The Saint Paul globe., 1905-02-26

was very sorry to have missed the To-
kay, McNab took his departure.
He walked through the town toward
the dock, and scarcely two streets from
Hahn's he found himself in luck again.
For, emerging from the private bar of
a public house he saw another person
whom he recognized. 1t was a little
man, round, oiled, and brushed, with a
red, polished face, and large triangular
checks all over his clothes. His body
seemed positively globular on his neat
little legs, his face was round, his
cheeks were round, his low crowned
hat, perched aside, was all brimmy
curves and curls and high polish, and
his general fullness and roundness sug-
gested that a very slight accident
would cause him to burst like an over
ripe gooseberry. And in this nobby
little man, McNab, with a shock of as
tonishment. recognized Smith, the
wine merchants traveller, who had
bought four magnums of Tokay at the
salei
The nobby little man was strutting
along the street, and McNab went after
him = not strutting, but galloping.
Three seconds was. time enough for
McNab to recover from his surprise,
three more to realize that here, within
half a mile of each other, were the two
men between whom a large profit was
to be made, and-to catch Smith.
"Eh? Hullo!" CALCULATED the little
man, seized by the shoulder. Whats
up?"
'Mornin'. Mr.. SMITH Yell no be
rememberin' me, but 1 saw ye at the
sale here at Lawson's a whiles ago,
when ye bought four magnumS of To-
kay. I'm thinl1in' maybe you're lookin'
for a customer for the four mag
NUNS"
mo-" answered Smith; ct amt"
McNabs face fell. Maybe they're
sold? ?" he queried.
NO. Smith replied, "barrin' one. I
did sell one. But I've got the others
an got 'em ere in Southampton, too.
AS 1 said, amt lookin' for a custom
er. But I'm open to an offer. What'l
ye give?"
Fifteen shillin' a magnum." said
McNab, with a wrench at his heart
strings. For, indeed, this man had
bought them at ten shillings, and it
was positively agonizing to have to
offer him more. Fifteen shillin' a
magnum; and that's clear profit o.
feefty per cent for you," the steward
added, with something like a groan.
That's no CO." said Smith, decisive
ly, with a cock of the hat and a turn
in the direction of his journey. Il can
do a lump better than that with EN-
''Weel-don't go-ah'm no sayin' but
what / might revise the offer a trifie,"
urged McNab. Say twa pun ten for
the three, then"
That's a five bob in advance on the
lot" replied Smith, whose arithmetic
was as ready as McNab's. Not bit
o. good-it's wastin' time. Ten pound
for the three"
'1mpawsible, Mr.. Smith, quite i'm
pawsiblei" gasped McNab. in agony.
"Sic an awful sum is unreasonable"
"All right-don't pay it." answered
the implacable Smith. You needn't
you know. I didn't ask you. But If
you want them three magnums that's
the price, without a penny of discount.
Barring enough to pay for drink" he
added, literally. I'm willing enough
to stand that"
Poor McNab was shocked and
amazed. That anybody but himself
should contemplate making a large
profit out of those magnums of Tokay
seemed a wicked and deplorable thing.
The notion of paying G10 for those
three bottles racked him to the soul.
And yet-he could make C 80 of them
down the street to Hahn's hotel. He
cure an abatement, and then. finding
that nothing would shake the adaman-
tine Smith, he agreed.
Very well,'' said the nobby little
man. calmly. They're not far off. Got
the money! with you?"
Yes, McNab had the money. II was
not McNabs habit to leave money or
other valuables about in his cabin