The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1921-06-17
CHAPTER xl
The Name on the Register

The Name on the Register
So long as / was holding on to the
notion that the man outside was one
of Clanahan's thugs, hanging around
to do the boss mischief, l thought
l knew pretty well what should do
when it came to the pinch. Would
l really have hauled off and shot
man, in cold blood? That's a tough
question. but guess maybe could
have screwed myself up to the stick
ing point, as the fellow says, with a
sure-enough gunman on the other side
of that window-and the boss life at
stake. But when / saw that it was
young Collingwood, that was horse
of another color.
What on earth was the presi-
dents nephew doing prowling around
Major Hendricks house after eleven
o'clock at night, Juggling pistol and
peeking into windows? l could see
him quite plainly now. He had both
hands on the sill and was trying to
pull himself up so that he could see
into the end of the room where the
fireplace was.
Just for the moment, there wasn't
any danger Of a blow-up. Unless he
should break the glass in the window,
he couldn't get a line on either the
boss or Mrs. Sheila-if that was what
he was aiming to do. All the same,
l kept him covered with the auto
matte, steadying it against the door
jamb.
While the strain was at it's worst,
with the man outside flattening his
cheek against the window-pane to get
the sidewise slant, I heard the boss
get out of his chair and say: ''Im
keeping you out of bed, as usual;
look at that clock! I'll go and wake
Jimmie, and we'll vanish"
Just as he spoke, two things hap
pened: taxi chugged up to the gate
and stopped, and the mans face dis
appeared from the window. l heard
a quick padding of feet as of some
body running, and the next minute
came the rattle of a latch-key and
voices in the hall to tell me that the
major and his folks were getting'
home. l had barely time to pocket
the pistol and to drop into chair
where 1 could pretend to be asleep,
when 1 felt the boss hand on my
shoulder.
Come, Jimmie" he said. ''It's time
we were moving along" and in min
ute or two, after he had said good
night to the major and Mrs. Kendrick,
we got out.
At the gate we found the taxi driver
doing something to his motor. With
the scare from which was still shak-
ing to make my legs wobble, grabbed
at the chance which our good angel
was apparently holding for us.
Lets ride" suggested; and when
we got into the cab. saw a man
walk cottonwoods and say something
to the driver; something that got him
an invitation to ride to town on the
front seat with the cabby when the
car was finally cranked and started.
! had sight of our extra fares face
when he climbed up and put his back
to us, and l knew it was Tarbell. But
Mr.. Norcross didn't.
When we reached the Billiard the
boss went right up to his rooms. but
had a little investigation to make, and
l stayed in the lobby to put it over.
On the open page of the hotel register,
in the group of names written just
after the arrival of our train from
the West at Z 80 found the signature
that was looking for, Howard Col
lingwood, N. " Putting this and
that together, concluded that our
young rounder had come in from the
West-which was bit puzzling, since
it left the inference that he wasn't
direct from New York.
Waiting for a good chance at the
night clerk, ventured few ques-
tons. They were answered promptly
enough. Young Mr. Collingwood had
come in on the Z 80. But he had been
in Portal City week earlier. too,
stopping over for single day. Yes,
he was alone, now. but he hadn't been
on the other occasion. There was a
man with him on the earlier STOP
over, and he, also, registered from