The Washington times., 1908-12-12


| shops, her obsequious bell boys. and her
arrogant police! How he be8aiIed the
folly OF the wild goose chase which had
brought him to such a community OF
imbeciles, savages and cut-throats.
How he scored the fatuous vanity
which he now perceived TO have been
| the cause of his undoing.
No wonder Helene had houted him
and turned him down, ne reflected, re
calling the figure he must have cut be-
/ fore her in the throes OF his suffering
Why. instead OF trying to brazen the
/ thing through. could he not simply have
explained to her what was the matter,
and made an appointment for next
day?
Small blame to her, poor girl, II with
his asinine behavior, she had taken
him for speculator turned dippy."
Well. he could easily relieve her OF
that fear. If things turned out as he
conf IDENTIFY expected them to, he would
not be a speculator much longer; he
would have made his 7''pile." and then,
Just let anybody Try to get him into the
maIketl
No. he would build a bis house IN
Chicago. and 4 summer place at Mack
mac Island, and do nothing but cut cou-
pons and travel about with Helene. and
enjoy himself.
With Helene? To be sure. Tonight's
damage. thank heaven. was not irre-
parable. She loved him. he was certain.
! and he loved her. so there you were
Tomorrow he would go to see her,
straighten out all the tangles. and the
whole misunderstanding would end IN
good laugh and an order for wedding
cake
SO esuberant did he become at the
prospect. indeed. that he gave a little
! skip, and planted his unshOd foot on the
sharp corner OF a pebble. a circumstance
which fOrcibIy reminded him that he
was yet long way from being out %
the woods.
| Once more his plight assumed n ser-
Gus aspect
The night was passing. It was now
I too late TO return 10 Heiene's for his
pOcketbook. even if ne were willing 10
risk 2 second encounter with the cop"
upon the way Yet neither could he
! camp out here untfl morning.
Another cop would undoubtedly rout
him out before long. and, besides. he
was already beginning TO shiver. Vis-
! ions Of rheumatism, pleurisy, pneumO-
mia, what not, presented themselves as
an almost certain result of this 1nprO-
tected contact with the cold groZmd-
He surely could not walk all he dis
tance TO his hotel in his stocking feet.
and any other feasible method OF get
neu as remote as ever.
At this opportune moment there hove
in sight the figure OF a squat. elderly
man approaching down the street with a
Tsafe- i
out into the circle OF radiance cast by
the arc lamp upon the corner. Harrison
observed with start that he was wear
ing carpet slippers
An inspiration broke upon Harrison.
Gathering up the discarded and hateful
patent feathers, he stepped hurriedly
oJt Of the shadow and accosted the
stranger.
Say. partner, wait TO do a stroke c1
business he urged Here's a pair OF
brand new s. shoes. 5use out OF the shcc.
and III sell 'em TO you for a nickel. or
trade 'em for the slippers you've got On,
whichever you say"
The other turned q shrewdly bargain
ing eye upon him. and. extending his
hand for the shoes. examined them care
fully
What size are they7-' he Rrunted
Seven and a half But even IL they
don't just nt you. think what a bar
gain you are getting. You caa sell
them anywhere for 50 and not hals
try"
Hin Are they s4olen?-
For answer Jim pointed to his de-
nuded feet
Il just took 'em off," he explained.
They're too small for me. and that's
why am trying to dispose Of them
The man was evidently still suspicious.
however.
Why. you go ana sell 'em for some
thing like their value. then, since you
say it's so easy to be done,'' he grum-
bled. mo, I guess don't want anything
to do with EN-: II looks too fshy to me-
He started 10 move away, shaking his
head. but Jim, rendered fairly despec-
ate now, clutched him by the arm and
detained him by main force.
Good heavens, man. he pazted, you
mustn't desert me this way. How would
you like 1t to find yourself stranded in
strange city, with you- pCcketbook
lost. and nothing to walk N but a pair
Of embellished torture booI8:''
The other turned quickly and gave
sharp glance from his grizzled brows.
''Pocketbook lost, eh?" he querfed-
''Where'd ye lose it?''
''If I knew, do you suppose I'd be
standing around here, trying to work
you for my carfare?'
well, where'd you have it last then?''
Harrison scratched his head a second.
why. I'll tell you," he replied. TT
was when I paid of the taxicab man
right around the corner here on 122d
street"
And what kind Of a book was it?'
Russia leather, with my name and
address stamped on the hep in gold let
ters.' eagerly. ~. D. Harrison, Rook-
cry building, Chicago You don't mean
to tell me that you have found it, or
know where ii is %
Hold on there. Go a little slow. I
don't mean to tell you anything untis
you've described the cargo as well as
the outside of the craft What d she
have aboard?"
''The contents2' cried Jim. "Oh. / can
give them to you pat There was S27
in money-two tens. five and couple
Of ones-a promissory note for s10O not
worth the paper 1t is written on-a cou-
pie Of certificates Of Santa Teresa min
ing stock 1ftto in valrIe t7e racafDN fO-