The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1911-09-21


back Of the Lal bazaar. and ask for
Honest George himself, refraining
from mentioning my name. Dress
yourself In your oldest and shabbiest
clothing; you cannot overdo this
since the neighborhood Is question
able and well-dressed man would
Immediately become an<object OF sus-
picion. DO not wear the ring; keep It
about you. out of sight Should this
fail to reach you in time, try tomor-
row night between eight and ten. You
would serve us both wen by burning
this Immediately. Pray believe me
yours to command in all respects"
There was no signature.
Amber frowned and whistled over
this. Undoubtedly from Labor
touche,' he considered "But why
this favor Of intrigue7 Does he
know anything more than dor I
presume he must It'd be great
comfort II .. Hold on. News
OF the Fs.' That spells the Farrels.
How In blases does he know anything
about the Farrells? told Quain
nothing. Can 1t be q trap? Is
II possible that the chap who took
that photograph recognized n"
The problem held him in perplexity
throughout the evening meal. He
turned 1t over this way and that with
out being able to arrive at any COM
forting solution. Impulse IN the end
decided him--impulse and glance at
his watch which told him that the
time grew short. 'T'll CO." he do
clared, mo matter what It's nearly
nine, but the Lal baxar's not far"
In the face OF Doggott's unbending
disapproval he left the hotel some 20
minutes later, having levied on Dog
gctt's wardrobe for suitable clothing.
Once away from the Great Eastern
he quietly insinuated himself into the
tide Of the city's night life that tire
lessly Gibbs and flows north of Dali
housie square-the restless currents
Of native lifts that move ceaselessly In
obedience to impulses so meaningless
and strange to the Occidental under
standing. Before he realized It he had
left civilization behind him and was
breathing the atmosphere, heady and
weird. Of the Thousand-and-On One
Nights. The Lal bazaar seethed round
him noisily, with roaring not unlike
that Of surf in the hearing Of him
who had so long lived separate from
such scenes.
At corner where there was more
light he came upon policeman whose
tunic, helmet, and truncheOn were 50
closely patterned after those Of the
London Bobby that the simple sight
Of them was calculated to revive con-
tidence in the security Of ones person.
He inspected Amber shrewdly while
the latter was asking his way to Hon
est Georges, and In response jerked
a white-gloved thumb down the wide
thoroughfare.
you carn't miss It, slr-s'ylors'
boardin' 'ouse, all lit UP and likely a
row on at the bar Mind your eye,
guv'nor. 1t ayn't plyce you'd ought
to visit on your lone"
Thanks; rye business there
reckon to take care Of myself"
Nevertheless 1t was with a mind
preyed upon by forebodings that AM
Der stumbled down the cobbled way,
reeking with filth, toward the estab-
lishment Of Honest George.
He stopped in front of building
whose squat brick facade was let
tered with the reassuring sobriquet Of
it's proprietor. A bench, running the
width Of the structure, was thick with
sprawling loafers, who smoked and
spat and spoke a jargon Of the seas,
the chief part Of which was bias
phemy. Within, visible through win
dows never closed, was crowded bar.
room ablaze with faring gas Jets, up.
roarious with voices thick with drink.
One needed courage Of no common
order to run the gauntlet Of that
rowdy room and brave the more Sc.
cret dangers Of the Infamous den.
You've got to have your nerve with
you" Amber put It. "But ! suppose
it's all In the game. Let's chance 1t. !"
And he entered.
Compared with the atmosphere Of
that public room blast from hell
were sweet and cooling, thought Am.
Der; the first Whit be. had Of 1t all but
staggered him; and he found himself
gasping, Precipitation starting from
every pore Faint with disgust he ell
bowed his way through the mob to
the bar, thankful that those about
him, absorbed in the engrossing occu.
patton Of getting drunk, paid him not
the least heed. Flattening himself
against the rail he cast about for the
proprietor. A blowsy, sweating bar
maid caught his eye and without q
word slapped down upon the sloppy
counter before him glass four fin
gers deep with unspeakable whisky.
And he realized that he would have to
drink It; to refuse would be to at
tract attention, perhaps with unpleas'
ant consequences TITS more than
bargained for" he grumbled, ma
king pretence Of swallowing the
dose, and to his huge relief manag-
ing to spill two-third OF it down the
front Of his coat. What he swallow
ed bit like an acid. Tears came to his