Show 1 cRACKSMAN C J ND CLEVER BURGLARS BURGLAR 1 WILLIAM K GIBBS IBBS pub PuD Cp Co Short Story p Y YI glance to tho thoI I n a hasty basty o- o STINO having the and I I and left eft right ht 11 b being 1 of ot one e ng pursued pur- pur appearance ance well dressed man slack slack- sue sued n a I Imposing I ng of- of II before an MS his p. p pace ce D IW struck six first the thee clocks fr e town fD courthouse hol tower an and d t then 1 len ID j tie the 1 one In the city I hall Ja II a- a the er Ill array astruck five times slowly best hesi- bes I struck truCk ST aye one s struck e eleven 1 e. e en t times I mes moment with witha a once struck Meat f vIgor T and nd was through No boom com paring could cure the repairing of of 1 0 It Ite dock clock of ot this peculiarity Ia ha l J kept It according to a ae away but time m e of Its own way ray between the e marble marbie pil- pil In ring D' D the the entrance of guarded the the min Ignored the and began to o ascend Four flights up he turned ref refan re- re tUe corridor He lIe paused a from his hisIe paper red Ie f fan an sa afternoon crand and read James Whitbeck joG Trades New r York this after- after for left g So lecture before the theSSI o deliver a SSI association on his recently kal Ical lie He will be gone fed cure cancer I t d eeE k the figure crept catlike steps which bore in mods mod- mod rt i the the door letters the Inscription James Inscription James s Ck M M. D D. The clang of an ele- ele i startled the stodgy figure e paW p-paW paused ed listened Intently then tried e r Much to hits his surprise It red ened and he be stood face to face with ta i Il dark k middle-aged middle man of ot pro pro- lonal i l bearing Good evening eto rt rf he said blandly I III did not nto find you here The voice JEt beet betray what was passing rough tb the speakers speaker's mind S W i V rotten tell you tou why Im I'm here ven- ven red the newcomer Im Tra Barrett of ot on-al on detail and I came up here to tot t thief Phat's 1 ts t's the matter have I been my patients questioned 0 e other her smiling o yoa dont don't understand Were We're ier f a man who calls himself Jeff ire e been on n his trail for weeks but ca ant t seem to get within hailing disa dis- dis J a We 5 We dont don't know what he looks hut t he Invariably Ill leaves a note r r. r the police signed Jeff He makes males specialty Ity of doctors' doctors offices y look for tor him here the very good reason that you youe e supposed to be well on your way r tew V e York The afternoon paper paperS is S you are to deliver a lecture In inaR aR w fork and left this afternoon il r while the the doctors doctors are out out Theo Then In a confiding tone the speak- speak std sald sud sudy t w y- y ysee see Im I'm anxious to make the myself as It will give me a aringer ringer er pull with the chief I have proposition to make and If It you'll l me e Ill I'll be sure to get him What J you say will you you you- course anything I can do will wille v e e great pleasure You can count countI I n ale me Thanks Now my proposition Is i Ik- Ik Jeff Is shrewd he will pretend I I lck if he finds yo you here You Youve ve Wm so something met II 1 ng and while J you lou are areg lIng S g that g give ge I e him every chance to tol tor your r r watch and your money Then l 42 my y Part Brett's Bretts persuasion won the other I the Ule apr agreement to stay as long as he ta old and d still jM catch an early evening n Wor o for New york lor k Barrett screened 1 one lODe r e corner corne rot of t the b e room room- and select- select W J. J comfortable chair J began his Second second figure gure short and squatty fa the Trades building Ue lIe rode p the tf 5 fourth rth floor and walked bold- bold eta ib the doctors doctor's office gj a luck lucky I found you OU here doche doc doc- je he U began n almost Immediately I IU 1 talking atting with a man this afternoon i. i he e recommended you ou to me me- meI I fe something Mn for tor formy l my nerves nelves they're f r ne to pieces you know bat at so Come In the consulting j and aDd let et m me n look you ou over ocr The fhe I P fil Pent routine of f a Ph physician over the gold Aid d L was given ehen a small dose of V from Jora a n bottle the on doctors doctor's it 11 As 1 6 Soon 01 as he saw he was ws n not nott t tSZ t SZ hatched the Patient turned r nt Ind of the glass Int Into th the thc cus cus- ow L long turning to the doctor said f ld It before It works 1 nid take i effect immediately the reply ly but y you l had d better let Tet let mine your OUr heart patient est unbuttoned his coat and ns as the doctor bent over i placed M latter Iatter his ea ear t to the others other's chest alch extracted a wallet and Wc from the formers former's pocket dont ont find finci JOUr anything Wig the matter mattert t heart but hut wu you 1 0 had better another dose dose of f thIs and d andose an- an from the bottle a f was given hed This time he lie was It and he had to swallow it It He quite Ir had bad the worst of anything tasted t me know how you feel teel tomora tomor tomor- I It a hand hUnd fusers I s1 Jq ers l was laid rough roughly I on I 11 ivl shoulder Interrupting t t a Whets hat the hI h meaning of ur t rl 11 n Gael I when hl II he had reI re re- chief 1 to I. see you J Jeff rr eer ered 11 Darrett Barrett ed r- r your Our little I to game nt at last I t I Wallet see you lift Do Doctor tor Whitt Whit Whit- and watch Just now So 80 0 r youre you're a dip too eh We Ve didn't know v that before Well you got me sulked the prisoner prisoner prisoner pris pris- oner dejectedly but Im I'm no piker Ill I'll q JL quietly These will make male me feel teel a little littlemore littlemore more secure secure remarked Barrett as he fastened the he handcuffs on the prisoners prisoner's prisoners prisoner's prison prison- ers er's wrists Turning to the doctor he said Well want to see you probably when you OU get back from New York I But what about my watch and my money the doctor asked Oh you'll youn get them all an right We need them for evidence and Ill I'll have e eto to take them to the station The two men men men-de men detective detective and prisoner pris pris- oner passed over passed out and closed the door The physician called a taxicab company company company com com- pany and asked them to have a taxi In front of the Trades building In forty-five forty minutes The outer door of 4 G Trades building buildIng build build- Ing opened noiselessly Two figures entered stealthily As the light was switched on one who had been present present pres pres- ent eat at the little drama enacted thirty minutes before would have recognized the two as the same detective and prisoner although now the handcuffs were not In evidence Guess we gave the old boy the slip sUp Jim said Barrett He lIe fell feU for our game like Uke n a year two They gathered up everything of value and placed It In a grip that seemed to have bc been n left there for their especial benefit Both worked In silence Neither knew that a pair pall of e eyes ejes es watched them from behind the same screen that had formed Barretts Barrett's hiding place a short tI time e before re Barrett broke the silence all alle we e want he said If weve we've overlooked overlooked overlooked over over- looked anything Im I'm sorry As the two emerged from the consulting room they faced a 44 caliber re ol ver vcr The games game's up boys said theman theman the theman man who at nt that moment was master of the situation Ill Til take my watch and money Youre a shrewd one all right Doctor Doctor Doctor Doc Doc- tor Whitbeck parried Barrett We take our hats off orr to you Cut that chatter and face tace the wall waIL They obe obeyed ed Now Ill I'll just relieve you ou of these cannons There that's better Now unload everything you I have In your pockets and be quick about It At Atthe the point of ot the revolver the two culprits did as they were bidden Sure you ou haven't missed anything asked the man with the gun all there Is Is Is- boss How about the bracelets Ive got em replied Barrett doggedly dog dog- gedly Put one on your wrist and one on your pals pal's ordered the man with the gun Now let me give you a tip My car Is waiting down In front dont don't you two make snake any noise or try to follow follow fol fol- fol low me or Im I'm afraid I might lose control of my trigger Arent you going to send us to the stir queried Barrett somewhat surprised No uNo I hadn't thought of that Well that's sure white of you Doc Then In slow measured tones came the reply Doctor Whitbeck left for New York this afternoon What came from Barrett and his pal almost as one word You heard me now keep quiet That chauffeur Is waiting and I dont don't want to miss him especially since I have to carry this grip you OU were so generous as us to pack for me Say pard began Barrett youre clever but who are you Keeping them both covered with his revolver the man picked up the grip opened the office door and In Inserted Inserted inserted In- In the key from the outside then answered Jeff eft Im J The door closed softly key grated- grated In the lock and he be was gone |