The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1905-12-14

]
/ impulse the boy said: VERY well. We
will go in"
/ They entered, and the stranger or
/ dered two glasses Of beer. Just as they
| were set upon the bar at the rear of
/ the saloon. where there was the least
| light. Franz felt quick tap on his
/ back. He was far from sUsperting
| that the man beside him had reached
/ around and tapped him on the far
| shoulder with the end Of a stick. but
| such was the case. The boy turned and
J saw no one. Naturally he was sur
! prised and stood staring AT partition
which was the nearest object within
! range. Meanwhile the stranger deity
/ drugged the glass of beer.
| At that moment. however. a door
in the partition was opened, giving
/ glimpse Of Il room with tables and
chairs In corner of this room sat
/ Uncle Wilhelm with the red faced man
whom he had met on the pier.
Franz passed the door before it could
close upon the spring that controlled
| its hinges and he seized Uncle Wilhelm
by his two hands. Muller sat back in
his chair and gaped at his nephew.
"Da," said he, "da.'
And it was nearly Il minute before
he could ask how the boy had como
there.
4 was looking for the police sta
ton" said Franz, whereat Uncle Viii
| helm stared harder and his mouth
| opened wider.
80" said he, 80. What f0r:"
At this Franz narrated his adyen-
lures ana his uncle seemed consider
ably relieved Meanwhile the man who
had guided Franz to this place entered
The back room and stood by the door,
glowering. Presently the red faced
man got up and spoke to him. They
seemed to know each other quite well,
but they had a SILENT surly manner and
reminded Franz Of two dogs that growl
softly, but viii not fight.
They spoke in English. ANA thc boy.
who HAD become somewhat accustomed
to the sound of that language. caught
a few words that meant very little to
him. He made out. however. that the
INN ittt NN man VI llllNNl NV VIZ L " ~
away and that he refused some propO-
sition. the nature of which was Il com
plcte mystery. One meaningless phrase
from this conversation stuck IN
FranZ's mind. 1t was. NO Peter in
mine" The absurdity of il was attrac-
tive, like a riddle. 1t was the red faced
man who spoke the words, and he
J.,
had known that Peter" is a mixture Of
deadly p0isOnS used by thieves to
stupefy their intended victims he
would have been even moro deeply i'm
pressed by that sentence of jargon.
The red faced man returned to the
table, and the other went away angry
At Uncle Wilhelm's invitation Franz
ate a sandwich and drank glass Of
beer, and then he leaned back in
corner and fell into light sleep, but
whenever either Of the two men stirred
he opened his eyes and always found
Uncle Wilhelm looking at hinR
By and by a bullet headed man with
stupid countenance joined the party
and was introduced to Uncle Wilhelm
by the name of Weber 1t appeared
presently that Mr.. Weber was going to
Germany on steamer that sailed
early on the following day. He did not
look like a German and spoke the Ian
guage very badly, so Franz was not
surprised to hear that he had been
born in America and had never been
across the water. 1t appeared that he
had made little money in gold mine
and was going to Germany TO claim
a small Inheritance.
He asked some stupid questions
about Germany which amused Franz,
and finally he spoke of money. He
had just come from the west, and all
his money was in American gold coin.
Some one had told him that he ought
to change it for German money.
Il wat to have plenty with me-" he
said. German money is in marks.
How many do get for %22,OO0:"
Two thousand marks, of course,
said the red faced man. gripping
Uncle Wilhelm's leg under the shelter
of the table. A mark is dollar"
"Of course" said Nh Weber, us if
his intelligence had been in. ulted. but
don't you have to pay something to get
it changed?"
You do at the bank, said the red
faced man, but if you could find some
German just over from the fatherland
he would be glad to change your
money and charge you nothing"
Il have 1000 Marks said Uncle
Wilhelm in Il tone Of suppressed eager
ness. And, hearing this, Franz sat up
straight and opened his eyes wide.
lie knew the relative value of Amer
lean and German money and was well
aware that dollar is worth more than
I marks. SO that Mr.. Weber would lose
not less than $1,000 by the proposed
transaction.
why. uncle he began But ut
this moment MI Weber saw some one
whom he knew in the outer room and
hurriedly went out saying that he
would come back directly.
Uncle Wilhelm turned toward Franz
in black rage
You keep still" he said. This is
none Of your business. In this country
tbpv do tboSa tbinu. L',.orrI,,,J,,