The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-01-19
The Wreckers
Francis Lynde


heard all the gossip OF the streets
and tho clubs. and that he carried a
coed bit OF u home. but that
wouldn't account for much inside
knowledge OF the real thing In Mrs,
Shella- Then my mind went back
In flash To what Maisie Ann had
told me. Was the husband who
ought 60 hc dead. and wasn't. mixed
up In II In any wayf Could Il be
possible that he was one OF those
who were In the flght on the other
side. and that she was stiIi keeping
In touch with himf
Pretty soon l heard the murmur
OF their voices again. but now I
was 50 far away from the bamboo
screened door that couldn't hear
what they were saying wished
they would break Il off so the boss
could 80. II was getting late. and
there had been enough said TO make
the wish We were both safely hack
In tho hotel It's that way some
times. you know. In spite of all you
can do. You hear a talk. and you
can't help reading between the lines.
I knew. as well as | knew that I
was alive. that Mrs. Shefla meant
more than she had Haid-perhaps
more than che had dared to say.
II was while was standing there
In tho big window. sweating over
the way the talk IN the other room
was dragging itself out. that saw
the man on tn. lawn. Al first !
thought II was Tarbeil. who was
never very far out OF reach when
the boss was running loose. But
the next minute saw was mis-
taken. The man under the trees
looked as II he might be an English
tourist lie had on a long travelling
coat that came nearly 10 his heels,
and his cap was the kind that has
1.-TWO visors. one In front and the
other behind
Realizing that n wasn't rarben.
II stood perfectly stilL The house
was lighted with gas. and the din.
ing room chandelier had been turned
down. 20 there was n chance that
the skulker under the trees wouldn't
see me standing In tho corner Of the
box window. To make II surer.
edged away until the curtain hid me
was just In time The man had
crept out of his hiding plAcr and
was coming up 10 tn. window on
the outside. As he passed thru the
dim eeain OF ilrht thrown by the
turned-down chandelier. saw that
he had pistol In his hand. or a
weapon OF some kind. anyway. ]
caught the CLINT OF the szziisht on
duh steel.
That stirred mo No good and
plenty. stin had the gun had
taken out OF Fred Mays drawer.
had carried II ever sino- the night
when II had mighty nearly rot me
killed off In tho Red Tower Goa
yard I nshed n out ard made
ready. thinking. of course. that tbs
skuiksr must certainly be one Of
cIanahan's gunmcn- I stfli had that
idea when fcit. rather than saw
that the man was pulling himself
up to the window 20 that hs could
take . look into the dining room
The look satisfied him. apparently
for the next second ! heard him
drop among the bushes. and when
stood up and looked out again
could Just make him out Coins
around toward the back OF tbs
house. Thanks 10 Maine Ann and
the pantry excursions. I knew this
house like book. and without max
ing any noise, about u I clipped
thru the buffers pantry and got a
look out Of rear window. My map
was there. and he was working hi
way sort OF blindiy around 10 this
den side of the place.
guess maybe ought TO have
given the alarm. But I knew there
was only one window in the major,
den room. aud that was nearly or
posste the screened doorway. so
ducked back into the dininx-roou
and took n stand where ! could n-s
the one window thru the door
curtain network Of bamboo beads
was 40 excited that ! caught only
snstches OF what Mrs. Sheua was
saying 10 the boss. but the bits thai
Il heard were n good deal TO tbs
point
mo. I mean II. Graham II
il as told you at first thers
In no standing room for either OF us
on that ground and you mus
not come here again when you know
that am alone No. Jimmi.
isn't enough
I wrenched tho half-working ear
sense aside and damned IT into m,
eyes. concentrated hard on the win
dow at which I expected every sec
ond 10 see q mans face IL tn,
man was a murderer, I thought
could beat him to H. He woult
have to look in first before he could
fire: and the boss and Mrs. Sheila
wers.at the other end OF the room
Isltting before the little blaze In this
CRATE.
The suspense didn't last very long
A hand came up first to push the
window vines aside IL was a white
hand. long and slender. more like a
wou,an's than a mans. Then against
the glass I saw the face, and IL gave
me such a turn that l thought
must be going batty.
Instead OF the ugly mug Of one OF
CANADIANS gunner, the haggard
face framed In the window sash
was face that had seen once
and only once-before: on a certain
Sunday night In the Billiard when
the ioose-lipped mouth belonging To
| u had been babbling drunken curses
at the night clerk. The man Mt the
window was the dissipated young
rounder who had been pointed out
an the nephew of President Dunton.
.