The Raymer enterprise., 1911-10-19

turned to the tattooer and pushsd
Thompson into q chair. Tho China.
man took out his needles and pie.
ments and began his work.
There is some psychological moment
when the noisiest crowd becomes mo-
mentarily silent. At such a time the
voice Of some individual will arise
and dominate the mob. So. at this
juncture. the drunken tones Of Crewe
came floating across the still air:
ITO hell with the American eagle!"
A dozen sailors sprang round, glar.
irg. Whats that? What's thatf"
they cried. "who said that7"
II said that" shouted Crewe. rising
and swaggering unsteadily toward
them. "To-hell with the American
eagle" he repeated with drunken grav.
ity. There's no Yank living but lit.
tie Canadian can knock the flve-spot
Of every time"
There was rush in Crewe's direc-
ton. In an instant he was surrounded
by mob Of excited seamen, while his
new friends made themselves scarce.
evidently unwilling to share his un.
popularity. yet not wholly absenting
themselves, In case Of further profits
to come.
You'll take that back" shouted q
brawny sailorman, shaking his fist un.
der Crewe's nose. You'll eat them
words Or I'll make squash pie outen
you"
You win, will your" replied Crewe
sneeringly. Twelve to one-twelve
Yanks to one Canadian, and that's
about your measure. There amt .
man here can't lick singly In fair
fight"
Crewe had forced his way to Thomp-
sons side. The sailor had Just been
released from the tattooer's charge
and was rearranging his clothes. Nov.
hearing these words, he sprans up
glaring.
Let me get at him." he shouted.
mo. no. Frank don't fight. You got
to save your hands for tomorrow.
Frank" cried his supporters.
Let him nght" shouted Egan.
Whats the odds. 1t won't take many
seconds to put that slob out Of busi.
ness. Say, do you mean what you
saidT he yelled. thrusting Ills face
within an inch Of Crewes.
II surely do, and here's to prove It"
Crewe answered, and his fist shot out
and caught Egan on the point Of tho
Jaw. ] saw the man collapse, crumple
up. and lie still. It was one Of the
cleanest fighting blows had ever seen
delivered.
1nfuriated by the defeat Of his
friend, Thompson derted forward, his
fists whirling like engine shafts. There
was nothing Of science shown. Crewe
fought pluckily, but 1t was evident
that he could not stand for long before
those sledge-hammer blows. He sprang
forward and the men clinched. heard
short, quick snap, and heard the
sailor utter an exclamation Of pain.
He fell back and looked down at his
hands stupidity. One dangled Imply
from the wrist, as though 1t were
broken.
1T was foul blow. Langton." said
Crewe to me on the following day.
"But unquestionably 1t was justified
for the saving Of the mans life. By
the way. see that the Englishman
easily defeated Thompson's substi-
tute."
What was the substance used by
the tattooer?" l asked. knowing that
Crewe's story would have to be drawn
out Of him piecemeal.
"One Of the iodides," he answered,
"and the most powerful explosives
known. So violent are they In their
action that. II few grains be strewn
upon the face Of a watch, the hands,
coming In contact with them, will de-
tomato them and blow the whole watch
to pieces"
How did you come to suspect that
this substance had been used. and
how was 1t intended to work."
DO you remember what they used
to rub into soldiers wounds In olden
days. Langton7" my companion asked.
! shook my head.
"Gunpowder. The explosives have
the property Of being very well tolerat.
ed by the tissues Of the human body.
Thompson's statement that the tattoo
ing caused barely any irritation, the
peculiarly blue appearance Of the
scar. and the relationship existing be-
tween Egan and the Chinaman, who
was connected with firm Of frecrack.
er importers. all confirmed me In my
suspicion. The plan was, undoubtedly,
to let Thompson meet the English