Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-27
SCHMITT'S GRAND COUP.
Bv II. r. SPENCER.

| NAAS> OySS "CiC wv 6utICIIAS lAtcITOSd.
ton points.
! Fine pidgin,' said Schmitt. This
1 time have catchee telegraph code and
plans all garrisons Manchuria-siberia
How much?" inquired Sing significant
matter.
what Think"
"Mebbe one lac, mebbe two lac, s'pose
can do"
Two lac. One b'long my. one b'long
Sing" said Schmitt
Sing turned to his dinner with a
thoughtful air. Picking up the end of a
strip of duckskin, he put it between
his teeth and snapped it out of sight
with noise like a banana man devour-
ing macaroni. Schnitt toyed with the
sharks fins and called for beer.
Who b'long?" asked the Chinaman.
'Vaselinovitch."
Sing gave few exhibitions of sword
juggling with his ebony chopsticks. sized
up his vis-a-vis thoughtfully and finally
remarked, Can do Whereupon Schmitt
delivered into his keeping a fat bundle
Of papers and vanished.
That night Schmitt laid himself down
on his feather bed with contented mind.
Rosy dreams Of mile-high stacks of
rubles lulled him to sound and soothing
| sleep. When morning came he awoke
| at the usual time, shaved himself, took
his shower and climbed into his clothes.
better satisfied with himself than ever
before in his life. He was gay. very
gay, and he softly hummed, "Du Bist
vie Fine Blume" as he was sitting down
to his fruit, porridge, fish. ham and eggs,
steak, cold beef, hot rolls and coffee.
The morning paper intimated the
probability of war with Japan in the very
near future. and Schmitt's agile mind
ting a price of three laos instead Of two
on the papers he had placed in the hands
of Sing. Why not? Japan would pay
the price. II they were worth it to the
Russkies? Why not. indeed? But sud
denly there came knocking at his cham
Der door, and his chain Of thought was
thereby broken. "Herein!s he called, and
Vaselinovitch entered, pale. haggard. and
grooming pitifully with every step he
took. Schmitt welcomed him, and drew
up another chair.
"Ah, today die moaned the poor
colonel. Il am come to express my
| farewells. The night that passed I can
wretched life to you. and for that 1 ex-
press my deepest gratitude. All, had /
but died and ended all! General Robber-
offsky gave me some important papers
to deliver for him, and they're lost! l
gone from my pocket forever. At 6
o'clock Robberoffsky is shooting himself,
and 1 join him II the papers are not
| found. The general says he cannot live
longer, since he should have delivered the
papers himself to the commandment in
stead Of trusting them to fool like me-
So how can live? I die!''
Schmitt had been thinking.
"Why not offer a reward?' he asked.
'Ah, and then every one would find
out. 1t is that which much be avoided
1t is the disgrace to the general and to
me about which we must think. STILL
| We would pay. we would pay gladly. My
good friend my dear friend, I commits
sion you to spend anything. everything
| for their recovery. l beseech you to find
them. Will you not do SO for me?'
II will try. but 1 must think, my dear
Waste; so leave me now. and l will call
| on you at O'Clock. have your authority
thousand rubles for the papers. yes?
Well, then. I will ask you to sign let
ter / shall prepare"
Schmitt disappeared for few mo-
ments. When he returned he held
letter in his hands. This the colonel
signed, and departed.
AS Schmitt closed the door on his Wis
itor a large smile of jubilation lit up his
beefy face. and he leaped into the air
and clapped his feet together in ecstatic
thrOes of joy.
"Too good; too easy!' he confided to
the room at large. Now to tell Sing, and
at o'clock I take the money
Sing was indulging in a little opium
preparatory to having a few rosy ruble
dreams of his own. when Schmitt burst
in upon him. all breathless and eager
The Chinaman grunted and stolidly waved
his visitor to a dark. backless seat OF
teak.
What thing?" he inquired. languidly
Can makee pay proper fashion 2
o'clock. You give me paper back now, 1
settle by and by"
mo can do. My fen have lock up.
Spose you pay one lac, can catch. S'pose
you no pay. no can CATCH
by and by can pay" said Schmitt, an
grily. 'Sing. this no b'long white man
fashion. Before never have Robbery
Sing. What thing happen now?'
But Sing wasn't in the mood for argu-
ment. There was q steamer leaving at
3, and Sing knew it. He was afraid
Schmitt knew it. too. and he wisely de-
cided 1t would be just as well to get his
share on the transaction before giving the
papers up.
Sing, 1 pay you 4 o'clock. First must
catch papers. then can settle"
mo can do" reiterated Sing the sly.
Schmitt was furious and finally left in
high dudgeon. What blitht ring idiot
he had been! OF course. If vaselinovitch
had not come to him he should have been
obliged to use Sing in effecting the sale
of the papers, but as 1t was. he was SIM
ply throwing away hundred thousand
rubles.
II will strain q point" he said to HIM
self. IT will go to the bank. borrow this
money for Sing, and when Waste digs up
I will return 1t again."
90 he went to the bank and obtained