Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1922-05-12

Was There or Mas There Not a Faln
Note Of Malice in the Girls Voice7
Clay did not know. But 1t would hav'
neither surprised nor ~displeased him
He had long since discovered that hi
imperious little friend was far from
an angel.
At his rooms he found a note await
ing him.
Come tonight after eleven. I an
locked In the west rear room Of the
second story. Climb up over the bach
porch. Don't make any noise. The
window will be unbolted. A friend is
mailing this. For Gods sake, dom
fail me-"
The note was signed kitty" Be
low were given the house and street
number. Was 1t genuine? Or did il
lead to a trap? He could not tell
1t might be a plant or it might be q
wall Of real distress. There was only
one way to find out unless he went tc
the police. That way vas to &C
through with the adventure. He de
cided to play a lone hand except fol
such help as Johnnie could give him
Clay took a downtown car and rode
to the cross-street mentioned in the let.
ter for a preliminary tour of investi.
cation. The street designated was
one of plain brownstone fronts with
iron-grilled doors. The blank faces
of the houses invited no confidence.
1t struck him that there was some.
thing sinister about the neighborhood
but perhaps the thought was born OF
the fear. Number 121 had windows
barred with ornamental grilles. This
might be to keep burglars out. II
would serve equally well to keep pris.
oners in.
The cattleman did not linger in that
street lined with houses of sinister
faces. He did not care to call atten.
ton to his presence by staying toe
long. Besides, he had some orange.
ments to make for the night at his
rooms.
These were simple and few. He
oiled and loaded his revolver careful.
ly, leaving the hammer on the one
chamber left empty to prevent acct.
dents, after the custom of all careful.
gunner. He changed into the wrinkled
suit he had worn when he reached
the city, and substituted for his shoes
a pair of felt-soled gymnasium mes
The bowlegged little puncheI
watched his friend, just as a faithful
dog does his master. He asked nc
questions. In good time he knew he
would be told all it was necessary for
him to know.
As they rode from the Bronx. CLAY
outlined tie situation and told his
plans so far as he had any.
$50 I'm goin' to take a whirl at it
Johnnie. Mebbe they're lynn low uI
in that house to get me. Mebbe the
notes the real thing. You can search
me which 1t is. The only way to find
out is to go through with the thing
Yore job is to stick around in front
Of the hacienda and wait for me. II
/ don't show up inside of thirty min-
utes, get the police busy right ava
breakin' into the place. Dc you GO
me, JohnDie?'
"Lemme go with you into the hons
Clay" the little man pleaded.
"Nothin' dom, old-timer. This is
my job, and I don't reckon I'll let any
body else tackle it. Much obliged,
just the same. You're one sure
enough white man, Johnnie"
The little fellow knew that the mat
ter was settled. Clay had decided and
what he said was final. But John
ME worried about it all the way. At
the last moment, when they separated
at the street corner, he added one last
word.
Don't you be too venturesome, son.
If them guys got you it sure would
break me all up"
Clay smiled cheerfully. They're
not goin' to get me, Johnnie. Don't
forget to remember not to forget yore
part. Keep under cover for thirty min.
utes; then If l haven't shown up,
hOller yore head off for the cops"
They We're passing an alley as Clay
finished speaking. He slipped into It's
friendly darkness and was presently
lost to sight. 1t ran into an inner
court which was the center of tortu
passages. The cattleman stopped
to get his bearings, selected the likeli
est exit, and brought up in the shell
ter of a small porch. This, he fell
sure, must be the rear of the house
he wanted.
A strip of lattice work ran up the
side of the entrance. Very carefully
testing every Stat with his weight be
fore trusting himself to it, he climbed
up and edged forward noiselessly upor
the roof. On hands and knees ht