The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1922-08-11


/ delivered him at length to the Office
waiting-room of Captain Anderson,
head Of the bureau OF missing persons.
The Runt, surveying the numbers in
the waiting-room and those passing In
and out. was ready to revise his opin-
ion about the possible difficulty of the
job. He judged that half the popula-
ton OF New York must be missing.
After time the captains secretary
notified Johnny that 1t was his turn.
As soon as he was admitted the punch
er began his little piece without wait
ing for any preliminaries.
"Say, captain, want you to find my
friend Clay Lindsay. He"
Just a moment" interrupted the
captain. "Who are your Don't think /
got your name"
Johnnie remembered the note of In
PRODUCTION and his name at the same
time. He gave both to the big man
who spent his busy days and often
part of the nights looking for the lost,
strayed, and stolen among New York 8
millions.
The captains ewes swept over the
note. '.Sit down, Mr. Green, and let's
get at your trouble. This note says
that you're looking for man named
Clay Lindsay who came to New York
| several months ago. Have you or has
anybody else heard from him In that
| time ?"
''We got letter right after he got
here. He amt writ since"
Perhaps he's dead. We'd better
look up the morgue records"
''MorgueT The Runt grew excited
instantly. ''That place where you
keep folks that get drowned or
bumped off? Say, captain, I'm here
to tell you Clay was the livest man
in Arizona, which Is the same as sayin'
anywheres. Cowpunchers don't take
naturally TO m0rgues. No, sir, Clay
amt in no morgue Like as not he's
helped fill this yere morgue If any
| crooks tried their rough stuff on him.
| Don't get me wrong, Cap. Clay Is the
squarest herman ever God made. All
I'm sayin' is"
The captain interrupted. He asked
sharp, incisive questions and got busy.
Presently he reached for phone. got
in touch with sergeant at the police
desk in the upper corridor, and sent
an attendant with Johnnie to the POI
lice department.
The Irish sympathies Of the SER
geant were aroused by the naive hon.
esty of the little man. He sent for
another sergeant, had card records
brought, consulted couple of patrol
men, and then turned to Johnnie
We've met your friend all right
he said with grin. Hes wan heluva
lad Fits the description to T.
There can't be but one like him here"
And he went on to tell the story of the
adventure of the janitor and the hose
The washed-out eyes of the punch
er lit up. That's him. That's sure
him. Tell me where he's atg
I'VE don't know. We can show you
the place where he tied the janitor.
but that's the best we can do" The
captain hesitated. IF you find him,
give him straight tip from me. Tell
him to buy ticket for Arizona and
take the train for home. This town
is no healthy place for him. Your
friend has made an enemy-a powerful
one. He'll understand if you tell
him.
'.Who is this here enemy?"
"Neve- mind. He hit up too fast
a pace"
'.You can't tell me thing against
Clay-not a thing" protested Johnnie
holly. Hell sure do to take along.
Clay will. There can't any guy knock
him TO me. if he. does wear a uniform"
"Pm not saying a thing against
him." replied the officer impatiently.
I'm giving him a friendly tip to beat
it, if you see him. Now I'm going to
send you uptown with plain-clothes
man. He'll show you where your
friend made his New York debut.
That's all we can do for YOU"
An hour later the little cowpuncher
was gazing wistfully at the hitching-
post. His face was twisted pathet-
W quCotAOu MAJ II was de
though he thought he could conjure
from the post the secret of Clay's dis
appearance Where had he gone from
here? And where was he now?
In the course OF the next two days
the Runt came back to that post many
times =. the starting point for weary.
high-heelc tEamps through streets
within circuit of mile. He could
not have explained why he did so. Per-
haps it wa because this was the only
spot in the city that held for him any
tangible relationship TO Clay. Ssme
one claimed TO have seen him vanish
into one of these houses. Perhaps he
might come back again. 1t was very
tenuous hope. but t was the only one
Johnnie had. He dumped over the