The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-04-27

under that skin He jumped into the
slough and took hold OF the skiff and
pulled 1t shore. but Sims Tudd wasn't
under it. The bank of the slough was
muddy-sticky black mud like the river
always leaves when it begins to fall
and there were plenty of footprints in it
leading down to the slough. There were
too many. There were hundreds Of
them-where Sims Tudd had gone
down and come back. There was NO
way of telling whether he had just
made fresh ones or not But he wasn't
in the slough. The milkman went UP
on the bridge and watched and Sims
Tudd didn't come to the surface. r
he had, the milkman would have seen
him"
Might have drowned himself" sug-
gested Shagbark.
We'll they thought that. but it don't
seem likely. somehow-does it,"
No. 1t don't" said Shagbark, with a
grin.
And they dragged the slough and
the arm that is on the other side of
the triangle" said Alice. land they
couldn't find Sims Tudd or the bag of
loot. either. The boy who was going
fishing told other men. of course. and
before long there were half a hundred
men there. They tore the hog shelter
down. They didn't leave a board mp
right They went over that triangle of
ground foot by foot. looking for a trap
door. There was nothing! Not a
thing, Dad!"
Seems sort of curious. don't It, AL
LEI"
Tt certainly does, Dad. Sims Tudd
went or the road and onto the triangle
Of land and then disappeared"
Shagbark closed his eyes and rubbed
his mop of hair.
That bridge, now. Al1ie,~ he said.
'Mightn't he have run along the ditch
and got under the bridge and hung I'M
der ito a beam or something"
They thought Of that and looked.
He wasn't there No. he hadn't more
than enough time to get to the hog
shelter before the three men were
where they could have seen him"
How Is the lower side Of the road %
All cleared No shelter as far as
the eye can see. Dad. they said"
II suppose when they didn't find
him. they came back home, the dod-
whixed idiots?'
mo. they didn't" said Alice. Muir
ply Is not an idiot He set men to
watch when he came away. There
have been men watching every minute
since than"
-
with his eyes closed. Then he opened
| them.
"Pete!" he called.
'Yes, bossi" answered the negro.
allie IL goin' over across the river.
She's Eoin' over to look over a piece of
ground, and you're going with her.
You take the hickory club that's in the
corner yonder. and the Ratchet Take
a couple OF chunks of bread-maybe
you'll have to sit out all night-though
don't reckon SO. I guess maybe Or
lando will come over to where you'll
be, along about eight o'clock. or around
then-soon after I've spoken my Ana
| tomical Lecture. Thererl likely be a
crowd with him.
"AlI right, boss!"
And Allie" said Shagbark. you'll
go over the bridge right now. with
Pete and look over that ground your
self. You notice every little thing
| every chip on the ground and every
thing you can see, near or far, SO you
can picture it all out to me when you
come back. Sims Tudd is right WHARF
he was when them three men went
down the side of the road"
It was an hour and a half before
Allie returned. having caught a ride In
q
lando had returned. deciding for him
self that it was more necessary to pre-
pare the evening meal than to stand
any longer before Hinjin & Horth's
| window, since he had we'll advertised
Shagbark az the probable winner of the
| firms five dollar prize. ~he Tocsin had
appeared with Carney's article; the
town knew Shagbark Jones was at the
| levee, and the evening promised to
| bring a good crowd to hear the Grand
Musical Entertainment and Anatomical
| Lecture and to rag Shagbark because
he had not solved the conundrun.
What Allie had to report merely con-
| firmed what Murphy had told her of
the lay of the land where the hog
shelter had stood. She reported to
| Shagbark. mentioning every detail,
however slight. that her keen and we'll
| trained eyes had observed. She had
| left Black Pete seated at the side of
| road, watching. II not keenly alert.
| When the evening meal was over and
the crowd began to gather. Shagbark
donned his soiled wardrobe and
helped Orlando carry the boxes CT
shagbark Oil to the fore-deck of the
| Euripides The crowd on the levee
grew rapidly. and before Orlando
lighted the gasoline flares. was already
| yelling: How about safes. Shay
bark? When is a safe not a safe?"
Shagbark walked from the cabin 10
| the fore-deck
well. ladies and gents" he doomed
| in his heavy voice. Il got to tell GU
some bad news. The Grand Musical
Entertainment is going to be cut sh ort
| tonight because one he worlds m Ar
| velous performers upon the banjo, and
| my best singist. amt with us this eve
ming. We will have to get along the
best we can with this here world-re-
nowned monkey faced guitar artist.
Mr.. Beethoven-please playi"
There were some laughs. but several
| shouted: How about safes. Shay
| bark?''
| Tell you about them later" said
| Shagbark. good-naturedly. and ORLANDO
| did his best with guitar. Shagbark