Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1919-08-28
"lsn't II jolly. Running Away Like
Tkis?"

1000. Go upstairs now n I'll joir
you in about ten minutes. l will tai
three times on your door"
why should you come to my room
Sprouse? We can say all that is to b,
said"
IF you will look on the register yOl
will discover thar Mr.. j. III. Prossel
registered here about half an houl
ago, He is in room 80. He left a cal
for five o'clock. Well, ProSser is an
other name for Ugo. He left the cot
tage NJ hour ago. Came in Il jitney o
| could have got to him or the way
over"
Barnes, regardless of consequences
dashed over Ia inspect the register
SprUuse followed leisurely.
"Sce!" cried Barnes, excitedly. put
ting his finger on the name Mis-.
Jones" shes in room 32-neNt t,
his. BY cad, Sprouse, do you suppose
he knows that she is here? Would the
dog undertake anything"
you may be sure he dOSen't know
she's here. or You either. for that mat,
Ter. The country's full of JoneseS and
harnesses. Go on upstairs. Leave
everything to me-
Barnes had been in his room for
twenty minutes before he heard the
tapping on his door. He opened it and
Sprouse slid into the room. The in
slant the door closed behind him, he
threw open his coat and cooliy pro,
duced II long. shallow metal box, such
as n finds in safety vaults.
with my compliments" he said
dryly, thrustinc the box into Barnes
hands. you'd better have the coun-
tess check them up and see if they're
All there. | am not well enough ac-
quaiU,cd with the collection to be
positive
Barnes was spcechleSs. He could
only stare. open-mouthed, at this
amazing man.
MY God, Sprouse, have yen been
in that mans room since l saw you
down"
"All you have to do is to keep quiet
and look innocent. Stay out of the hall
tonight. Don't go near the door OF
No. 80. Act like "A man with hrain'.
| said ] would square myself with you
and with him, too. Well, I've done
both. Maybe you think it is easy to
give up this stuff. There is n half-mil-
lion dollars worth Of nice little things
in that box, small as ii is"
81 cannot begin to thank you
enough said Barnes. "See here. you
must allow me to reward yOu in sOme
way commensurate with your
cut that out" said Sprouse darkly.
I'm not 50 virtuous that | have to be
rewarded. | like the game. It's the
breath of life to me-"
'Thc time will surely come when 7
can do You a good turn. SprOuSe, and
you will not find NE reluctant" said
Barnes, lamcly.
'That's different. If | yer need n
friendly hand ri call on you. It's only
fair that | should give you a tip,
Barnes, just to put you on your guard.
From now on, I'm a free agent. I want
to advise You to put that stuff in n
safe place. I'll give you two days
start. After that, if | can get 'em
away from you, or whoever may have
them, Tin going to do it. They will be
fair plumber from then on. Good
highland goOd-by for the present.
Stick close to your room till morning
and then beat it with her for New
York. ! give you two days start, re-
member"
He switched off the light suddenly.
There was no sound for many seconds,
save the deep breathing of the two
men. Then, with infinite caution.
Sprouse turned the knob and opened
the door a half inch or so. He left the
room so abruptly that Barnes never
quite got over the weird impression
that he squeezed through that slender
crack, and pulled it after him!
Many minures passed before he
turned on the light. The key of the
box was tied to the wire grip. With
trembling fingers he inserted it In the
lock and opened the lid. . "a
half-million dollars worth of nice lit
tie things" Sprouse had said!
He did not close his eyes that
night. Daybreak found him lying In
bed, with the box under his pillow, a
pistol at hand, and his eyes wide open.
He was In a graver %quandary than
ever. Now that he had the treasure in
his possession, what was he to do with
It?
He solved the breakfast problem by
calling downstairs for a waiter and
ordering coffee and rolls and eggs sent
up to his room. Singularly enough the
waiter solved the other and more dis
turbing problem for him.
"SOme robbery last night" said that
worthy. "FclIer up in one Of the cot
tnges at the sanatorium. All beat up,
something fierce they say"
Sup in Whcrcf" almost shouted
Barnes, starting up.
The man explained where the cot
tagcs were situated.
"SceIns he was to leave by auto
early this mOrniD', and they didn't
know anything was wrong til Joe
Kcep-lIc's driving n car Mr.. Norton
has for rcnt--till J0e'd been settIn' out