The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-08-25

II was the woman called LID WHO iltiai-
ly produced two nickels, with obvious
pangs of parting.
Here" she said. "G'wan to YOUR
rope. Tell Dutch Gus l give 1t to We
when you see him. Maybe he'll square
it,
Who's he?" asked Heiny.
why, the man Drunken Donovan
was after. Don't you know him?"
That guy? Never seen him before"
''Then you just hunted in on general
principles?" said Peaches. "You are
game kid"
Heiny glanced at her, then at Lib,
and finally at the two nickels in his
hand. They looked large and they felt
warm-but some way it wouldn't Go.
Not for Heiny.
Say" he blurted out, 81 don't want
these. I never lost no dime"
MOP" queried Lib incredulously.
WAS it all bluff"
Sure. 1 thought some Of the bunch
o. rubbernecks might give up. l ain
talIin' your dough-"
Shamefacedly, but with the magic Of
his smile summing over his homely lit
tie features. he dropped the coins into
the hands of the giver.
well. whadda yeh think Of that?"
said Lib, less in query than as an cx-
preston of otherwise inexpressibte
amaZement.
Run him up against Gus" advised
the other Maybe he could use a kid
as fly as this one"
Between them they led Heiny be-
meath a glare Of lights outlining the
legend. Lone Pine Pool Room, Pool
25a Cts. a Cue" through the smoke
blue atmosphere of a large loom
crowded with dilapidated tables and
no less dilapidated players. whose ac-
curacy of game was eQualled only by
the intensity of earnestness they
evinced at it, and upon raised Plat
form where men and women sat
drinking at small tables to the ,lesper-
ate music of battered piano manipu-
lated by a still more battered pianist.
Hitler came Dutch Gus presently, and
after a moments talk with Lib, who
intercepted him, glanced sharply at
Heiny and took a table for all of them.
At nearer sight he revealed himself
as a powerfully built young German
with a handsome face and an uneasy
eye.
80 that's the kid" he said in a soft,
mannerly voice, which nevertheless
gave Heiny an unpleasant, shivery
feeling. "Haf a beer? No; you're too
yong" The boy bridled. Better not, +"
duNlSGu Jus. Is lIlSIeaI.
He flipped over a quarter of a COL
lar. Heiny clutched it. Rich in the
unexpected windfall, he would have
slipped away, but the German detained
him.
Where you come from?" he asked.
4 belong on the Bowery," said the
boy, giving the best reply he could.
Where's your fader?"
"Ain't got no father
Your mutter?"
You win" said Heiny cheerfully.
TRY me on an easier one"
who takes care of your"
What's the matter wit meseif?" de-
manded the boy promptly.
The German looked him over rnedi-
tatlvely. Yes" he ruminated; Il
might give the kid a try-out. Sinz
yong Carl got to be a lightweight
scrapper in the ring there amt none
fly enough. VEIL" he added to Heiny,
you stay here and watch"
iii go you" said the boy. He hadn't
the faintest idea what might be the
prospect opening before him, but if IT
was work he could always exchange 1t
for something easier. So he turned his
best smile on his new patron.
That's all right" said Gus 18th
quick satisfaction. The smile has sm-
least won on him; sentiment had no
place in the cold-hearted German; but
he estimated it's quality of fellowship
as future asset to the Lone Pines
main industry. OF the nature of that
industry the boy was soon to have an
inkling.
Heiny stayed and watched. He saw
a number of men who were drinking
heavily; sailors. some of them, others
evidently from the country districts
Gays, he labelled them mentality, and
he noticed also other men who seemed
to be drinking heavily, but never
showed the slightest effects of it.
These were Germans, much of Dutch
Gus type. Later he came to know them
all; D0lph Kleiner, who had served
two terms in state prison for swindlfne
poor girls out of their savings; Fritz
Bertels, a reputed graduate of Heidle-
| berg, who as a bogus count had lived
for two months gloriously on credi,
at swell club uptown; Bull Schild
the wrestler, and poor Solo," the piano
player, who had once sung minor roles
in grand opera. Then there were the
women, haggard, wan and dissipated
whose high-pitched merriment lent ar
air of determined gayety to the place
Just now Heiny's interest conferred in
Crazy Meg, so called because if one
whispered in her ear, There's the mar
| that stole your little sister," she would
| go murderous mad, and, with what
| ever weapon came nearest to hand
| seek revenge blindIy for the black
/ tragedy that had made her what she
| was.
There was Something doing" q;
! Meg's table. The keen-witted boy
gathered so much from the whisper.
of Lib and Peaches and the cover at.
tention Of Gus. The nan with Me-
was drinking heavily and paying from
a sizeable roll of bills Presently Gu!
strOlled over; there was a formula o.
| Introduction, and sitting down he or
! dered round of beers. For a momen
after 1t came the Germans bulk ni(
the strangers glass from Heiny, but 4
seemed to the boy that If any on,
leaned over his glass that way Will
shifting hand-well. he would be war,
in tasting the drink. Not so the stran
ger. He swallowed the last drop.
Hes took it," whispered Peache!
to Lib.
Sure. There he goes" assented tn,
older woman
The mans head rolled. He half rose
then fell forward. His forehead
struck the table with a startIinc
thump. Instantly, as IL on signal
| DOlDh Kfeiner Rerfels RuIl tha xgreS