South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-05-30
CONCLUDED FROM WEDNEs
DAYS EDITION.

other head-lrers had come down
first an filed in"
Tough luck. But why didn't
YOU use your brains Why didn't
YOU beat the conditions. adapt
ourselves 20 "A new act2' asked
Poe ia g high-pitched earnest tone.
clever people like YOU should ever
get stranded. You've been in this
room two months. and right
through that shade behind YOU
Mrs. r. YOU saw the house Of Ar
mand Dubois every day and sou
couldn't have missed hearing the
rumor that he kept his fortune in
cash I'm his mattress. You heard,
too. the barking Of that big beast
that protected his wealth. with
your clever mind why didn't YOU
work out sketch for you and
Dickie TO do I'm vaudeville
lie stopped and looked squarely
at the pair. their eyes glancing
shiftily about. their fingers fdget-
ing. Now. YOU We're interested i'm
this Harlequin bladder that smells
Of chIoroform. continued Poe.
What il I were 20 tell YOU that 1t
was used in an act by "A clever
young couple I once knew in-well.
i'm paris. What if"
"Oh. don't beat around the bush.
cried Mrs. Twirley sullenly then
blazing M. What's your game
What are you trying 10 get at?
What"
Christopher Poe held up his hand
for silence as Twirley. his eyes bulg-
ing his mouth panic-set. leaned to-
ward him, fingers and eye-lids
twitching
NOW wait-wait, Here's a sketch
idea for YOU folks. Listen 10 it,
continued Poe. You can pail down
three hundred week with it easy
with your acrobatc ability and
Cleverness.
once upon a timc-in Paris you
understand there was clever young
couple like you kids. Stranded team
OF acrobats; pantomine people. They
lived I'm "a rear room OF a cheap thea 2
tricaI rooming house. just one fight
up where they could see daily
across high brick wall courtyard
containing a big beast shackled on a
running chain 10 protect miser's
gold.
"One day the woman, tho cleverer
OF the two. goaded 10 envy and des-
pair by the sight OF professional
women finely clad and at work, sud-
denly thought OF the great depend
ence that old miser had on his man
eating dog"
The Twirley Twins were drawing
uuconsciouslv nearer together, as
though for protection and the flush
W. leaving their faces. slowly fix
ing into awed. gaping blanks as
Christopher Poe continued: The
money Of that miser worried the
woman. She couldn't sleep. She
couldn't eat. and finally she worked
ont "a scheme good schema
s,hrewd scheme She told 10 20 her
husband In a wild mood. never
thinking OF it as a practical matter.
lie. poor devil. urged by debt took Il
practical view of IL and they were
about TO execute the scheme when
suddenly the idea came that while
The chances were that their care
fW plan would work they might be
caught later on and the thought
came too that they might MOI en-
foy the miser's gold after they had
SNs. Twuley tossed back her head
ind laughed sharply artiacially, as
Poe paused Hc fixed his eyes on
her and continued.
SO the woman suggested tina
since the idea for robbing the old
uiSer was so completely inquired out
as TO almost defy detection and
since they We're letter perfect in re-
hearsing the act that IL would be
better 20 play a sure thing So she
sat down and worked out the practi-
cal plan OF the robbery into ~
minute vaudeville skit for hersel
and husband. and they had already
cot into the spirit of the thing -
we'll from considering il as a posi-
Ble crime that at try-out before
good manager they were offered
COO week and bonus if it wen
big"
sounds good" remarked Mrs
Twirley. breathing nercely But ar,
YOU ULIe sure or hhoW tllt FtNt o
that sketch ."
Her husbands fists Clenched OH
the knuckles shone stark and white
His small black eyes pierced 10 tn
core OF the racounteur before him
Yes are you quite sure h'
breathed viciously
"Oh the plot" said Poe Hghty
Yes it was so simple I'm mos
forgotten The sketch opens durin:
the hour Just proceeding that dunn
darkness before dawn The vuude
Vile pair is disclosed in their room
the man is dressed in hue do,
skin. a good makeup. hide the eN
act counterpart OF the miser's Grea
Dane The woman Is dressed IN
black trousers and. coat, carries
Jimmy with which she has practiced
a dark lantern. "a revolver like this.
as ne picked up the one from tn
Sable by way Of illustration tn
Twirlcy woman sank back agains
the wall low CRY escaping her
and "a HarIequin's bladder file,
suII OF chloroform and tightly tied
A second scene shows the man an'
e---a~r,ar- on one side pf n nfEl