Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1915-04-08

but they had to give II mp and so they
called less frequently.
But Mike. the apple OF her eye. 10
whcm she was all the world. never
ceased to pretend 10 be interested rs
he sat with her in the sunny window of
her spotless kitchen.
Nov ] remember very WELL" she
droned with quavering voice one
evening. without specific reference 10
any one In particular. 81 remember
very well that she was quite fine
lady wasn't she. Mike?"
"She was that. mother" replied the
son. dragging az his pipe. "She was
grand lady"
mo. not at all grand" she protested
"for she wasn't OF the r'yalty kind
She was quiet and nice and dressed so
simple, was the old lady whose son
was STINT up"
The subject OF her wandering gossip
and Renaissance changed. and she
babbled on. Kearney settled down TO
read his afternoon paper as she talked.
Her voice and her constant loving
kindnesses were all that he had in life
besides his job. AS he noticed that her
mind was wandering TO an unusual
degree a touch of fear crept into his
heart. He asked himself what would
he do when she was gone. Could any
other woman take her place! He
hunched himself in his chair. sign of
his uneasiness.
u nar hoA nd
his vacation time. During pleasant
weather murder. like hydrophobia. is
rare. He told himself that after his
vacation he would never leave his
mother again. He had arranged for
one OF her cronies 10 care for her until
his return
Kearney had made up his mind to
take trip south. He had clew. after
ten years OF patient waiting. that was
worth looking up The change might
do him good and at the same time he
would have something 10 occupy his
mind.
Some one had placed n headstoDe on
the grave of the mother of James
Montgomery. Some one was paying
the keeper of the cemetery near Nyack
to weed the little plot and keep 1t
bright with Covers.
Careful inquiry had shown him that.
save for her convict son. Mrs. Mont
gomery had left no relatives. The
cemetery keeper had been cautiously
questioned. He said that through the
mails had come first 500 in cash with
a typewriter note TO the effect that
friend of the Montgomery family
desired the grave marked. Afterward
came other sums to pay for keeping
up the plot
The postmark on these anonymous
communications was "Greenville. s.
c."
Kearney desired TO go to Greenville
and get In touch with the postal au-
thorities there.
Another letter would be mailed from
that town to Nyack. He would take
glimpse OF the man who mailed it.
He would clear up the Montgomery
case and he would hold the record Of
never having been beaten out by a
criminal.
few days later Michael Kearney
registered at the Mansion House.
Greenville's best hotel. as James
Flynn.
In his room he unpacked his grip.
Among other things he removed was a
long and wide envelope. 1t contained
letter from his inspector authorizing
him to request any aid he might need
in the name of the police of the city
of New York.
The big envelope also contained a
certified copy of the police records Of
James Montgomery. convicted OF the
murder of Walter Trueblood. night
Waterman of the West End National
bank. These records included photo
graphs in full face and profile and the
Bertillon measurements and finger
prints. There was also warrant
drawn by New York magistrate
charging James Montgomery with
being a fugitive from justice and an
escaped convict.
The man hunter knew from the soft
sound of the voices he heard about
him that his own voice would be in
striking contrast. Ii would be futile
for him to try the pose Of a southern
er. So he let il be known that he was
a New Yorker who wanted TO live In
the south and invest limited amount
of capital.
Kearney left the hotel TO look over
the city. He coursed its two or three
business streets much as hunting dog
would range in its preliminary run
over field
He had not forgotten the testimony
of Montgomery that he was an appren
tice machinist. and he remembered the
story Of the boys anxiety for his KIT
of tools. He drifted among the men
. who handled the machinery OF the col
ton mills with story that he wanted
10 start up small foundry with n
partner who was an expert. All the
while his keen little eyes studied close
~ the face Of every man he met
After several days OF preliminary
scouting he visited the Office of the
United States district attorney for the
Greenville district. He explained his