The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-09-24

I
The driver hailed the i"ttcr carrier.
Begins with c? Might be Cal
anus StrecO1"
That's it-Calamus." said Mor.cv
Smith eagerly. although he had not
! had the slightest knowledge that
Wcstcotr held a Calamus Street.
How do We ge, there. my good
! fellow"
! The pchtman gave the direction
/ clearly. pointing With his hand and
! telling the turrs to make. lie &C
ceptCd the cigar Morley Smith Of
tered him. and the taXicab rolled
away.
Calamus Street was an ordinary
! suburban residence street ot the me-
! dunn class. The houses stood in
small yards. neatly kept for the most
| part, AMI were OEc-family houses.
\ with porCueS. There ara thousands
: OF similar streets everywhere. with
! sbrubbery In the Yards. clothes posts
at the rear. and now AMI then n
I garage. No. 446 was not an un-
b usual house I; was a neat dwelling
Of the eight-roomS -and-bath type.
/ the porch being large enough 10 be
/ called 4 veranda. The taX!cab- driver
! opened the cab door and Morley
Smith stepped out.
Just wait here" he said. and
walked up the short cement path 10
the porch.
The house was dark. hi; 81 were
about half the houses on the street,
! for the hour was now abou: ten
and many OF the suburban!tes had
retired for the night. Morley Smith.
! in choosing a house number at ran
| dom and a street by chance. had
already thought Of plan that might
gain him admission 10 the house and
to the realms OF romancc-si since any
thing out OF ones usual run OF life
is romance When the door opened
! he meant 10 ask: Reg pardon. but
IS this where Morley Smith hves2"
The answer would be negative. since
! he was himself Morley Smith and
most certainly did not live there.
surprise when told that Morley Smith
did not live In that house. He then
meant TO say: Il say. what? Beg
your pardon. don't you know He
would appear incredulous and would
draw his neat little memorandum
book from his pocket. But. l say.
he would protest. as he turned the
pages, who does live here. them
Whoever had come to tho door would
then remark, John Smith lives
here" or John Doe lives here" As
soon as hs heard the name. Morley
Smith meant to smile cheerfullv al
the little book and say: "Jove, yes
That's the name. Ny mistake. you
know. Cawnt make GU, how I got
so confused when had II" s:rnct
and number right. III step in"
1t was an excellent plan for gain.
Ing admission 70 any house, but for
a while it did not seem as If il was
Gcing to work with this particula:
house. 1t appeared that no one was
coming to The door. Morley Smith
pushed the bell-buttoa again, LETTING
his ringer rest on 1t ieugthiiy. He
heard the bel ringing imperatively.
There was another silence, and then
4 light flashed in the hall the door
concealed. kNy turned in the lock.
and the door opened.
y woman stood in the doorway
She vas Young and dark, above mid
die height and decidedly good-lookin,;
in a daring way. She was not only
fully dressed but somewhat over.
, dressed. She let her eyes take in
; Morley Smith and then glanced al
the ;aXicab waiting at the curb. It's
black and white coloring would have
been enough n show her il was no,
. n Westcote 'jir" but from Manhat
tan. She looked at Morley Smith
again.
You rang" she asked.
, Beg pardon" said Morley Smith
just as he had planned, but Is this
where Morley Smith lives?"
Yes" said the woman. this is hi.
| house. Win you please step insidc?'
| For just a moment Morley Smith
/ hesitated; then he stepped inside
The next instant the light went out
| and blow on the head sent MN
Keeling 10 the floor. He heard a half
, scream uttered by the woman. 4
struggle in which the woman's vote,
: was mutfed ami a mans voice
I muttered as tho two fought IN IN,
: narrow hallway. Once or twice {
) foot struck him. An ovcrturninl
chair struck against his arm Us i
' fell.
Morley Smith drew himself alons
the floor He hal vague impress
sion that the button that woult
E switch on the light must hr just In
/ side The door. He raised his hanC
E and felt along the wall and fouhc
!. the button. Then h" stood uprigh
= with his back TO the wall and pressed
, the button. and the nall was flooded
, with light. The woman, suddenl,
J, released, uttered a short laugh ant
I wiped her mouth where a small
4 scratch bled. and Morley Smith
I found himself looking directly int
tho muzzle OF a short heavy revolve
I In the hand Of the man.
t IF you move one muscle, you ar,
4 dead" said the man
Q Morley Smiths first thought wa
d "A gambler" FOR the mans fac,
:, had that waxy wilderness OF the NAL
r who sits all night in the smoke
I vitiatcd air Of a cardroom. The fac
d was narrow. and the forehead higl
and squared at the temples. Tn
= man was rather we'll dressed.
z The woman, like a woman who ha
3 been through n struggle and VIII,
8 admits herself beaten and is read,
z to forget tn" whole affair. leanet
Il against the opposite wall.
I Now then. you" said the man
Il what are you doing here? Spit I
d: out quick: I've no time 20 vast,
And keep your hands where the.
a | are'"