Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-07-02

I'm waiting!" prompted Mac
Vightie significantly
ooh. all right" The Hawk flared
up a little. IF you love your crouch,
keep on hugging it Tight" He jcrlted
his hand toward the coat that was
lying on the bed. II must have lost
the letter the pastor of my church
gave me, but there's a couple there
from the guys back in Chicago that
1 worked for. and there's my union
card with them. Help yourself!"
MacVightie picked up thet coat
brusQuely. showed his hand into the
inside pocket. brought out several let
tiers and began to read them.
The Hawk shuffled the half deck OF
cards in his hand monotonously.
There was a puzzled frown on Mac
Vightie's face, as he finally tossed
the letters down on the bed?
"Satisfied?" inquired the Hawk
pleasantly.
MacVightie's frown deepened.
Yes, as far as that goes" he said
tersely: and then. evenly, his eyes
boring into the Hawk: About five
minutes ago a man ran into this
house from the street. What's be-
come of him."
The Hawk stared in amaZement--
and slowly shook his head.
II guess you've got the wrong dope,
That's why I'm saying you must
Don't try that camel" cautioned
MacNightie grimly. and don't lie!
He had to come up these stairs your
door was partly open, and he couldn't
have passed without YOU knowing it,"
That's what I'm saying" agreed
the Hawk, even more earnestly.
THAT'S why I'm saying you must
have got the wrong dope. OF course,
he couldn't have got by without me
hearing him! That's a cinch. And
I'm telling you straight, he didn't"
Didn't he?" MacVightie's smile
was thin. Then he came in here
into this room"
In here?" echoed the Hawk weak
ly. His gaze wandered helplessly
around the room. well, all you've
got to do is look
I'm going to-" announced Mac
Vightie curtly--and with sudden
jerk he yanked the single bed out
from the wall. He peered behind and
beneath 1t; then. stepping over. to a
.cretonne curtain in the corner that
served as wardrobe. he pulled it
roughly aside.
There We're no other places of pos
sible concealment. MacVightie chewed
at his under lip. and eyed the Hawk
specnlatively.
The Hawks eyes were still travel
ling bewilderedly about the room. as
tho he still expected to find some
thing.
Are you dead sure he came into
this house" he inquired heavily, as
tho the problem were entirely beyond
him.
MacVightie hesitated.
'Well-no," he acknowledged, after
a moment. II guess you're straight
all right, and I'll admit / didn't see
him come In: but I'd have pretty near
taken an oath on It."
Then guess he must have ducked
somewhere else," submitted the Hawk
sapiently. There wasn't no one
went by that door-rm giving it to
you on the level"
MacVightie's reluctant smile was a
wry grimace..
yes. l reckon it's my mistake"
His voice lost its snarl, and his fin
gers CROPPED down into his vest
pocket. Here, have a cigar" he in
yited placatingly.
Why. say. thanks"-the Hawk
beamed radiantly. "Say, Il"
AN right, young fellow"-with a
wave of his hand, MacVightie moved
to the door. "All right, young fell
low. No harm done, Ell? Good
night"
The door closed. The footsteps
without grew fainter and died away.
The, Hawk, staring at the door,
apostsophised the doorknob.
Well, say, what do you know about
that" he said numbly. Il wonder
what's up?"
He rose from his chair after a
moment as tho moved by sort of
subconcious impulse, mechanically
pushed his bed back against the wall,
and returned to his chair.
He dug out his pipe abstractedly,
filled 1T, and lighted It, He gathered
up the cards. shuffled them, and be-
gan to lay them out again on the
table--and paused, and drummed
with his fingers on the table top.
They're after some guy that's
ducked his nut somewhere around
here" he decided aloud. II wonder
what's up?"
The Hawk spread out his remain
ing cards-and swept them away
from him into ain indiscliminate heap.
"Aw, to blazes with cards!" he
calculated impatiently.
He put his feet up on the table
and sucked steadily at his pipe.
Its cinch he never went by that
door" the Hawk assured the toe of
his boot. Il guess he handed that
bull one. all right, all right"
The minutes passed. The Hawk,
engrossed, continued to suck on his
pipe. Then from far down the stairs
there came a faint creak, and an in
slant later the outer door closed soft
~
The Hawks feet came down from
the table, and the Hawk smiled
grimly.
Tut, TUT" chided the Hawk. THAT
treadmill diminuendo on the top step
and the keyhole stunt is pretty raw,
Mr.. MacVightie-pretty raw! You
forgot the front door. Mr.. MacVtphtia
II don't seem to remember having
heard it open or close until just now"
The back Of the Hawks chair, as
ne pushed itwell away from the table
and stood up. curiously enough now
intercepted itself between the key
hole and the interior of the room