Bos-
ton Ed" could work his fingers with
out the detective reading his messages,
should he by chance know the sign
code. = .,
4" The Butch sent me-" signaled Bill.
Pm just OUT -. -
rs the bull shadowing you?' asked
Eds fingers.
YES" ....~- 49,. g ~
SsVrL - AZ. -. oss