The Opelousas courier., 1898-02-19
lurched over to his old position in the

lurched wei to his old position in the
corner.
About 3 o'clock in the following
afternoon Dan staggered into the bar,
a trife more intoxicated than usual.
The landlord, however, who was the
sole occupant when Dan entered,
served him with the usual "twopenn'
ORTIZ"
The customer placed a half-crown
piece on the counter, which the land
lord-after giving the change--threw
towards the till. It fell on the floor,
and something in its sound reused
Markham's suspicious.
Picking up the coin he examined it
closely, while Dan began to shuttle
toward the door. Too late, however,
Markham sprang over the counter,
seized thsbther by the collar, and
dragged him into a private room.
"Wlere did you get that coin?" he
Missed.
"Lemme co. pleaded Dan, huskily.
"Where did you get it?' repsa1r{d
the other. 4
"a gint give it to me-" stammered
Dan, "and-" 4
"Come, out with the truth"
"All right" responded DanSAesper-
ately. "Let go my throat, will yer? I
made it."
$50 You made it, did you? And
where did you get the die?'S
"Stole it, growled Dan. SIT once
belonged to a fellow you kSew-Hut-
ton, the coiner."
"Hush, you crazy fool" Kissed
Markham. Don't you know where
YOU are 2"
Stepping softly to The door, the
landlord locked it, then, producing a
bottle from the cupboard-was it the
sight Of that bottle that brought the
triumphant CLEAN into Dams eyes?-
he poured out a couple of stiff glasses.
Come, Dan here's to your health"
said Markham. cit won't do for us
to quarrel. [ wasn't aware you knew
him."
81 knowed him twenty years ago."
replied Dan, adding with a keen
glance at his companion, "an' I know
i'm now"
Markham WINGED and glanced un-
easily toward the door.
"Well," he demanded at length
what do you want?'
Work." replied his companion.
"And what about the dies?"
"I1l bring 'em whenever you like"
Half all hour later Drinking Dan
emerged from a side door and
off down the street.
The "White Horse was O money
making establishment, night and day.
When ''closing time came round, and
the last shilling had rolled into the
.apacious till behind the counter of
the bar, business was resumed in the
vaults.
In the wee sma' hours of a Novem-
Der morning this particular branch of
The business was in full swing, and
were being literally coined.
Three or four CHASTITY figures fitted
about in the semi-darkness. Silas
was engaged in earnest con-
sab with his son-alias ''Hutton the
alias "Flash Jim," alias our
Did friend and curate at the far end
If the cellar, while Drinking Dan was
ousily engaged near the heavily-bolted
loor, In the manufacture of spurious
Suddenly the low but distant new
# a cat reached the ears Of Dan.
Before the others were even aware
# his intentions, the supposed drunk
I'D sprang forward, shot back the
'olts, threw open the door and faced
round on the others with a revolver
n each hand.
"Trapped by heaven, ''roared Mark
amor rather, Hutton, Sr.-as a
Of police, with the chief constable
+ Wallburn at their head, rushed in.
The struggle was fierce but brief.
elder Hutton was soon overpow-
but his son, who had previously
erved a long term of Imprisonment,
a similar o~ffense, fought like a
lger. With his capture resistance
'as at an end, and the whole gang
Tas secured.
"Tlicked by q miserable gin-sodden
runkard, groaned the elder Hutton,
the handouts clicked on his wrists.
you're wrong, my friend, if that's ,
ny consolation to you," said the indi-
ldual referred to, stepping forward.
Inspector Miller, at your service-one =,
the men you valued at .tuppence !
Dozen"
The prisoner did not reply, but the r..
owed his life to the fact that :
[aaces are not deadly weapons. :
Shortly after the gang had been ,
'nvicted, Inspector Miller was pro- ,
oted. At a little supper, organized !
honor Of the event, he was asked :
here and how he picked up his clew.
cit was a piece Of luck, "he laughed.
Twelve years ago I was in the
court at Westheath, when Hut '
n, the younger was sentenced to 10 L
ears penal servitude. a
II shall never forget the prisoners t
unity appearance ON that occasion. :
e never turned a hair, and when the 1
dye passed sentence on him he re- i
ived it with a low, sweeping bow I
at would have done infinite credit to a
Partisan. a
HE repeated the bow exactly when, S
the curate, he put in al appearance Il
Wallburn police court to Fay that u
70 inflicted on a member of the gang. s
ut was only when seated in the T.
ief's room, after we had been so n I
diy sold, that 1 connected the two a
eidents. and recognized my men. q