The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1920-09-03
HiCksOn's Hidden Hours
A SHORT STORY By SEWELL FORD

1oofA Z" I'LL &C WOcho COuiS0 Will lie
once, when we first got on the county
pay roll, and l meet him now and then
at boxin' bouts. He's quite sport
himself. Which is why l puts 1t
straight to him when l blows into his
Office.
Pete" says l, you're all wrong on
this Hickson party. You never can
tag him with thing like that Barsden
shooting"
MOI" says Pete, hunchin' his eye
brows. 1--WE think we have him fairly
well coppered, Shorty. Know him, do
you?"
Like book" says I, land take 1t
from me he couldn't any more shoot
a gun than rabbit could chew up a
bulldog. What's wrong with that abb
of his anyway"
Just a moment" says Pete, while
shut the door. You see, Shorty
we're not giving this out public as
yet; but the fact is we know that
Hickson left his room at II P. NJ and
didn't go back to it until after three
next morning Barsden was killed
between 1870 and 2:15. So there you
are"
But how could Hickson get out
with Sister Alice's room between him
and the stairs?' asks.
Fire escape" says Pete. Zone oil
these let down affairs that opens into
the back areaway. Fastened it down
with a wire while he went out. The
janitor knew all about it. He got
scared and squealed. Said Hicltsor
had been at that game on and off fol
months. Heard him go out that night
in fact. Looks bad for him, eh?"
Mean to say you think he made u
business of night gunnin'?" 1 de
mands.
1--WE are quite certain he went gun
ming for Barsden," says Pete. al
he hadn't where was he between II
and 8? He's had plenty of chance to
tell. But not word"
Huh" says l. "And III bet you
people would send that poor simp to
the chair on no better evidence thar
that. Say, think he'd open up to me
How about havin' a little talk with
him?'
Pete was doubtful about that He
didn't think the chief would like it
They'd even kept Sister Alice out.
would you be willing to have one
of our men listen in from the next
cell?" he asks.
"Sure!" says l. "If Albert did il
he ought to get what's coming to him
But if he didn't he ought to have a
fair show, and while l amt strong fol-
crashin' in on affairs of this kind !
should feel like a gutter if didn't
do what l could"
"Then I guess I can fix it up" says
Pete. "Pll see what the Chief says
They're cagey bunch that district
attorneys office crowd, specially
when the've got a big case on and
each one is workin' for all the per
-sonal advertiser he can get. Say,
believe some of 'em would convict
his own grandmother of any crime
on the calendar for the sake of gettin
his picture on the front page and his
name in the headlines. For an houl
or more they kept me waitin' while
they chewed over the proposition OF
lettin' me have few words with
Hickson. But they must have decided
it might be good way to get some
thing more on him, for finally PL
handed pass and put in charge of q
fattie with good ears.
1t amt chirky pastime, payin' a
forenoon call on suspected murderer
in detention cell. Ever try it?
finds Hickson sittin' with his head in
his hands starin' dazed and simple al
the iron bars. He don't even look uu
when I stop in front of the door. Not
until gives him the hail does he pay
any attention.
"Oh!" says he, sighin relieved.
''It's you is it, Professor? l suppose 1
it was some more of those fool detec-
tives come to put me through another
grilling. Four times they have had
me out, and I've answered questions
for hours and hours, until I hardly
know what my own name is. Tits
nice of you to come and see me while
while I'm like this, Professor"
Maybe" says l. But l want to
say, Albert, that 1 don't believe you
did the shootin' at all"
ooh, thank you, McCabe; thank
you!" and he tries to paw my arm
through the bars. ''You-your're the
first one to say that since I was ar
rested. All the others seem to think
there's no doubt that l did it land
they try to get me to confess. Oh, I'm
so glad someone doesn't believe it.
You'll tell them, won't you, Professor
that"
"a hot lot of good that would do
says l, breakin in. "See here, Albert,
it's up to you to do some tellin'. Don't
you get that? Tell 'em where you
were between II o'clock that evenin
and A. M. next mornin''
Albert drops his chin and lowers