Evening star., 1924-06-01
Archie's $ Old { ) Sln!':!! Pal; |. Squiffy
Difficulties Encountered in Aiding the Professional
Press Agent

! tragedy. Where is my snake%
Archie looked at the house detec-
| tive. The house detective looked at
Archie.
This lady" said the house detec-
tive, with dry little cough, thinks
her snake is in your room. Mr.. Mof-
| fam"
"'Snake?'"
Snakes what the lady said"
My snake. My Peter" Madame
| Brudowska's voice shook with ono
| ton. He is here-here in this
| room
Archie shook his head
"No snakes here. Absolutely not.
THE snake Is here-here in this
room!. This man had it in a bag. l
saw him! He is a THEIR
Easy, ma'am." protested the house
detective. Go easy. This gentleman
is the boss's son-in-law."
Il care not who ne is. He has my
snake. Here-here!"
Archie looked at the house detec-
tive. The house detective looked at
Archie. We must humor her." their
glances said.
"Of course" said Archie, "if you'd
| like to search the room-what?"
Il will search the room" said
| Madame Brudowska.
The house detective glanced apollo
getically at Archie.
Don't blame me for this Mr.. Mof-
fam" he urged.
Rather not, Only too glad you've
dropped in"
He took up an easy attitude against
the window and watched the empress
of the emotional drama explore.
Presently she desisted, baffled. For
an instant she paused, as though
about to speak, then swept from the
room A moment later, q door banged
across the passage.
How do they get that way?"
queried the house detective.
1.-The female of the species is more
deadly than the male" said Archie.
ITS the hot weather" said the
house detective judicially. We'll.
gby. Mr.. Moffam. Sorry to have butted
in"
The door closed. Archie waited a
few moments, then went to the win
dow and hauled in the slack. Pres
emily the bag appeared over the edge
of the window sill
by Jove" said Archie.
In the rush and swirl of recent
events he must have omitted to see
that the clasp that fastened the bag
was properly closed, for the bag, as
it jumped onto the window sill, gaped
at him like a yawning face. And in
side il therewas nothing.
Archie leaned as far out of the
window as he could manage without
committing suicide. Far below him,
the traffic took it's usual course. and
the pedestrians moved to and fro
upon the sidewalks. There was no
crowding, no excitement. Archie
marveled at the cynical detachment
of the New Yorker. who permits him
self to be surprised at nothing.
A RcHIE had dinner and theater
engagement that night, and it
was late when he returned to the
hotel. He found his fatherin-law
prowling restlessly about the lobby.
There seemed to be something on Mr..
Brewster's mind. He came up to
Archie with a brooding frown on his
square face.
Who's this man Seaclin?' he de-
manded without preamble. II hear
he's a friend of yours
-uyh q
Archie Had a nice little chat together
yes Talked of this and that-no?"
we have not said a word to each
other"
Really? oh, well. dear old Squiffy
is one of those strong, silent fellers,
you know. You mustn't mind IL he's
bit dumb. He never says much"
Mr.. Brewster struggled with his
feelings.
who is he? You seem to know
him."
"Oh, yes. Great pal of mine, Squiffy.
We went through Eton, Oxford and
the bankruptcy court together. And
here's a rummy coincidence: When
they examined me l had no assets.
And when they examined Squiffy he
had no assets. Rather extraordinary
-what?'
Mr.. Brewster seemed to be in no
mood for discussing condolences. -.
'I might have known he was
friend OF yours he said, bitterly.
well. if you want to see him you'll
have to do it outside my hotel"
"Why, L thought he was stopping
here"
He is-tonight. Tomorrow he can
look for some other hotel to break
up
Great Scott. Has dear old Squiffy
been breaking the place up?"
Mr.. Brewster snorted.
"I am informed that this precious
friend of yours entered my grillroom
at 8 o'clock. He must have been
completely intoxicated, though the
head waiter tells me he noticed moth
ing at the time"
Archie nodded approvingly.
Dear old Squiffy was always like
that. It's a gift. However woozled
he might be. it was impossible to
detect it with the naked eye"
"The head waiter" said Mr. Brew
ster, with cold fury, tells me that he
got hint of the mans condition
when he suddenly got up from his
table and went the round of the
room, pulling off all the tablecloths
and breaking everything that was
on them. He then threw a number
Of rolls at the diners and left. He
seems to have gone straight to bed"
Dashed sensible of him-what?