The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-07-24

defeat without StrusSic' anu
void set his wits at work upon the
problem Of escape.
ats a little queer that hadn't
thought of that part Of it before ne
unused, slipping his coffee as one VINO
need not hasten until the race Is .actu-
ally begun. II suppose the other lei
low. the real robber, would nave hs
ured himself safely out Of it-or would
have thought he had-before he maze
the break. Since l did not. I've got 10
do it now. and there isn't much time
to throw away. Let me see" he shut
his eyes and went into the inventive
trance of the literary craftsman-"the
KEYNOTE must be originality; ! must
do that which the other fellow wouio
never think of doing"
On the strength of that decision ne
yentured to order a third cup OF COT
fee, and before it had cooled he had
outlined a plan, basing 1t upon cross
questioning Of the Gascon waiter
There had been but one man con-
cerned in the robbery. and the SIDE
walk gossip was beginning to describe
him with discomforting accuracy.
Griswold paid his score and went
out boldly and with studied noncna-
lance. He reasoned that. notwith-
standing the growing accuracy OF the
street report, he was still in no imme-
date danger so long as he renamed
in such close proximity to the bank.
Il was safe to assume that this was
one of the things the professional
"strong-arm man" would not do. But
II was also evident that he must
speedily lose his identity If he hopea
| to escape; and the lost identity must
leave no clue to itself.
Griswold smiled when he remem-
| bered how, in fiction of the felon-catcn-
ing sort, and in real life. for that mat
ter, the law-breaker always did leave
a clue for the pursuers. Thereupon
arose a determination to demonstrate
practically that it was quite as pos
sible to create an inerrant fugitive as
to conceive an infallible detective.
Joining the passers-by on the side
walk, he made his way leisurely to
Canal street, and thence diagonally
| through the old French quarter toward
| the French market. In narrow alley
| giving upon the levee he finally found
what he was looking for; dingy sail
ors' BARRIERS shop. The barber was
a negro, fat, unctuous and sleepy look
ing, and he was alone.
"Yes, sab; shave. boss?" asked the
negro. bowling and scraping a foot
when Griswold entered.
mo; a hair cut" The customer
produced a silver half-dcllar. Go
somewhere and get me cigar to
smoke while you are doing it. Get a
good one. If you have to 60 to Canal
street." he added, climbing into the
rickety chair.
The fat negro shufIled out, seeming
tips. The moment he was out OF
sight Griswold took up the scissors
and began to hack awkwardly at his
beard and mustache; awkwardly, but
swiftly and with well-considered pur-
pose. The result was a fairly com.
plete metamorphosis easily wrought
In place Of the trim beard and curling
mustache there was a rough stubble
stiff and uneven, like that on the face
of man who had neglected to shave
for week or two.
There, think that will answer,
he told himself. standing back before
the cracked looking-glass to get the
general effect. And it is decently
original The professional cracksmar
would probably have shaved, where
upon the first amateur detective hi
met would reconstruct the beard OF
the sunburned lines. Now for a pawn
broker; and the more avaricious hi
happens to be, the better he will serv,
the purpose
He went to the door and looked VI
and down the alley. The negro wa
not yet in sight, and Griswold walked
rapidly away in the direction opposit,
to that taken by the obliging barber
A pawnbroker's shop Of the kind re
quired was not far to seek in that lo
cality, and when 1t was found, Girls
void drove a hard bargain with tn
Portuguese Jew behind the counter
The pledge he offered was the suit h
was wearing, and the bargaining cor
cluded In an exchange Of the still ser,
iceable business suit for pair of but
ternut trousers, secondhand coat to
short in the sleeves, a flannel shirt,
cap. and red handkerchief; thes
and q sum of ready money, the small
ness Of which he deplored piteousl
before he would consent to accept i
The effect Of the haggling was e,
D actly what Griswold had prefgure,
: The Portuguese, most suspicious {
D his tribe. suspecting everything br
g the truth, fatty accused his custome
d OF having stolen the pledge. An
: when Griswold departed without den,
Ing the charge, suspicion became col
n viction, and the pledged clothing
o which might otherwise have given til
y police the needed clue, was CAREFUL
r hidden away against a time when tn
r Jews apprehensions should be quiete
Having thus disguised himself, Gri
l. void made the transformation artis,
n cally complete by walking a fe
It squares in the dust Of a loaded cotto
q noat on the levee. Then he made
n tramp's bundle of the manuscript
g the moribund book, the pistol, an