The Wyandotte herald. (Wyandotte, Mich.) 1879-1943, 1941-01-03
Bathhouse Bandit
By ARCHEY C. NEW
Mcclure Syndicate-WNU service.)

THE bathing hour was at its peak,
i the vast bathhouse, now enjoy
ing that somnolent intermission be-
fore the return rush Of happy. laugh
ing, wet bodies.
In one Of the little cubicles or
dressing in q 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 bather 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, / beg your pardon" muir
INJURED the bather.
That's all right. Let me in a
minute, will your"
Without waiting for an answer,
the young man crowded into the tiny
cubicle and hastily closed the door.
II like your nervel 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 ! can't
leave right now. Go right ahead
with youth toilet. won't look"
II will not" she answered holly.
What do you think this is-a nudist
camp?"
81 wouldn't know about that.
Wheah come from, we don't sorta
like such goin's-on. 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.
Whats wrong?" the bather de-
manded, "are you running away
from the police?"
Gosh, no Sistah!" he assured her
"Then what are you afraid Off
she insisted.
"I'm in the darndest jam you
evan heard Of"
Tell me about it." she urged.
81 was in bathin' today, too" he
explained, land 1 checked my valu
ables like they all do. / went back
to the hotel, fo'gettin' to claim my
things. l came back heah and wher
l stepped up to the window to gel
them, the girl in cha'ge was lyin
inside, with blood on her head anC
lookin' kind of dopey. I yelled TO
someone to come, and reached II
the window SOS to open the door
SOS / could help her, when along
came man. He looks around
quick, yells for help and seem me
with my arm in the window, &C
cuses me. Somethin' tells me IL
have a had time explainin', so
damned. And heah I am
"And you expect me to believt
that?" she demanded scornfully.
His eyes, flashing flintily, at tina
moment made out Cutlery objec
on the floor. He bounced on it
Must be scads O. gold in this heal
bracelet, ma'am: it's pow'fu
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 [
score of men and women, with
Boardwalk cop in the forefront
stared eagerly into the tiny room.
"What's the trouble, ma'am?'
asked a 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"
"So-o?" growled the cop. Seem
to me I've seen this bozo before, eh
bub? Let's see." He reflected brief
H. "Ain't you the Curly Wolff"
"Gosh, no." protested the younI
man. "I'm no criminal. IL"
"Oh, yeah?" sneered the cop. H
turned to the attendant. 'See if yol
can get Miss Jennie back here now.
l. "And, if you don't mind" spok
) I'D the outraged bather, "I'm goin
to the beach to find my husband"
"Oh, / say, ma'am-" he starte
to protest, but the girl vanished
, Another girl, holding a wet towel I
, her head, and half supported by a
attendant, appeared in the group.
| .'Who's he?" she asked listlessly
"I never seen him before"
l. why, Miss Jennie" sputtered tn
COD. "ain't he the hold-up guy?"
"That big beef" shifted the Cir
"He is not!"
"That's funnyi" came an inter
ruption from. the white-coated al
tendant, emerging from the dress
ing room, holding mans suit, an
scanning his chart with a puzzle
air.. How'd this suit get in there
~ boob ~. z lady tsok this roor
-. -,,<r,s-A ~.