The De Soto County news. [volume] (Arcadia, Fla.) 1898-1924, 1905-09-22


had no fear Of him. SO upon sudden
impulse the boy said: Every well. We
win 80 IN"
They entered, and the stranger or
dercd two giasses Of beer. just as they
were set upon the bar at the rear Of
the saloon, where there was the least
light, Franz felt a quick tap on his
back. lie was far from suspectlng
that the man beside him had reached
around aud tapped him on the far
shoulder with the end OF stick. but
such was the case. The boy turned ana
saw no one. Naturally he was sur
prlsed and stood staring ut a partition
which was the nearest object within
range. Meanwhile the stranger deity
drugged the glass OF beer
At that moment, however, n door
in the partition was opened, giving a
glimpse Of 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 II could
close upon the spring that controlled
It's 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 1t was nearly n minute before
he could ask how the boy had come
there.
81 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 for2"
At this Franz narrated his adyen'
lures and 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 will not fight.
They spoke In English, and the 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
red faced man wanted the other TO go
away and that he refused some propo-
sltlon, the nature of which was COM
plete mystery. One meaningless phrase
from this conversation stuck In
Franz's mind II was, mo Peter In
mine" The absurdity of 1t was attrac.
tive, like riddle. 1t was the red faced
man who spoke the words, and he
shook his head declslvely. II Franz
had known that peter is a mixture of
deadly polsons used by thieves to
stupefy their intended victims he
would have been even more deeply Inn
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 sandwich and drank n glass or
beer, and then he leaned back In a
corner and fell into light sleep, but
whenever either of the two men stirred
lie opened his eyes and always found
Uncle Wilhelm looking at him.
By and by bullet headed man with
a stupid countenance Joined the party
and was introduced TO Uncle Wilhelm
by the name of Weber. II appeared
presently that Mr.. Weber was going to
Germany on n steamer that sailed
early on the following day. He did not
look like 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 a gold mine
aud 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 1t for German money.
81 want to have plenty with me-" he
said. German money is in marks.
How many do get for $2,0007"
1.-TWO thousand marks, of course"
said the red faced man, gripping
Uncle Wllhelm's leg under the shelter
of the table. "a mark is dollar"
"of course" said Mr.. Weber, as If
his intelligence had been insulted, but
don't you have to pay something TO get
IL changedT'
"You do at the bank" said the red
faced man, "but II you could find some
German Just over from the fatherland
he would be glad to change your
money and charge you nothing"
II have 1000 marks" said Uncle
wilhelm in a tone OF suppressed eager
ness And, hearing this, Franz sat up
straight and opened his eyes wide.
He knew the relative value Of Amer
lean and German money and was well
aware that dollar is worth more than
A marks, so that Mr.. Weber would lose
not less than $1,000 by the proposed
transaction.
why, uncle he began. But at
this moment Mr.. Weber saw some one
whom he knew In the outer room aud
kurriedly went out, saying that he
would come back directly.
Uncle Wilhelm turned toward Franz