Evening star., 1921-12-04


I'm sorry this was that kind of a
job gotta say that, Quod-but nc
matter, nobody learns a thing from
Ella and me Besides. what have they
got on us?"
Not a thing" Watt Quodner af-
f1rmed. Tomorrow night then. Emil
He mentioned a telephone number
and a street address. Albert ]
Roths - remember. I'm supposed tc
be a travelling man-theatricaL Well
s'long. amt duckin'.' y'understand
Emil; just playin' safe. that's all"
Sure. Quod, that's right"
+ y 4
A LII next day Watt Quodner smiled
wryly at his conservatism. I,
might perhaps be the part Of wisdom
but as for Its being necessary-ab.
Surd! An alibi such as the one he'd
framed was too much for any bunch
OF bulls in the world. Some alibi
he'd say! 1t wouldn't be long now be.
fore Kellis would come up for trial
and sentence and after that! He
pulled flask from his pocket. tilted
it to his lips and wished himself
kappy days.
Emil Schwanz came that night. He
found Watt Quodner lounging in a
rocker at one end Of a long. high
story parlor room now converted
into a bedroom-chewing a fat cigar
| thumbing the pages of a magazine.
"Hellow. Emil" Quodner greeted
him. Glad to see you. This is fine
just like a vacation. I amt had sucf
good rest in months. Cigar?
The artist removed his overcoat
laid his hat on 1t.
"You were wise. Quod." he said.
The other came erect.
''Whadda y'mean, Emil?'
They suspect nobody. Quod. bu,
they've found the mask Andrew.
told me-"
"A kid from 11th avenue. The ki6
| was picking the garbage pals or
West 6Sth. He found it and put 1t on
and a plain clothes man happened to
see it and thought it looked funny and
copped 1t on a chance. OF course. il
been all crumpled up. but they took it
to headquarters.
"well, what Of itr' ouodner's tone
was irritable.
SHOULD have burned it. Quod."
"Damn it, I had to get rid Of it. !
like Kellis.'
NO. but they could smooth it out
and get an idea, maybe"
Did they%
Andrews didn't say. Quod. Said 1t
had them guessing. I bet it has.
meet it with this case-he said that.
But at that 1t would be a good idea to
"Hen Emil! They can't get any
thing out of that. Did they find the
wig"
Rot. Let 'em sweat. They can't
beat my alibi, Emil. There amt a
hole in it. What is a hunk Of mush
like that mask got to do with me, I'd
like to know
"Ill lay low. Emil. You better not
come here. 1 guess. Call me up every
night bout this time-from different
places. If anything breaks. lemme
know right off"
Watt Quodner that night rehearsed
a dozen times the whole plan and exc
cution of his crime. examining it mi
croscopically for the slightest flaw;
He could find none. AS Chuck and
that imaginary blonde he and Ella
had allowed themselves to be seen on
the street; no hole in that. As him.
away with it perfectly; no trouble
there. Emil had furnished an abso.
lutte alibi for him by being seen and
spoken to at the actual time OF tne
deed, miles away. Numerous persons
had recognized the artist as watt
Ouodner. had even testified to 1t
persons the police knew could not De
AS for the shooting itself. the whole
block had recognized him as Chuck
KeIlis: even Marie had called out
Chuck's name. Quodner grinned, sar.
donically. Gus, who had dnorHs driyeh anne one
way. to keep his trap closed. was
90 feiv in Omaha, with 500 bucks In his
nocket. The gun itself was down
sewer. There wasn't loose string
Watt ouodner rolled over. restless,
,v He shuddered. blinked. got up ana
~ drink from a bottle that he
nuIied from under some shirts IN ms
anti case, Shucks! He was gettlns
Childish. He took a second drink,
Iaurhed, After a while he fell asleep.
NEXT day he finished his bottle;
IN had to go out and prowl for
another, ultimately finding drug
rist who let him have q pint. Emifs
t.,enbone call that evening" hur-
r,ad word that everything was all
rIeht-found him slumped down In
his rocker, staring fixedly at the
fiowered wall paper. He slept that
night. for he had dulled himself with
alcohol, but the next morning ne was
shaking. ...,,,
at the wall paper, except for bolted
meals in the fyspecked dining room
Notwithstanding himself! occas-
sionally with a nip from the fastsdis
appearing pint ,!e,sted' IL was 80 Why Why didn't
Emil cali up. He jerked out his
watch. impatiently. Only Ave o'clock
Eirht O'clock came at last, eight
fifteen, eight-twenty. effht-thirtyS
nine. What Quodner strode up ana
down the room, turned savagely, his
a.-... ..a.hInn hahind him Ten