Marion Marlowe in Columbus, or, Accused of a Crime — page 25: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

22 cause he hollered when the baggage car was opened!” “As if he wanted a lot of trunks coming down on his head! I reckon his quarters were uncomfortable enough, as it was,’”’ added her companion, laughing coarsely. “Oh, well, that part of it doesn’t concern us,’ was the answer. ‘“‘You paid Jenkins for the job and he hired his assistant. -He can pay him or not, that is for them to settle.” “Well, from what I know of the little fel- low, he won’t submit very tamely,” said the man, again. “He'll come pretty near getting every cent that’s due him. That’s his repu- tation among the gang that knows him.” They began talking of other things, and Mr. Temple and his companion gazed at each other for an instant. i Then Alma Allyn leaned over the table and whispered softly: “You go and get a detective at once, Mr. - Temple! We must keep these people in sight until we need them. We know we are right now, so there’s no need of delaying.” Mr. Temple rose without a word and spoke to the waiter. “The lady will order and I’ll be back in a minute.” The next second he was gone to hire his detective. Alma Allyn ordered some light refresh- ment, but she could not eat, her heart was too heavy at the thought of Marion’s mis- fortune. When Mr. Temple came back there was a quiet-looking man just behind him, but the stranger ate his luncheon on the other side of the curtain where he could watch every movement of Miss Chester and her com- panion. “T have sworn out a warrant for the ar- rest of Wiggin,” whispered Mr. Temple; “that is all we can do for the present, Miss Allyn.” . CHAPTER X. BERT’S STRATEGY. As soon as they had finished their lunch- eon, Mr. Temple and Miss Allyn went straight to the theatre, where they found Dr. Brookes waiting impatiently in the lobby. “Where is Marion?” he asked, quickly, the moment he saw them. Miss Allyn’s eyes flashed, and she did not wait for the manager to answer. “Locked in a cell by the brute at the police station!” she burst out, angrily. “We said all we could, but it could not be prevented, and the worst of it is Bill Jenkins is at lib- erty!” MY QUEEN, « Dr. Brookes ground his teeth as he looked at Mr. Temple. He seemed to blame the manager for allowing them to imprison Marion. ; “TI couldn’t help it, doc! I oterea tia five hundred dollars to let her go! But it is only for a few hours. I'll have her out in time for the performance this evening!” He spoke so hopefully that the doctor’s face brightened a little, and, as fast as she could, Miss Allyn told him what they had learned from Miss Chester and her escort. “Then it all depends upon our catching Wiggin,” he said, when she finished. “Well, I am afraid that is something which we-shall never accomplish.” Both Miss Allyn and Mr. Temple stared at him, wonderingly. “I have been in communication with the atithorities at Cleveland,” explained the doc- tor, sadly, “‘and they tell me there that Bill. Jenkins is a. detective. He belongs to an agency, and is only on the train for a bluff. In reality he is doing ‘spotter’ work for the railroad company.” “So much the worse for him!” said Mr. | Temple, promptly. “The- company would — hardly approve of his working rascals into | the baggage car by stealth and taking money ~ from private individuals to pay him for doing | so!” 7a “T should say not,” said the doctor, | thoughtfully. “Oh, if we could only find Wiggin! There was no one in Cleveland headquarters who knew anything about him.” “Well, Bill Jenkins knows where he is,” said Miss Allyn, sharply, ‘and, moreover, | he’ll try hard to keep out of his assistant’s way, if it is true what Miss Chester’s com- panion said of Wiggin!” : “That is so! Wiggin will be hunting the trainman up to make him ‘divvy’ directly. I guess the surest way to catch Wiggin is to keep our eyes on Jenkins!” “Here comes Bert!” cried Miss Allyn, as— the young man came rushing into the lobby. — “Oh, Bert, where did he go? We saw you watching him!” Bert wiped his forehead with his handker- chief before he answered, and, as he took it down, they all saw a slight blood stain upon — it. “Hello, Jackson! What has happened?” asked Mr. Temple, quickly. “You've had a_ blow! Have you been scrapping with some — one?” , Bert grinned from ear to ear as the doctor stepped forward and looked at the wound, _ “Tt's nothing but a scratch! His knuckles grazed me a little!” laughed Bert. “T had | him arrested for assault and he'll be held cComicbookszcom