Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-03-06


is the fifteenth of March. But why
don't they put in an appearance? 1t
isn't like them to be late. They'd
better not play me any tricks or
they'll find | have lost none of my old
power of retaliation"
Having satisfied himself that it was
impossible for anyone to see into the
room, either through the keyhole or
by means of the window, he partly
Gisrobed, and, when he had done so,
unbuckled from round his waist
broad leather money belt. Seating
himself on the bed once more he un-
fastened the strap of the pocket, and
dribbled the contents on to the bed
rhey consisted of three 'Napoleons, Is
English sovcreigns, four half sover-
eigns and IS onefranc pieces. In his
trousers pocket he had four Mexican
dollars and some cosmopolitan change
of small value.
ITS not very much" he muttered
to himself after he had counted it,
"but it ought to be sufficient for the
business in hand. If | hadn't been
fool enough to listen to that French
played cards, and then it would have
been double. Why the deuce wasn't |
able to get monsieur ashore? In that
case I'd have got it all back, or I'd
have known the reason why"
The idea seemed to afford him some
satisfaction, for he smiled, and then
said to himself as if in terms of APP
probation: by Jove, l believe you,
my boy!"
When he had counted his money
and had returned it once more to its
hiding place, he buckled the belt
round his person and unstrapped his
valise, taking from it a black Tussa
coat which he exchanged for that
hanging upon the handle of the door.
| Then he lighted a Java cigar and sat
down upon the bed to think. Taken
altogether, his was not a prepossess-
ing countenance. The peculiar at
tributes | have already described were
sufficient to prevent that. At the
same time it was a strong face, that
of man who was little likely to al
low himself to be beaten, of his own
free will, in anything ne might un-
| dertake. The mouth was firm, the
chin square, the eyes dark and well
| set; moreover, he wore a heavy black
mustache, which he kept sharp
pointed. His hair was of the same
color, though streaked here and
there with gray. His height was an
inch and a half above six feet, but
! by reason of his slim figure, he looked
| hat tnl1 nd
were small, but of his strength there
/ could be no doubt. Taken altogether,
he was not man with whom one
would feel disposed to trifie. Unfor-
! tunately, however, the word adventur-
er was written all over him, and, as a
considerable section of the worlds
population have good reason to know,
! he was as little likely to fail to take
advantage of his opportunities as he
was to forget the man who had
robbed him, or who had done him an
i'll turn. 1t was said in Hong-Kong
that he was well connected, and that
he had claims upon yiceroy now
gone to his account, that, had he per-
severed with them, might have placed
him in a very different position. How
much truth there was in this report,
! however, | cannot say; one thing,
| however, is quite certain; if it were
true, he had fallen grievously from
his high estate.
When his meditations had con-
tinued for something like ten minutes
he rose from the bed. blew cloud of
smoke, stretched himself, strapped
his valise once more, gave himself
what the sailors call hoist, that he
might be sure his money belt was in
it's proper position, and then unlocked
the door, passed out, relocked it after
him, and returned to the bar. There
he called for certain curious liquors,
smelt them suspiciously before using
them, and then proceeded deliberately
to mix himself peculiar drink. The
landlord watched him with an ap-
preciative surprise. He imagined him
self to be familiar with every drink
known to the taste of man, having
had wide experience, but such an one
as this he had never encountered be-
fore.
what do you call it?" he asked
when the other had finished his prep
arations.
Il call it a Help to Reformation, :"
the stranger replied. Then, with a
sneer upon his face, he added: ct
should be popular with your CUSTOM
ers."
Taking the drink with him into the
veranda outside, he seated himself in
a long chair and proceeded to sip it
slowly, as if it were some elixir whose
virtue would be lost by haste. Some
people might have been amused by
the motley crowd that passed along
the street beyond the veranda rails,
but Gideon Hayle, for such was his
name, took no sort of interest in it.
He had seen it too often to find any
variety in it, AS matter of fact the
mere sight of a pigtail was sufficient
to remind him of certain episode in
his career which he had been for