Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-31

tive's lynxlike eyes had discovered on
Maitlands escritoire. unhappily. toward
| the close of their conference. or. pos
sibly. the mighty processes Of department.
| tai law. with its attendant annoyances OF
| charges preferred. hearings before an OBJ
viously prejudiced yet high-principled
martinez. reprimands and rulings. reduc-
| tons in rank. "breaking," transfers: or
| yet a third possibility-with the prevailing
rate OF wage as tcontrasted between de-
tective and sidewalk FOUNDER" and the
cost OF living as contrasted between Man
haitian, on the one hand. and Jamaica
on the other.
A dimly lighted side entrance pres
entity doomed invitingly in the sergeant
path He glanced up something sur
prised to find himself on 9Th avenue:
then. bowed with the fatigue OF a pussy
day. turned aside. entering a dingy back
room separated from the bar proper (at
that Illicit hour by curtain OF green
baize. A number OF tables. whose sloppy
imitation rosewood tops shone dimiy IN
and there. for the accommodation OF
herd of sleepy-eyed, case-hardened hab-
! tues.
Into a vacant chair beside one Of these
the detective dropped: and famiiiarly re. re,
presently hustled to his SIDE, to Back
meh up tub Of suds George.
Nah" In response to concerned query,
Il amt feelin' up to much tonight.
Hat tilted over his eyes, one elbow on
the chairback. another on the table.
f1abby jowls quivering as he mumbled the
| indispensable cigar. puffy hands clasped
across his ample chest, he sat for many
minutes by the side Of his UNDECIDED drink.
bordering, turning over and over In his
mind the one idea it was capable of har-
boring at q time.
He c'u'd we wrote that letter to him
self. He's wise enough. Yeh
can't fool Hickey all the time. 49, IN
get him yet Gottuh make good r it's
the sidewalks FIR mine. Me. tryin'
hard to make an 'onest Twin. Nd
him with all kinds of money"
The fat. mottled fingers sought waist
coat pocket and, fumbling therein.
per. Its possessor did not require to
examine it to reassure himself as to its
legitimacy as work of art. nor as to the
prominence Of the Roman c in its en-
Enlistment of engraved arabesques.
"a century," he reflected. sullenly: lone
lonely little century for mine. Nd he
had a wad like a ham on him.
Nd | might We had it all for my very
"Sleuth- Hickey ground the epithet
vindictively between his teeth. And spat.
"Sleuth! All h-ll!''
Recalled to himself by the very vehe-
mence Of his emotion. he turned hastily.
drained to its dregs the tall glass of luke
his elbow, placed a nickel on the table
and. rising, waddled hastily out into the
night.
1t was being borne in upon him with
much force that if he wished to save his
name and fame somethin' had got to be
done about 1t.
II hadn't oughtuh left him SO long.
guess" he told himself; but I'll get
him all right
And turning, numbered eloomily east
ward. rapt with vain imaginings. squat.
swollen figure blending into the deeper.
meaner shadows of the Tenderloin; and
SO on toward Maitland's rooms-morose.
misunderstood. malignant, coddling his
fictitious wrongs: somehow pathetically
typical of the force he represented.
On the corner of 5th avenue he paused
startled fairly out of his dour mood by
the loud echo of a name already become
too hatefully familiar to his ears, and by
the sight of what. at first glance, he took
to be the beginning of street brawl.
(To be continued tomorrow)