Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1903-05-05

~. FEy
R.s9.ls,
BEHIND THE BAR WAS A STOLID
! RUFFIANssWHO LOOKED AS If HE.
HAD TAKEN ALL THE DEGREES
! OF CRIME.
he would stop while Warde went in.
Before they separated Fenton handed
him a police whistle, and it was
agreed between them that if Warde:
should blow it, the detective would
know that he was in danger and
would hasten to his assistance. Fen
ton was not at all satisfied with this
of Warde's, but he did not
communicate any of his uneasiness.
He merely cautioned him to be on his
guard, MS the crowd he was going
among was not very particular about
taking either property or life.
The atmosphere in the saloon was
SO heavy and malodorous that the
lights burned dimly and reluctantly.
Behind the bar was a stolid ruffian
who looked as if he might have taken
all the degrees of crime. "A low brow,
heavy black mustache, small animal
eyes and a profusion of cheap jewell
ry admirably fitted Billy MCGEE to
be the hero of q bloody melodrama
or prominent character in Lon
don chap-book. A couple of dissipated
young men were throwing dice be-
fore Billy, who watched the result
with the interest of n dispassionate
referee. A number. of persons em-
bodying various degrees of disreputa-
sbility were congregated about the
tables, some handling greasy decks of
cards, some shooting craps some
drinking whisky and other congenial
liquors and some talking apart in
whispers on subjects not to be re-
yealed even in that favorable atmos-
,phere There We're, also on hand q
few faded parodies of womanlind,
whose efforts to be gay and mirthful
were Of piece with their ghastly
surroundings.
1T was not often that addressed,
good-lo olSing young man was seen in
Peters Rest, and his advent ought to
have occasioned some surprise, but it
did not. The Rest pursued its dark
and deyions occupations as repose-
fully as though Warde had been q
regular feature OF the establishment.
Billy MCGEE did not even look up
from the important business that was
transacting before him.
Warde Mt once strobe up to the bar
and asked if there w4s present q man
by the name of William Jackson.
Four deuces," said Mr. Met Gee. Il It
will be hard to beat that. William?
Oh, yes. Bill was here about half an
hour ago: Are you the gent he was
'cXpectin'??" q #
.1Tes.'''s
he said If you come to tell you to
wait for him. He'll be back directly.
You'll have to throw again, Dock.
Take a seat in the parlor," continued
MIR. McGee to Warde, waving his hand
toward the door OF an adjoining
room.
IS As Warde stood before the bar
he was somewhat startled to find that
his coming had not been without
some interest to at least one or two
of those present.
In one corner of the room two men
sat at table drinking. They were
sturdy-l looking fellows, who were
slightly better dressed than their as
sociates, but their faces were almost
startling in the prominence Of evil
displayed therein. One of them was
a very muscular man, whose strength
had q certain cat like element in it.
which had been very cleyerly cele-
.brated by his associates in the nick
name Of Old Tom, which they had
given him. His companion was an
almost perfect specimen of physical
manhood.
The mirror revealed the fact that
these men were watching Warde with
an intensity-it seemed to him ma
lignity of interest for which he
could not account but he betrayed
no surprise, nor did he give any eyi-
.dence that he had observed them.
Taking from his pocket cigar he
lighted it coolly md then nonchalant-
ly entered the pa r1of:
This was a simple room with u table
and several chairs in it. A swinging
lamp was suspended FROM above. The
walls were eovered with choice pic
torial selections from the Illustrated
criminal weeklies.s A few sensation
papers suitable to the clientele at
Peters Rest were on tho table, and
Marde Idly scanned these with about
the same interest that d seraph might
take in reading the London Times.
He had been there harely, five: min
utes when the door opened and Old
Tom entered the room, At first he
seemed a bit embarrassed before
Warde's cool and searching gaze and
then he said: You come here to see
Bill Jackson, did you?"
Yes; has he come back ~
No. but maybe my pardner can tell
you something about him"
I'm not ,partieula ahQuti that. II
he doss not come sooat shall 70