South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-05-15
A MUNICIPAL REPORT-By0 Henry

deep. grun tones OF an angry mans
voice mingled with the girls further
sqUeals and unintelligible words.
Azalea Adair rose without surprise
or emotion and disappeared. For
two minutes I heard the hoarse
rumble OF the mans voice: then
something like an oath and a slight
scuffle. and she returned calmly 10
her chair.
This is a roomy house" she said
and l have a tenant for part Of il. 1
am sorry 20 have TO rescind my in
vitation 10 tea II was impossible to
get the kind 1 always use at the
store. Perhaps tomorrow Mr.. Baker
Will be able TO supply me"
was sure that Impy had not had
time 10 leave the house. I inquired
concerning the street car lines and
took my leave. After I was we'll on
my way I remembered that I had
not learned Azalea Adair's name But
tomorrow would do.
That same day ! started in on the
course OF iniquity that this unevent-
fut city forced upon me. I was in
the town only two days. but i'm that
time managed TO lie shamelessly by
telegraph. and TO be an accomplice-
after the fact. II that is the correct
legal term-to a murder
As I rounded the corner nearest
my hotel the Afrite coachman Of the
polychroma nonpareil coat seized
me, swung open the dungeony door
OF his peripatetic sarcophagus, flirted
his feather buster and began his
ritual: step right in. boss. Carriage
is clean-jus' got back from a flu
neral. Fifty cents TO any"
And then ne knew me and grin
ned broadly. "Scuse me, boss; you is
de genrman what rid out with me
dis mawnin, Thank you kindly.
sub"
Il am going out to S61 again to-
morrow afternoon at three" said I.
and If you will be here. I'll let you
drive me. So you know Miss Adair ?"
I concluded. thinking Of my dollar
bill
II belonged to her father. Judge
/ Adair. sub" he replied.
\ lAhEt AAAciA sic - pAtAAN pOUEf
said. "She hasn't much money TO
speak OF. has she?"
| For an instant I looked again at
/ the fierce countenance Of King Cetti-
wayc. and then he changed back to
an extortionate old negro hack
/ driver.
She amt gwine TO starve. sub
he said slowly. "She has rcso'ces.
sub: she has reso'ces.'
Il shall pay you so cents for the
trip" said I.
Dat is puffeckly correct, sub. -
he answered humbly. II JUS had 10
have dat two dollars dis mawnin'
boss"
1 went to the hotel and lied by
electricity. I wired the magazine:
"A. Adair holds out for eight cents a
word"
The answer that came back was:
Give it to her quick, you duffer."
Just before dinner Maj" Went
worth Caswell bore down upon me
/ with the greetings Of a long-lost
friend. 1 have seen few men whom
have so instantaneously hated, and
OF whom it was so difficult 10 be rid
l was standing at the bar when he
invaded me; therefore l could not
wave the white ribbon in his face
l would have paid gladly for the
drinks, hoping. thereby, TO escape
another: but he was one of those
despicable, roaring, advertising bib
bers who must have brass bands and
fireworks attend upon every cent
that they waste in their follies.
with an air Of producing millions
he drew two one-dollar bills from a
pocket and dashed one OF them upon
the bar looked once more at the
dollar bill with the upper right-hand
corner missing. torn through the
middle and patched with a strip OF
blue tissue paper. 1t was my dollar
bill again. 1t could have been nc
other.
l went up TO my room. The drizzle
and mOnotony of "A dreary, eventlesS
southern town had made me tired
and istless. I remember that just
before 1 went to bed I mentally dis
posed OF the mysterious dollar bill
(Which might have formed the clew
to a tremendously fine detective story
Of san FranCisCO) by saying TO my
self sleepily: Seems as if a lot OF
lpeople here own stock in the Hack
Drivers trust. Pays dividends
promptly. too. Wonder if" Then ]
fell asleep.
King Cettiwayo was at his most the
next day, and ratified my bones over
the stones out to SCI. He was tc
wait and rattle me back again wher
1 was ready.
Azalea Adair looked paler and
cleaner and Trailer than she hac
looked on the day before. After she
had signed the contract at eight
cents per word she grew still palel
and began TO slip out Of her chair
Without much trouble managed &c
get her up on the antediluvian horse.
hair sofa and then l ran out 10 the
sidewalk and yelled to the cofee-col-
ored pirate 10 bring a doctor. With
a wisdom that I had not suspected IN
him. he abandoned his team and
struck off up the street afoot, realiz-
ing the value Of speed. In 10 min
utes ne returned with a grave, gray
haired and capable man Of medi-