Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-04

VINO you are ana why you came mere
but this ask you. and If you dom
answer truthfully, God help you! Does
that trunk, to your belief, contain the
body Of the boy you call Prentiss 81"
ITO my almost certain knowledge!'
And he was murdered in the apart
ment of Anthony FryT'
HE was, sir, and"
"Come!" said Theodore Dalton
once more and they returned to the
study in series Of stumbles and little
Jumps!
Once in the dark. handsome room
Theodore Dalton walked straight to
the cabinet in the corner and, with a
key, opened the topmost drawer. He
extracted therefrom a heavy QUITO
matte pistol and slipped out its maya
zine. He opened box Of cartridges
and filed the little box; and then it
had clicked into the handle Of the
automatic, and the pistol itself was in
his pocket.
There was a cab leaving the door
when you came" he said quietly. did
you dismiss it?'
IL believe So" said Hobart Hitch.
in, who as an actual fact liked neither
the sight of the weapon nor the sight
OF Dalton just now.
Bates" Dalton spoke into the lit
tie interior telephone. my cart"
IF you're going somewhere" cs.
capped Hobart Hitchin.
Il am going to see Anthony Fry.
You are going with me. You are going
to accuse him in my presence. of the
crime" said Theodore Dalton. with
the same ominous calm. "And when
you have accused him, shall do the
rest! Sit down."
Anthony Fry, because there was
more relief in him than flesh and
blood, leaned back in his pet chair
and gazed At the ceiling, long. steadily,
happily. He would have liked to
smoke. yet he declined to make the
effort which would break the delicious
lassitude that possessed him. He
would have liked to sing. too, and
clap johnson Boiler on the back and
assure him that all was we'll in the
best possible world-but for little it
was enough to sheer smilingly at Boil.
ler's bent head
He, poor fool. fancied that all was
over because his internal wife had
threshed around a bit and gone of
clutching poor little Mary's hat-a
funny thing itself. Instead of cheer
ing at his prospective freedom from
the matrimonial yoke. Johnson was
groaning there and clawing into his
hair; and now, by the way. he was
raising his head and turning toward
his old friend
Anthony" Johnson Boiler said
family.
What is it?'
you wouldn't pull thing like
that on me?'
II certainly shall, If you ever try
to tell the truth about Miss Dalton"
But what did she ever do for me,
to let her COMPOUNDED reputation
wreck my life? All she ever did was
to make q female ass of herself by
wearing pants and going to q prize
fight and then listening to you. Why
should thing like that bust up my
home"
Anthony shrugged his shoulders.
1T may not" said he.
1T hast" johnson Boiler said fever
ishly. And listen. Anthony! You
and I have to stand together, old man.
The. girls out Of the way. 80 that
clears your skirts for while, but
what about Hitch.n? What II he calls
in the police this afternoon"
Anthony laughed; with Mary out OF
the. way he was another man.
well let that take care Of itself. |!
For that matter. why not 20 down and
tell Hitchin the truth and show him
what a fool he's making OF himself?
He's a gentleman l suppose; If we
swear him to secrecy he's not likely |
tn talk"
"And il we call him OF. then we'll
find Bee and tell her the truth, too?"
johnson Boiler asked eagerly. "She's
q lady, Anthony. If We swear her to
secrecy, she'll never falkland maybe
we could explain 1t to the girl and
have her verify what we say, hey"
Anthony actually yawned and
stretched as he arose.
Wen settle Hitchin first. he
smiled. Come along!"
He iounged out Of the fiat and to
The stairs, Boiler hugging close to his |
side. He yawned again as he pressed
the buzzer Of the Hitchin apartment,
and he even smiled condescendingly
It the inscrntable Japanese who an
"Mr. Hitchin,' said Anthony. Say
hat Mr.. Fry and Mr.. Boiler wish to
zee him. II you please
The Japanese shook his head.
He no home!"
"Out?" slid Anthony in some aston
shment.
Eyes sir. li'' while ago" the Orient
II said. HE 60 very quick"
= And he will be back-when?
mt. Hitchin no say, sir" the JAP
lnese sighed.
Therefore they turned back to the
stairs; and A. they came to the foot
II the hight Johnson Boiler gripped
Ills friends arm suddenly.
Ito be continued.)
PNEUMONIA