Owen Clancy

“ Lafe Wynn was overseeing the removal. When Clancy entered the garage, Lafe turned abruptly on his heel and walked into the office. Clancy followed him.
"What's the matter with you, Lafe?" inquired Clancy. "Why do you take pains to avoid me all the time? We can't get along like that—and remain partners."
A look of suffering filled Wynn's face.
"Owen," said he, with an effort, "every time I look at you I think of what I am—a thief and a forger, only saved from the penitentiary by your generosity. It isn't a pleasant thought for a man who wants to be independent. ”

“ The clerk was interrupted by a wild whoop of "Dad! here's Hiram!" Clancy looked in the direction from which the yell came and saw a little group of people heaving around the lobby in excitement.
"That's him. now!" cried the clerk. "What did I tell you?"
The motor wizard hurried toward the scene of the commotion. He found a fat man pounding a dent out of the crown of a shabby silk hat, and mumbling wrathfully.
"Get an officer!" shouted the fat man. "I don't know but I'm robbed!"
Hiram Hill stood in front of the aggrieved gentleman, stood and stared at him blankly. ”

“ Clancy studied his partner curiously for a few moments.
"Lafe," he went on presently, "you and I have got to get away from each other for a while. We are simply millstones around each other's neck. You can't look at me without thinking you owe me the biggest part of fifteen thousand dollars, and I can't look at you without thinking how you betrayed my confidence."
"You can get rid of me, Owen, in about two shakes," said Wynn. "Kick me out. I haven't any right to be one of the firm, anyhow." ”

“ While Clancy watched the two in the cabin, he saw Wynn draw the satchel across the table, open it, and pull a packet of greenbacks from inside. He held up the packet, and laughed. Hogan joined in the laugh.
The motor wizard had a very good look at Captain Hogan, and he did not wonder that Hiram had been deceived into thinking the fellow was his father. The bulging brow, the huge nose, and the retreating chin all conspired to form a countenance that would have claimed attention anywhere. One eye had an evil squint, and it gave to the whole face a crafty expression. ”

“ Take this message over there, Hiram, and let the Hertzian waves get busy with it at once."
"On the jump!" answered Hill.
"Better take a five-dollar bill with you," Clancy suggested.
Hill picked up the bank note.
"I'd like to see that money get dry before we spend it all," he complained, and then went out with the wireless message for Lafe.
"Wonder if Lafe will feel any different when he gets that?" Clancy murmured, smiling happily. "I know I'm feeling a whole lot different myself!"
THE END.
"Owen Clancy's Double Trouble ”

“ One thing I want you should do for me, friend.”
“What’s that?”
“Find out who that cimiroon was that was drivin’ that gas cart; then scalp him, and say you done it for James Montague Fortune, which is me. Adios, pard. That blamed bush can’t stand the strain much longer.”
“Oh, take a brace, can’t you?” Clancy answered sharply. “If you’ve got to drop anyhow, you might as well do it while trying to save yourself. Here, look!”
With his left arm around a bowlder at the cliff’s edge, Clancy, flat on the ground, was reaching his right hand downward. ”

“ The lobby was crowded, bell hops were hustling back and forth, and the place was as busy as a high-class establishment
Clancy stood at the counter, caught the clerk's eye, and asked for Hiram Hill. The clerk, who had curly hair, and parted it squarely in the middle, forthwith gave the newcomer his full and complete attention.
"You a friend of that guy's?" the clerk asked.
"Yes," acknowledged Clancy.
"Then I'm mighty glad you showed up."
"Why?"
"Well, I think he's locoed and needs a keeper. About every day he does some fool thing."
Clancy grinned. ”

“ In the instant of time allowed him for making observation, Clancy saw only that the other foot traveler was a youngish chap, and that he was loitering along unconscious of the speeding car behind him.
The driver of the machine did not slacken gait in the least, but contented himself with merely sounding the horn. Wildly Clancy cried out for the stranger to jump. The stranger, casting one frightened glance over his shoulder, jumped without delay—but in the wrong direction. ”

“ Clancy was surprised and delighted at the expression of these sentiments. From what he had heard regarding Rockwell, he expected to find in the man a cunning, unscrupulous person who would be exceedingly hard to deal with. Yet here Rockwell was showing a grateful disposition which did not tally with the reports of his character which had come to Clancy.
If Clancy could have seen the guileful light in Rockwell’s eyes, it is safe to say he would not have been so pleased. But the goggles hid the garage owner’s eyes, and the youth was left in the dark as to what was passing in the man’s mind. ”

“ There Captain Hogan stays whenever he is in Avalon."
This ended the talk with Señor J. Lopez. Clancy took his friend by the arm and walked with him to the restaurant where they had had their dinner.
"Ain't this the limit?" queried Hill plaintively. "Nothin' goes right for us, Clancy."
"Well, don't fret about it," returned the motor wizard. "Order up a good meal and try and be happy." ”

“ Hill caught Clancy's arm in a convulsive clutch.
"There's some one in the place, all right!" said Burton, under his breath.
"Strike a light," suggested the motor wizard. "I believe it's safe enough."
"Here, let me," put in Hiram. "I've got a match right in my fingers."
He scraped the match on the wall. As a flicker of light blazed up, a small, meagerly furnished front room was disclosed. Neither Captain Hogan nor either of those who had chartered his boat could be seen.
Clancy stepped to a shelf on the side wall, and took down a candle in a candlestick. ”

“ Laying hands on top of the iron fence, Clancy bounded lightly over and into the yard. Fortune tried to vault, but his boots handicapped him. The toe of one of them caught on an iron picket and he came down among the bushes in a sprawl. He started to sputter, but Clancy laid a quick hand over his lips.
“Sh-h-h!” hissed Clancy warningly.
So far as they could discover, Fortune’s floundering had not aroused any one. After a few moments, they began crawling toward the side wall of the house. ”

“ Here he had better success. On the other side of Cerro Gordo Street was a house with a glass conservatory jutting out. The yard was a mass of dark shrubbery which the faint glow from the electric light on the corner could not penetrate.
“That must be the place,” thought Clancy. “I’ll go down a little farther and cross over. If I’m careful, I may find out what Hibbard and Long Tom are doing.”
From palm to palm he skulked along Cerro Gordo Street, and then, suddenly, came to a halt. Ahead of him, at the curb, stood a motor car. ”

“ I wouldn't go and connect him with any gamblin' syndicate just because I found that there card under the sweatband of his Stetson. What do you allow is the thing for us to do? My hand's on the table, Clancy, and I want you to help me play it."
"Strikes me," said Clancy reflectively, "that the best move is to go across to Catalina Island and talk with this man Lopez."
"I allowed we'd better advertise in the papers," remarked Hill. "We could use the Lost and Found Column." ”

“ It was Hiram Hill who had hailed. Clancy knew, for he had recognized the voice.
"This way, Hiram!" the motor wizard cried.
Two boats were aimed in Clancy's direction, and two pairs of oars struck the water.
"Crack your back, Burton!" yelled Hill, "If you want to get even with Wynn, now's your chance! Do your prettiest! The two men from the Sylvia are trying to beat us to Clancy–and it's a close race."
Hill could see the dark form in the water, and the black shadow of the other boat rushing toward it. An idea flashed through his mind–an idea as dangerous as it might possibly be successful. ”

“ Red, that man in the duster, down there, is Uncle Si! Wouldn’t this rattle your spurs?”
“Who’s the other man, Jimmie?” queried Owen.
“I’m by; but the feller that other chap’s talkin’ to is the one that drove me over the cliff! Whoop-ya! Right here’s where I get even. Watch my smoke!”
With that, Fortune rushed down the sloping trail at top speed. Clancy followed him swiftly, calling out as he went:
“Don’t do anything reckless, Jimmie! Look out, or you’ll get yourself into trouble.”
“Somebody’s goin’ to get into trouble, all right,” Fortune flung back, over his shoulder, and raced on. ”

“ Clancy answered. "Get the ropes off his hands and feet, so he'll be more comfortable. I don't think it will be long before he opens his eyes."
The motor wizard was right. Hardly had Katz been freed of the ropes when his eyelids flickered wide open, he stared up dazedly into the faces bending over him.
"Wynn!" he exclaimed, his wits wandering. "You're double-crossin' me, eh, same as we double-crossed Burton? You and Hogan are going to make off with the swag! Well, it won't do you no good, you can gamble on that. ”

“ Clancy elbowed his way to Hill's side and took him by the hand.
"Howdy, Hiram?" said he.
"Clancy!" exclaimed Hill. "Say, the sight of you is good for sore eyes! I just been hankerin' for a friend."
"You need a guardeen more'n a friend," remarked some one.
Hill began to bristle and to look around in search of the one who had spoken. Clancy grabbed his arm, and drew him away down the lobby to a couple of leather chairs.
"What's the matter with you, Hiram?" the motor wizard asked.
"I reckon my nerves have got twisted, Clancy," Hill answered. "I'm all in a twitter, seems like. ”

“ For a second, Clancy was blinded, and could see little. As his vision cleared, he discovered that the man who had made a prisoner of him was a young fellow, who bore a striking facial resemblance to the judge. He wore a blanket robe and slippers, and held a small, automatic pistol in his right hand.
“Jove!” murmured the chap with the gun. “You don’t look much like a tough, and that’s a fact. But circumstances are against you, my lad. ”

“ You and Burton may have a hard time of it if Hogan and Wynn are together. I can't tell you what to do, except to be careful and do the best you can. There'll be no dinghy for Wynn and Hogan to use, and I think you ought to have some success if you use your wits as well as your fists."
"If we get a chance, Clancy," answered Hill, "we'll either make good or know the reason why."
"All right, Katz," called the motor wizard softly. "Make as little noise as possible. If we can't get aboard the Sylvia without any one knowing it, we won't be able to get aboard at all." ”

“ Hill, in spite of the fact that he professed to believe his father was in San Diego, was scanning every face he passed for the beetling brow, retreating chin, Roman nose, and squint eye. He acted so wild and unreasonable that Clancy was tempted to believe he had gone daffy on the subject of his lost father.
He would run up to a man with a prominent nose, grab him by the shoulders, and study his face in a search for the other specifications. Once he was knocked down, and another time he was nearly arrested when an irate man. ”

“ He didn't have no good chance to be affectionate."
"I suppose not," returned Clancy, trying hard to keep a straight face. "The trail seems to be a pretty warm one, all right, and— Where are you going?"
Clancy broke off his remarks to grab hold of Hiram and restrain him. The tow-headed chap had suddenly leaped out of his chair like a restive wild cat.
"Ain't that dad over yonder?" he asked. "I see a feller that seems to be built on the same lines of the photograft, but–n-n-no," he finished musingly, "that feller's a Mexican." ”

“ The other fellow was also on his feet, It was Gerald Wynn! Wynn stared at Clancy as though he could hardly credit the evidence of his senses.
"You–here!" Wynn gulped.
No answer was necessary. Besides, with Clancy time was pressing. Taking advantage of Wynn's surprise, the motor wizard attempted to push by him and get to the deck. Wynn, however, had full use of his limbs and his faculties.
"Give me that satchel!" he cried, and tried to snatch the grip out of Clancy's hand.
Clancy evaded him with a deft leap sideways. Wynn swore savagely, and struck at the motor wizard with his clenched fist. ”

“ As soon as the boat tied up at the Avalon pier and the gangplank was run out, Hill galloped ashore, and sank down on the dock with a groan of thanksgiving. Clancy hurried after him, picked him up, and supported him to solid earth.
"I thought you were a better sailor than that, Hiram," chuckled Clancy.
"Me–a sailor?" whimpered Hill. "Say, it always makes my stomach do a hornpipe just to look at a picture of the sea. I can't cross a creek on a bridge without getting separated from my last meal. Darn it! This is why I wanted to find my lost dad in San Diego–I could go there by land. ”

“ Clancy had been enjoying Hill's recital to the limit. It would be hard to mix six dozens of eggs, a Chinese dragon, and a runaway monkey into a small-sized riot and not get a little fun out of it. The sober, matter-of-fact way in which Hiram narrated the details added to the humor of the story.
"Xever mind what I'm laughing at, Hiram," sputtered Clancy, wiping his eyes. "You say you found something under the sweatband of that Stetson. ”

“ It isn't a pleasant thought for a man who wants to be independent. If I could undo the wrong I did you–if I could—"
"You can–some time," said Clancy. "After you are able, you can pay me back my just proportion of that fifteen thousand."
"After I am able!" murmured Lafe sarcastically. "That will be a matter of years, Owen. I can't feel like this for years without going crazy. If I could find my rascally brother, Gerald, I–I might induce him to give back the money."
"Never," returned the motor wizard shortly. "Your brother Gerald has probably got rid of the money by this time. ”