The guardian., 1940-01-27
Bathhouse Bandit
By ARCHEY C. NEW
Mcclure Syndicate WNU ServiceJ

In one of the little cubicles or
dressing-rooms, in a cross-section
corridor distant from the Board
walk entrance, a bather stood, en-
shrouded in huge towel, listening
intently. Down the shadowy pas
sage came the shouts of voices. The
lone batl1er opened the door few
inches and peered out. A young
man was running this way. At that
moment, the bather, perversely it
seemed, elected to toss a very wet
bathing-suit into the corridor, hit
ting the runner squarely on his
spick-and-span flannel trousers.
"Oh, l beg your pardon" muir
INJURED the bather.
That's all right. Let me in a
minute, will you?"
Without waiting for an answer,
the young man crowded into the tiny
cubicle and hastily closed the door.
81 like your nerve! Get out of
here!"
The intruder, dumfounded, wheeled
and faced very pretty, very wrath
full towel-clad lady.
You'll have to excuse me, sistah,"
he whispered huskily, but l can't
leave right now Go right ahead
with youh toilet l won't look"
81 will not" she answered hotly.
"What do you think this is-a nudist
camp?"
81 wouldn't know about that.
Wheah l come from, we don't sorta
like such goin SON" He fingered a
mans coat and trousers hanging on
the wall. How come these heah
clo'es? You-you're not one of those
movie stars that weah mems clo'es,
are your"
''I'm not" she told him, tartly.
"I-they're-my husbands" And
she added, quickly, YOU'D better
get out before he comes back"
"Great Grief, that sho' is tough"
He started to open the door, when
again the excited voices drew near
He shut the door.
What's wrong?" the bather de-
manded, "are you running away
from the police?"
Gosh, no sistahl" he assured her.
"Then what are you afraid off"
she insisted.
''I'm in the darndest jam you
evan heard OF"
'Tel me about it, she urged.
81 was in bathin' today, too," he
explained, land I checked my valu-
ables like they all do. I went back
to the hotel, fo'gettin' to claim my
things. l came back heah and when
1 stepped up to the window to get
them, the girl in cha'ge was lynn
inside, with blood on her head and
lookin' kind of dopey. 1 yelled fo'
someone to come, and reached in
the window SOS to open the door,
SOS l could help her, when along
came a man. He looks around
quick, yells for help and seein' me
with my arm in the window, ac-
cuses me. Somethin' tells me I'd
have had time explainin', so
lammed. And heah I am"
'And you expect me to believe
that?" she demanded scornfully.
His eyes, flashing fintily, at that
moment made out a Cutlery object
on the floor He pounced on it.
'Must be scads O. gold in this heah
bracelet, ma'am: it's pow'ful
heavy" He grinned sourly. can
can't be a thief, exactly, else
wouldn't be handin' it back to you"
'Help!" she cried out, suddenly.
"Help!" The door flew open, and a
score of men and women, with a
Boardwalk cop in the forefront,
stared eagerly into the tiny room.
What's the trouble, ma ann"
asked white-coated attendant.
"This man said you were hunt
ing him for a hold-up," she cried.
"He forced his way into my room,
to hide"
5000" growled the cop. Seems
to me I've seen this bozo before, eh,
bub? Let's see." He reflected brief
ly. "Ain't you the Curly Wolff"
Gosh, no." protested the young
man. "I'm no criminal. Il"
"Oh, yeah?" sneered the cop. He
turned to the attendant "See if you
can get Miss Jennie back here now"
"And, if you don't mind" spoke
up the outraged bather, "I'm going
to the beach to find my husband"
"Oh, l say, ma'am-" he started
to protest, but the girl vanished.
Another girl, holding a wet towel to
her head, and half supported by an
attendant, appeared in the group.
who's he?" she asked listlessly,
II never seen him before"
"Why, Miss Jennie" sputtered the
cop, "ain't he the hold-up guy?"
"That big beef?" shifted the girl.
"He is not!"
That's funny!" came an inter-
ruption from the white-coated at
tendant, emerging from the dress
ing room, holding mans suit, and
scanning his chart with a puzzled
air. How'd this suit get in there?
My book says lady took this room
today-alone.
Jenny snatched at the coat.
That's the little shrimp's coat what
slugged me-" she shrilled excitedly.
1.-THE little sawed-off worm had