Omaha daily bee., 1922-06-04

"Pidgy" was what the boys and girls had called
him.
sible to control his overshoes-and shoes. fol-
that matter-while they were on his feet, he
made 1t his business to see that they kept per-
fectly straight when unoccupied.
There was no doubt about 1t, however. They
were not only pigeon-toed now. but in the dim
light they also appeared to be somewhat lop-
sided and run down at the heel. Still they were
his overshoes; he recognized them despite their
shapelessness They were absolutely and in
controvertiby his. But certainly they were not
old and shapeless when he took them off after
coming in from lunch
His eyes almost started from his head. The
heels suddenly drew themselves together-and
there. before his very eyes. stood his decrepit
overshoes as straight and trim as you please
Twitchcomb lowered his lids quickly and
rubbed them. He felt very queer. He was
seeing things! When he lifted them again 1t was
to actually glare at tho darkened recess. A
fresh cause for wonder-not to say alarm-was
revealed. The gap between the overshoes and
tho bottom of his ulster-a matter Of eight or
ten inches-was no longer an empty void; the
shadowy outlines Of pair Of trouser legs, but
the kind that sag down upon the instep in spine-
less abandon, wrinkled, crumpled, degenerate.
And somehow he stared 1t occurred to him
that the ulster no longer dropped flat and limp
from its hanger; It had expanded, it bulged; It
was no longer a personless garment.
Yes, he certainly was seeing things! He turn
ed pale; cool moisture ooZed out all over his
body. What was the matter with him? What
dreadful affllction had befallen him? His wide,
staring eyes were now fixed on the space be-
tween the hat and the collar Of the coat. A
face appeared there-a hazy, dusky face with
eyes, and a mouth, and a sngularly prominent
pair Of ears Despite his increasing stupefac-
ton, he was conscious of tho swift, almost
gratifying thought that came and went like a
flash: Here was pair of ears that stood out
farther from the head than his own, and that
was something that he, through a great many
years Of acute misery. had never beheld before.
Suddenly the truth broken in upon him. A
robber! desperate who had stolen in during
the afternoon and secreted himself behind the
suspended garment in the dark little hallway!
Twitchcomb was no coward. For years he
bad lived in anticipation Of a "holdup," and
with his methodical brain he had planned just
how to meet such emergency. His plans.
however, had contemplated a frontal attack;
they had not considered an approach from the
rear A great thrill Of excitement surged
through him. The time had come! He was
about to be confronted by the long-expected
desperate armed to the teeth. and he was to
be called upon to defend the banks treasure
with his life.
He stopped down behind the desk and sprang
swiftly to the counter, where In little niche his
loaded revolver lay. Grasping it, he leaped-still
steel safe in which the records were kept
clear view Of the hall was open to him below
the stilt-legged desk at which he had been work.
ing. He was greatly dismayed to find that II
he maintained his present position Of security
behind the safe he would have to manage the
revolver with his left hand-an appalling dis
advantage.
The intruder-if it was an intruder-had not
moved. Twitchcomb watched him AZ II fasci-
mated, his fingers gripping the revolver, his
every sense alert and expectant Several Sec
out to the rascal that he had him covered and
would shoot II he did not hold up his hands and
advance. Just as he opened his lips q most
startling ana uncanuy thing transpired.
Tho figure of q man seemed to exude rather
than to emerge from the ulster. The customary
clumsy founderings Of a person getting out Of
an overcoat was lacking. The coat just simply
emptied Itself and sagged flat and limp again
upon it, hanger; the hat remained perched on
the top of the post. the overshoes undisturbed
on the floor, and yet a, TALL spare figure stood
revealed directly in front Of them
Twitchcomb was petrified. He watched the
man In the hallway as he slowly. deliberately
adjusted his coat collar, spread his arms jerkly
in order to bring his cuffs into view, straight
ened his vest, and then turned to look into the
mirror that hung on the wall beside the window.
He smoothed his hair with the palms Of his
hands. drew his necktie a little tighter-and, ap-
parently satisfied with his appearance, shuffled
haltingly in the direction Of the counting room!
Twitchcombs mouth fell open. For Is win E
ters and more he had gone through precisely
the same routine himself and in exactly the same
manner He passed a hurried glance over his
own crouching figure and was relieved, though
puzzled. to find it was still there and not com.
ing up the hall!