The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-04
THE ADVERTISERS .s .s 2
 s .s DAILY SHORT STORY.1J
Copyright. lsee by Daily story Publishing Co,

SudTuS go tnTOuSn the halnrB every night? We'll. l did. and 1t taught me | some things. Come to see me here l six months from date"
 The men shook hands and the elder walked out. An hour later James | HaNold Maxwell stood in the best room of a plainly furnished flat in | Harlem. He was talking to a girl | of 22. fair skinned and dark eyed. with a beautiful moiden figure and an in- nocent face.
 T am sorry to part from you Elsie" he said. but 1t is only for 6 time. My employer, lace importer. wants me on the ground. I will be absent six months. and then
 Yes" the girl repeated, smiling and blushing, and then?"
 Our long walt will be ended" Max we'll replied, pressing his lips to her black hair. You have been very pa- tient. sweetheart"
 And who would not be?" she asked.
 In the autumn MT. Maxwell, inde- pendent importer of silks and lace. I French steamer LaGascoigne. His declaration that his trunks contained goods to the value of 5000 was vised by the customs officer and his baggage examined thoroughly. The impor- tation was passed and he oold his laces next day. taking the boat on its return to France. He was back again next trip on a similar errand and again staid less than a week in New York. On his third trip he remained in America for ten days and when he went across took a bride with him. Thereafter he was accompanied always by his wife They spanned the ocean twenty times in a year and he had be- come we'll known figure to the in- spectors. His lace importations had doubled in size and they were always rigidiy declared. Then one day a dan ger signal was flown. His wife on landing was taken to the female quarters and subjected to a thorough and humiliating search by the women inspectors. Nothing dutiabie was found on her. Maxwell protested violently, and he and one of the higher officials were prevented from coming to blows only by the other men in uniform. In describing the incident to his self made packer he said:
 Evidently 1t was the work of the governments secret agents In Paris. They have at last discovered that | am purchasing jewels. and reported it. I will buy now in Copenhagen or Amsterdam. but next trip they will search me" si
 Maxwell was followed from Paris to Amsterdam and his purchase of rubies to the value of $30.000 was promptly wired. On his arrival in New York he was stripped after a verbal exam ination of an hour, and every square foot of him gone over. His trunks were sounded for false bottoms, his shoe heels were bored into and his hat thumped and shaken violently. He was aYraaaiva1v ncod h.xunnraN thrn,uh lk all and at the close offered with a loud laugh to take an emetic for their benefit. The inspectors dismissed him doggediy. yet with a secret sense of admiration, and he sold his laces openly. as usual. Then he began buy :ng jewels in ovt of the way places on the continent and smuggling them thro lgh other American ports, Boston, Charleston and Philadelphia, going so far South on one occasion as Calves ton. Everywhere. however, the in- spectors had become extremely rigid and he suffered grievous delays.
 Three years after his first trip, hav- ing left his wife in France. he met the self-made man in g. New York hotel. The Westerner had come on from Chi cngo by appointment. They hadcham- pagne on the table. The glasses wer4 wet early. r
 T have sent for you" Maxwell said. "to have a final accounting. Do you know the amount of business we have done?" T
 Mo-" said the self-made man. "I don't but I know we have made a lot of money. and that you have been fair. I'll say that for you." ~
 Yes. I have made the trips pay me an average of $7,3o0. As I got oo v1tfo1 fa h,,xr .ka more cheapiy, taking them in larger lots. We made only travelling ex- penses on the laces. That is total of $23O,000. You have had $9o.000. There remains to your credit $25,000 How do you like it?"
 Its immense was the answer. But what do you mean by a final &C., counting? You're not going to quit, are you
 "I am.''
 "why?" This is good thing"
 Tt is. but I am tired. want a home. Besides. am a pitcher that has gone often to the well. don't want to be broken at last"
 Better ty 1t a while longer. It'll never do to quit now.''
 ''It'll do for me-" was the decisive reply. Ut was all right for you, spending or saving your dollars out in Chicago, but, do you know man, that for three years the looming walls of the penitentiary have not been absent from my sight day or night? Try bucking against the law and see how you like it."
 "Oh, pshawI" the self-made man began. you don't want to-"
 Enough said." Maxwell broke in. I've quit. and that ends 1t. My wife the best a man ever had; she is worth ten times the risk and believes me honest-is waiting for me. l am going across tomorrow. It remains only to give you a check. wish you well and tell you good by. l shall go hack to England, l guess.
 The check was written. The self made man inspected 1t carefully. fold ed 1t. placed 1t in a large leather pocketbook. poured out glass of wine and said:
 There is one thing more: You haven't told me how you did it."
 That was a part of the contract; implied, if not stated" Maxwell an~ swered.
 He rose, went to his trunk, and re- turned to the table, holding something He smiled at his compan- ion. turned his head away for a mo- ment. raised his other hand and turned back. still smiling. To the self-made mans astonished gaze were revealed two rows of gums, bare and grinning. The smuggler had not a tooth in his | head. In one hand he held two sets | of most beautiful artificial teeth. In | aA fxun