The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1910-03-17

80 ,A.SS>o "
window looking out on to Piccadilly.
The other occupant OF the table
looked up and nodded.
"Hullo, Angel" he said easily.
"Hullo. Jimmy!" greeted the uncon-
ventional detective.
! He o up the card and chose his
dishes with elaborate care. A half bot
tie Of Beaujolais completed his order.
The ridiculous thing is that one has
got to a Is Cd for a small bottle Of
wine that any respectable grocer will
Sell O for tenpence ha' penny net"
You must pay for the magnificence,"
said the. other quietly, "What do you
WANT"
MOT you, Jimmy" said the amia-
BILE Angel, though my young friend,
Boyden, inspector of police, and a Past
Chief Templar to boot, will be looking
for you shortly"
Jimmy carefully chose a toothpick
and stripped it of it's tissue covering.
of course" he said quietly, Il wasn't
in 1.-THE killing, mean. was there"
Il know all about that" said Angel;
Saw your foolish cigarets. l didn't
think you had any hand in the kill
ing. You are a property criminal, not
a personal criminals"
by which l gather you convey the
nice distinction as betWeen crimes
against property and crimes against
the person." said the other.
Exactly"
A pause.
"Well?" said Jimmy.
What l wan to see you about is
the verse; said Angel, stirring his soup.
Jimmy laughed aloud.
What a clever little devil you are,
Angel" he said admiringly; land not
so little either, in inches or devilish-
ness"
He relapsed into silence, and the
wrinkled forehead was eloquent.
Think hard" tainted Angel.
I'm thinking said Jimmy slowly.
II used a pencil, as there was no blot
tlng paper. ! only made n copy, just
as the cid mar dictated it. and"
You used a block" said Angel
obligingly, and only tore off the top
sheet. And o pressed rather heavily
on that. so that the next sheet bore
a legible impression"
Jimmy looked annoyed.
What an ass l amt" he said, and
was again silent.
The verse;" said Angel. Can you
make head or tail of it?"
"No"-Jimmy shook his head-"can
you?"
Not a blessed thing" Angel frankly
confessed.
Through the next three courses
neither man spoke. When coffee lac
OCS1l pldC0u OH lNo table, Jimmy broke
the silence.
verse. I ave only stolen q march of
a few days. Then Conner will have it;
and some girl or other will have 1t.
Massey would have had 1t, too He
smiled grimly.
What is it all about?"
Jimmy looked at his qu%estioner with
some suspicion.
Don't you know?" he demanded.
Haven't got the slightest notion,
That is why l came to see you"
"Curious!" unused Jimmy. II thought
of looking o up for the very same
purpose. We shall know in a day or
Two he went on, reckoning the waiter.
Tile old man said 1t was all in the
Will. He just told me the verse before
he died. Ia ruling passion, don't you
know. Learn 1t by heart, JIMMY he
croaked; it's two millions for YOU IL
you guess it-and that's how he died.
My bill, waiter. Which way do you
go?" he asked as they turned into
Piccadilly.
ITO the Plat for an hour" said
Angel.
"Business?"
Partly; Tn looking for a man who
might be there
They crossed P~iccadilly, and entered
a SIDE turning. The second on the left
and the first ON the right brought
them opposite a brightly lit hotel. From
within came the sound Of violins. At
the little tables with which the spa-
cfous barroom was set about sat
laughing women and young men in eve
ming dress. A haze OF cigaret smoke
clouded the atmosphere, and the music
made itself heard above a babel OF
laughter and talk. They found a cor
ner n seated themselves.
You seem to be fairly well known
here said Jimmy.
Yes" replied Angel ruefully, "a jolly
sight too well known You're not quite
a stranger, Jimmy he added.
NO." a h other a little bitterly:
but we're on different sides of the
house. Angel. You're in the cabinet
and I'm in the everlasting opposi-
ton.
"Muffied sobs," said Angel f%ippantly.
Pity poor Ishmael who'ishes' for his own
pleasure! Pathos for a fallen brother!
whe'd rather be on the rocks than
floating any day of the week. Don't
humbug yourself, Jimmy, or shall
be falling on your neck and appealing
to your better nature. You're a thief
just as another man is a stamp COL
rector or a hunter. It's your blooming
forte. Hi. Charles. do you ever intend
serving me?"
"Yessir; d'reckly, SIR"
Charles hustled up.
What is it to be. gentlemen? Good
evening. Mr.. Angel" ~
IN take what my friend Dooley
calls a key of obscenth, and your"
Jimmy's face struggled to preserve
its gravity.
Lemonade" he said soberly.
The waiter brought him a whisky.
If you do not know the .Plait' you
do not know your London. 1t is one
of the queer hostels which in a conti-
mental city would be noted as a place
to which the young person" might not
be taken. Being in London, neither
Baedeker nor any of the infallible
guides to the metropolis SO much as
mention Its name. For there is a law
OF libel.
There's Snatch Walker" said Angel
idly; Snatch isn't wanted just now
in this country. There's Frisco Kate
who'll get a lifer one Of these days.
Dye know the boy in the mustard suit,
Jimnly?"
Jimmy o a %sidelong glance at the
young man.
49,