Hickson’s Hidden Hours.

A SHORT STORY

By SEWELL FORD

ll JuM hliowH what'>t Itabit* to hat*p.‘i» to you If you play tho piano, fourvo. 1 know a lot of pooplr <!■’ nnJ K>'t away wllh It. Maybe they're un|M>|>ular with the nolRhborft. and they lose a few fnentle. anl wonder why they ain’t asked aronud more They're Rottln' off easy. Hut when a party make« a ft'HTet of It—well,

look at Albert lltrkstin.

IV.an the n.tme now. whr. w. uld be your Fuel's as to Albert’a Job In life? No, not a hoadwatter. nor a floorw. Iker In the house fUmlshlnRs deliannient. nor even a soda water clerk. Fair pieesin'. thoueh. He had a face that would fit on ary of them Important positions Hut actually Albert war a double entry ex;»ert. Yon know, certified public accountant. Not a top liner, such as a bis corporation would call In and fee heavy to slip the lowers Into their Income tax returns. No. I expect Albert wauld rate a.-, a book keeper of shout the fourth or flftk. class If It came to a showdown he was plenty skillful anoush for when 1 sot landed up In my accounts at the Physical Culture Studio once or

twire a year

That's how I came to Ret such a line on him At that 1 don't know as I'd have paid much attention to him If I* hadn't been for my assistant. Swlfty Jo.- Somehow Albert seemed to Impress Swifty a lot. I expect that wa« because Swlfty is such a dub at fiRurethimself He can ro a» far as six limes fve without crackin’ very bad. but beyond that he simply flounders around, and when It comes . • addin' up n double column Swift can Ret some surprismR results. You ouRht to see the lead pendl. too. after he finished chewin' the en 1. "You do your arithmetic. Swifty." I used u> tell him. "like a Chinaman eat* chop sury. mostly with your

Usee.”

So when Mr. Hlckaod pays us hts semi-annual visit, drapes a preen eyei hade over his pallid brow, uncorks the red and black bottles, sets the eradlealor outfit handy, and proceed* to make neat rows of flyrures and run ’em up rapid without movin' his Up*, he Rets Swifty standin' around Rawpy and admirin' "Some number wltard. that Hickson guy." Swlfty confides to me In a whisper. "Kinds ladylike. thouR*.

religious, so reliRious that It hr.1 her to smile. That Is. It would ve hurt her If she’d ever tried, vleh I take it she naver did. Hu; •• Rets a nice Job as aalsslnd;- with Htble publlshtn' firm, rents a little three-room apartment In the wilds of Hrooklyn. and settles down to the wot . of keepin' Brother Albert In the

strsiRht and narrow path

1' couldn't have been so hard. a. thn. for about all the bad habits Albert had collected durln' his eollecr career was a weakness for b-tt in' his b;.ir Rtow lonR in the bark and a fondm- -s for playin' popular tunes on the pie no. However. Sister Alice hadn't ha him In hand more'n a month be fot • he was visitin' the barber rrRTnr an 1 was confinin' his musical «>rRio to tb impin' out pl.wes like "The Maiden's Prayer" and "The MoonllRht Sonata." It was SisterAllco who prodded him int > fakin' advanced bookkcrpfn’ cot raes at the Y. M. C. A and finally kp’ him launched as an expert, wl'*! ». Id.-sk room in the top floor of th-

hul'.d.n where I'm located bert rould'm think work like that

would expose him to many tempts

t'ould you? But sister Alio*o have had a fine lot of aus

picions all her own She made Albert Rive a detailed report every niRht of where he'd been durln’ the day. Just what he'd done, and what he expected to do tomorrow. As for his evenin’# she didn't need to be told. She bid him rlRht under her eyes. Oh. he did boR off occasionally to take In a movie show or a concert at Carnegie Hall. mainly he Rot his evenlnR dissipation by walkin' Sister Alice around Prospect Park or listenin' to the latest bulletins as to how the work was gotn' on in Kaio. Chow. No. that's wronR 1 remember Albert's savin’ how sometimes him : d Sister Alice Rot real frivolous and IndulRed In a Rame of

lotto.

"So you see." says he. hunchln' his shoulders. "I've never really had * chance." "Maybe that's lucky too." says 1 You quiet ones are the lads that tear thinRs loose when you Ret started " Albert only smiles patient at that b "I did Ret to Coney Island once." says he. "and drank two Rtassrs of

"Yes." say* 1. "he doe* have what you mirht call a trial balance ph>

sique."

He's a tall, stiff Rvlnted party. Albert. who always moves his shoulder* when be turns his head. like he had a permanent neck boil. Also he ba» mild, starry eyea. sort of buttermilk blue, a complexion like a Boston craefcer. oven-ued ears, and long slim flnRars that seem to be the only limb--part of him Wears straw cuff prv-j' lectors and x little vest apron bouc.' |

with preen braid

Say. it to-k Albert a Rood t wen tv minutes to Ret himself properly cos turned for work and everythlnx set First he’d straighten up the desk' pilin' all my pap«rs In nest little stacks, and then use a dust clotn

vlRoncm*

tray just so. and the ink well there.

“You hardened wretch' But. then, most of us have somethin;

or other la our past.

Well, that was the Albert Hickson I'd known for roIhr on five years So you can Jodse what a Jolt I ro; when 1 read In the papers one mornin how they was boldin' him without bati for shootin’ BIr Bill Barsdrn. Yo.i remember the Barsden case. 1 aspect 1 It ain't more'n a couple of months old. but cf course them murder mysterb soon Ret stale and only the latest one

Irks w your mind.

Firs*, off. too. 1 didn't follow It close I'd ' eard of this PIr Bill, like most everybody else, but I dldn t know bun personally No. 1 don't mix much with the race track crowd, nor run around with squab fanciers like BIr BUL You know he owned a strinp of up-town movie houses as well as hts bunch o'.

h '' 1 ^ pu,«, .ad lor . rtUr rhrrr

. after he was found pluated through and hts eraser here. Rvvn' through as many finicky moti.'ns as * surgeon preparin' to pluck an appendix I thought 1 had Albert sited aw.

fat'ly arc urate when l described him!

l race out every more of Albert, from the time he left his desk at S o'clock that afternoon to go up for his interview with Barsden; until bis sister went In to route him out at 7:00 A. M. mornin' and found him pale and trembly. Course. Sister Alice told the head of the homicide squad that that Brother Albert bad gone to bed a: !• 4f> the night before, complainin' cf a headache, and that he'd been rigbi hls room all night. Bui the head quarters people sniffed at that and hinted they knew better So for two days I read all the reports and wondered why Albert didn't come with a workln' alibi, ani then 1 Just naturally had to mix in. Maybe I wouldn't have if 1 hadn’t happened to have known this Mr Pete Martin in the IHstrict Attorney's office. Pettook a three weeks’ course with nr once, when we first Rot on the count; pay roll, and I meet him now and then at boxtn' bouts. He's quite a sport himself. Which Is why I puts it straight to him when I blows Into hls

office.

ct«says I. “you're all wrong on Hickson party. Yon never can tag Mm with a thing like that Barsden hooting." •'Nor' says Pete, hunchln' hls eyebrows. “We think we hare him fairly well coppered. Shorty. :Cnow him. do

you?"

'Like • book." says I. “and take from me he couldn't any more shoot gon than a rabbit could chew bulldog. What's wrong with that alibi of hls .anyway?" 'Just a moment." says Pete, "while I shut the door. You see. Shorty, we're not giving this out pubL yet: but the fact Is we know that Hickson left hls room at 11 P. M and didn't go back to it until after three next morning. Barsden was killed between 1:30 and 2:15 St ther^ you

are."

‘But how could Hickson get out. with Sister Alices room between him and the stairs?" 1 asks. Fire eecape." says Pete. “One of these let down affa.rs that opens into the back areaway. Fastened It down with a wire while he went oui Janitor knew all about It. He got scared and squealed Said Hickaon had been at that game en and off for months. Heard him go out that night. In fact. Looks fad for him. eh?" ‘Mean lo aay you fhlnk he made business of night gunnln - ?" I d

"Oh. thank you, McCabe: than*, you!" and he tries to paw my arm through the bars. "You—youTre lii*first one to say that since I was arrested. All the others seem to think there's no doubt that I did It .and they try to get me to confess. Oh. I'm glad someone doesn't believe it. You’ll tell them, won't you. Professor that " A hot lot of good that would do.' say a 1. break in In. "See here. Albert. It's up to you to do some tellin'. Don't you get that? Tell 'em where you were between 11 o'clock that evenln and 3 A. M. next mornin'." Albert drops hls chin and lowers them starey blue eyes. "Why,” says he. "1—I was In bed.” 'You're a poor liar. Albert," says "Anybody could see. Just by the way you say It. that you wasn't. Besides, they know different. The Jam tor has spoiled It al'—about the fire •cape and so on." "Oh!" says Albert, groanin' and coverin his face with hls hands. ‘Well, all you got to do Is to leil where you were," I goes on. "1—1 don't want to." says Albert. "You got to. though." says I. "Oh, I—1 can't do it .Professor," says he. “Why. you poor fish." says 1. "don't you see that unless jou do they'll send you to the chair?" Sure they will. They've got to pin this on somebodr and you're the goat. That is. nnles* the run-man comes forward and gives himself up. which ain't likely. Come You know whe-e you wer* Give up and let's see If we can' - ge' you out of this." “Oh. oh!" groan* Albert, rockin' back and forth. “What will Sister Alice say?" 'Huh!" ays 1. “That's It. eh? Yoo was out pullin’ somethin' that would give her a Jolt If she knew?" He nods and lets out another groan. "Whatr says I, "1—I don't want to telL" says he. "Alice would " forget Alice for a minute/' says I. “and remember that your own fool neck Is in danger. Besides, you ain't confessln’ to her. I'm only ask In you to tell me." "Mum-must 1?" says he. “I'nleea you're yearnin for a do«e of high voltage.' says I. "Come, wha: are you up to?" Well." says Albert, "? -1 was play Ing the piano." "Wh-a-at?" I gasps, "Say. do you think this is any time to get comic? Playin' the piano waere?" In Noonan's, on Ninth avenue.

s he.

the middle

forehead in his pri

I vale offi. U was a question whether some grouchy pony trainer or a greer. {eyed sportin' friend that Big BR'. had frisked off hls lady lore had done the

sob excited over

"We are quite certain fc<- went Running for Barsden." says Pete. “If he hadn't . where was he between 11 and 3? He's had plenty of chance -ll. Bnt not a word " "Huh!" says L "And 111 bet * people would send that poor simp th- chair on no better evldince than that. Say. 1 think he'd open How about harin' a little talk with

him*"

Pete was doubtful about that,

didn't think the chief wi<uld like It.

They - '* even kept Sister Alice ~Wov id you be trilling to hare one

of our men listen In from the nex:

cell? - ' he asks

“Sure'” says I. "If Albert did he ought to get what's coming to him. But if he didn't he ouch; to hare a fair show, and while I ain't strong for .rrashln' in on ekffai-* of this kind 1 should feel like a quitter if 1 didn't

do what 1 could."

"Then 1 cue** 1 can fix

"Eh " says I. “Not In the Care?' "Yes." says he. "I believe thst' what they call the back basement?" • hare been gawpin' at klm by then "But Isn't Noonan's Care the hang-out of the Spiders, toughest gang In the Hell's kitchen district?” 1 ssks. the Spiders' Ctob I play for." says Albert, "every Thursday nigh I've been doing It for several months. have!" says I. “Well, of all the places for you to *»« i c How did you happen to get let In for a Jo!-

like that?"

it wtis simple enough accordin' to Albert. A friend of his who was a musician had told him. as a Joke on himself, how he'd answered a wai.t ad for a pianist and discovered that the number wa* the tough join* of the (s .Spiders. Course he'd turned It down jj, i "So 1 went around." says Albert,

"and took It"

"You did?" says 1. "Why?"

"Because.” says he. “I wanted to play Jaxx it—It's great fun. really There were three of us. a violinist and the fellow who played the saxa-

h. n they ]Pete. "1*11 see what the Chief'says'" I** 00 * ** f n< ‘ : th * T '

dropped: them two clues and -he paper-, j They're a carry bunch that district I wfsMl *l«>linl*t wasn't sohe-

arnouaced that the at -w pointed t° attorney'* office crowd, 'specially a certain party by the name of Alber. j w hee ihe've got a big rase on and

Hickson 1 sure g.K tn'errsted. one Is workln' for all the per What cats them headquarter, men *4'visin' he can get. Say. I .-.i Urn.. ' “«"• f 'V

ky. he woaldt si real rough

The Farm Beckons

Two years ago we were feeding ourselves and a Urge part of Europe be sides. Today, with the Incentive of 'ar gone and the drift from country to city swing in mote strongly than ever, we are in danger of a food shortage—a shortage that bag already begun to be felt, and which promises .» become more serious from month t”

month.

Many thousands of young men are dally in search of opportunity In our overcrowded cities, and for ever/ chance to obtain material gain In cities there are now a doien In tho country. Agriculture, the oldest pursuit in the world, may soon becom--the master profession, for more anl more do the farmers realize that they can force urban communities to give a larger and larger share cf the fruits of their Ubor for the products of the soil which they must have to live. The building up of western Canada Is an example of the superiority of agricul to other kinds of Ubor in productiveness. Of the legions who rushed to the Klondike in 1*97 to seek the riches they could not gain In ritie*. perhaps a few dozen made fortunes Hordes of disappointed ones, returning the United Stales through Canada, were at trailed by the money made in wheat, and many o.' them stayed there and became richer than the lucky hunters of gold .Almost every State now re-ports the need of men on farms, and Inducements that should app<*l to any farseeing man are offered to homesteaders and to tntondtng purchasers o' land. Read what the experts say of prices: "Assuming a free* market, wheat may sell at five dollars a bushel. Estimate- by the Department of Agriculture show a decline of twenty-three per cent in the acreage of winter

wheat, and of thlny-four per c - the prospective yield Pri tat. , . mates are that spring wheat vr,n b ‘ lenty five per cent less in yield Tlcorn acreage is also reduced " In March of thU year the farm w Iirt ers *ere only seventy two per ,. ihe total employed two year* « eo j. some States the falling off m ^ supply was over fifty per cent. l a t*. grain States they fear that the burjv lory Ubor on which tb.-jr d.,^d fa . harvesting, will be Insufficient for the reduced acreage, and many laborers are demanding full p* T Io , •■ight hours' work The farai—,-, •-quipped with a fair supply t ,r i-., chlnery. Is wilUm; to put in » day's work, is sure to reap a harvest at higher prices than evr-

in war times.

There are now about fifteen r-Jl*, farmers In the country, and an a-.-n.-. of almost one in three owns a p*.— - .utomobllc, to aay nothing a! & other kind of carriages. Many a !»~ house has telephones and ei«rnlights and sanitary plumbing. o Western ranchmen use lr -. planes to inspect their domainuUtion in farm Und and tenam ing In the Middle West hav^ d:v much to discourage some agric ists. bnt when one -'tarts in by ot his Und he U much more like succeed. Credit will probaM) easier to obtain hereafter, for plans formulated by the Ail Ame-., Parmer-I^ahor Cooperative Confeow in Chicago are regarded favont: iegisUtors. Banking and cr«!:t w cies similar to the Relffeiscn back Germany and some other count planned. Nine American St at have enacted credit union lawi Popular Magazine.

sho;rt and spicy

It takes from two and one-half to four days to properly cut a diamond. The earliest invention of the motion picture projecting machine was patented in 1887. It takes from three weeks to three menths to tan various kinds of

leathers

Du-ing the war it cost the War Department $I’X*0 for each soldier Now the cost Is estimated at 11600. It Is estima'ed that more than 12.000.000 women hare entered gainful occupations in the last ten year* Electromagnets have been used to lift as much as 60.000 pound: of steal

casting in one operation.

Diamonds can only be burned In

oxygen under a scientifically produce-1 J indU w*a the source .4 heat of 1000 degrees Fahrenheit. .supply until the stone was IHamouds were known and worn as In Brasil about 1700. when Br»i Jewels In IndU 5000 years ago a_d came it e Urgent producer ur. - used as cutters and gravers 3000 years Bonds were found In Sot” age. about '869.

In the year 1894 Japan's tetxl with America amounted to IIS' 000. In 1918 the same trade amnr*

to 857S.OOO.OOO.

Half a million home? in Fraro a Belgium were completely during the war. Cost of rspi* them is estimated at Id-OCr , >'-• One of the largest diamond- la* weighing 867 karats, was foial Borneo about a century ago iti ■ longs to the Rajah of Mattou In China, a man can obtain > U cut, a head shave, a face »h»>* *

also have his shoulders ar.d b*rl*»|

sag»d. all for less thaa five tvw

to Swlfty and ss a he old maid. And Ij didn't g< •be more 1 *aw of him ar 1 the better j^tber propositi

we got acquainted the less reason 1 had for changin' my mind 1 got

x'ben once on the wild sporty

life fie !.>! a»kta‘ htm if he d neve.* tried to reform and all that and the

first thitiz ! knew 1 had him lookin' |

foottsb w-.-h M, under Up tremblin' I^TYyin - «> p-n"a" •Mng”llke that «*n our I 111 * rrc grandmother of any crun•*1 know. Professor McCabe." say* ! v.l-ert- Why. he wouldn't pa: anybody ' ,r ‘ til '' Wll '* na * r the sake of gettin he. “that my life must seem rather wn n real rough" * -U picture on the front page and hls tame and dull to you !• it does to! ^j... i;w> , y .rV." say- c,l!n,, ^ ,il * headline* For an hour me too Bat I've neve fid * char.,-. Sw . ft y ,h*k:'r hts head "Not abOU' ' or nK ’ ?r thrr *** •

•o liv. different !y Real' 1 haven - brain* gti»* I've open though: !tlw3r or er the proposition of] 1 afcould say they wi •Ho« - that* says 1. Big faaty ^ ^ tn Ms eye* And *• * fw w* with "Any one of '. or. yo::- hand.*” .. <rjtl1j ,. v _.. tl ,. , hf oo Hickson. Bat they must have decided =r Mr a dollar

—' BB ' ' t might be a good way U« gey some-! doing

'About one hundred. 1 should say." says Albert. "Then, you poor prune." says I. kffl't you see that make* your alibi! juu about one hundred per cent pet , feet* Her. you sleuth In the nest coop there! IHd you gel all of .ha»? Hie*son can bring a whole roomful of wit nesses to show where t.» was durln bis hidden hours." "If he can." says the fUtUe. steppin' out. "I gues* th* 1 Chief will have to punch in on another line."

going over to Ninth avenue now and dt '' u **' 1 '

He round up a bunch of Bidders.

He had no touch then, and he wx* going to get Hickson ou' of this be- ionVr^" apt to be ugly But he was seldom lore night or show up somebody In «omar. who 3 trouble*: • real sober. And the Austrian who [the paper," fluou'i hair should know that Mi played the s*xxphone used some ind ' "Oh. can you get me out. Profw- peonanently destroy ia«J

of dope We gave them gt-od masi.- sor*" says Albert "If you only can?'

straight.'

though Lou of ginger to it. You can't Imagine unlrw, you're played J*** stuff t. * it geta In your blood. And then, the Spiders are such a Jolly

crowd “ says 1

would stick a man j

ollar and grin while he was Don't roc know that* - ‘

l.x-ks like Hk-

Pon't worry." sa>, j. simple The Spiders will Jump at a chance to put one over on the District Attorney'* office. You're as good as free rifht now All you got to do is to sprint

your tain."

••11’. :«:i anyone but Bister Alice."

says he. "Can't we keep it from bet ?'

“1 don't see why not." says I.

thing mere on Mm fpr finally lu | "They w.re mtfcer rough looking." I am we did All Ststar Alice know, handed a p*.»« and put in charge of a iadmits Alber- "and 'hey ils thst the awful charge against hefiattle »Uh good ears thad fearfti! fights among *hstt»*:*e, P'^f bother was dn-pped qul-t and It aln' a chirky pa>eim* . payin’ e With knives y u know. But 1 situply ;'• “ »as sent home scared and forenoon «»!! on a sssp^. -i utarderer loc,k And k-pr oa pixy-ng. They ; ^-akev Which was Just twice a* • - •• ..- ion c-:i T.y- -y •- : Bi ' > ' •■c.ourh tc me. -erh l> " •" the report-w, knew. When r ad# Hickson sttttn' with ht# head m : recUlly ♦*'tne of the young ladies M^ey asked wha- hod iemne of Hick h « h.>nd, ,'artn daaed -tm; .- _t %>r >' affec-ioaate at time.* ! sup>>M- ■ »v-" 'he slayer suspect, hev wen fed the iron bar. He don’t ev - look nr ^ th *- T J U5t '.easing me 1 dld-. ;t» Muff abo*:: a new rtut that Head »hv-a ! - op In frog, of the d-ror N.-r m '- n d 1—1 rathe* liked one or two j quarters had just uncovered, and the tntR ! gtves Mm th* haU d he pay c- !fc ctn There was one b.g bhmde—inex: day a detective ac.ually diJ any attention. j 1 K; - ty something or Othe* l> was j Ptnct. more by good lack than any h a** he. sighin' roBered KitlJ ** 10 Ka ‘ A * » clear j'-M-"g *i~. the stooud story worker

-nppoc j '"*; n ' f - ' Grvr '-Bt f "• aade me ll! 'hat r*wd» did he the shootin'. So) . -fte Spider* 'hou*h.t h »»« »|th* Barsden mystery petered out. as

Joke. You should have heart* most of 'em do

. Prof- s

r fool dele.- :

1 grilling Four times they hat me out. and I've UMweiid ;» ‘‘ r hour, and hour*, caul I ,know wha; my own Bazar U. jntce ,-f you to cos e and see ma v while I'm l ke this Professor ”

- Maybe."

i L

miaabwary wot

H ngw- cm Hicksons Htddec sa- Albert, that I doe - I ’ Tbra the article com -■« to j did the shm-tln' at all ~

jgreat

ha-j i ' wW,r 1 rowd S

«- on* to P'-AJiCK '

ardly * here. Attwr.. - any* I "did that j* x! cigar nc.dvct hapr** the r.tgh.; before

jOr-.' yc.a wer* wrrested* j "YVky. ye*.- aay, he

: ! want to. And about how avaay Bp.der# and • ycu| their lady friends were there in the

Cave at the time*"

"But

says t. ht piano