Los Angeles herald., 1908-06-07
j Q

you, III tell you how mean."
"Eh, you know him?
believe you'll help me. That man is tryinI
TO do a friend Of mine, boy, too, grea
injury, and I've got to be where can watcl
MN, or hell slip out and leave me. in tn
iurcn; III give or send you one dollar-ye
two dollars. and l amt any too rich, just
get me inside the hotel anywhere, $50 l cal
see who comes and goes to his room"
NAT enforced his impetuous proposition b.
clutching his auditors arm anxiously.
The bell-boy reflected.
See here" he said, slowly. 'this amt NJ
trick-you amt on any stealing lay, and try
ing TO get me into troubleW
"No. indeed. am not" replied Nat, earn
estly. s'H you ever did good deed Nto he'll
friendess boy get his rights, you'll do it II
helping me. Don't refuse me. There mus
be some way. If you will aid me, and
comes out all right, promise you that IN
you ten-twenty---yes, maybe fifty dollars!
1t took the bell-boy several minutes to ge
the matter straight in his mind:
He demurred. hesitated, and finally said:
II Loos Gk here l beeye ley you're wa, straight; st )
buy a new uniform soon. You go around t
the ladies' entrance on the rear street. ant
wait for me. If l can do what think l car,
I'll be there in half an hour. If can't, you
have to. wait till dark, and sneak up to th
fourth floor and meet me there"
Nat did as directed. He stood watching
the carpeted stairs of the private entrance tt
the hotel for some time.
Come, quick-follow mel" spoke the bell
boy. as he finally bounded down the stair
If anyone speaks to you, just point to me"
No one spoke to them, however; in fact
they did not meet a single person in the as
cent of three pairs of stairs.
On the fourth floor the bell-boy drew Ma
into side corridor.
Number forty-eight is just around tn,
main hail." he said, in low tone of voice
'1'vc got the key to forty-seven; that's tn,
next room, and it amt occupied now. 1T
the best / can do for you, to put you there
Now, don't go and get Inc into difhcuity'
Softly the bell-boy advanced to the room in
dicafed, Nat following him.
He unlocked the door, leaving the key OF
the outside, closed it, stole away, and Nat
with sigh of satisfaction and relief, glance'
A locked door seemed to have once been
means of direct communication with Room
48. Over il was a transom.
Nat drew a chair to the door and fairll
held his breath as he mounted it and eagerl,
peered through the transom.
Yes, Meservc was there.
Before him was a salver containing bottles
glasses and cigars. and he was smoking
Opposite to Meserve sat a bronzed, homely
faced man, with big, honest eyes and clumsy
frame, who neither drank nor smoked. but
who seemed greatly interested in the conver
sation in which he was taking part.
"It must be hint must be the sailor,
decided Nat.
and placed his ear to the cracks, vainly IN
deavoring to catch the words that fell alter
nately from the lips of Meserve and ths
sailor.
h sy eryant had aonps te bs
DO used at the door of the room he was in
turned the key in the lock, withdrew it ant
walked on, supposing its presence there *
be piece of negligence on the part of ths
chambermaid.
For the next half hour Nat was in torture
He could see the men plainly, could watch
their gestures and changing faces, but only
the subdued hum of conversation reached
his ears. :, :,
transom, as he would, he could not hear Q
single word that was spoken,
he tried to understand from gestures and
looks what they were talking about.
They seemed to discuss some important
II must hear what they sax" SAX concluded
Nat, despersstely' Is's at last They may &c
aTas' ny drew back in dismay.
He had pushed at the transom, and sud
denly it had swung open little at the bot
tom. -
To his delight, neither Of the two en-
crossed takers in the next room noticed IT,.
He could hear distinctly now.
He crouched out of sight for fear OF dis
covery, but his eager senses were all on the
ALERT
"Then it is settled, sir?" spoke the bluff
voice of the sailor
Eyes. Mr.. Carberry, all settled" replied
Meserve's oily tones.
"And go with you to Savannah, and We