The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-12-31
JENKNsON, THE JAY.
BY wM. HAMILTON OSBORNE.


 BY wM. HAMILTON OSBORNE. (Copyright, 1903, by Daly Story Pub. Co) The brand new dress suit case of the long legged chap upon the ferry boat published to Ahe world at large that his name was Hiram Jenkinson. It also irl- dicated in fresh black letters that his home was Sandy Marsh, N. J. His clothes were new. That he was coun- trymafl and a backwoodsman was quite patent, chiefly because he had apparently made every effort to hide all rural traces. If he had worn long whiskers and a siouch hat, people probably would have taken him for an eccentric urbanite; they might never have suspected his hayseed origin. As it was, none could be mistaken. MT. Hiram Jenkinson was a countryman, through and through. In his eye there was a considerable amount of shrewd- ness This deepened as he hauled from his breast pocket a small envelope and read and reread its contents. He did this secretly. The note inside was type written, and enclosed with 1t was crisp new dollar bill, through which was stuck , . cheap brass scarf pin.
 Dear sir,'' ran this letter, "as per yours in answer to our first, we enclose handsome article advertised which you eaf. easily dispose of anywhere. We are ih the market for any number of these articles and are disposing of them to select few at 20 cents apiece. They will bring one dollar anywhere. We will furnish 800 of these for $100; 1000 for $2Oo andso on. This offer is unlike any pre- vioys one. These articles are the genuine stuff, stamped from dies obtained from Washington, D. C.. Trusting you will like the pin, and that We shall hear from you at once, we remain yours, etc., D. c. Wilkes & Co. P. s. Telegraph only the following message: '"Ten tons of coal," ifyou desire to deal.
 This letter, of course, though MT. Jen- Einson only grasped half the truth, was the letter of a green goods gang. It had been ingeniously prepared, so that a eursory reading of it gave the impression that 1t related to the pin: whereas, of lcouse, it was directed solely to the bill. Strange as it may seem, there are many fish in the sea that as yet have been un- caught, and Mir. Jenkinson, unfortunately for him, was about to nibble at the bait.
 Now, the green goods gameiis as old as the hills. It is a scheme based upon the safe premise that the victim, being as guilty in intent as the members of the gang. will never sdueal.
 MessAs D. W. Wilkes & Co, consisted of a gentleman known by the name of Shifty Shift and another of the name of Strong Arm Smith. Each of these gem tlemen were men whom the police of the borough of Manhattan had long had a wary eye, but at whose door it had as yet been unable to lay directly any crime.
 Mir. Shifty Shift and his companion were working the green goods game in q manner all their own.
 Its great, Shift" said Smith, simply great. We don't need no goods, no pa per. no money mo nothin. It's a snap. 7 And we can't get caught"
 Messrs Shifty Shift and Strong Arm Smith had waited at the ferry to note the arrival of Hiram Jenkinson. They saw him, but did not then approach him They wanted to be sure they were not watched.
 '.The postofiice fellers,' said Smith, haven't got onto Us yet, but we don't want to take no chances. Plain Clothes Biillers, of headquarters, has got his sus- picions, and by George, we don't want to have him a-reckonin' of us up.''
 Mir. Jenlkinson made for the East side of town, and the two men followed him. The coast seemed clear. There were no followers of the followers of Mir. Hiram Jenkinson.
 Jenixinson; the jay, finally reached an East side corner, after considerable trou- ble, and then he stopped and looked about him. No sooner had he done so than two well dressed gentlemen approached him, They were Shift and Smith of D. c. Wilkes & Co.
 MT. Hiram Jenkinson?" asked Strong Arm Smith.
 MT. Jenkinson looked blankly at him. He was not to be taken in. MT. Strong Arm Smith nodded
 Buffers and booze" said Strong Arm Smith. Then for the first time Hiram Jenkinson's face cleared.
 "Boozers and buff" he answered. It was pass word previously arranged upon. Then you're all right" said the countryman, relieved. "T wasn't going to give myself away until I was sure that you were you and mot somebody else"
 Smith nodded Come this way" he directed. Silently the three men. the two sharpers and their victim, wended their way down a side street. Silently, they pushed open a door and entered a dark hallway; silently they asoended the stairs. Shifty Shift, who. might be called the silent partner of the firm. ushered the Nhree into a room, vacant except for an Od table and a chair. They motioned the ,cotptryman to the chair. and he sat down. ShiEy closed the door and placed his back agains tit.
 IoNk here old felIOVs,' they announc- ed, "yeure under arrest''
 Jenkiusoh leaped to his feet. "W-whatn' he gaspS
 stSonns Arm Smith threw back his coat Shift .e The game's up. old feler," they said, We're detectives and we've watched you Tall the way up here from the ferry. We know that you've come into town to buy