Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-09-16

month";, Ter rear Melnyd CfOak MIN
off to land it? Don't talk to me, 30
I'm wise to Meiny-rm dead wise!"
You mean," put in the DOCTOR in
half uncomprehending tone. ''you
mean there's somebody behind this
man Stagg?"
Behind him? Nav" He's runnin'
Il thousand miles ahead of him, all
de time, an if de old man don't trot
right after, it's Dearie, l could send
yuh up, If I wanted ter fer his. !
tell yuh, Stages only de side kick.
Meiny's de man higher up. in dis
game-yes, an in lots Of others. too.
Stages only dan@n' when he fiddles.
Yuh cop Meiny, an yuh cop de whole
plant"
MY heavens" groaled Bradford.
"To think I had him between my
fingers only last night, and-only
threw him out on his head! Is this
positively straight, Muggs?"
"S'help mel" asseverated Mugs,
raising his huge hand as tho taking
an cath. I'm giyin' it to yuh right.
on me word as a genuman an d'rec-
tor of de Haven, see?'
| Bradford pondered tense mo-
ment, then exclaimed:
Look here, Mugs! Since you
know SO much about the affairs Of
this delightful family, tell me some
thing more"
"All right. Wat is it2"
Did you ever hear anything about
a recent plot, or frame-up, TOTO
ruin the reputation Of a certain girl.
so that and Bradford's voice,
| hesitant sank a tone SO that she
shouldn't marry certain MANI"
sure, I'm wise to dat whole
plant You're gassin about dat AL
den DAME"
:Alden!" cried Bradford, with eyes
suddenly grown eaRer-while the
physician, comprehending nothing,
stared in silence sylvia Alden"
Oats de goil! oh. talk about y'r
| raw losses. say! amt no dovny
angel--never was--but when ] got
| wise to dat" Mugs shook his
head vigorously. and spat. TT damn
near busted me UP wit MeinS. when
he pulled dat stunt"
"Muggs.' said Bradford very So
berly Look at me, moment. Tell
me-did you know the man that
game was pulled on?''
Nav. Only dat he was some silk
stockin from de Rack Bay"
listen, Muggs!" And Bradford
struck his own chest, with his
elenched fist. Ell am" His
voice broke; he could not finish.
"You?"
Bradford nodded silently. Mugs.
his mouth gaping, stood transf:xed n
moment. Then. turning without a
word, he started swiftly for the door.
'.iuggs! Where are you goin'?'
"Goin'? After Meiny's scalp!" an
swered Mugs. pausing. Damn de
son of a sea dog! II he don't need
tub of hair restorer by de time l
get trough wit him, / amt no ex-
champ of New England. Dere amt
nobody can pull dat kind of raw deal
over on white guy like you. an get
away wit 1t, see?"
"Wait minute, Mugs! Hold on"
commanded Bradford.
.Hnh?" grunted Rafferty,. Wat
now?"
"Who framed that plant?"
well, de old man, old Irwin Stage,
started it, but Me!ny made it CO.,
Dan told me, this morning. Meiny
only Helped
'Dan's a liar, Hike all dopes.
Meinys de, guy dat put ii over, all
right, all right"
R.odfard lauDhad bftterly
And he and his father knew
where. she went top asked he.
"Sure,"
"'They took a hundred and twenty
bucks from me, Mugs, TO find her
and then claimed they couldn't. Can
You beat that?"
"Can yuh beat anything Meiny
does? Dey was wise to where she
blew, all right. SO was Dan
"Then what made Dan lie to me?'
cried Bradford, passionately. What
possible motive could he have had in
living, when he knew I'd surely find
| it out?'
search me! where'd he say she
WASP"
"Why, nursing in ST Philips hos
pital, up on Hull street. ! went there
this morning, hut l couldn't find her.
They told me she'd never been there
Oats where she is, sure" ex-
claimed Mugs. astonished. Some
ting crooked here, somewhere. Sure
dey amt double crossin'. at de hors-
pftal, so yuh can't see her?"
| whats this?" broke in the doctor
whats this about ST. Philips? III
have no double crossing there!"
.Eh?" Bradford turned on him
with establishment How do you
know about ST. Philips?'
| "How do I know? How can help
knowing? i've been on the board OF
directors six years. do all my OPP
eratiye work there, and"
| mol"
Eyes. tell you! What's all this
about some nurse or other?"
Bradford stared at him with burn
ing eyes.
| Doctor" he exclaimed, "do you
know all the nurses there?"
IT think I do. None of them enter
as 'probationers, without first APP
| pearing before me-
"Well then, tell me-is there a
Sylvia Alden there?"
| alden? Sylvia Alden? Mmmm
/. -. No, not that I remember"
! "She is dere, I tell yuh!" Muggs
burst in. II know it, see? I was in
to see Punk Flora, bout a week ago
she had de d. rs an was showed
in week ago las Friday-an' I seen
dis Alden skirt-flashed her meself
wit me own headlights, s'help mel"
| Dazed, BradforG SHRED blankly
from Mugs to the physician.
what mystery is this?" cried he
"You, doctor, say there's no such
girl there, and so do the hospital