South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-06-18
InstaIIment No. Two.
Continued from sunday edition)

He threw the window grating
down disgustedIy and glanced up at
the wall OF the theater opposite.
There was a hre-escape jutting out
about two feet beyond the line Of
n building. almost opposite the
middle ventilating window I'm the
bank and only two feet lower down.
but IS feet away. The flicker OF an
idea flashed In his violet eyes; he
entered the lobby OF the theater and
with some difficulty obtained per
mission 10 explore the seldom used
hre-escape.
Standing on the narrow landing,
outside a second story window. ne
learned TIA the hre-escape was Of
the self-adjusting. counter-balance
order. an arrangement devised so he
lowest ladder would connect with
the ground only when actually
needed. The iron stairs formed a
ladder about Is feet long. which jut-
ting straight out from the hre-escape
! landing and was balanced by weights
in such a way that when a person
\ stepped out on the horizontally
placed ladder IL went down with the
weight and reached the ground:
readily righting itself again.
Poe te-.ed the working Of the ex-
tension .t%air-Iadder and calculated
with a quick eye that IL an agile
ma were 10 u out rapidly, not
giving the ladder much time in
which 10 descend with his weight he
might, IL he were wonderfully dex-
trous OF limb. fall flat Onward from
the end Of the descending ladder and
catch at the edge OF the middle win
dow in the bank opposite. thus
spanning an apparently u%nbridge-
able gap OF IS feet.
Having assured himself that this
was possible, Christopher Poe climb
ed the four fights Of fire escape
stairs and finally emerged on the
theater roof. Then he inspected the
door leading below and found il Sc
curely locked from the inside. Then
ne made a circuit of the roof space,
searching everywhere for certain
traces ne hoped 10 discover. but
nnding nothing. He seemed disap-
pointed in this and made a second
careful search. but that too proved
fruitless.
without further loss Of time he
hurried down the fire escape, entered
by the window that had been opened
for him and asked the ~janitor to
take him up the inside stairway. The
man did so AID Poe examined the
paddock or the trap door opening to
the sky. rs that used much?" he
asked his guide.
No. Ny woman opens il Mon
DAYS 10 hang her washing out up
there. and when there's a parade
sometimes the boss takes his friends
up"
II see. You live in the building,
hen"
I'm superintendent here. There's
my room" replied the man, kicking
open a nearby door and pointing into
bare hall with three or four rooms
leading off it.
AS Poe looked in, a harsh voice
cried: Hello. What are you up
%"
Tracing the raucous voice to a
huge wicker cage setting in one
corner. the banker saw a sedate,
krim-faced parrot blinking at him
rom IL.
Ons 4 am I DluCn MtGu VI MN
mere for that. It's quiet. There's
bnly a few people in the buildin' an
hone OF the lofts is rented
by the way, l was going TO ask
where you keep the key to that roof
ioor?'
"Oh, right here" smiled the jani-
or in reply 10 the abrupt question,
pointing 10 a nail on the kitchen
or on which hung several keys.
It's the top one. them other two is
insists. My woman keeps it handy
o hang out her clothes"
Il see.' answered Poe. STOPPING
pefore the corner cage to say Hello
PoIIys'
Hello yourself inc SC how you
Ike it, Oh you kid" Polly hurled
Jack.
Don't pay no attention TO him,
IT." said the ~janitor ~nervously. He
ont mean nOthin' by it. Some of
he boys teaches him that Tx"
The boys? what boys do you
nean?" asked Poe.
s'Oh, there's some always hangs
n behind the stage, sir. There's
Billie that used TO do song al
ance an Prof. Hertz that walked on
18th an animal turn one time an
be human Frog-au old friends Of
hine in a manner OF speakin'. They
elong 10 the buildin' as much as
do; most OF 'em seen better times
nj they can't get away from stage
rops. They sometimes comes up
ere for a can o. beer an a little
rinedly game Of pinochle. It's a.
bppy-go-lucky place, sir
L see. Play poker, TOO .? asked
oe. taking out his pencil and work
Il a white poker chip along the
bttom Of Poly's cage toward the
Tres. Polly insisted on swapping at
h chip with her beak but finally
oe TO extract il and hold
10 for the janitor 10 see, Polly
reamed. Hell What are you up
""
No. They amt none of EN- plays
bker here. ;hc janitor scratched
5 head and looi-ed at the chip.
Don't know where she could a pick
that up. II weren't here yester-
hy. That's the trouble OF keepin
rds where folks goes an m as
Iey please"