Middletown transcript., 1917-03-10

| care.
At first it seemed as if the boy had
frustrated him. He had not been home
all night. Christine, waylaying X. In
| the little hall, told him that.
"Mrs. Drummond was here" she
said. "She is almost frantic. She says
Joe has not been home all night. She
says he looks up to you, and she
thought if you could find him and
would talk to him"
"Joe was with me last night. We
had supper at the White Springs ho-
tel. Tell Mrs. Drummond he was in
good spirits, and that she's not to
worry. feel sure she will hear from
him today. Something went wrong
with his car, perhaps, after he left
me-"
He bathed and shaved hurriedly.
Katie brought his coffee to his room,
and he drank it standing. As he went
Kee in her doorway, with little knot
of people around her. The Street
was getting the nights news.
He rented car at a local garage,
and drove himself out into the coun-
try. He was not minded to have any
eyes on him that day. He went to
Schwitter's first. Schwitter himself
was not In sight. Bill, the bartender,
was scrubbing the porch and q farm
hand was gathering bottles from the
grass into box. The dead lanterns
swung in the morning air, and from
back on the hill came the staccato
sounds Of reaping machine.
"Whcre's Schwitter?"
cat the barn." Bill grinned. He
recognized K, and, mopping dry part
of the porch, showed chair on it.
''Sit down. Well, how's the man who
got his last night? Dead?"
."No."
| County detectives were here bright
and early. After the lady's husband.
| guess we lose our license over this"
bill, did you see the man who fired
that shot last night?"
| A sort of haze came over Bill's face,
as If he had dropped curtain before
his eyes. But his reply came prompt
ly: "Surest thing in the world. Close
to him as you are to me. Dark man.
| about thirty, small mustache-"
"Bill, you're lying, and know it.
Where Is he?"
The barkeeper kept his head, but his
color changed.
0T dnn't Enou, onytb;p0 about him -
He thrust his mop into the pail. K.
rose. The farmland had filled his box
and disappeared around the corner of
the house. X. put his hand on Bill's
shirtsleeved arm.
"We've got to get him away from
here, Bill. The county men may come
back to search the premises"
''How do know you aren't one Of
them"
Il guess you know I'm not. He's a
friend Of mine. AS matter Of fact, l
followed him here; but was too late.
Did he take the revolver away with
him?"
Il took it from him. It's under the
bar"
"Get it for me-"
From inside the bar Bill took care
full survey Of LIE Moyne. He noted his
tall figure and shabby suit, the slight
stO0p, the hair graying over his ears.
Barkeepers know men: that's part of
the Job. After his survey he went be-
hind the bar and got the revolver from
under an overturned pail.
K. thrust 1t into his pocket.
"Now," he said quietly, "where is
he?"
I'm my room-top Of the house."
which he had carried Wilson's uncon-
scious figure. The room under the
caves was sitting. An unmade bed
stood in a corner. Joe was sitting in
the corner farthest from the window.
When the door swung open, he looked
up. He showed no interest on seeing
K, who had to stoop to enter the low
room.
"Hello, Joe"
81 thought you were the police. Is
he dead"
mo, indeed"
81 wish I'd killed him!"
"Oh no, you don't. You're glad you
didn't, and so am l."
"Huhv'
X. sat down on the bed. Loud calls
from below took Bill out Of the room.
AS he closed the door behind him, KS |
voice took on a new tone:
Joe, why did you do it?"
"You know. Don't 60 into that, |
did it, and I'll stand by it."
HAS it occurred to you that you
made a \mistake?"
go and tell that to somebody who'll
believe you'll" he sneered. "They came
here and took room. met him COM
ing out of it. I'd do it again IL had
a chance, and do 1t better"
1T was not Sidney"
CAV, chuck it
"It's a fact. I got here not two
minutes after you left. The girl was
still there. 1t was someone else Sid
ney was not out Of the hospital last
night. She attended a lecture, and
then an operation"
Joe listened. It was undoubtedly a
relief to him to know that it had not
been Sidney; but If K. expected any
remorse, he did not get it.
"If he is that sort, he deserves what
he got" said the boy grimly.
And K. had no reply. But Joe was
~ 70 70 hr III
mad flight into the darkness, until his
gasoline gave out; his resolve to walk
back and surrender himself at Schwit-
ter's, so that there could be no mis-
take as to who had committed the