The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-05-29

lowed by his three men, entered the house
and closed the door.
Half an hour previously. when Dick Full
ton had been admitted he had proceeded
along the passage. opened door at the
end and stood in what had served in FORM
er days as the kitchen of the tenement.
There, after taking of his overcoat, he
lighted his pipe and unfastened what looked
like the door of coal cellar. He was about
to step in, when the man VINO had ad-
mitted him came into the kitchen.
What luck, Dick?" he said.
ton. Then jerking his hand in down
ward direction he said. Anybody out?"
only Joe. l thought It was him when
you knocked" He sat down, took up a
Fulton, entering the door In the wall, de-
seconded the dark steps which led TO the
corners workshops huge, vaulted cellar
extending far under the garden at the back
of the house, with glowing furnace in one
corner, a stamping press in another, table
at which two men sat polishing and wrap
ping up the coins piled in front Of them,
a second table at which another sat finish
ing a die, a third on which were strewn
mOldS, tools, plaster of Paris, and the
hundred and one things used in the manu-
facture of spurious coins.
The occupants of the den were. as DIVERSE
fled as the articles. Seated by himself UNI
der the light of a swinging lamp, and eX-
aiming critically a die which the man at
the next table had just handed him. was
the leader of the gang, Jack Bathurst An
athletic, broad-shouldered fellow, with
good-looking, clean-cut, resolute features,
and a fine head of curly hair. one would
have guessed him as a cavalryman rather
than a coiner. The man next him, the
engraver, who leant back in his seat and
polished the powerful glasses he took OFF
his weary eyes, was a tall, thin Polish
with WI het cd
origin. On his right, packing up the coins
In tissue paper, was fat, dissipated-look-
ing man with red, blotchy face. which
told only too plainly that drink constituted
the Alpha and Omega of his existence. The
fourth member of the fraternity, middle
aged man dressed in semi-clerical costume,
had a SNUG, Sanctified viSage and manner
which made him a distinct acquisition to
the band. An ex-schoolmaster dismissed
for gross misconduct, he had for a time
kept himself afloat by turning TO account
a natural aptitude for eloquent speaking
which he possessed, and then gradually
drifted down till he met In common lodg'-
ing house the man who INTRODUCED him to
made much Of by his confreres. Who
could pass base money on to an unsuspect-
ing public with such adroitness and sue
cess as he? Who listening TO his soft and
eloquent remarks, be il about the state of
trade a chapel meeting, would think of
examining the coins he rendered in pay
ment for his small purchases? His man.
ing, all stood him I'm good stead If by any
chance the spuriousness of coin was de-
tected. 1t was related among them a
good joke that a soft-hearted tradesman
had once been so completely gulled by
SANITY Silas's distress at having rendered
a bad four-shilling piece, that he had in
sisted upon giving him the change and
standing the loss rather than "the reverend
gentleman should be the loser.
The chief looked up as Dick Fulton en-
tered "Hullo. DicK!' he said. what have
you done tonight"
i've given out the lot except the packet
for Lurcher. He wasn't at his usual post,
so l didn't watt
''Humph. On the drink again, l expect.
/ shall have to have a word with him. This
is the third time in a fortnight. Any
news?"
None" said Fulton sitting down at the
end of the form which the ex-school-
master was seated. after giving Bathurst
a small piece of paper. Have your
mo, except that key has turned out the
finest die he ever cut. Have a look at that
while l glance over your list
He handed the die to Fulton and began
reckoning up the figures on the paper he
had received.
You have seen a better never, eh?' said
the Polish Jew. as Fulton critically scanned
the die.
Its a ripper" Fulton answered.; Its
good enough for the royal mint
He gave the die to the engraver, who
peered at it proudly. Then silence fell.
and everybody worked on for half an hour
or more at high pressure. All but Dick Full