The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-06-14

less turbulent reaches Of that sunlit
morning avenue, took pains to let a
slow but steady stream of little white
globules rain down from the perforated
bottom of my brown-paper bag, pray
ing all the while that Sloan would be
swinging bacl. to the scene of the
broken window. hoping against hope
that he or Doyle or Toosey Attrill her
self would catch at the slender trail
and In some way succeed In following ii
up.
At Twenty ninth street Shag Few
ster crossed to the east side of tine
avenue. stopped at a window or tive
for a guarded look over his shoulder
and again continued southwark. A
minute later saw him suddenly
swerve and step briskly in through the
doorway OF Bren-ano's.
I went after him, without a moments
hesitation, for once under cover, knew
he could md 1t easier either to I'M
burden himself of his Blue Pear or
throw me completely off tn, trail
I saw my friend Shag turning care
lessly down the stairway that led to
the periodical room in the basement
And Just as careiessly followed him
down to that basement
1 knew, in fact, that was worrying
him. Fet 1t was several minutes be-
fore he actually ventured to lift his
eye and look directly at me. My face,
Of course, meant nothing to him ana
knew, or rather I felt without really
looking at him, that he was once more
browsing over his pile Of weekles.
What, I asked myself, was I to
dog At the first suspicious move my
natty-fgured friend would seek safety
in flight. and the more he realized the
N nf fhoA -,
more frantic he would make his fight
There seemed to be little promise of
help coming to me. And I couldn't
stand there all day with my nose buried
In magazine, pretending to be en-
crossed in a page Of print where I ac-
tually wasn't conscious of a single word
| confronting me.
My difficulty was solved by Shag
Fewster himself. for after having ap-
parently sized up the situation to his
satisfaction, and having concluded thar
the dowdy young woman with the pa
per bag under her arm was no longer
worthy of his passing suspicious. ne
gave a valedictory touch to his lengthy
period of inaction by leisurely purchas-
ing and paying for a copy of The
Masses" he moved jauntily off toward
the stairway mounted to the main floor
of the crowded bookshop. and pushed
his unhurrying way toward the street.
/ did the same. not more than twenty
PAGES behind him. Yet as did SO some
thing quite unlocked for happened to
me. Before I reached that street door
IScame face to face with my Wrinkle,
with Winkfred Ealand himself.
He had an open book in his hand, and
he raised his eyes from the page in
If ~ - 20 fvax0
somewhat startled face. His Jaw and
the book dropped at one and the same
time, and he moved forward, automat-
ically, and with wonder in his eyes
as though he were making ready to
speak to me. But he stopped short,
stunned, / suppose. at the discovery
that myself had given no promise Of
stopping short. 1 had other things. nat
| urally. to take up my attention at that
particular moment, things too impor-
tant to be overlooked. I knew could
tnever explain. I knew 1t was useless
even to try. He must have seen that
| barricaded look which fell over my face
| like a fire-shutter being pulled down
| across a shopfront. Or perhaps he
| interpreted 1t as look of actual hos
tility. At any rate I could see his eyes
narrow and his face harden, although
something to me. What it was don't
know to this day, Just as can't re-
member what murmured back to him.
For Shag Fewster had passed out into
the open street by this time, and felt
that my one hope of happiness in life
lay in not losing sight of that jauntily-
moving yet elusive figure.
To follow Shag was not so .asy this
time. for he was moving ca sfward al
brisk rate, with the resolute stride of
a man who had suddenly remembered
an overlooked errand.
Before long I saw Shag Fewster turn
sharply to the left and step hurriedly
down a flight Of basement stairs. At the
same time that he was doing this l was
loosening the snaps in my holster-p ock-
ct and dropping my automatic in my
all-but-empty tapioca bag. There ]
shook it about until was able to close
my fingers on the heavy butt of the
gun, hidden behind its covering of
crumpled brown paper.
noticed, as / went hurrying down
those time-scarred basement steps. that
they led into what was plainly a plum
ber's shop. In the shop itself, where
Shag stood with his back to me, could
see three white enamel bathtubs lean
ing against the wall. one. larger than
Lne otner, on IT'S SIDE, together viii Il
Grated hand-bow and further litter
of galvanized piping. Beside this !
saw a sandy-haired and big-boned
Irishman in dungaree. placidIy filing a
brass fitting in a bench-vise.
Say, can you do quick job for me?'
I heard Shag ask the shop-owner.
What kind of a job?" inquired the
apathetic man with the file.
"Soldering cracked water-pipe
was the prompt reply.
'Where?"
Three blocks over" and Shag nod
ded off-handedly toward the East
River.
Nope" was the none-too encourage
ing reply. I gotta stick to this shop"
Good might, then" he facetiously
observed. as he swung about toward
me and the open door. He ignored me
as though I liant been there.
"waitI" I said
n hut ffara :