The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-04-27
.---Hinjin s HOrth
(Copyrght 1918 by Mcclure Newspaper syndicate)

humor may be disadvantage in
business man.
When the Euripides landed at Meo-
took. the town was still guessing the
conundrum When is a safe not
safer seeking the solution along the
line of the world famous When is
door not a door?''-the answer to which
Is, as everyone knows, when it's ajar."
Nearly every combination had beer
tried: When it is empty" When it IS
busted" When 1t Is a wreck and SC
on. But Hinjin & Horth still kept the
FIVE dollars offered as a reward for
solution.
Hal Carney, reporter for The Meo-
took Tocsan, passing along Front street,
saw Black Pete making the Euripides
fast, and a clever idea leaped into his
mind. He saw in a flash the headlines
he would put on the article he would
write: Mystery Man Baff1ed-ShAg
bark Jones. Solver of Mysteries. Car
Solve Murder Puzzles But Can't Tell
When a Safe Is Not a Safe" He cut
across the soft sand and over the rail
way tracks to where the Euripides lay
"Shagbark In there?" he asked Black
Pete. I'm reporter for The Tocsin. ]
want to see him.
Boss is takin' a snooze," said Pete
He's gotn' to give me thunder II
wake him up. What you want?
amt goin' to dare wake him up unless
they's a mystery in town. Is they?"
Mystery? You know it, Every
man, woman and child in town is puz-
zled to death"
We'll. 1 guess maybe he'll give me
thunder anyways" said Black Pete
doubtfully, but you come along up On
the front deck. an I'll see what he
says"
Shagbark Jones' proprietor of Shag
bark OIL and Shagbark Liniment. Mys
terry Man. Astrologer and Phrenologist,
was asleep on the caved-in sofa of lis
cabin his cob pipe resting on his thick.
tangled beard. and one hand knotted in
his mat of hair. He snored.
In the room partitioned or for her.
| his daughter Alice-his feet and eyes
/ in the solution of mysteries for Sh ag-
bark seldom left the home comfort Of
| the boat-was mending a bit of
woman's wear. In the small kitchen at
the rear of the boat, Orlando was peel
ing potatoes against the coming of the
| next meal
"Bossi" said Black Pete
Hey" asked Shagbafk. opening his
eyes. oh, dod-whix It! What you
come wakin' me up like this for?~
| You been asleep four hours" said
Black Pete. I'VE done arrive at this
here town Of Meotock. boss. an here's a
young man got a mystery"
We'll. dod- whfllix you! Why didn't
you say SO IN the first place." growled
Shagbark. sitting up on the couch
| Black Pete chuckled. He called to
Hal Carney to enter, and the young
fellow came in
Mystery, heyT said Shegnark.
| What's your mystery"
It's like this. Mr.. Jones'" said Car
ney There's a firm of jewellers here
I-Hnjin & Horth-and their safe was
broken open
Burglar not caugn. ystr- asked
Shagbark
| NO. but they know who he Ia Hes
| a worthless fellow named Sims Tudd-
lives over In the Illinois bottom hand in
a hog shelter. They'll get him"
Why amt they got him now?- asked
Shagberk.
The police are after him. They'll
get him He got away somehow when
they almost had him But the morning
after the safe was robbed these men
Hintfn & Horth, who are sort of jokers
around town. put q card in their win
dow with conundrum on it: Whom
is a safe not safer And
When it's" began shagbark. and
then he stopped. He rubbed his head
| with his hand When it's 49, he
ventured again
TT ought to be easy for you" said
Carney shyly. You can solve any kind
of mystery. OF course, we common
can look at an astrology chart. or into
q crystal ball or something. and see
the answer in a second Of time"
Safe busted all to pieces?" asked
Shagbark
} mo. Sims Tudd opened It with hi.
| fingers, I guess like that fellow In the
play-Jimmy Valentine. wasn't II:
Police say he had all night to do it
probably sandpapered his fingers to
make his touch keener, and Just turned
; and turned until he felt the lock click
) on the right spot. and worked out the
combination that way"
: Shagbark's eyes twinkIed.
These here Hinjin & Horth mer
are quite some jokers. amt they7- h.
: said. Think of them writin' out a CO.
nundrum like that when they've JUS
r been robbed! When is a safe not a
Z safer This Sims Tudd get much ou
of the safer"
; About twenty thousand dollars
worth-gold. jewelry. gems, river.
pearls Can't you guess the answer I,
the conundrum?"
oh, that" said Shagbark careless
ly. Yes, / guessed that right on
Anybody with a mite Of sense coulc
guess that soon as he heard it. -Whel
t is a safe not a safe?' That's too dod
1 whillixed easy. That amt what's both
Y erin me- What I'd like to know Is why
: they amt caught this Sims Tudd If the,
e know he did it,
{ They know he did it all right" salt
D Carney. But what's the answer to tbs
e conundrumT
We'll. son. don't know az care t
s teil-fts SO easy" says Shagbark. 7
would be sort of joke on me If sal,