.
.. i”,
’f

 
 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

( ‘ -m. .._._-.-..-....-.-.-.....- .-..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

..

The sergeant; could not answer the question,
nor did he dare disobey ihe injunction, ful‘ at
the first wlird ilarry had followud the example
of his superior, and the guilty wretch WIBI'ly
reasoned tout if they suspected him of treachery,
the first move he made would send a ball crash-
ing through his skull. _ _

He therefore sat still while the giant brigand,
taking this as a signal that the time was not
ripe, thundered out an order for Wine. '

The landlord, who was in league With the
brigands, hastened to obey, but, before he could
fill a flignn, the dwarf, in tones Sounding more
like rumbling thunder than human utterance,
swore by the bmes of St. Anthony of P.dua
that if he Were not first served with his supper,
he would crop the landlord’s ears.

“Thou!” cried the giant contemptuously. “I
am minded to slit—”

He paused abruptly on meeting the scornful
gaze of the dwarf, and addressmg the innkeepur,
said: ‘

” Save thine ears, and do it quickly, or 1 Will
crop them.” ' .

All this was in Italian, which neither Laurie
nor George understood, but the former, seeing
that the hrigands feared the dwarf and surmis-
ing something of what had passed pi'eVIous to
the exchange of the bottle for the bed, told
Harrv to tell the dwarf to come lip-stairs as
soon as his supper was finished, as they were
weary and wished to retire.

“ I’ll come when it pleases me,"growled the
dwarf in ltaliaii, but with a significant look at
Harry, who without interpreting the reply arose
from his chair. ‘

This was Laurie’s signal, and ordering the
landlord to bring up a (lIth'Il bottlesof Wine—
tney Would make gold weapons, he thought—he,
too, arose, saying: _

“ We had better retire, and leave this room to
these rufiiuns. Come, are you not going, friend
Galileo?” .

The three Americans were on their feet. sur—
rounding the sergeant, who arose, and With a
wan smile replied, that he should like to wait
and see if there would be any more trouble be-
tween the giant and the dwarf. .

“ As you please,” returned Laurie, carelessly,
“ but i should think you would prefer our com-

an 7. l
p Tge landlord now produced candles, and “the
birds" ascended to the inner trap.

As soon as they were in the room Harry told
all he knew, and that the innkeeper had gone
for help, and after expressing his regret at not
having compelled Galileo to accompany them as
a hostage for the dwarf, Laurie examined the
room, which he quickly discovered had been de-
signed for a trap; easy of entrance, but impos—
sible to get out of, except through the bar.

The door was a frail structure, secured by a
belt which shot into a post, which moved on a
pivot and could be turned from the outsiide, and
was, therefore, of course, useless, while the two
windows were secured by iron bars.

“ The birds are indeed in the trap, but these
birds are not doves,” said Laurie, smiling

m 0

“ Hzrkl Here’s some one coming I” exclaimed

pence, half-drawing a pistol. but the foolste 6
came so boldly that he concluded it was t e
dwarf, and shoved the weapon back.

A moment after the door was kicked again,
and the dwarf entered bearing a basket of t-
tles and pewter fiagons in one hand, and his case
in the other. _ , .

Setting down his burden the little giant pro-
ceeded to knock the neck of a bottle—making
considerable noise about it—and filling a fiagon
handed it to Laurie, saying loudly:

“ Drink! Drink! A short life and a merry
one I”

This was accompanied by an expressive wink,
and followed instantly by:

“I am here to get you drunk. Your friend
was afraid to undertake the task. Now, if you
can, sing and make all the noise you like-—
gradually.

“ They are cowardly cut-throats, and fearing
. on suspect them, do not care to begin their

loody work until you are drunk, so, if on sing
and make plenty of noise, you are sa e for at
least an hour, and we may be able to keep them
off until help comes.”

“ Sing a song, Harry,” said Laurie, following
the dwarf’s example, and speaking loudly. '

With all the nerve of a veteran, the boy obey-
ed, and his clear tenor voice rung through the
crime-stained den, while the others concocted
means of defense

The plan finally adopted was that the two beds
should be got in readiness, one on top of the
other, and placed near the door. Then, at the
end of an hour, lights should be extinguished,
and all noise cease.

“ Then, in a little while, one of them will come
up to see if you are asleep,” said the dwarf,
“ and I will take care of him. That will be one
1958.”

“ W hat! Do you intend to remain with us .9”
asked Spence in .surprise. while shuddering at
the cold~blooded way the dwarf spoke.

“ Remain? Certainly: They will think I have
got drunk with you, and will be glad to have a
chance of cutting my throat as well as yours.

“ But don’t stop the drinking!”

“'ith the last and only loudspoken words, the
speaker picked up the already empty bottle, and
proceeded to knock off a little more of the neck,
at the same time calling for another song.

This programme was followed for about an
hour, three working and one singing until every-
thing was in readiness, and then all joined in
singing and boisterous talking.

At the end of an hour, the brigands below
could be heard demanding how soon the mis-
Shap’fll son of the devil would haVe his work

one.

Then came the words of Paulo:

“ Patience! He, too, is getting drunk, and all
will go together. He knows too much.”

“ Yes—for you,” chuckled the dwarf.

“ Now put out the lights,” be continued, “ but
sing a little longer and not so noisily.”

Shortly after, at a signal from the dwarf, all
noise ceased. All had previously removed their
boots and thrown them noisily on the floor, and
they new awaited the coming of the spy—the
three Americans with drawn swords, behind the
barricade of beds, and the dwarf with a long
knife, beside the false doorp05t.

It was nerve-trying work, that waiting. Five,
ten minutes passed, and the suspense was be-
coming unendurable, when suddenly the rickety
stairs were heard creaking—the scout was com-
ing and all breathed a sigh of relief.

(To be continued—commenced in No. 477.)
\

 

 

How to Sleep.

 

FIRST of all, the attitude for sleeping should
be assumed immediately upon retiring to bed.
“ Sleep not upon your back, like a dead man,”
was one of the rules issued by Confucius for the
guidance of his disciples. This was good ad-
vice, for, although lying upon the back may
secure the greatest amount of rest to the mus-
cular system, yet this is the position assumed
in the most exhausting diseases, and it is gener-
all hailed as a token of revival when a patient
vo untarily turns on the side. 'It is better to
go: to sleep on the right side, for then the
stomach is very much in the position of a bottle
turned upside-down, and the contents are aided
in passing out by gravitation. If one goes to
sleep on the left side, the operation of emptying
the stomach of its contents is more like drawingr
water from a well. It is particularly unwise to
go to sleep on the back after a meal. The
Vial-glib of the digestive organs and that of the
f resting on the great vein of the body near
the backbone com presses it and arrests the flow
of the blood more or less. If the arrest is par-
tial, the sleep is disturbed and there are un-
pleasant dreams. If the meal has been recent or

earty, the arrest is more decided and the var —
ing sensations of nightmare are experienced. It
is essential for refreshing sleep to have the feet
warm and the head cool, and the head should
not be raised more than six inches above the
level of the back.

 

“ WHAREFORE-jRESOLVED ="

If you’re waking, call me early, call me early, mo-
ther dour. . 7
For I‘ve ii he-ip to resolute upon this glad bew

ial‘ .
There’s lore of things I'm going to say that I‘m
a-goi’ng to do,
And I kind o hope in a thousand things I'll manage
to keep a feW.

I'm going to do the very best that ever a fellow
can, .
And I will make no friendship With a very angry

llllli];
Iwill not look upon the wine when it is glowing

re —— _
So may my evening but sit looe upon my morning
head.

I will not loaf with sinners at the corners of the
street-

Nor Will I talk about myself to every one I meet:

I’ll be the good boy of the school, and study all the

fly. . .
Nor prod my seat mate with a pin, to see him laugh
and play.

When Wisdom crielh at the gates, I‘ll know that she
means me:
And when she putteth forth her voice, I'll answer,
“Here I be!”
When slugger men affront me, I will give the answer

so i
But the little man who tries it may venture once too
oft.

I will not lie about my age, my salary or weight;
To help in deed, the friend in need, I will not hesi-

titre.
I will not scoff at feeble things, our Navy and the

poor;
And fractured toys and broken hearts, I’ll try to
mend and cure.

I'll go to See, no gray-haired sire pose as the
“Preacher Boy." .
Nor go to hear a suckling babe play “ Little Fauntle-
roy.” .
I will not whistle in the cars the aural do not know,
Nor hold high revel in my room, while others sleep
below.

I will not wear my dress coat when the sun is in the
sky: _ ‘

I will not wear a collar more than seven inches
hi h;

I will b5 so good and sensible that people in the

s reet
Will lift their hats to me and say, “Ab, Gabriel,”
when we meet.

Goodnight, d. ar mother, sweet good night; nay, do
not wee-p for me, _
I am so good to-night, [fear the morn I ne‘er may

see. -
But if I do live through it, when to—morrow dis-

appears— ‘ ‘ I
You‘ll likely think your preCious boy Will live. a bun-
dred years. —Buaosr'rr..

 

 

llld Sunflower,

THE HAYSEED DETECTIVE;

03,
Between the Lamb and the Wolves.
The Story of: Tangled City-Trill.

BY. ALBERT W. AIKEN,
AUTHOR or “ THE WOLVES OF NEW YORK,”
“ OVERLAND KIT,” “ CALIFORNIA nnrnc~
TIVE," “BRONZE JACK,” 310., ETC.

CHAPTER XXXV.

THE SHADOWS.
THE air of plotters whose doings we have
chronicled, in our last chapters, were uncom~
monly shrewd men, but for all their shrewd-
ness, they did not possess sufficient keenness to
sus ct that the ofiice of the doctor was
“ s adowed.”

It had never entered their minds that cos i-
cion could possibly attach itself to them, or
they had managed matters so cunnineg that
it did not seem as if the shrewth bloodhound
on the force could get a claw.

Old SunflOWer had “ figgered” matter
out in his peculiar way, but with all his won-
derful acuteness, it was like gropin in the
dark, until the fortunate accident of rs. Mac-
farland seeking his advice made him acquaint-
ed with the fact that the documents which had
been stolen from the girl, Milicent, in the Wolf
apartments in the Ben Hamet flats, on the
night of the murder, were in the possession of
Dr. Grolance. _

The moment he ascortained this, it was plain
to him that his suspicion in regard to the Ger-
man having had a hand in the murder Was
correct, for otherwise he could not have ob-
tained the girl’s papers.

The Westerner visited the chief of police and
explained the matter.

The superintendent was amazed, for, being
an unusually acute bloodhound himself, he
was able to appreciate talent in that line in an-
other.

But as both he and Old Sunflower realized
that that they had some uncommonly smart
rascah~ to deal with, they resolved to roceed
with the utmost caution, for they un erstood
that if the pair had any idea they were sus-
pected, it would be an extremely difficult matter
to catch them.
The first move the man-catchers made was
to place “shadows” on the houses of both Dr.
Grolnnce and the Old Jew.
The spies were instructed to be extra Care-
ful, and to take all possible care to avoid being
suspected.
“If the pair are communing with rascals, it
ought not to take us long to find it out,” the
chief of police remarked.
It was Old Sunflower’s idea that the German
doctor was the head of the plotters, the old
Jew being the respectable cloak through whose
aid the insurance money was to be obtained,
and therefore the W'esterner hired a furnished
room in a. house directly op its to the doctor’s
so he would be near at hand?08
The house was on a corner, and a beer saloon
occupied the lower floor, which rendered it an
easy matter for Old Sunflower to gain entrance
to his room by going in through the side door in
the by street, then through the yard and up
the back way, without any danger of his being
perceived by any one in the main avenue.
The doctor had three rooms in his house, a
front one which he used as an office, a middle
room where he received his patients, and a rear
bedroom.
The shadows were instructed to follow all sus-
picious persons who mi ht call upon the doctor,
and tracked them until they discovered who
they were. ‘
If the doctor had been a popular one, with a
long list of patients making office visits, this
task would have required an army of spies to
carry it out successfully, but the German had
few patients, and no office-callers to speak of, so
the six spies who were detailed upon the service
were ample to attend to it.
Old Sunflower was in charge of the shadows,
and kept a wary eye upon them so as to be cer-
(tiain they diligently applied themsalves to their
uties.
And so it happened that when the saucy young
woman, who ca led herself Annie Jones, left the
doctor’s office, one of the spies immediately fol-
lowed her.
It chanced that this particular shadow had
the reputation of being one of the best in his line
in the city.
In person he was an undersized, innocent-
looking fellow; in fact, a food judge of man-
kind, after taking a carefu survey of his face,
would have been a t to get the impression that
the man was a. lit e weak in the upper story—
not exactly right in his mind, and it would have
taken a n izard of the firstdegree to have guessed
that this thin, consumptive-looking fellow, who,
in his rather shabby dark suit, had the appear-
ance of a workman out of a job, was one of the
best all-around athletes in the city, a man of
dauntless courage, and who was able to go into
a ring with pro essional boxers and hold hisown
with the best of them.

 

 

that many an old and experienced rascal had
been run to earth by this shadow, without hav-
ing the slightest suspicion that this weak, harm-
less—looking fellow was a spy on the watch.

When the young Woman left the house, where-
in the doctor’s ufllce was situated, she hesitated
for a moment on the doorstep and took a careful
survey of the street. I

The doctor’s warnings had made her cautious,
and she wanted to be sure that there wasn’t any
spies in the neighborhood before she proceeded
on her way.

Now, although the young woman had an ex-
tremely sharp pair of eyes, and had been brought
up in a school where she had learned to use
them to the best advantage, yet it was not to be
expected that, even with her wits sharpened by
the ~emi‘theatrical life she had led, she could
be smart enough to detect a first-class man do-
ing the “shadow act" merely by looking around
her.

Nothing suspicious could she detect. All the
people on the street seemed to be going on about
their business, and so, after a moment’s survey,
the girl proceeded on her way.

She went directly to the nearest Third ave-
nue L station, and as she ascended the stairs
the shadow, who had followed at a safe distance
in the rear, began to await softly to himself.

If there is anything that the city police spy
hates, it is to see the prey whom he is tracking
take to the L Roads, for the chances are about
ten to one that unless the station is prominent,
where plenty of business is done, so there are
many passengers, the shadow cannot follow the
game without exciting suspimon, if the tracked
one is on the watch.

“ This girl has got her eyes openl”the spy
muttered, as he hurried up the steps after the
woman; he had noticed how she had inspected
the surroundings before she ventured into the
street.

“ And if I don’t make a bungle of the thing on
account of this infernal L Road it Will be a
miracle.”

What he feared came to pass.

The girl was out of sight when he arrived at
the ticket-seller's window, so he bought his
ticketand then pased into the waiting-room;
as he did so he came directly under the gaze of
the young woman,- who was seated on the fur-
ther side of the room.
, The spy assumed his most innocent air and af-
fected to be examining the pictorial advertise-
ments on the walls.

“ South Ferry train l” cried the gatemau, as
the train came :5).

The girl hurri to the platform, and the spy
ollowed.

There were only a couple of passengers to get
off, and the girl, who had suddenly taken the
idea that the solitar young men might be a
spy, resolved to tric him, for she noticed he
he had not been in a hurry to board the train,
but was right in her rear.

She blocked the passage so he could not pass,
and began to question the conductor.

The train storied: she gave a little cry of
alarm, the canduotor pulled her on board and
banged the gate in the face of the young man.
The shadow was left. behind.

CHAPTER XXXVI.
PLANNING THE FLIGHT.
OF course the spy made a desperate attempt
go board the train, but all the guards repulsed

in).

There isn’t anything that the average L Rail-
road man enjoys more than to slam the gate
in the face of a tardy passenger and then grin
broadly while the passenger gives vent to his
rage.

“ The jig is up now l” the shadow muttered,
in a sullen rage. “ Andall that is left for me to
do is to report how easily this woman played it
on me.
ha“She was! up to 8111103 swastika“ must
ve spot me rig t from, Inningpor
else she never would haveboen able to. twat-tho
trick so well.” ' '
This particular shadow. had one rare merit:
ifbemadeablundernbenovorommpted to
conceal it by descending to falsehood, tbereb
giving hischief a false impression. ' ~ =
So, when he mun-nod to Old Sunflower, he
‘gave a full and true amount of all that had oc,
curred.
“ hl” exclaimed the Westerner, “I am
blamed sorry that the woman succeeded in giv-
ing you the slip. From the way she worked the
scheme it is plain she had good reasons for not
wantin to be followed, or else she would never
have to on so much trouble.”
“ I am sorry, sir; I did my best, but these L
roads play the deuce with a. man once in a
IErie,” the shadow remarked, with a regretful

“ Oh, that is all right—I am not blaming you.
I am sart’in you did all you could, but I am
awfully afeard that we have let a mighty im-
portant party slip through our fingers; better
luck pext time, though, I hope!" Old Sunflower
remarked, in his cheery way. I
And then orders were given to the spies that,
if the woman came again, three men were to
follow her.

“Surely one of the three ought to be able

to keep her in ' ht, no matter how cunning
and able she may ,” the Westerner- muttered,
reflectively.

“ I am sadly afeard, though, that we are
locking the stable door' arter the bow is stolen,
for .l have no idee that she will come ag’in.
She must have got a scare to-night, and that
will be apt to make her skittish ’bout coming
round these hyer parts for some time.”
Old Sunflower was right in this conclusion;
the girl had got a scare, for when she saw how
determined an effort the man made to get on
the train she became satisfied he was a spy who
had set out to track bar.
“ This looks ugly,” she muttered. “ Haw did
the man come to get on my track! There isn’t
an thing about me to excite suspicion.”
hen she reflected upon the matter for a mo-
ment.
“There is only one explanation,” she mur-
mured. “ The doctor’s house is watched—and
if that is a fact it shows that suspicion has been
directed to him. ,
“ The police are on the alert, and they are so
ing to follow everybody who visits the doctor
in_ hopes of making some important discov-
eries. '
“He ought to know this, for I do not be-
lieve he has any suspicion that the detectives
are on his truck.”
Then she mused over the matter for a few
moments in silence.
“ I suppose I ought to give him a hint of
how thin s are,” she met
“But don’t think I will.” she continued.
“ He got me into this ugly scrape without allow-
ing me to have any idea of what a dangerous
game they intended to play.
“ Both of them made a regular cat’spaw out of
me, and since they were so smart as to get into
the trouble I think that it is only right for me to
keep quiet and let them get out thebost way
the can.” ’ .
aving come to this determination the busy
mind of the girl began to plot and plan.
“ I must get out of the country as soon as p0s-
sible,” she muttered. “ And on suspicion has
evidently been excited I must take care that
some watchful detective does not rob me as I go
on board of the steamer.
“ That is the old game, to keep watch of the
steamers, but I fancy they will not catch me,”
and the girl nodded her head in a confident
ray. while a scornful smile appeared on her
ace. -
“I must make arrangements to start at once
--to-morrow at the latest. We can take the
Long Island Road to the end of the island—the
detectives, keen as they are, will never think of
a fugitive making his escape from New York in
that direction.
“ If there is a watch set it will be at the big
depots of the great trunk lines.

‘ We can cross to the Connecticut shore, then
go north by the interior lines to Canada, and
finally come out at Halifax, where we can get a

 

His appearance was so greatly in his favor,

steamer toEngland, and I fancy there isn’t a

i ordered.

shook his he

a fool of yourself by thinking of taking up with
a girl without any tin?“ he continued.
is all very well, of course, but it hikes money to

the
.“ he girl hasn’t anymoney. but she is as ‘
smart as a steel-trap, with in
education. and a magnificent voice.

you know, for I am a kind of a musical genius
myself, and the
make a good thing out of this girl by taking

mhmfinghmd and putting her on at the music,l
a .

it strikes me that it is not a bad idea

exclaimed.

ten or fifteen pound a week out of the scheme. I
Will be the manager, don't you know, and attend
to the cash."

can get the girl to do it?”

 

detective in the country smart enough to catch
me if I only gets good, fair start."

As the girl had traveled wuth a variety troupe
all over the New England States and through
Canada, she was thoroughly posted.

“ I do not think there isa doubt but what 1
can carry this scheme through successful] .”
she declared, after debating the matter in or
mind for a while.

“ I have battled the detectives tonight, and
unless I am extremely unlucky I think I will get
things all right 1"

She was sanguine, but this is an uncertain
world.

 

CHAPTER XXXVlI.
OLD ACQUAINTANCES.
Om: of the most cosmopolitan of places is the
famous Hoffman House saloon, the “Art Gal-
lery," u it is Offrll jeatingly termed on account
of the large number of costlypainiings which
adorn its walls.
After nightfall it becomes a sort of ex-
change, where my be found prominent men of
all nations.
All are free to enter and enjoy the privileges
of the place, whether they patronize the bar or
not, provided they are decently dre+sed and
knew how to behave themselves.
To this popular resort we will now transport
the reader.
At just about the time when the girl was
having her adventure with the spy, the Eu lish—
man, Jeey Grimshaw, sauntered into the sa oon.
Thanks to the liberality of Old Sunflower, he
had been enabled to becmne a gentleman of
leisure, and wok his case with the air of a mill-
ionaire.
He had not given up his search for the missing
drug-clerk, and made a point of visiting all the
resorts where sporting gentlemen were wont to
gongregaie in hopes of hearing some news of
im

Grimsbaw had hardly gotten Well within the
saloon when he was warmly greeted by a medi-
um-eized, well-dressed young man, who could
have been picked out for an Englishman by his
costume and manners, as far as could be seen b
any one having the slightest knowledge of the
subject.

“ Why, Joey, old chap, how are you 1" the
young man exclaimed, hastening toward Grim-
shaw with extended hand.

“ Blow me tight, hit it ain‘t Tommy Brown 1”
the ex-valet cried, shaking hands with the other.
“Oh. no; stow that!" the other replied, with
a quick glance around, as if to notice whether
any one had paid any attention to the saluta-

on.
But in such saloons )10 pay no attention to
the aalutatiom of 1' ends, and none ware ob.
serving the two.
“ Stow what, my tulip?” Grlmsbaw asked.
surprised by tbecxclamation.
“ The Tommy Brown," the other replied.
“ That was all well enough for the Old Country,
but it don’t go here.”
“ ’Ow is that?"
“ My name is Reginald Hawhunt.”
u  no in
“ Oh, yes!”
“It won‘t work! I know better a blunted
sight, you know! ’Awburst was your master.
You wage ’is valet, just as I was to Lord Dickey

“ Well, Hawhurst has gone back to England,
and I am sporting the mute just now,” the
young man explained. i
“ Ah, yes; I twigs!" .
And Grimshaw nodded in a knowing way.
“ I suppose you ’opos to pick hop one of these
Hamerican gals with lots of coin! ’ ’
“ Well, that was my little game, but, me-
lapiwl; I, have never been lucky enough to. d the
c . x . '
“ I wonder but that, for you are just the kind
Milli?“ “if.” i“ a loss of m
. at you vs I ~ 1"
Grimshaw asked, in a hoop table manner. ‘ .‘
“$t down and,givehit'=a name, you know.”
.The pair worm at emblem»  was
m4

“ Ah, that is the stuff—that makes me think
of dear old Lunnonl”the young man remarked,
as he held up his glass so the I lit could shine
through the ambencolored liqn .

'“ Yes, there’s no lace like ’ome, though I ’ave
got along very we! on this side of the ’errlng
pond.” Grimahaw observed.

“ Well, I can’t say that I have,” the other ob-
served in a reflective way as he sipped hi ale.
“The trouble with me is, you know, that I am
too fond of the pasteboards. If I would let
gambling alone I would get on well enough,
but, somehow, I can't resist the temptatibn
when I have any mono in my pocket, to back
mygame, and the res t of this deuced foolish
infatuation of mine is that I am in the worst
kind of a hole just at present.”

“ That is bad.”

“Yes, itiis very bad. The way I am situated
I ought to be off to England as 30011 as pos.
sible, and here I am stuck in New York because
I hav’n’t got the money to pay the fare of my-
self and the young lady who is about to become
my better half.”

“ Going to get married, eh? Well, I wishes
you luck 1”

“ My dear fellow, when my master took him-
self back to England, and the idea cameto me
that I might be able to catch one of these rich
American girls by assuming his name, I imme-
diately went into the game. '

“ I had send up considerable money, so was
able to cut quite a dash, and then I got in With a
lot of bookmakers—turfmen, you know, who
took a fancy to me, and put a good bit of money
in my way. I have no doubt I would have got
along all right if 1 could have let gambling
alone, but I couldn’t, and so I low my money
about as fast as I made it.”
“A man like you ought to 1010'! better.”

“ Weall have our little weaknesses, you know,”
the other declared in his airy way.

“ But I have struck a good thing at last, as
you will see if you will have patience to listen to
my tale.”

“ Go hon l” Grimshaw exclaimed, encouraging-
ly. “ We ’ave hall the night before us.”

“ I was on my to New Orleans to attend the
races there, as one of my bookmker friends had
promised to arrange matters so I could make a
good bit of money.”

“ Ab, that his the kind of friends who are
worth ’aving l” the other declared. -
“ On the train, as we were running through
Florida, I made the acquaintance of a. young
lady, who impressed me as being about the
cleverest irl I ever encountered.”

“ Your emericsn ’eirem, hey ?”

“Oh, no. she hadn‘t any money. She was a.
music-teacher on her way to New Orleans, but
her manners, her style, completely captivated
me. and I hadn’t been acquainted with hermore
than two hours before I popped the question.”

“ That was nick work 1" And then Grimshaw

" But I say, old pal, wasn’t you sort of making

“ Love

make the more go.” .

“ Oh, I am not such a fool as would appear,”
oung man declared.

splendid musical

“ I have seen a good deal of thatsort of thing.

idea. came to me that I could
“ Ah, yes. I see. Well, now, Tommny, old pal,
“ It is a deuced good one, by Jove l” the other

“ The chances are. you know, that I can get

“ Yes, of course. But, I say. do you think you

 

.4

, unto-couple ‘of bottles-of “8mg” _

.mp—

.— . .. .\.............m._...

“ Oh, it will undoubtedly take a little time to
bring her up to the scratch, but i will get her
there,” the other declared, confident! y.

“ I shall have to manage the affair carefully,
of course. I

“ At present she knows me as Reginald Haw-
hurst, and I an: an English gentleman who has
just come in for a large property, you under-
stand!”

“ Yes, yes, that is the usual tale, and how the
precious gudgeons do swallow it, too i”

“ When we get to England, I shall make the
astounding discovery that m confidential man
of business has bolted with al my cash.”

"That is natural. They all do it!” .

“I have prepcrty, of course, but iris so tied
up with leases and bequests to various rela-
tives that I am not able to get any thing out of
it 1”

“ That old story.” i

“ I shall be plunged into utter despair—don‘t
know what to (lo—starvation stares us in the
face—nothing left for me but to make a hole
in the water, or else try the 636% of a leaden

ill!”

p “ It is really a beautiful game you are laying
hout!" Griuishaw declared.

“ Then 1 suddenly remember her musical
talents. l grasp at the idea, as a drowning man
to the rope which promises to bring him safe to
land !"

“ Beautiful, beautifull" cried the other, rub
hing his hands gleefully tOgeiher.

“ l explain to her thutl know all the people
who run the music-halls, and it w ill not be diffi—
cult for me to get her engagements.

“ Her vanity will be aroused; she Will agreeto
make the trial; the odds are a LhOUSHUd to one
that she makes a success, and I will be put in
possrsdon of an income of ten or fifteen pounds
a Week, and all the work I will have to do will
be to collect the swag.”

“ Tommy, my tulip, you are a genius, and I
don’t see hany reason why this scheme will not
work.” _

“ Oh, it will, I am certain. The only pOSsible
bitch is that the irl may refuse, but I don't
believe she will. glue is need to singing and
playing in public, so it will not be a new thing
for her to face the footlights.

“ Then, too, although she told me a straight
enough story, yet I fancy she did not tell me all.
—She was on her way to New Orleans, where she
expected to ma a wealthy old Southerneh
going to ,marry im just to at a home, and
when I got her to me, pretended to
be so afraid the Southerner would come after
her that we stottiped at Mobile. and she had her
dark hair cut 0 short, and then bleached to a
blonde hue, thus completely changing her ap-
pearance.”

" That was hodd!” Grimshaw remarked, his
attention immediame aroused. '

, “ And when we came to New York she insist-
ed upon going to Brooklyn, where we got fur-
nished rooms, and she never goes out Without
putripg on" a veil so as to partially hide her
ace.

“ Looks as if she was afraid some one might

mm her,” the ex-vulet tug .

“ es, but she mtends that she don’t know
much about New ork. although from the we
she speaks once in awhile she appears to be well

I

“ Very hodd l”
“And she is dreadful anxious to get ,off to
England as soon as possible too!” .
“That seems as if she was afraid some one
was after ’er.” '
“It may be that she is running away from
home,”or she may have cut and run from a bus—
band the young man suggested. *

“db, yes, not unlikely. Wornen are bup to
all sorts of strange tricks nowadays.”
“ We were going to start tat-marrow. I had
the moneyall rig t, but was fool 011035;! tog
into a gaming-place and lost about 
worse luck!"

.-.... “v.” “a-..

handkerch

“lt‘ls'the girl‘s: I picked it up by minute.”
“ ’Ere’s a h’ell marked in one corner,“ the or
mfinremarked. “ Does her name begin with
“No, Annie Jones is what she calls hersde
but that may not be her real name, you w.
A vague suspicion had been gathering in
Grimshaw’s mind while the young fellow had
been tolling his story, and the discov of the
mark on the handkerchief strengthened t.
“ Say, I think I can put you in the way of get—
ting a‘raise!" he exclaimed abruptly.

‘ How much will do you?”
“About a hundred. i gave the girl fifty to
spend and she said she did not need it. but would
kee it for me. so if I have a hundred Ican
pul through all right, for as soon as I get to
London I can get a loan of a few pounds with-
out any trouble, and then it will not take more
than a couple of weeks to arrange the music-
hall business.” ‘
“ I know a party who sometimes takes a little
flyer in the way of a speculation if ’6 secs good
money in it,”-Grimshaw explained.
H“’E is a queer old customer. and once in a
while don’t mind puttin up money fora little
crooked Wurk, provided t e swag promises to be
big and the risk small.”
“A sort of a genteel ‘fence,’ eh? A fellow
who disposes of stolen goods?"
“ Yes, but 'e will not ’ave hanything to do
with common rascals. Now if I ex lain this
matter to ’im, and show that you wi l strike a
pot of money as soon as you get vour music-hall

usincss going in London, ’8 will, I think, find
the tin, particularly if 1 go security for you, and
I will do it, for I know you are all correct.”
9' You're a danced good fellow, Joey!” the
other exclaimed.
“Hand anther-e isn’t hanything like strik
when the iron is 'ot, come with me and we w
’unt the old chap hup, right away l"

(To be continued—commerwed in No. 467.)

 

 

Strong Backing in a. Jack Pot.

 

“Tun luckiest man in a
marked a Washi n man in a reminiscent
mood, as he drew ee cards, “ was a Certain
congressman from Illinois. He was backed in a
jack pot by the United States. Wewere havl

a nice little game of $2 limit. Around the bog
table were four of us, and this was the only
congressman who had sand enough and money
enough to sit out the game. There was a night
session and an exciting time in the House of
Representatives, and the other: had dropped out
one by one on the score of public duty.

. “ Well, it was getting on t0ward two o’clock
in the morning, and we had a lovely pot and
everybody stayed in. The pot was opened on
four deuces and the man stood pat. That was
this same congressman. There was nothing lea
than a good pair out, and everybody set-med to
have improved his hand in the draw. The tet-
ting was lively. Just then a servant rushed in

poker game,” re-

and said there was a (all of the House and the

Sergeautat-Arms was at the dam.
“ ‘ I’d play this hand out if, the whole United

States was at the door.’ said the statesmnn.

“ ‘ Keep him cut a minute, Jim.’

“ But the big foot of the Sergeant-abArms

was thrust in the crack of the inner door as Jim

was going out to bar the outer one.
“ ‘ ’m sorry, gentlemen, but—J’
, n

“ ‘ I’m not terrupted the member. ‘ I’ll go,

as soon as I rake In this jack pot. In the mean

time let me have fifty.’
“The Sergeant-at Arms produced his orda-

book. and the fifty soOu went to swell the pile.

“ ‘ I'll draw on you for a hundred soon,‘(protty
ne of

madame from the plucky lllinoisnn.

us laid down his band at this. and another began
:0 ltgok nlervous.
n e piealread ,andlwas downto
dollar and had to ball. my
well. the Illinois Congressman and his four

deuces and the Se ‘ t t—A dth '
States T rgean a rms an e United

There were several 1. O. U.'I
last
I had a king full. and—-

ry and that

 

\

ack’pot, with about

$800 in it, all went off toget er.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

:Tbs'u Fheiegflllied iii. ale  roan his . '

    

 

   
 

 

 

 

  
    
    
    
      
   
 
 

l! ,

  
  
  
     
 
 
  

 
  
 
  

      
   

  
      
 
       
 
     
    
   
      
    
   

   
  
 
    

  
 
  

  
  

 

 

 

Michel 'thntb a queue ‘ Wipel‘l"?  I

Wm... mm-.- 2...... m.~mm¢n "whammn a .N

mwm-um~a~wu~mam vmw ,5 -.  ,.. w... ...

.N-wu.mpwwm, wmw «r