The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-04-26

THESE won't do, i tell you, key,
said The Snapper. II want something
good. I've been here for 'relievers be-
fore but this time / want a 'relieyer'
that'n relieve" Fs-s
A "reliever." be II understood. is a
suit of clothes that is exchanged for an
other suit, either fors financial or other
consideration. Ikey scratched his chin.
"Egzamine der goots." he said coax
ingly for the twentieth time, "and, oh.
der fits. and-Ah, mine friendt, ne
cried. checking himself and manipula-
ting his hands I'm an ecstacy OF excite
ment. wait a minute, Walt minute.
All. / god 1t. l god it,"
The Snapper grinned disdainfuliy.
what have you got?'
Der reliefer vitch'll relief" ex-
claimed the old Hebrew. and he shuf-
fled i'm all haste into the gloom that
shrouded the rear portion or his store.
The Snapper heard the merchant
rumaging I'm the drawers and boxes
and improved the interval py taxing q
sly peep up and down the street. HIS
handstole unconsciously into an out
side pocket or his coat, and as he felt
the smooth plumpness of a leather wal
let he laughed softly TO himself. Un-
told wealth and not cop in sight. But
they would be after him. He knew that
from long and bitter experience. The
stout old gentleman who owned the
pocketbook before il was lost I'm the
crowd had retained "a grip on his coat
Just long enough for one good look, and
The Snapper knew that that was all
sufficient for his old acquaintance
among the police. The snapper took
another look up and down the street
and came back into the clothing store.
He cast a furtive glance I'm keys di-
rection TO make sure he was unobserVed
and then pulled the wallet from his
pocket. He opened II, and in moment
his deft fingers skinned over the neat
ly folded bills. Five, seven, eight,
thirteen" he counted, "twenty-three,
twenty ty-eight-fifty-t scads and all
for a song" Again he laughed softly.
There was something pleasant about
The Snappers eyes when he laughed.
If Il were not for that Villianous black
mustache OF his, waSed and curled, he
could have passed I'm any crowd as an
honest man The fact OF the matter
was that The snapper came from
good family and-but that doesn't mat
ter.
'Ikey you old Shylock, get move
on" he said. adding few choice ex-
pletives by way of emphasis.
I'm gomlng-ah, and here dey Is
And a moment later. sure enough, key
emerged from the darkness, radian;
and breathless. holding up portion OF
his quarry I'm either hand. vine. vine,
ne chuckled, ''reliefers Witch relief! Wy.
vat
The Snapper had broken out into up
roarious merriment. why. you nosey
old bloke. why they're parson rags
Oh-h-h. he. ha, ha. Where'd you gc,
'em? Me as sky pilot, Say" and
again the Snapper's mirth was unconi
troleble.
You wanted" began key, I'm in
jured accents. trs..ss -.
Right YOU are" cried his customer
in hearty accents. "Ikey. you're white
Let me try'm on. IL they're not too
soon I'll spot you W and throw I'm tn,
leather" The snapper withdrew, still
laughing and swearing playfully. And
say" he called presently over the bacp
partition. tell Toney. the barber, IN
COME in here. I'll want 10 slough m
hlrsutes.''
Little did the Snapper alias G. T.
Wendell alias Bother alias Getty, alia1
Jansen Kennedy. think what change
in his life that change of garb would
make.-+A half haur after ne, the pick
pocket, had walked. chuckling. behind
the board partition in keys second
hand clothing store, smooth-faced
young divine. i'm ministerial black and
topped by a very churchly tile, step
ped from behind the dismal little shop
into the spring sunshine and paced
slowly down the street. To a close oh
server his eyes would have appeare
strangely shifty, perhaps. and his car
riage a trite constrained, but playing
we'll his part. lie checked a smile Oh
two at first when some one in the pass
ing crowd reverently touched cap ot
murmured father" but as he con-
tinued his walk he found that IL WASH
necessary TO check the smile. Indeed
and this seemed just little strange.
wasn't feeling mirthful any longer
Then. as an old gray-haired grandfath-
er stepped aside and stood uncovered
as he passed the Snapper became
aware that his heart was beating faster
than IL should. and he wondered, with
vague sense of uneasiness, IL every.
thing was all right. He remembered
that he was feeling now somewhat ag
he did many years ago when his first
offense was on the verge OF discovery
What did that presageg he asked him.
self. Did IL mean he was on the verEt
of discovery now3 Scarcely that. a
the very moment OF the thought po-
liceman brought up his club i'm respect
ful salute.
The Snapper tried 10 cheer himsel
up with the thoughts that had be-
cogent before. Me as sky pilot! N
repeated but not an echo of his formcs
mirth reteurned. He tried 20 laugh
but he shivered instead. You need
drink" he told himself; but try as ~
would he could think of nothing-and
the Snapper's knowledge OF drinks was
intimate and profound-that would sui
his fancy. He shivered again. although
the day was pleasant and the SUNSHINE
warm. Then i'm n moment a lurking
suspicion grew up I'm his mind and took
possession of all his thought. He was
afraid. He laughed at the idea. but tn,
laugh was not genuine. Like the re-
frain beaten out by the wheels Of an
express. the accusation, You're afraid.
You're afraid" throbbcd through his
brain with every pulse OF his heart.
There was something very much the
matter With The snapper. He himself
recognized that. He still walked slow
ly along the street but every muscle
of his body was rigid and he felt a
sharp contraction about his mouth.
\ little old woman sat on the curb
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