The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-16

the crowd by walking briskly of ir the direction of Main Street. The crowd / followed-z-or more strictly speaking, accompanied him. He was the centre of a drove of eager in- quirers. Having successfully dis. persed the crowd in front of Flaw kinss Emporium, he. stopped in front Of the post office and addressed ii once more.
 "All you got to do,' he announced taking seat on the porch, 'ds to walt till the Banner comes out, and then you'll get all the news. I just been in there to tell Harry Squires about my discoveries. and he is workin his head of now gettin' 1t all in shape for the subscribers to the paper. And that reminds me. He asked me to do him favor. He says there are quite a number of cheap skates in this town that ain't regular subscribers to the Banner. That's why Ebenezer January's barber shop Is so crowded on Thursday mornings that Ebenezer Is threatenin' to stop his subscription. Ebenezer says there's so many customers in his place that he ain't hardly got room to hone up his razors after Wednes- days work. I promised Harry I'd suggest that you all go around and subscribe today, because he says he's engaged Ebenezer to whitewash the press-room tomorrow and the barber shop won't be open at all"
 "Yes, sir" said Anderson, address ing the crowd, T would have nabbed him today If he hadn't gone an hung himself like this. He must have goi onto the fact that I had him dead to rights. He knowed there wasn't any escape for him-no chance in the world. Wait a second! Don't all talk at once-and don't ask ques- tions! An say, Abner, it won't do you any good to go round to the Ban- ner office. because I swore Harry Squires to secrecy. So stay where you are. Harry won't tell you a thing, even if your father-in-law is a regular subscriber. What time is 1t, Lum?"
 On being informed by Lum Gil lespie that 1t was later than he thought, Marshal Crow looked at his own watch and arose in some haste.
 By ginger, get to get busy. I still got to see If can find that let ter Jake received yesterday after noon. I wouldn't be surprised if the contents of that letter had a good deal to do with his hurryip' up this hangin' business. Like as hot 1t was warnin' from some confederate of his'n, 1ettin' him know I was gettin' purity hot on his trail. It's mighty hard to keep these things from leakin' out, specially when you're workin' at long range as I've been fer some time. My investigations have been carried on from one end of the coun- try to the other. I finally got 'em narrowed down to place out west called Sandusky, Ohio, an I was just on the point of telegraphin' to the police out there that had their man when this thing happens"
 He was assisted in hi search for the letter by volunteer organiza- tion of about one hundred men and boys. The search was a most dili- gent one. Much to the disgust of Ed Higgins, the fooor of Jake's sleeping apartment was yanked up by willing, excited citizens; the hay mow was ransacked from one end to the other; the grain bins were turned inside cut, and there was some talk of ripping off a section of the roof At half past twelve o'clock, the mar shal went home to his midday meal leaving the work in charge of Lum Gillespie, the garage owner, whose love for MT. Higgins was governed entirely by the fact that the livery mans business fnterfered consider ably with his own prosperity.
 Secure in the seclusion of his own woodshed. Marshal Crow slyly with drew Jake's letter from an inside pocket and reread 1t with great care Later on, having fortified himself with a substantial dinner, he re- turned to the hunt. Advising the toilers that he was going to do a little private searching, based on a while he was at home, he ambled of in the direction of Power House Gull ley. Half an hour later he reappeared and instructed the crowd to knock of work He had found the letter just where he figured he would find 1t!
 T don't see why in thunder you didn't figure it out at breakfast in stead of at dinner" growled Ed Hig- gins. moodily surveying the wreck age. I've notion to sue you for damages. Look at that boxstall! Look at that"
 Viewer mind, Ed: I'll have Lum an the rest of 'em put everything back in order. jest as they found 1t. Now. you fellers get to work and put things in shape around here. I'm goin' to take this letter over an show 1t to Harry Squires. It proves everything absolutely everything"
 The marshal strode away. The crowd struggled behind. Anderson stopped at the Banner office door and exposing the dirty envelope to the eager gaze of the crowd, advised every one present to step in and take out years subscription to the paper Then he disappeared. The crowd surged forward, filling the outer office with something like sardine compact ness. The door to Mir. Squires's private office. however, closed sharply behind MT. Crow. and for the next fifteen or twenty minutes the young lady bookkeeper was busy taking subscriptions from the disappointed throng. She got sixty-three new sub scribers and definite promises from g large number of citizens who were considerably in arrears.
 You'll see it all in your paper to- morrow morning." said Anderson coming out of+the inner office at the end of half an hours consultation