The Elbert County tribune., 1917-12-28

her son. you're better looking, Sam
my-you always was a good-looking
boy and awful good to your poor old
mom.''
Jaw cut 1t, nom. I'm wise to you
all right. You want your share of
our haul. Well, you'll get it as soon
as Doc divvies up. He's some wise
boy, all right He and Mayme sees
this fellow in a cheap lunch room
downtown. They've been following
him for days ever since they noticed
how alike as two peas we was, and
made their plans on that"
But how did they get him, Sam
my?' asked the poor old hag with an
appreciation of her sons story, for
which Jimmy felt duly thankful.
"Oh, Mayme. she plays her ankle
game on him. She stumbles and turns
1t after she sleuthed along after him
Till she got him alone. Then she pre-
tends to fall. She knows he's just the
sort that'll be sympathetic with lady
in trouble. He catches her. She pre-
tends she can't walk, and tells him
she knows good doctor what lives
near by. He says he will help her there,
and she knows We've got him all right.
big John is waiting inside the hall
with slungshot, and just as Mayme
and her helpful friend start to ring
the corner and hits the chap over the
head. Then he picks him up easy
like he was a baby-and carries him
into the Doctors office.
while our friend, the watchman,
is still asleep from what John handed
him, they lay him down on n couch
and take off his uniform. Then they
dress him up in suit of citizens
clothes and give me his uniform and
badge. That was some cute trick
what do you say, mother?"
81 say you're a pretty smart boy"
said Mother Defarge.
Jimmy stood listening back of the
curtain. 80.
What was it these Defarges had hid
den in the basement that seemed so
valuable?
At that particular moment when jim
my's curiosity anent the mysterious
bundle in the basement of the De
farge hut had reached the point where
he felt he must satisfy 1t, "Silent Sam"
made clear the mystery.
after John has tied up the watch
man and brought him up here to eat
his heart out in the dark, goes and
plays watchman, with a rag around
my throat to look like l had a cod
and to keep Inc from needing to give
myself away on account of the nat
ural difference in our voices. sits on
a stool near the door, and when the
clerk and all the rest of those fellows
that works at their swell jobs in the
without speaking. And nobody sus-
poets. At midnight 1 lets in Doc and
John with his torch"
The robber took out a cigarette and
lighted 1t quite nonchalantly.
This was the psychological moment
for Mr.. Barton. He leaped through
the curtain, seized the gun which lay
upon the table and covered Sam with
1T. The thief sprang to his feet and
simultaneously his hand shot to his
hip pocket. But sharp command
from Jimmy convinced him that it
was too late for him to attempt to
draw his gun.
He ordered Sam to turn about, and
with the gun already in his possession
pressed between the thief's shoulder
blades, Jimmy searched his captive's
hip pocket. A second later he stood
holding gun in each hand.
Mother Defarge was crouched in her
corner watching with evil fixity the
man who had overpowered her son.
Jimmy was intent on the man be-
fore him. Mother Defarge's moment
had come. She raised her cane and
swung it with lightning-like rapidity
and force her skinny arm had not
presaged. Under the impact of the
blow the glass chimney of the lamp
shivered TO atoms and heavy black
darkness mantled the room.
Automatically both of Jimmy's trig-
ger fingers worked. Two shots rang
out-and two spurts of fire pierced
the black. But neither of them found
a human mark. Sam had leaped
through the window and dragged his
mother after him.
A second later Jimmy struck
match and lighted the candle his
eye had noted when Sam put it down.
Candle in hand, he went down into
the ugly black damp of that sinister
celiarway. Over in one corner lay
figure prone-and struggling. The
candle light fllckered and then flared
up, revealing the missing watchman.
There was no doubt about it-this
was the original of the photograph
Jimmy had noted first in its place of
honor on Mary Ryan's mantelpiece
At once Jimmy cut the bonds which
held George McCabe and penerouslv