Tombstone epitaph., 1915-08-08

ButtuIa Cry C2mc 1IOm tu0 p~ oner; he wrenched to free his arms. and tried clumsily to trip Poe.
 We've got your pal. Tell me the tune Was 1t Hold the Fort'?" the banker-detective insisted.
 A crafty gleam lurked in the pris- oner's eyes. as his sullen face turned full toward Poe.
 Yes" he gurgled.
 T thought I was right" cried Poe. stamping his heel twice on the bus roof.
 The bus lurched forward, and two minutes later passed in front of the MacGregor mansion. Poe, having slipped to the seat beside his prisoner to maintain a better hold on him. placed the mouth-orsan to his lips, and played the first few bars of I've Got Mine" just as they were passing the MacGregor home. The notes struck clear in the quiet night. and. content ! ing himself with few bars, Poe flung the mouth-organ away. and proceeded to tie his man with a stout cord he had brought along.
 Two blocks lower the bus came to halt. Clancy jumped aboard, and took charge of the prisoner. Poe | leaped down and dashed back to the MacGregor mansion. He passed | through the basement door behind the servants quarters and down into the cellar. There he stationed himself be- side an old iron ash-door near the furnace. recently plastered up. There, mentally and physically on . tip-toe, he waited until dark figure suddenly outlined itself in the gray | light of the cellar. sneaking down from | above by means of a little-used stair way.
 The dark figure never knew how ft happened. but as he reached for the handle of the plastered-up iron door, a gunny-sack was jerked over his head. and the next he knew he was whizzed away in an auto. and his eyes l opened on the interesting spectacle of five earnest policemen and a desk sergeant with pen dipped, ready to book him.
 As soon as Poe had turned this basement skulker over to Andrew and a detective who took him to the sta, tion. he rushed upstairs. and knocked | had left Mrs. MacGregor. She flew to the door herself. and opened it, her eyes questioning him incisively. Come" he said, taking her on one arm and Rose McDermott on the other and leading them upstairs to Mrs. Mac Gregor's own boudoir. There he switched on the lights. and pointed to the ivory-inlaid crib.
 There lay Geordie MacGregor, rich est boy In the world. sleeping quietly l Mrs. HacGregor and old Rose hurled themselves on him together. laying him with kisses and tears. Geordie spluttered and awakened.
 "Ir you'll stop making a fuss over me, mamma, I'd rather like to go tc sleep" he said drowsily.
 But he was aroused out of that state, and soon surrounded by rejoic | ing household of summoned relatives servants and detectives.
 Poe took Mrs. MacGregor aside for g moment. as he excused himself tc | go home before the sensation was an I nounced. He handed her the sheets i of music taken from the blind beggar's room.
 These may prove interesting me | mentos to Geordie at some future date | They are from the extensive repertory | of the accordion player who bothered your rest this morning He renders | the first few bars of this copy oi 'Tenting Tonight remarkably. He puts all his emphasis on the ten and l tonight. That was how l knew we | might expect a second message from | the kidnapers at ten tonight. On the | mouth-organ he can play I've Got | Mine and Hold the Fort quite nicely l
 But I don't understand. What do | you mean?"
 Its very simple. The blind beggaf | was pal to the man who has held | Geordie in captivity the past twenty four hours. He had a score of tunee which he played, emphasizing certain words or titles in such a way that by a prearranged plan he could warn the man in charge of Geordie just what was going on in the outer world and exactly what move to make next If he had been successful in getting away with the money tonight, he had arranged to play I've Got Mine.' which would be the cue to his pal to put Geordie back in bed where he found him. If he failed. he was to play Hold the Fort 1 heard him practic- ing"
 But how could he signal the man with Geordie from across the street, in front of our very house?"
 Because Geordie hasn't been out of the house. He has been spending his time very pleasantly. I am sure. with the kidnaper, in the turret at the top of the house. in the padded cell that Bryan MacGregor used to have for his chessroom and"
 But had the door to that fright ful place plastered up only last month"
 And you were exceedingly unfortu- nate in your selection of plasterers. Mrs. MacGregor. They did the work is such way that the doors could still De easily opened without disarranging the plaster"