The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1919-11-02

Mr.. Magee had taken to the road-"why the
bulls would drop dead. Better shed the
makeup as soon as you can. Here. don't
hang onto It like It was rattlesnake.
Stow 1t way. You boob"
He pushed the hand Of Mr.. Magee that
Imply held the envelope.
Stow 1t away?" echoed Mr.. Magee daz.
eddy. you mean-this is for me!v
= Wake up, DO! Dyou think it's for the
King Of Spain? This il no time fer kiddin'.
Sink 1t and blow. My cripes, won't rest
easy TIL we hear from you. Sonic bull Is
liable to pinch you. and-beat It bo-
beat it,"
This is the stuff you were told to hand
me7" queried Mr.. Magee, slightly empha.
sizing the objective pronoun.
Man alive. this amt no frame-up."
snaried the shifty-eyed gentleman. az
amt got cop around the corner: the
money amt marked. It's yours-to DO
what you see At with. That's how Hol.
berg put 1t. You know S1ong!"
His Stiffness turned on a tan.leather
shod heel, exhibiting to the dazed gaze Of
Mr.. Magee a broad back caparisoned in
check that shrieked aloud Three steps
His Stiffness took. Then he wheeled sud-
denly and was before Mr. Magee
Duck behind me-duck behind mel" he
whispered hoarsely Don't look; stick
behind mel"
In the shadow Of the gateway, aided by
the bulk Of his strange friend and further
assisted by the coming darkness, Mr.. Ma.
gee was undoubtedly invisible to the Der.
sons who passed by In an auto, even had
they tried to see him, which evidently they
did not
Good I'm fat and you amt" said the be.
checked gentleman. Even though it's
dark and you're made up, she'd know you
And who is she?" demanded Mr.. Magee.
crouching in the shadow as the big car
with fascinatingly beautiful young woman
at the wheel rolled by.
"The girl you're going to marry was
the strange reply. at was old Sile Blake's
auto. Yes. sir. Mayor Blake and she were
in 1t. They might be coming back this
way any minute, too. Better duck across
the street and do sneak. Srong!"
This time he did not turn back. He
passed hastily up by the station and turned
a corner.
III he had turned back he would have
seen Mr.. Magee, unmindful OF warning.
standing by the train yard gate, staring
after the mayoralty auto For from under.
meath the checked ones arm Mr.. Maeee
had glimpsed, with eyes that were keen
enough to enable him to swing beneath "A
moving train in the darkness. a vision of
golden hair, Of flying motor veil that
revealed the perfect face beneath.
The Mayor-the owner OF the big store
his daughteri The girl I'm to marry,
-, the panhandler. the outcast, the vaga,
bond! So help me, Joseph, I've a mind to
stay In this town until-until I dol
He drew out the envelope from beneath
his rags. He opened the flap and peered
within. my Cod" he said solemnly.
He looked swiftly up and down the
eueel, no one seemed 10 be watching him.
For the third time he had declared his
intention Of remaining in Rockport, and
they tell US that the third time never fails.
One OF the trinity, power, gold or woman,
awakens US to Ambition And all three
had spoken to him to-day-Power, to pun.
ish Mulcahy; Money, to rebuke the inso-
lent foreman; Woman
why, the insolent dog, whoever he is"
said Mr. Magee. "He must be a crook to
have date with His Checkeredness in a
dark corner to receive the kale! Think Of
guy like that aspiring to-her' The
nerve Of him, The gall OF him. No gen.
teman would allow such a thing! Ger.
tainly mott"
He shot swiftly across the street and
was lost in the tortuous byways Of the
Rockport slums.