Argosy All-Story Weekly, May 17, 1924 — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

TARRAPIN TOES. men hearing the noise of the falling ladder began to fire off their pistols and call to the fugitive to halt. Manse was not accustomed to fleeing from pursuers, so his only mode of flight was to run down the middle of the street toward the main portion of the town. As he passed the courthouse, he ran into the widespread arms of the sheriff, John Flour- noy. A brief struggle ensued, and Manse might have escaped from this officer if re- enforcements had not arrived from those in pursuit. They closed in on the struggling young man, and he soon found all escape was hopeless. They put him under arrest and led him to the office of the sheriff in the courthouse. When they saw whom they had captured the ardor of the men cooled appreciably. “What are you doing out so late at night, young man?” Sheriff Flournoy asked, smil- ing at the inanity of his question. ‘““T won’t tell,” Manse answered. ‘Why were you up at Roone’s home with a ladder?” the sheriff inquired, and several men chuckled audibly. “{ don’t think I ought to say,” Manse replied. “We'll have you charged with trespass- ing,” the sheriff said. “‘ Have you got noth- ing to say, no explanation?” ‘““ Nothing to say,” Manse replied with evident embarrassment. At that moment an automobile stopped in front of the courthouse, and Colonel Roone climbed-out and came into the room. He greeted all the men and then asked: . ‘What is all this racket about? Who is arrested, and what for?” “Manse is arrested,” Flournoy told him. “He was seen in your yard carrying a lad- der.” Roone turned and glared at the young | man, becoming irate at the mere mention of the Verdell name. “Up at my house, was he? Old Ver- dell’s brat. Trying to steal something, I reckon. No good in any Verdell I ever saw.” Then he turned and looked Manse over in a patronizing way, and said: “Sonny, does your father know you are out?” 175 “No,” Manse grinned. ‘ He does not know I am out, and he does not know I have been run in. I would like to telephone him and inform him of that fact.” “The telephone is in the other room,” the sheriff informed him. Manse walked into the other room and pulled the door shut behind him. At the telephone, Manse decided to take a chance and telephone Lois and inform her of his predicament. He asked for Roone’s number, and the following conversation took place, for Miss Lois was awake, and aware that something unusual had _ hap- pened, because Manse had not come back - for her: ‘Is that you, Lois? This is Manse. I have been arrested by the sheriff and con- stable and about ten men.” ‘Where are you?” “I’m in the hold-over at the courthouse. Colonel Roone has just arrived. They are trying to find out something, but I won’t talk. Don’t you tell anything yourself.” “Why were you arrested?” “They discovered me in the yard carry- ing the ladder.” “Why didn’t you bring the ladder in the first place? What made you climb the tree and come up on the roof of the porch?” “Who?” c¢ You! 9? “Did what? When?” “Don’t be silly. You climbed up on the porch from the pecan tree and came into my room, and I sent you after the ladder.” “T didn’t.” “You did.” “Tsay I didn’t.” “Look here, Manse, what did you do with my suit case?” “T didn’t see your suit case. I never had your old suit case. What suit case?” “When you came up in my room and climbed out of a window I gave you my suit case and you dropped it off the edge of the porch. You know you did.” “T didn’t.” “You did.” “T didn’t.” “Why, Manse Verdell! You did! Good night!” Gomichbook (C@