Evening star., 1919-05-11

ones between you, while Scar him
self carried of the starr
Somebody's sure been wisin yuh
up. haven't theyr' Knocked the man
on the bed. But NO skirts going to
butt into my business!"
That's just the trouble. Pip" told
him. "a skirt has been butting into
1t. right along"
"Whose skirt?" he demanded. And
I knew l had guessed right.
That's the question" l equivocated.
"Who is she? But what l want to
know" l went on, "is how she ever
threw harpoon into him?"
Into who?" questioned Pip.
Into Woodworth" l answered.
II don't know nothin' about Wood
worth" was Pips all-too patent lie.
Then it wasn't from her that Scar
got the tip that the stone was on it's
way out here?" l asked
Say" said Pip. struggling in vain
to rise on his elbow, "yuh can't third
degree no talk out O. mel"
Then l called Toosey. Get Babbitt
ed.
Toosey had started for the door.
when she suddenly fell back. for q
step sounded in the hall outside and
Id Just time to swing in behind the
door as the steps stopped and wa
vsred in front of Pip Keefer's room.
"Ah. my friend" intoned a melan-
choly and quite unmistakable voice.
II am in search of an unfortunate
youth who is said to be seriously i'll,
who indeed is"
Then how'd 1 SUITE" inquired as
that blue-jowled figure in clericals
stepped into the room.
Sad Sam Emerson swung half way
about. but it was only to blink down
at my revolver, leveled directly at his
black broadcloth vest front.
you move an inch" l told him.
with all the ferocity l could fling into
the words. and you're the deadest
crook outside cask-> So stick 'em
up. and stick 'em up quick"
He knew very well what l meant by
that nod toward his hands. He raised
them slowly above his shoulders, and
stood there staring at me.
'Toosey, frisk Sam and see what
he's carrying, Every pocket. Don't be
afraid of him, for as sure as he moves
an inch he'll have a hole through his
ribs"
Here's pawn ticket" announced
Toosey, as she handed me a slip of
paper over her shoulder. Instead of
pawn ticket it was claim check
on the Hotel Pontchart deposit vault.
My eyes were still bulging with this
discovery when double explosion
TOOK place. 1t was an explosion of
movement. beginning with the sharp
rip OF sheet on the bed behind me-
At the moment that l involuntarily
turned to investigate this. Curate Sam
hung Toosey violently against me. AS
1 staggered back against the bed, Pip
keefer snatched the clam check from
my startled fingers. sprang for the
door and bolted.
/ followed, with my revolver still in
my hand. while Toosey Attrill just as
frantically took up the chase of the
man in the clericals.
Now, a man in an abbreviated night
shirt speeding through the streets of a
city in broad daylight is not diff
cult mark to follow. But Pip, attired
for speed. travelled at rate which
easily overmatched my grimmest ef-
forts. The chase, i saw, could not be
a long one. I'd already sent bullet
flying wildly after him. and thereby
still further increased his speed. when
a patrolman, beholding that flying fig
ure. lodged behind a house step and
reappeared on the sidewalk just in
time to have Pip hurl himself bodily
into a pair OF brawny arms in blue
where he was proceeding to masticate
the claim check between his yellow
teeth when l came painting up. And l
lost no time in snatching this tidbit
from the nav of the voracious Pip.
SiAty seconds later l was speeding
for the Pontchart.
picked up the house detective as
hurried into the big hotel. 1t took
another minute to explain the situa-
tion as we handed over our claim
check. ! tried to look cool. but my