The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-11-04


time. But the instant you loose your
hold, take my word for it, Jimmie, he'll
bob up serenely from under your arm,
or betwiXt your legs, or from some ut
terly unexpected quarter, and have at
you again. No, no. Jimmie, you can't
keep a good man down"
The central office man smiled COM
placently over his Blue Points, in the
CONSUMPTION of which he was too dill
igentlv absorbed to reply, and Felix
Boyd presently added. in Illuminating
mood:
80 It is with the Big Finger, Jim
ME. We've had him down half score
of times I'm the past year, or as good as
down: and in each and every case,
Just before it's elimination, Just before
our final blow was dealt, we'd nave
wagered our very lives against his es-
cape"
80 we would. Felix" admitted Cole
man, with a dubious nod
Yet in each and every case. Jimmie,
he has slipped like an eel through our
fingers" continued Boyd. Owing TO
no fault of ours, mind you. no lack of
precaution or shrewdness on our part;
but merely because Satan, so it seems
10 me, often derives infinite satisfac-
ton from serving his own at such crit
zeal moments"
VERY likely" laughed Coleman.
looking at it,
II think so, Jimmie"
He certainly is a good man, this Big
Finger or he never could baked and
baff1ed you as he has done. Yes, he's
good man-in his Internal bad line!"
And. as said in the beginning, Jim
mie you can't keep. q good man down."
added Boyd, a bit grimly. Take my
word for it. the cover viii slip again
before we fairly know it. and. like an
ugly jack-in-the- box, the Big Finger
will again bob up, to give us renewed
anxiety and additional trouble"
Think so, Felix"
"I do, indeed. Jimmie" nodded Boyd.
'Idleness is as alien to that evil genius
as beneficence is to a hog. We certain
ly shall hear from him again.
Yet a month has passed since that
Sing Sing affair, resulting from the
convict code"
"A month is but little in the life of a
man."
That's true enough. Felix. Yet we
succeeded in landing every man of his
gang-save him alone"
"Humph! He soon will organize an
other"
do you believe it?''
Its as sure as death and taxes, Jim
ME. A month, did you say? Yes. so
it is. Two weeks in Bellevue, nursing
recuperating in the Adirondacks. L
marvel that the Big Finger did not
seize the opportunity presented by my
absence. to develop and execute one of
his Internally crafty and Hellol
break off for a moment. Jimmiei I've
an idea that yonder men are talking of
me-"
And Felix Boyd bent a furtive glance
i'm the direction of two young men. who
were seated at lunch in the main room
of the cafe.
The scene was a popular downtown
restaurant, within few blocks of the
busy section OF New York included be-
low the dead-line, the territory specially
assigned to Detective Coleman of the
central office, and the field OF most of
Felix Boyd'S remarkable exploits.
1t was, as Coleman had said, just a
month since that great police raid de-
signed and directed by Boyd, which had
resulted in the wholesale capture of the
gang of accomplished crooks DOM
mated by the notorious Big Finger.
whose criminal operations below the
dead-line long had been a menace to
every great financial institution there
located.
As previously related. the escape of
this obscure master criminal had been
entirely accidental a mishap which had
cost Felix Boyd not only his chief
prisoner. but also two broken ribs and
other less serious injuries.
The couple referred TO by Boyd. as
above noted. appeared to be discussing
some object which one Of them had pro-
duced from a small wad of white cot
ton. taken from his fob pocket. and
which had led his companion to glance
occasionally in Boyd's direction. Re
turning it after a brief examination, he
remarked, with a smile:
1T looks all right, Gerry. In my
opinion the diamond is valuable one
Gerry replaced the glittering gem in
the wad of cotton, then damned il back
into his pocket.
Glad to hear you say so, Delmore,'
he rejoined.
LAS a matter Of fact, however my
opinion is valueless. for | am not a
Judge of precious stones" added Del
more, who was a reputable Wall street
broker of the younger set. But there
very easy way of getting at the
truth
How SOP"
Submit the stone to Mr. Felix Boyd.
He very quickly viii pass upon il for
you. and his judgment is infallible."
Mr.. Felix Boyd?'
Don't you know him?'
81 can't say that do"
Delmores brows arched perceptibly.
''Humph! Is that SOP" he murmured
knew Felix Boyd
Il have been abroad for three years "
remarked Gerry. with apologize humil-
ity. What about this man-Mr. Felix
Boyd?"
Delmore dipped his fingers into the
cut glass bowl the waiter had placed
before him, then deliberately dried their
with his napkin.
We'll, Gerry" he presently rejoined
zone might say q good deal about Felix
Boyd, and then leave much unsaid
There are few, indeed. who could tel
it all; for Boyd, and his secret relation:
with some of the financial kings o.
Wall street, are mysteries yet to be un
yelled. If you have finished your lunch
Gerry, l will introduce you to him. HI
sits at the single table i'm the alcov.
yonder, with Detective Coleman of tn
central office
'I'I go with you at once, said Gerry
They are coming this way. Felix.
said Coleman, as the two men ap
preached.
80 I see, Jimmie.