Show f 1 t rf If I I t f t f t If I l f U It l t t f I T t h rAI t ff t F t f rAt T TAl TAI i t Ir i AI t rf l TAl TAlf f mi i 7 li l ml ITI 11 1 ml ml I I T t f f I I t f t t I hn f Fr rw U iO THE TAE CORRESPONDENCE ik i ilL ilL iD SCHOOL fIVE DETEC-fIVE Author of ff 6 Pig I I Pg 9 by b Ell Ellis c ParKer Butler tua sit m 11 J. j. l j. 1 VI JIW jO jI IV Vl UJ j IVI lI j Vl tV tv j. IVI IV I V iVI iVl VJ iV Wi j. j Vi V I a Progressive M Murder ur d' d er ere I I ome e time after aCter he received hiser his the thein theun er cate of or graduation from School of or orIng un in n Correspondence Ing jag Philo Gubb the paper- paper elective detective felt a a. reluctance reluctance e smatter matter of or hiring an office a he might for clients but other hand came cariie came On the business was wasand paper hanging e. e and Philo Gubb was loath assured only row over his For Fo a I e for r a mere possibility I therefore therefore he remained at Mrs l' l iy rooming house his only ad- ad c nt t being the sign she allowed J ih ang under the parlor window m k PHILO GUBB Done flanging Hanging and Detecting ono lI here Apply Inside 1 tg of an optimistic disposition Gubb Gubb b hoped the detective busi- busi grow and the paper-hang- paper fade away in equal ratio ty tSe key end of or a year he had become chIn demand as a paper-hanger paper l us room oom at Mrs Mrs' Murphys Murphy's was d nay nay cP-nay crowded with crowded with odd rolls paper paper paste palls cutting j edges edge and the various of hat at branch of r his business e h red another room I t Was his paper hanging that ed hIm him out of of Mrs Murphys Murphy's an anyone ny one one else In his place would hir lured d' d da a small storeroom on the tho floor on some side street a few from Irom n the main street But to doe done so BO would have been to toI Sedge edge go that the paper-hanging paper J a Cupper I upper hand and Philo Gubb t h heart eart rt a detective He hired the su suitable t table ble office he could find in San Janic T fk for the headquarters of a aye I trite ye favorite tc building was the Jan National Bank Building th bank bahk occupied the entire I I floor r giving the building a a. parry par- par ry elite lIte flavor and the two up- up were Jors rented by lawyers Ince in- in ce m agents real estate brokers ts is and fd physicians Philo Gubb L fine idea of the value of or rented rente r the room room between ex- ex C Troy Oy law attorney-at-law and C. C ilman loans on real estate On Onor or had the best sign painter n paint if aU GUBB Detective v lower left corner in very letters rs were the words Per so letters ers were so small as hardly iSIble to the naked eye and when was was complete Philo Gubb 1 satisfaction or kor two later when Detective tv was as busy In his new office a man closeted with Judge ex-Judge for an hour or two came from office and was passing Ih the hallway when his eye eyo eyet t Philo Gubbs Gubb's sign l imph mph h he ho said pausing to read orris again First I 1 knew there detective in this town I won- won no 0 I guess not I guess Ill I'll ave that detective alone I guess harge me more th then than n my life Is Iso Isto to tome o me me No I guess I 1 wont won't r l' r Well I dont don't knowlt know lt at do any harm to ask his price nt mt charge me mc for asking what charge Gabriel Hostetter reHe re- re He was a shouldered round-shouldered old with a long white beard that thatto to a thin point He wore old aid ld- ld fashioned gold rIm rimmed ed spectacles the rims forming irregular octagons and andon andon andon on his his his' head hp he wore one of the grandest grandest grandest grand grand- est old silk hats that ever saw the light of or day in 1865 His principal garment was a frock coat ice o black but now grayish green He lIe was the wealthiest man in town and It was vas said that when he once got his hands hands on a silver dollar dollar dollar dol dol- lar he squeezed It so hard that the bird of freedom on it never again ut uttered uttered uttered ut- ut a squawk After old Gabe got his claws on the dollar the eagle was wasa wasI a dead bird Once every five years or orOld orso so Old Gabe had new buttons sewed on his coat and each timo he tried to tomake tomako tomako mako make the the little little tailor tailor allow him something something something some some- thing for the old thread threadbare bare buttons He opened Philo Gubbs Gubb's door hesi hesi- He lie expected to see an array of mahogany desks and filing cabinets for which he would be expected to pay every time the detective turned around He expected to see a saucy stenographer stenographer stenographer pounding away at a typewriting machine He expected to see Detective Gubb in a stubby mustache and with a bulldog face sitting at one of or the mahogany mahogany mahogany ma ma- desks his feet on a chair and I his garb of or checked checked suit of the latest and most exp expensive sort When he i peered into int the the room he saw a tall i thin man built like a flamingo dressed so so far as the eye could tell tell tell-in in white overalls with a bib sitting on an upended upended upended up up- ended bundle of or wall paper stirring a pail of ot paste with one hand while he ate a ham sandwich by means of or the other I 1 guess I got In the wrong place plade said Uncle Gabe Thought this was wasa a detective office All right All Al Allright right Im him said Philo Gubb swallowIng swallowing swallow swallow- ing a hunk of or sandwich with a gulp II and wiping his hand handon on his overalls Youre who asked Uncle Gabe Im the said Philo Gubb Uncle Gabe looked at him doubtfully Im Mr Gubb the detec detec- de tec- tec said Philo You are hey said Uncle Gabe All disguised up I reckon Disguised up said Philo question question- Oh this here paper-hanging paper and decorating stuff No this aint no i disguise This is just a sort of ot temporary temporary temporary tempo tempo- in filler-in that I work ork at while the business starts statts tp pick up Murders has been sort of slack and there aint much doing in bank robbing robbing robbing rob rob- bing lately so I paper-hang paper and decorate decorate decorate deco deco- rate between whiles Even a i tive has got to earn a living while his practice Is building up Humph said old Gabe Earn a alivin alivin allvin livin paper-hanging paper hey I so do said Philo And detecting aint very good right now It aint for a fact said Philo Well If ff that's so said old Gabe maybe you and me could do some business business business busi busi- ness ness together If you want to go right along carnIn a living paper-hanging paper and do a little detective work to 3 sort rt of keep your our hand In maybe we ve can cando can cando cando I do business I ought to to-git to git paid something Said Philo doubtfully It aint right for a to cut rates It spoils the business for everybody Id I'd ought to have have Pay exclaimed old Gabe Pay for bein allowed to sharpen up and j keep bright Why you'd ought to pay payI I me for lettin you have the practice It aint goin to 10 do me no good is it I dont don't know what you want me mo to detect yet said Philo so I cant can't say but it aint usual for a tive tine Jo o pay the man hes he's detecting for No sir it aint The business would go all to hang if It that was what we had to do There wouldn't be no money In It at all Not but what I might pay some if it it was a case that would do me good to practise on I 1 might pay a. a a little I knew It it said old Gabe Now this case of or mine mine mine- What sort of ot a case caso would you pay to work on Well said Philo thoughtfully It If I Iwas Iwas Iwas was to have a chance at a real tough murder case for Instance I dont don't mean a plain murder case where everybody knows who did it and why he did It I mean a case caso that would take some working up and thinking and using of rules as laid down downin in the Itis- Itis Ing Sun Correspondence Course Lc sons Six to Ten Murders and Murder Mysteries How to 10 Solve Them Humph said old Gabe How much might you pay to b be let work on ona ona ona a case like that We Well l I dunno said Philo Gubb I thoughtfully If it looked Ilka a mighty hard case I might pay a dollar a day day if if It was a murder cas case This case ase of or mine said old Gabe coming further into the room is just that sort of a case caso And Ill I'll let you work on it for a dollar and a a day That's cheap too when you think how you'll be me and up my time A murder case asked Philo Yes sir a murder case said old Gabe And a mighty hard one to to see Into And Ill I'll let you work on it as I long as you like for a dollar doBar and a I a day I Well if It Its It's that kind of or a case I said Philo slowly Ill give you a dollar dollar dollar dol dol- lar a day and Ill I'll work on it hard and faithful A dollar and a quarter a a day insisted in insisted insisted in- in old GabeNo GabeNo Gabe No sir a dollar Is all I can afford to pay said Philo I All right I wont won't be mean said old Gabe Make it a dollar an fifteen cents and well we'll ca call l it a go One dollar a day said PhiloA PhiloA PhiloA Philo A dollar ten cents urged old Gabe One dollar said Philo Tell you what lets let's do said old oM I Gabe We Wo aint but ten cents apart i You add on a nickel and Ill I'll knock off offa a nickel and well we'll make it a dollar five What say That's fair enough You aint come up any I come all the tho way down All right then said Philo Its a I go Now who was murdered and when I was he murdered and why was he murdered Them's the things Ive I've got gotto gotto gotto to find out first You pay me a dollar five for the first days day's work and Ill I'll tell you said old Gabe Philo dug into his pocket and drew out some mone money There he s said tid Theres Theros two dollars and ten c cents That pa pays s for two days gays Now W. No-W. go ahead He drew out his notebook and wet the end of or a pencil and waited Tho The reason this is su such h a hard hardcase hardcase hardcase case said old Gabe slowly slowly and slowly and and choosing choosing choosing choos choos- ing h his s words with care care carel Is because the murder aint completed yet Its It's being did Right now exclaimed Philo ex ex- Why we wo ou oughtn't to be sitting sitting sitting sit sit- ting hero here like this W Wi Wp ought ought Now dont don't be In Inc such a hurry said old Gabe If y u ou u mean we ought to be where the victim of the tho murder Is we are Hes He's right right here now Where Who is is s he asked Philo J 1 Im him hI said id J 1 I to get Ret paid something said Philo a Gubb u ut hb It IL I f t nt right ight for a detective to o cut rates It spoils the business for for everybody J I r J i I f I Iry ry J i if ila f 1 la Yf l I r Im him hI said id sa old old Gabe Im th thone the theone e one that's bein being g m murdered u r d ere d. d I Im I'm m being murdered b by hy y slow murder I ImI Im I'm m liable to drop rop down dow n I dead any minute I 1 just been in an and rn made de my will BuI But Bu ButI t I dont don't want to b be e murdered and no not nol t have the feller that thaI t murders me han hau hang g like e he ought 3 I cant can't be expected to It aint human huma n J nature No it aint agreed Philo iman A i Aman 1 1 man cant can't he lIeI p feeling revengeful against the mathat marthat mar mac n that murders him If anybody murder mur der dered d me Id I'd fee fcc the the same way Ho Hows How's s 's he g you 1 Slow poison Gunshot re old Gabe me t tc o r 1 death with a gun The correspondent correspondence school detective looked at old Gabe with amazement Shoo tin you to death with a gun he exclaimed Aint you told tho the police I come come to you ou didn't I asked aked old Gabe Aint you the police Anyway if I was to set the police on the feller he might rouse up and shoot me to death all at once once How flow else is he shoo ln you to death asked Philo By Inches said old ld Gabe Yes sir by inches Every once in awhile a awhile awhile while he takes a shot at me Sometimes Sometimes Some Some- I times Umes through the window of my housand house hous and sometimes when Im I'm walkin on the street And he aint ever hit you you yet asked Philo Phil Gubb Hit lIlt me exclaimed old Gabe Why he dont don't ever miss me He hits hits' m ms me every time There aint a aday day he donti dont don't J i shoot and hit me and some some days he ho heI heI hoI I I hits me two or three times I dare say Im I'm almost dead now If I it Philo Gubb fondled his notebook un un- certainly What What what does he shoot you with he asked Well I dunno dunn exactly said old Gabe You might call it a shooter pea-shooter and you ou might call it something that shoots hoots harder than thana a pea Sometimes he shoots me almost as ashard ashard ashard hard as a sling shot would shoot And when he he ho Philo Gubb closed his notebook awl anal slipped it into his pocket If It all you was after atter was to get that t two tO O dollars and ten cents you might have got it without so 50 much of or my time he said reproachfully But Old Gabe did not move the matter he le asked Maybe I look like a fool and maybe I only look like a fool because that's the best disguise a detective can have he ho said bitterly but I aint no such I fool as to think anybody Is murdering I II nobody with a a. pea If It I look lookas I as ar much like Eke a fool as that that Was you ever shot with SL p cannon cannon asked old Gahe Gabe cah calmly No nor nobody ever tried to murder mur murder mur- mur der me with a pea shooter shoot pea said Philo Gubb If you ever was shot by a inch 13 cannon ball s said id old Gabe paying no attention to Philos Philo's words know how It is When a Inch 13 cannon ball hits you there aint left of or youat you youat youat at all Youre You're just banged all to noth noth- in Youre You're plum gone But when a 1 I inch Inch cannon cannon ball hits you yoli youve you've got gota a chance cliance to live a minute or two mayb may- may be b When a one-inch one cannon cannonball ball hits you you linger along for a minute or two and then youre you're ready for the he undertaker That's the difference between between between be be- tween a thirteen inch cannon ball ban shoo tin you and a one-inch one cannonball cannon cannonball cannonball ball you You got a longer time to live after you get shot And a rifle ball is different too I got a job of or paper hangin as soon soon as I can get away awa- from here said Phila Gubb You got a job of on hand now said old Gabe Gahe And as I was sayin a rifle rille ball acts different Maybe It kills you the first shot and maybe you can hold three or four rifle bullets j r before you die but if It they keep on an onI n I at you you get killed sooner I or later Probably five shots is all aU allany I any man could stand I 1 guess that's I j about It ItI I And t th n you come down to one of or them little two twenty-two calibre vers If he dont don't hit you in the the heart a murderer could easy enough shoot at Jt you twenty-five twenty times with one of them little twos two's before he killed you I dead But you'd be dead sooner or later You bet you would Its It's just I a matter of or the tho difference in what a aman aman man shoots you with that makes the difference in time Of course he said agreeably I dont don't expect no shooter pea-shooter to kill me meas meas as quick as a a thirteen-Inch thirteen gun If U you expect that youre you're unreasonable There aint no sense Into it iC You cant can't even expect a shooter pea-shooter to kill a 3 aman man as quick as al a two twenty two twenty revolver would You got to give it more time L But the principle is just the same is You know how the poem goes The constant drip of or water Wears away the hardest stone 1 and that's just as true of or murd a aman aman man with a pea You can take a stone and chuck it into a stone crusher and its it's cement Ina in ina 1 a minute or you can drip water on it and that takes some time |