The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1920-01-22

could / entrust them? Not a living
soul, so far as / could see--unless /
could get them back to Mrs. Delario
herself, which didn't seem likely in the
present state of the case.
You see just how the man had me
at his mercy. If I'd been a person ac-
customed to sneaking round and MAX
ing quick getaways, I'd have known
what to do and how to do it. In the
next place, l hadn't the least idea of
the number of people / was pitted
against-the strength of the opposing
forces. At that time, / hadn't the
dimmest suspicion that he was playing
practically q lone hand in the game
and had only one hired detective and
he didn't know what he was watching
Mrs. Delario and me for. But as re-
suit of my thinking, the idea came to
me to find out if were now watched
| and followed.
Telling Mrs. Jimmson to wait till ]
came back, and though it was raining
hard, | went out for an investigatory
walk around the block.
"A nsiH SdI Ill Tic lower HAIL DIS Il
stepped out of the elevator. His back
was toward the light of the front door.
| think the devil himself must have got
into me then; for without looking at
Mr.. Man, except the glance. gave him
as left the car, walked straight into
him and stepped on his toe, hard.
He said "Ouch!'
said: "Oh, j beg your pardon Did
hurt you very much?"
"No-not very much" he replied.
and looked glum.
Now, I had calculated this way-to
pass him in the act of stepping on him
and make him turn when he answered
me so the light would fall on his face.
I got the look at him / wanted and
went out.
walked half a block and turned
sharply in my tracks. Mr.. Man was
about twenty feet in the rear, follow
ing me- He began to limp the moment
he saw me noticing him.
j walked past my house to the end
| of the block. AS / turned north, saw
Mr.. Man ambling along in my direc-
| ton. I stepped into a florists and
bought fresh bunch OF hyacinths.
BY the time / had them paid for, Mr..
Man had reached the store and was
looking in the window, pretending not
to see me.
did l hurt you very mlch?'' 1 asked
sweetly.
'No--not very" He touched his hat
and / thought he looked annoyed.
I sprinted along ahead of him and
turned at One Hundred and Forty-fifth
street. / fancy Mr.. Man had to do
little sprinting himself on his poor
lame foot. 1 had vanished into a toy
shop and was buying a doll for my
niece when he discovered me--and pre-
] tended he didn't see me- He walked on
ahead, but caught up with him.
did hurt you very much?" asked.
"No-not very" He was beginning
to look astonished now.
r sprinted away and turned south on
Amsterdam. There, l went into a sta
tionery store and bought an ink eraser.
Mr.. Mann passed the door and glanced
in. motioned him to wait, but he pre-
tended not to see. He was some dis
lance ahead when I came out. I ran
after him and caught up.
did hurt you very badly" asked.
"No-not very" he answered, eying
me narrowly. SIN afraid you're CIV
ing yourself too much concern over a
little accident" He was, saw, be-
ginning to wonder which of us was fol-
lowing which!
"No," said l quietly, sTm not giving
myself the least concern over your
stepped-on toe-I'm simply using it as
an excuse to get good look at you in
various lights SO I'll know you again
in any possible disguise you may as
sumo"
/ ! have always regarded that episode
and those last words-as stroke of
genius on my part, if do say it! 1t
came to me on the spur of the moment
without thinking about it, and nearly
bowled Mr.. Man over. Before he had
decided what to say, or what to do TO
allay my suspicion Of him, | bolted
across the. street. diagonally. ducked
between two trolley cars. one of which