The Dolores star., 1921-11-11
CHAPTER xI
The Name on the Register

The Name on the Register
So long as | was holding on to the
notion that the man outside was one
of Clanahan's thugs. hanging around
to do the boss mischief, | thought
| knew pretty well what l should do
when It came to the pinch. Would
| really have hauled Off and shot II
man. in cold blood? That's n tough
question. but | guess maybe | could
have screwed myself up 10 the stick
ing point, as the fellow says, with n
Sure-enough gunman on the other side
OF that windOw-and the boss life at
stake. But when | saw that 1t was
OF another color.
What on earth was the presi-
dents nephew doing. prowllng around
Major Hendricks house after eleven
o'clock at night, Juggling pistol aud
pepklng into windows? | could see
him quite plainly now. He had both
hands on the sill and was trying to
pull himself up so that he could see
into the end of the room where the
fireplace was.
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. Sheia-if that was what
he was aiming to do. All the same.
| kept him covered with the auto
matte. steadyng 1t against the door
jamb.
While the strain was at Its worst,
with the man outside hattening his
cheek against the window-pane to get
the sidewse slant, beard the boss
get out Of his chair end say: I'm
keeping you out of bed. as usual !;
look mt that clock! IL 90 and wake
Jimmie, and we'll 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 a latch-key and
voices in the hall to tell me that tho
home. | had barely time to pocket
the pistol and TO drop into chair
where | could pretend to be asleep,
when | felt the boss hand on nv
shoulder.
Come, Jimmie" he said. "Its time
we were moving along" and in min
ute or two, after he had said goo,l-
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 was still shnk-
ing to make my legs wobble. / grabbed
ut the chance which our good angel
was apparently holding for us.
Lets ride" ! suggested; and when
we got into the cab, | saw n mon
stroll up from the shadow of the side.
walk cottonwoods and say something
10 the driver; something that got him
an invitation to ride to town on the
front seat with the cabby when til e
car was nnaly cranked and started
l had sight OF our extra fares face
when he climbed up and put his back
to us, and l knew il was Tarbeu Pm,
Mr.. Norcross didn't.
When we reached the BuIiard tbe
boss went right up to his rooms. hut
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 irs,
after the arrival of our train from
the West at 7:30, found the signature
that | was looking for, Howard C,l
lingwood. N. Y" Putting this and
That together, concluded that on,
young rounder had come in from thf
West-which was bit puzzllne. since
II left the inference that he wasn.,
direct from New York.
Waiting for good chance at IN.
night clerk. l ventured few ones
lions. They were answered promp.l,
enough. Young Mr.. CoIlingwood ha1
come In on the 80. But he had beer
IN Portal City q week earlier too
stopping over for a single day. Yes
ne was alone, now. but he hadn't hae,
on the other occasion. There w,. ,
man with him on the earlier stop
over. and he. also. registered from
NJ