Evening star., 1920-02-15


evening paper was crurnpled in my
hand. 1t was wet. for had been read
ing 1t under a street lamp, and torrent
Of rain was booming of the pavements.
Here's an astonishing thing" 1
blurted abruptly.
Tredways. writing. lifted a protesting
palm. 1 felt checked. and edged toward
the immense fire. My friends pen
scratched its way for three or four lines,
then stopped.
$50. so." he grunted contentedly II
have just completed the introduction to
my book on those bizarre, those rodent.
those earth -burrowing fraternities called
in popular language secret societies.
The police imagine they have learned
them out and up. But not to dig deep
enohgh Is to press them further down!
shall call my book The Neither Steeps.'
4nd-ah. you have something to tell
me?'
81 should sayl That man Hambro is
OUT
''Out from where?"
From Chains"
Good God! Escaped
Actually. The seventh man ever
l,town to do the trick Look here"
helped myself to one Of his cigars
and watched him; Hogg Tredways, the
foremost criminologist Of his generation;
Is brain a picture gallery Of faces Of
luen Of the underworld, his mind a COM
| ndium Of the art Of breaking in
ii multiform phases.
lust a word OF explanation. The
] " Horace Francie. the chaplain Of
t',e prison called Chains, once CHANGED
observation that doubtless some In
ates Of that and sister establishments
ssed into it guiltless, suffered there
crimes which were not upon their
uls Now the chaplain was myself
TO me Tredways had said, Suppose
uu send such cases to me upon their
i gal discharge? l have not studied this
hiect for decades for nothing. / might
ntll out a clue and save them-save
em from all that innocent men endure
Y hen they climb out frbm the prison
rllfs" Hard? Very But Tredways
Nus-well. Tredways.
Iow Stacey Hambro was a case in
J. lint. Only instead Of being legally
Il scharged he had. as you see,
bought off one of those rare bolts
for liberty which sometimes succeed
q for a while at least.
Doesn't tell us much" commented
,ry companion. handing me the paper.
elbow did he do 1t. do you think?"
i cannot say yet. 1t was probably
from the laundry. Today is washing
day in his lot. He was one of the
'%oap-suds' gang. There are two big
" indows to the laundry; one OF them
YES upon a loaded roof with a rain
pipe down to the ground. 1t must
have been a truly desperate effort"
The desperation OF an innocent
npan?"
'IIe fiercely upheld his innocence
from the dock until now, two years
after. ] know for a fact as I men,
toned to you. Tredways, that he had
spent those two years in evolving a
theory which should meet the facts
and clear him."
"And he had perfected that the
ory?"
II gathered that he had. He once
eaid to me, in an UNDERWATER. that
II he could free himself for twenty
four hours he would be able to prove
himself gult,ess of the murder
charge which smashed him"
w. "He ought not to have made that
femark to you, Francie. You are too
soft hearted. You will end by get
ting the sack" Tredways chuckled.
II wonder If he ever heard of me?"
he added.
eyes, he did once mention your
name. Your reputation Is older than
two mere years. But l sternly dis
couraged such observation, needless
70 say, and with any other man
should have felt compelled to report
him"
my friend regarded me with a rigid
0xity.
"Why," he exclaimed with truly
daring inspiration. lit is even on the
cards that he might come to me?"
At that moment the bell below trill-
"a long. loud, insistent! .
'Tush!" said Tredways, raising his
eight hand and leaning forward. We
etarcd at each other with wide-di-
lated eyes. His idea was idiotic. Of
course: II was only the heat Of his
omag gination which had hred mine:
and while / was urging myself not
Co. be foolish we heard q step upon
ehe stair. the sound Of Q mans un-
Hesit ating step, and a firm knock at
= She door. 30