Tombstone epitaph., 1915-08-22
Inc young fellow dropped limp in

dropped 10 the cage or etfalgnt- backed chair. and tilted it to e com. fortable angle against the door of the room. Mrs. Twirley sat on the suit case. one cheek drawn up fin Q hard. ened. sarcastic smirk. her eyes smol- dering sullenly.
 How long have you folks been out of work?" asked Poe sharply.
 Seven months." said Twirley in a hollow tone.
 T see. That's . long time," unused Poe. And you've been living in this room two months"
 "On credit" put in Mrs. Twiriey with a twist of her lips.
 stranded" added her husband.
 Too bad. You must have been des- perate." continued Poe thoughtfully. switching his gaze to Mrs. Twirley. No clothes-nothing. Hard luck!" he said. Damn hard luck Clever people you were. too-too many acrobatic teams though-that was your trouble" 1"
 Yes. we used to get good money we stayed stif-necked a while. and then when we was ready to take cheap bookings nobody wanted us: other head-liners had come down first an filled in"
 Tough luck. But why didn't you use your brains! Why didn't you beat the conditions. adapt yourselves to a new act?" asked Poe in a h-pitched earnest tone. T can't see why the devil two clever people like you should ever get stranded. You've been in this room two months. and right through that shade behind you. Mrs. T.. you saw the house of Armand Dubois every day. and you couldn't have missed hearing the rumor that he kept his for tune in cash in his mattress. You heard, too, the barking of that big beast that protected his wealth. With your clever mind why didn't you work out a sketch for you and Dickie to do in vaudeville?"
 He stopped. and looked squarely at the pair. their eyes glancing shiftily about. their fingers fidgeting. Now. you were interested in this harlequin bladder that smells of chloroform." continued Poe. What If 1 were to tell you that 1t was used in an act by a clever young couple once knew in well. In Paris? What if-"
 "Oh. don't beat around the bush" cried Mrs. Twirley sullenly. then blaz- ing up. Whats your game? What are you trying to get at? What"
 Christopher Poe held up his hand for silence as Twirley. his eyes bulging. his mouth panic-set, leaned toward him. fingers and eyelids twitching.
 Now wait-wait! Here's a sketch idea for you folks. Listen to it," con tinued Poe. You can pull down three hundred a week with 1t easy with your acrobatic ability and cleverness.
 Once upon a time-in Paris, you understand-there was a clever young couple like you kids. Stranded team of acrobats; pantomime people. They lived in a rear room of a cheap the atrical roomiug-house, just one flight up, where they could see daily across a high brick wall courtyard containing a big beast shackled on a running chain to protect a miser's gold.
 One day the woman, the cleverer of the two. goaded to envy and despair by the sight of professional women finely clad and at work. suddenly thought of the great dependence that old miser had on his man-eating dog"
 The Twirley Twins were drawing unconsciously nearer together. as though for protection, and the flush was leaving their faces. slowly fixing into awed. gaping blanks as Christo- pher Poe continued.
 The money of that miser worried the woman. She couldn't sleep. she couldn't eat, and finally she worked out a scheme-a good scheme. a shrewd scheme. She told 1t to her husband in a wild mood, never think ing of it as a practical matter. He, poor devil, urged on by debt, took a practical view of 1t. and they were about to execute the scheme when sud denly the idea came that while the chances were that their careful plan would work they might be caught later on; and the thought came. too, that they might not enjoy the miser's gold after they had 1t"
 Mrs. Twirley tossed back her head. and laughed sharply, artificially. as Poe paused. He fixed his eyes on her.
 50 the woman suggested that since the idea Of robbing the old miser was so completely figured out as to almost defy detection, and since they were letter-perfect in rehearsing the act, it would be better to play a sure thing. So she sat down and worked out the practical plan of the robbery into a twenty-minute vaudeville skit for her. self and husband, and they had already got into the spirit of the thing so we'll from considering 1t as a possible crime. that at tryout before a good manager they were offered two hun. dred a week and a bonus if 1t went big"
 Sounds good!" remarked Mrs. Twir. ley, breathing hercely. But are you quite sure you know the plot of that sketch"
 Her husbands fists clenched till the knuckles shone stark and white. His small black eyes pierced to the core of the raconteur, before him.
 ."Yes. are you quite sure" he breathed viciously.
 "Oh, the plot" said Poe lightly "Yes. it was SO simple. I'd most for. gotten. The sketch opens during the