The Argosy, March 1907 — page 109: what you’re looking at

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

WHEN. “SUSPICION. STRUCK HARD. for a place which would offer a view of the door, and which would at the same time keep him fairly well out of sight. He found it at last behind a massive cigar-store Indian, two or three. doors down, and settled himself for the wait. Had he been fooled again? Radford pondered for a little, and finally thrust away the notion. It was possible, of course, that he had made another break— that the note had betrayed him because of the writing—but it seemed unlikely. No, Catterson was probably there, and would return. in ths course of time. After that ‘The sun was extremely hot. half an hour” Radford found himself wishing very earnestly indeed that his man would appear. After an hour he was fairly fuming. His eyes had not been removed from the doorway of the hotel in all that time, and there had been no sign of Catter- son. Could the fellow have suspected his presence, in some mysterious way, and fled again, abandoning his effects? Could he have been seen and recognized y Catterson from one of the upper win- dows, at his first approach? No, that was too absurd. After fool- ing the sheriff, who had known him all his life, Radford could hardly have been detected by a man who had seen him just once. | And still—where on earth was the man? It was well toward two now, and Rad- ford was conscious of very real hunger. Watching still, he crossed to the dubi- ous little delicatessen shop on the other side and asked for sandwiches. Standing in the doorway, he munched them and reflected somewhat bitterly that it was not exactly the sort of mid- day meal to which he was accustomed. It was not at all like Richeer’s place, at Bondville, where the waiter hustled around when he crooked his finger and leaned over his shoulder respectfully to suggest one or two of the most inviting things on the bill of fare—and thereafter rushed them to him, piping hot and in- variably delicious. No, it was not at all the sort of meal he relished, but he was not at all the sort of man he had been. He was no After | acer the drugoee: he might now con- sider himself only as the disguised fugi- tive from a court warrant, and thank Heaven that he had even leathery sand- -| If not delicious, they were bet- . wiches. ter than prison fare was likely to prove. The afternoon waned. There was no sign of Catterson. Once, when twilight was coming on, the druggist returned to the hotel and asked. The large person had not put in an appearance. — Radford waited until dark; then, with a groan, he abandoned his watch and re- tired to the darkest corner of Dunn’s dining-room for a meal. He emerged, presently, a little more cheerful and inquired again. Catterson had not arrived ! Well, he had fled—that was all, and he might have expected it! Catterson, or Pender, or whoever he was, had wisely abandoned his role of traveling business man, after consideration, and had taken to his heels! Radford sauntered drearily down the street. What now? What The druggist barely. repressed an ex- clamation. Right before him, just pass- ing him on his way to the hotel, the man was approaching! Radford stepped aside and refrained from lifting his eyes. Catterson stepped past briskly, and behind him came a train of very excellent cigar-smoke. If he had perceived the druggist, he had given no _ indication of the fact. Radford, as he fell in cautiously behind, caught the soft humming of a tune from somewhere in the neighborhood of the cigar. Catterson seemed well satisfied with himself and things in general, and the easy air rather staggered the drug- gist. He had had small experience with murderers; it seemed hardly possible that this fellow could have taken a human life. The big man entered the hotel. Rad- ford remained out of sight and watched. Was he going in for dinner or not? Was he—— Ah! The clerk had handed him the envelope now! Catterson was opening it—now he was reading the line. He crumpled the two and tossed them on the floor; he spoke to the clerk with an expression which combined frown and Gomichboo 681 S;cOM