The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1921-10-05

The body lay at the bottom motiUnless
huddled up IL such fashion as t.
block the door. Without q doubt bu,
that the man was dead. l thrust the
form to one side, leaped through the
opening, and crashed the door behind
me.
! turned to the left, afraid Of the
bright lights. and the street cars. and
plunged int the depths Of the alley
may have gone . mile. twisting and
turning before 1 came to wha,
evidently was q small hotel. Here
encountered q cab, an old horse cab
the driver half asleep inside. An old
time cabby was not liable to care who
his fare might be 20 long as he was
well paid. Encouraged by this re.
Election, ! stepped over to the curb.
Engaged, my manT'
He came to life In an instant,
tumbling out Of his comfortable
quarters to face me.
mo sir. never heard you comm.
sir. Bin q bit quiet about here to-
night"
He stopped. as though just noticing
ny appearance under the dim street
lights.
eyer bin hurt, sir7" he asked solicit
ously. Eyer coats all tore, and there's
some blood on yer face"
"A small fight, that's all, in a
saloon over west. Any place around
here where l could wash up?"
"Sure; right in yere; there amt
nobody around to bother. I'll show
you"
He opened a little side-door, and
l followed down a narrow hallway to
a small washrOOm, flung off my coat.
and filled basin with water. The
cabby turned up the light, and watched
me curiOusly. He was evidently de-
lighted to have some one to companion
with at this weird hour of the MORN
ing.
"They got yer one good 'un, any
how" he remarked. "Feller whut
struck yer must've he'd a ring on ter
make tibet cash."
There were two of Them" l ans
wered. spluttering through the water
was using literally. Il may have
hurt one of the fellows, SO you keep
still-will you?"
me! Shucks. don't talk about
my fares none. Thet amt business.
l picked one up night before last
down by the west-side docks. who'd
been in some kind of fracas-any-
how. he wus sure scared half ter
death. Looked like a foreigner, an
was draggin' grip long with him.
Got Off at Jersey ferry, l reckon"
when was that?" l was using the
towel by this time, eying the loquac-
ious speaker over the edge.
might afOre last, Bout midnight;
I'd he'd a fare down tibet way, an
wus drivin' back empty, when he
hollered to me to stop. Gosh, the
Teller tumbled in like there was
ghost after him. an sed l wus ter
drive like H."
Had a grip with him, did he?"
yep; black. bout medium size.
The fellow wasn't overly big himself,
an 1t wus quite a lug for him; it
bumped against his legs when he
tOted it. wouldn't a thought noth,n'
more bout it, only l got hOl' of
paper. an read how there WIS guy
croaked that same night over in
Jersey. 1t sOrter made me think o.
this Teller, just because he was so
ID scared. 1t WIS sorter funny
where he had me set him down. too
after midnight tibet way"
where was that?"
"COlmar buildin' on Broad street.
Want n darn light from top to
bottom. He didn't let me pull M
there-not by a d-n sight. had
ter let him out block away. around
the corner. But somehow l sorter
wanted ter know just where the bl0ke
went, so ! slipped off the box. an took
a peek. He turned In there, where 1t
wus blacker than stack O. black
cats. an thet's the last | seen Of him.
S'pose he wus the duck who did that
job siri"
He might have been, Of cOurs".
Did you report 1t to the pOlice?"
Lord. no; II us fellers told tie
cops half we know they wouldn't g.t
no sleep at all. amt sed nothin' to
nobody. Ready to so now, sir?