The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-01-20
The Wreckers
Francis Lynde

ecsryrssas. iprs. ~ Charles sSsts-
n~ras ~enrl

Al the gate We tonnd inc VAN
driver doing something 90 his motor,
with the scare from which was
stil shaking 10 make my ieEs woe'
BILE. grabbed At the chance which
our good angel was apparently hold
ing for us.
Lets ride suggested: and
when We got into the cab. saw a
man stroll un frlm the shadow OF
tho sidewalk cottonwoods and say
something 20 the driver: something
that got him an invitation 20 ride
TO town on the front seat with tho
eahoy when the car was finally
eranked and started. had sight
OF our extra fares face when he
climbed up and put his hack to us.
and knew IL was Tarbell. But
Mr. Norcross didn't.
whcu we reached the Ruilard tho
boss went right up TO his rooms,
but had a little Investigation 60
make. and stayed In the lobby 60
put !, 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 Tao,
found thca isnature that | was
looking for. Howard Colungwood.
y. Y" Putting this and that To-
gcthcr. concluded that our young
roundcr had come in from the West
which was a bit puuiing. since !,
left the inference that he wasn't
direct from New York.
Waiting for good chance NJ the
night clerk. vcnturrd a few qucs.
tons. They were answered prompt.
~ enough. Young Mr.. CoilinEwood
had come IN on shc tao. But he
had been in Portal City a week
earlier. too. stopping over for a sin.
gle day Yes. he was alone. now
but he hadn't been on the other &C.
casion. There was a man with him
on the earlier stop-over. and he.
also. registered from New York The
clerk didn't remember the other
mans name. but he obllgingiy looked
~ up for inc in the older register
M was Bullock. Henry Bullock. and
from the badness OF the handwriting
the clerk said. tokingiy. that he'd
bet Mr.. Bullock was a lawyer.
suppose Il was up 10 me 10 20
TO bed. II was late enough. in all
conscience. and nobody knew better
than did the early rising. early
offlceopening habits Of Mr.. Graham
Norcross. O. NJ. Just the same.
after l had marked that Mr.. Collins.
woods room key was siln In Its
box. l went over TO n corner OF the
lobby and SAT down. determined 20
keep my eyes open. IL such a thing
were humanity possible. until our
rounder should show up.
That determination let me IN for a
stubborn fight against Ia sleep
habit which ran along 20 r~r iy one
O'Clock But finally my patience. or
whatever you care to call IL. vas re
warded. Just after the baggage
porter had finished sing songing his
call for the night express west.
bound. my man came In on the run.
he was stlll wearing the cap with
two ytsorx and the long travelling
coat was Tapping about his legs
When he rushed over 20 the coun-
ter and began to talk fast to the
night clerk. wasn't very far be
hind him. He was telling the clerk
10 get HIS grips down from the
room. atjectiveiy quick. and to hold
the hotel auto so that ne could
fsaf~h 80. ,xga.f~hs v.-sst $500
While the boy was gone for the
grips. my man made a straight
shoot for the bar. and when I next
got sight OF him--from behind one
Of the big onyx. plated pillars OF the
tarroom colonnade--hs was pouring
neat liquor down his throat as II Il
were water and he on fire inside
That was about all there was 90
II. By the time collingwood got
back to the clerks counter. the boy
was down with the bagA The reg.
uiar train auto had gone to the sta
ton with some othsy guests. but the
clerk had found n stray taxi. and II
was waiting. coliingwood looked UP
sort OF ncrvously at the big clock.
and paid his bill. And while the
clerk was getting bis change, he
grabbed the pen out Of the counter
inkstand and made out as IL he was
shading in a picture, or something.
on the open register.
A half-nsnute later he was gone.
striding out after the grfp-carrying
lobby boy az straight as II he had
been walking a tight rope. and never
showing his recent bar visit by 20
much az the shudder OF an eyolash.
When the taxi purred away ! turned
to the open register 20 see what our
maniac had been drawing In IL.
What he had done was completely
70 obiiterate his signature. He had
scratched II over until the past mas.
ter Of all the handwriting experts
that ever lived couldn't have told
what the name was.