The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-02

all wanted. On the way back l ran the team in two or three ruts in the road to see if the jolt would make Miss Alicia May complain of her spine any. Not a complaint She came back from that 24- mile ride as chipper as when she started out
 "'D'you ladies feel tired? I asked Never felt better Miss Alicia May re- piled.
 NOW, for young woman who, only 60 days before had been laid up in a Kansas City hospital with a permanent injury to her spine, why that was doing pretty well, you know. And I had my witnesses to the drive.
 Fighting the Devil With Fire
 .Then, each day in the pursuit of her business she walked the shoe leather eff of me, for I went with her several times after the drive. Nothing, however. could lead her to speak of her spinal trouble. her suit with the Frisco railroad. The time was drawing near. too. for the case to come up. I was put to it.
 ''At last decided to try new scheme. I first bade the young woman goodbye and then I wrote telegram to myself stating from my alleged firm that a cer- tain carload of our stock had been wrecked on the Southern and ordering me to stop and investigate the matter.
 That evening came back to the ho- tel. said I was pretty glad I didn't have to go away and showed Miss Alicia May my telegram.
 ' Not so bad as 1t sounds l said to her confdentially; there's good business sometimes in a railroad wreck
 Yes she replied quickly, there cer- tainly Is. I've got a case right now, and she went ahead and told me the whole thing from start to finish--only she did not own up she wasn't really hurt until I said:
 Well, you certainly did fool those doctors, didn't your
 "She laughed at that. Yes she says 1 I sure did. And I've got good firm of lawyers. and 1t isn't the first time | I've beaten the railroads.
 " Same case I answered. I've had a lot Of experience in that line of work, and I may be able to help you out l We can help each other she sug- gested and sure enough she told me fact for fact and detail for detail, Inc 1 history of her cases against railroad That woman was a crook of the first water. a fakir you read about.
 Sometimes It Has to Be Double
 .No, l don't think it's right to do thai sort of stunt on general principles-play with the feelings of woman for any | purposes WIaSOVer, pfONfulnS sns mas any genuine feelings. But this woman was 8 grafter. pure and simple; a faklr 1 and a crook Shej didn't have a ghost of principle. For her I was no more nor less than an easy mark, spending | money as ! did so free-just an old fool 'bachelor.' with not enough sense ! to come In out of the rain. 1 Well, so 1t went on, few more days I did little correspondence in the mar i ter and marshaled all my facts about i the woman. Then asked her one morn ! ing as she was starting out to work tc ] step into the hotel paror as had some ] thing important 10 say.
 l T looked her straight in the eyes and 1 gave her few letters to read. I watch ] ed her while she read them She didn't i say word. Yes. she faced t withou, t, finching faced the whole thing for l 1 had the goods She looked me back and | she said, this young Becky sharp; i've been in the business 14 years and your game is the smoothest game I've 1 ever run across, and you're the smooth l est actor. I'm In your power now. ] realize 1t. What are you going to do? ! I'll do anything you say.
 "Of course I had the release all ready and told her to sign if. She then wrote '.er 'a wyers at my dctation and inc
 nsiness was settled in short or
 A Tale of Woe