The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-12-27
eD. LEE Boomer Extraordinary
By Charles Wesley Sanders
SYNOPSIS:

Jasper Lee. boomer. mas just lost his job, and desires a change of scenery. But he has no money, 60 he hops freight train. In the car he
 boards he discovers three traInps who rob him of his gun and flashlght whlie he sleeps. He is awakened at stakes him to breakfast. He gets a
 temporary job at Marvin Center. There he meets the Norton sisters,
 who are the other operators. At the hotel he learns something of their history, and also that a boomer Is q next door neighbor to a thief. After supper he goes to the office ana meets Kate Norton, from whom he gets more information regarding her sis- ter and brother, and promises to help find the brother. As he is leaving he is nearly knocked down by Kirby, the station agent. but Jasper does nor carry out his threat to hit the agent. Later in the evening, he finds Kirby and slaps him for annoying Miss Nor ton. Later that evening. after a. further talk with Kate, he applies to the chief operator for a permanent position.
 Jasper is returning to the office after mailing his letter when he hears muffled explosion Tn the direction of the town. and shortly thereafter he gets a telephone call from the po- Nice to head off robbers. He goes to the window in time to see an auto mobile just dash by. Just then ne hears the station door slam, and a breathless frightened youth who says ne's Jimmy Norton. asks Jasper 10 hide him from the police. Jasper hides him in a shanty and goes back to his desk. He Is hardly seated when a police captain bursts in on him looking for Norton Having got rid of the policeman, Jasper goes to the shanty but Norton IS gone. At breakfast in the hotel he sees two
 men who look familiar, although he cannot place them Finally he re- members and finds out their names, Bonner and Dayton, and the number of their room. He searches the room l but finds nothing. He follows them l about town for a while with no re- 1 suit. That evening he has a long talk with Kate about her brother and asks her to trust him. As on the night before Jasper hears an expIo- sion and at the risk of losing his job l goes back to the Eagle Hotel. Bon ner and Dayton are not In. so he waits for them to get home. Then he returns to the office. In a few minutes the police captain enters robbery. About the time he should have reached the bank, and done a little fancy work with the safe, the explosion came. I ran up 10 the bank and saw him leaving there. I lost him again. but here he is Run him in. Cap.'
 Jasper waited a few minutes long er, but there was no further develop ment. He climbed the fence and went through a yard to the street be- yond. This brought him up behind the station. He entered
 The despatcher was calling him | again. Jasper answered this call.
 As he sat there he heard the back door of the waittng-room opened. He rose and started for the door of the telegraph office. It was flung open before he reached it. The captain of police and Kirby stood on the thresh- old.
 'aThere's your man." Kirby said.
 The captains gun covered Jasper.
 Where have you been?" the cap tain demanded.
 "When?" Jasper asked.
 Prom ten minutes to twelve till now" the captain answered
 tI was right here at ten minutes to twelve," Jasper said
 Hes liar," Kirby broke in- i've been keeping my eye on him, cap. He's a boomer, and no good. He went uptown at ten minutes to twelve I tried to follow him, l., but but
 About the time he should have reached the bank and done little fancy work with the safe the eXplo- sion came. I ran up to the bank, and I saw him leaving there- I lost him again, but here he is- Run him
 Tougher Than Usual.
 Jasper still had on his coat and hat. The revolver he had bought was fin the right hand pocket of the coat. He had an impulse to reach for 1t, but he was uncertain of what the captain would do.
 t'Dead or alive" might he the cap tain's professional code.
 ''Kirby's lying. captain" he said to gain time.
 Have you been here right along since you came on duty?" the cap tain asked
 'sNo. ] was uptown
 He figured Kirby might have seen him and Kirby might have had wit messed. In that case evasion would I be useless. Also the despatcher knew he had been out of the office.
 What were you dolugi uptown" the captain demanded.
 1T went to my hotel - the Eagle Hotel"
 ''who'd you see there?"
 The circumstances were unfortu- nate, Jasper saw. His care to escape was against him now.
 CT didn't see anyone" he said "I went to my room through the side door"
 'sEeh." the captain sneered. well you can go into the station through -he front door. Come along"
 1T can't leave the ofHce." Jasper said. The despatcher just told me O stay here"
 Fresh, aren't you?' said Kirby. 'I'u take your trick; I'm not the gilt adged boomer you are, but I guess I sen do the work
 "Go ahead of me- the captain or tered.
 With shrug of his shoulders Jas ser preceded him through the door o the platform They came to the ,oad. Jasper glanced back past the ,aptain.
 . s'That"s strange, isn't it?" he asked The captain turned his head. Sensing he old trick. he immediately turned h back. His second turning was CO r incident with the sudden blow Jasper timed at him. The blow caught him s m the jaw. n 'lt's tougher luck than usual for eformed character to have to do a a hing like that" said Jasper as he V ook one look at the prostrate form y If the laws R1inion- f Then he made haste to be some W where else at once. He was good p