The Elk Mountain pilot., 1921-05-12

Just for the moment, there wasn't
any danger Of blow-up. Unless he
should break the glass in the window,
he couldn't get line on either the
boss or Mrs. Sheila-if that was what
1 kept him covered with the auto
matte. steadying 1t against the door
jamb.
While the strain was at its worst.
with the man outside fiattening his
cheek against the window-pane to get
the sidewise slant, / heard the boss
get out Of his chair and say: I'm
keeping you out Of bed, as usual; !;
look at that clock I'll go and wake
Jimmie, and we1l 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. / heard
quick padding Of feet as of some
body running. and the next minute
came the rattle of latch-key and
voices in the hall to tell me that the
major and his folks were getting
home had barely time to pocket
the pistol and to drop into a chair
where l could pretend to be asleep.
when 1 felt the boss hand on my
shoulder.
Come, Jimmie" he said. ats time
we were moving along" and in a 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 I 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, l saw a man
stroll up from the shadow of the side
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.
l had sight of our extra fares face
when he climbed up and put his back
to us, and knew it was Tarbell. But
Mr.. Norcross didn't.
When we reached the Bullard the
boss went right up to his rooms, but
had little investigation to make, and
/ stayed in the lobby to put 1t 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. Y" Putting this and
that together, concluded that oui
young rounder had come in from the
West-which was bit puzzling, since
it left the inference that he WASH
direct from New York.
Waiting for a good chance at tn,
night clerk, ventured a few ques
tions. They were answered prompt.
enough. Young Mr.. Collingwood hat
come in on the Z 80. But he had beeI
in Portal City week earlier, toe
stopping over for single day. Yes
he was alone, now, but he hadn't beel
on the other occasion. There was I
man with him on the earlier stop
over, and he, also,I registered from
New York. The clerk didn't remem
ber the other mans name, but HI
obligingly looked 1t up for me in the
older register. 1t was Bullock, Henry
| Bullock.
suppose 1t was up to me TO go tt
| bed. 1t was late enough, in all con
science. and nobody knew better thar
| did the early-rising, early-office-
opening habits Of Mr.. Graham Nor
cross, G. NJ. Just the same, after
had marked that Mr. Collingwood's
room-key was still in its box, 1 went
over to corner of the lobby and sat
down, determined to keep my eyes
open, If such thing were humanity
possible. until our rounder should
show up.
Finally my patience. or whatever
| you care to call it, was rewarded.
Just after the baggage porter had fin
ished sing-songing his call for the
night express westbound, my man came
in on the run.
When he rushed over to the counter
and began to talk fast to the night
clerk. wasn't very far behind him.
He was telling the clerk to get his
grips down from the room, adjectively
| quick. While the boy was gone for
| the grips, my man made straight
shoot for the bar, and when next
got sight of him-from behind one
of the big onyx-plated pillars of the
bar-room cOlonnade-he was pouring
neat liquor down his throat as If 1t
were water and he on fire inside.
That was about all there was to it.
By the time Collingwood got back to
the clerks counter, the boy was down
with the bags. Collingwood looked up
sort of nervously at the big clock, and
paid his bill. And while the clerk
was getting his change, he grabbed
the pen out of the counter inkstand,
and made out as If he was shading in
a picture, or something, on the open
register.
A half-minute later he was gone.