The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1911-06-01
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ByLOUIS JOSEPH VANCE
AUTHOR OF THE BRASS BOWL" ETC. q
WlWSUNNIOONS WNRM WAluEDS
F 1.-THE BRASS BOWL" ETC,


preyed upon by forebodings that Am
Der stumbled down the cobbled way,
reek1ng with filth, toward the estab-
hshment of Honest George.
He stopped in front of a 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
SPRAYING l~oafers, 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 a 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 YOU nerve with
you" Amber put II. But / suppose
It's all in the game. Let's chance It."
And he entered.
Compared with the atmosphere OF
that public room a blast from he'll
were sweet and cooling, thought Am
Der: the first Whit he had OF 1t all but
staggered him; and he found himself
gasping, perspiration 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 a
counter before him a glass four fin.
gers deep with ~unspeakable whisky.
And he realized that he would have to
drink II; to refuse would be to at
tract attention, perhaps with unpleas-
ant consequences. IT'S more than
I bargained for" he grumbled, ma
king a 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
eyes, but he choked down the cough,
and as soon as he could speak paid
the girl. Where's the boss?" he
asked.
"Who?" Her glance was penetrat-
ing. "Oh, he's wytin' for you" She
nodded, lifting a shrill voice. "Garge,
% Cargo! 'Ere's hat Yankee" With
a bare red elbow she indicated the
further end Of the room. You'll find
i'm down there" she said, her look
not unkindly.
Amber thanked her quietly, and.
extricating himself from the press
around the bar, made his way In the
direction indicated. A couple of bill
lard tables with a small mob Of on
lockers hindered him, but by main
strength and diplomacy he wormed
his way past and reached the rear Of
the room. There were fewer loafers
here and he had little hesitation about
selecting from an attendant circle OF
sycophants the genius Of the dive
Honest George himself, a fat and
burly rufian who filed to overflow
ibB NhC thouCAoatC VI
an armchair. Sitting thus enthroned
in HIS shirt-sleeves, his greasy and
unShaven red face i%rradiating a sort
of low good-humor that was belied by
the cold cunning of his little eyes, he
fulfilled admirably the requirements
Of the role he played self-cast.
Ere, you!" he hailed Amber
brusquely. You're a ell Of a job
'unter, amt you? Mister Abercrom-
bie's been wytin' for you this hour
gone. Know the wy upstairs"
His tone was boisterous enough to
fix upon Amber the attention Of the
knot of loafers round the armchair.
Amber felt himself under the p%articu-
lar regard Of a dozen pair Of eyes, felt
that his measure was taken and his
identification complete. Displeased.
he answered CURLY: mo"
This wy, then" Honest George
hoisted himself p~onderously out OF his
armchair and numbered heavily across
the room, ~shouldering the crowd
aside with a high-handed contempt
for the pack of them. Jerking open a
small door In the side wall, he beck
oned Amber on with a backward nod
OF his heavy head. BE a bit lively,
cern't your" he growled; and Amber,
in despite of qualms Of d~istrust, fol-
lowed the fellow into a small and moi
some hallway lighted by a single gas
jet. On the one hand a flight Of rick
ETY. steps ran up into repellent OBJ
security; on the other a low door stood
open to the night.
The crimp lowered his voice. Your
friends this wy" He waved his fat
red hand toward the door. Them
fools back there'll think you're trytn
for a berth with Abercrombie, the
ship-master. I 'opes you'll not tyke
offense at the wy I 'ad to rag you
back there, sir"
NO" said Amber, and Honest
George led the way out into a small
tagged we'll between towering black
walls and left him at the threshold Of
a second doorway. Two flights up
the door at the top" he said; KNOCK
twice and then twice." And withou,