The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1919-07-24
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for the West Pm going up now to
make a call on Mr.. Hasselwein. BY
the way. what is the number Of your
room?"
"Twenty-two-on the next floor"
"Good. Go upstairs now and I'll join
you in about ten minutes. ! will tap
three times on your door"
/ why should you come 10 my room,
Sprouse? We can say all that is TO be
said"
IF you will look on the register you
will discover that MFR. j. Ii. ProSser
registered here about half an hour
ago. He is In room 80. He left a call
for FIVE O'Clock. Well, Prosser Is an
other name for Ugo. He left the cot
tage an hour ago. Came in jitney or
over"
Barnes. regardless OF consequences.
dashed over TO inspect the register.
/ Sprouse followed leisurely.
"See" cried Barnes. excltedly. put
( ting his finger on the name Miss
Jones" "She's in room 32-next 70
his. BY gad, 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
! Barneses. Go on upstairs. Leave
everything TO me-"
] Barnes had been IN his -ocn for
l twenty minutes before he heard the
/ tapping on his door. He opened it and
/ Sprouse slid into the room. The in
/ stant the door closed behind him, he
threw open his coat and coolly pro-
/ duced a long shallow metal box, such
as one finds in safety vaults.
with my compliments" he said
/ dryly, thrusting the box into Barnes
/ hands. you'd better have the coun-
/ tess check them up and see If they're
I all there. | am not well enough ac-
! quainted with the collection to be
positive"
Barnes was speechless. He could
/ only stare, 0pen-mouthed, at this
amazing man.
my God, Sprouse, have you been
! In that mans room since l saw you
4 down"
"All you have to do is to keep quiet
I and look innocent. Stay out OF the hall
/ tonight. Don't go near the door Of
/ No. 80. Act like man with brains
/ said would square myself with you
/ and with him, too. Well, I've done
| both. Maybe you think ii Is easy to
( give up this stuff There is 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.
"Tm not so virtuous that / have to be
rewarded. like the game. It's the
breath Of life to me-"
'sThe time will surely come when I
can do you good turn, Spronse. and
you will not find rue reluctant" said
Barnes, lamely.
'That's different. II I ever need a
friendly hand I'll call on you. It's only
fair thar l should give you a tip,
Barnes. just to put you on your guard.
From now on, I'm free agent. want
to advise you to put that stuff In a
safe place. I'll give you two days
start. After that. II can get 'em
away from you, or whoever may have
them, I'm going to do It. They will be
fair plunder from then ON. Good
| highland good-by for the present.
| Stick close to your room till morning
and then beat 1t with her for New
York. l 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 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 1t after himl
Many minutes 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. 1. "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
it7
He solved the breakfast problem by
| calling downstairs for waiter and
ordering coffee and rolls and eggs sent
up to his room. Singularly enough the
walter solved the other and more dis
turbing problem for him.
"Some robbery last night.r said that
/ worthy. "Feller up In one OF the cot
tages at the sanatorium. All beat up.
something fierce they say"