The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1942-04-23

sipation around his eyes. He was
dressed in rough tweeds, and
damned his hands into flapless
pockets and glowered at them
District Attorney Bruno blink
ed his eyes rapidly, but Inspect
or Thumm was affected in sub
tier, profounder way. He whisper
ed hoarsely: Harley Longstreet!"
o, that deceit should dwell
in such a gorgeous palace!' said
Harley Longstreet-in the splend-
voice of Drury Lane.
Eighteen minutes past mid
night found the police party seat
ed in one of the rear cars of the
eehawken-Newburg local train.
Lane was swathed in topcoat,
wide-drimmed felt hat pulled
over his face. He sat beside In
spector Thumm by the window
his head turned to the pane, app
arently either asleep or absorbed
in some mntal problem.
Thumm glanced at Lanes avert
ed head, sighed, and got to his
feet. He tramped heavily out Of
the car. Almost at once he re-
turned with an excitement-flush-
ed face. He sat down and leaned.
whispering to Bruno. Something
queer Just spotted Ahern and:
Imperiale in the forward car"
The conductor appeared at the
forward end Of the coach and be-
gan to collect and punch tickets.
When he reached the polio party
he grinned in recognition; Thumm
nodded sourly and paid the fare
of the party in cash. The con-
ductor took from his outside
breast pocket a number OF stand
ard cash-fare tickets, placed them
together, punched them at two
places and ripping the tickets in
half, handed Thumm one set, de-
posting the others in a pocket. {.
Mr.. Drury Lane, the somnolent,
chose this instant to spring start
lingly into life. He rose, whipped
off the concealing hat and coat,
and turned to face the conductor.
The man stared blankly. Lane
plunged his hand into one OF the
patch-pockets of his sackcoat, pro-
duced a silver case and, swapping
it open, took out a pair OF eye
glasses. He did not put thin on,
merely regarded the conductor
with a reflective, curious preoc-
cupation. :,
The conductors hand stopped
in mid-air, holding his ticket
punch His mouth popped open,
his tall burly figure sagged, the
why coloring of his face vanish
ed in aoflood Of dead+white. Out
of his mouth came a single word:
"Longstreet
The artificial lips Of Harley
Longstreet smiled and his right
hand, dropping the silver case
and eyeglasses, went again into
his pocket and came out cluthlng
something metallic A tiny
click and the conductor tore his
eyes away from that shilling face
to look down dazedly at the hand
cuffs on his wrists.
Whereupon Mr.. Drury Lane
smiled again, this time at the un-
believing faces of Inspector
Thumm and District Attorney
Bruno. Lane said calmly: did
you bring the inking-pad as l
requested, Inspector"
Thumm struggled to his feet,
and while he grasped the mans
nerveless hand and proceeded to
press it on the pad, Lane picked
up from his seat the discarded
topcoat, searched one of the pock-
cts, and brought forth the consul
lar manila envelope. Thumm
handed Lane the wet impression
of the conductors fingertips.
Lane held the paper side by side
with the Photographic prints,
cooking his head critically. Then
he returned the wet impression
to the Inspector, together with
the photograph.
"What would you say, 1nspec-
tor? You've compared thousands
of these, no doubt"
Thumm scanned them carefully.
sThey look the same to me-" he
muttered.
Bruno faltered to his feet. "Mr.
Lane, who-what-?"
Lane grasped the arm of the
manacled man in not unfrlend-
lv manner. "NT~. Bruno, Inspec-
tor Thumm, allow me to intro
duce one of Gods most unfortun-
ate children, Mr.. Martin Slopes,
alias Conductor Edward Thomp-