Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-09-01
The Argus Daily Short Story
The Last Many Clarissa Mackie.
Copyrighted, 1911 by Associated Literary PresA

he responded. 1.-THE" Yukon is the
limit so far as I'm concerned. My
times worth something at home"
Woolson touched a bell. "Mr. Jane
son will be at your service, inspector,
and If you decide to go to the Yukon
one of our steamers will sail at g to-
morrow morning Here is q pass that
will take you up the coast to your
destination, whatever it may be-"
After the detective and jameson had
left the room the manager turned to
the window and stared out at the
wharf. Ten, fifteen, twenty minutes
he stood there, motionless. Then he
put on his hat and went out.
The long stream of coolies wavered
back and forth across the gangplank.
The tallyman yelled Justify until Wool
sons drawing accents cut him short.
"Hodgson, you may discharge the
man on the end of the line. He's q
clumsy beggar. Send him to the pay
master tonight"
Whenever the long line struggled to
its final end the last man, tall and
gaunt, a ragged cloth tied about his
head and half concealing a yellow
countenance, would pause to stretch
his lean and shrunken arms bare to
the shoulder. He walked with a stoop
from the waist, and the burdens that
he bore seemed all too heavy for the
wavering gait with which he followed
his companions.
Always he was the last man to
reach the gangplank with his burden
for the steamers hold, and, returning,
he was the last to leave the vessel.
The tallyman swore at him in various
languages, and his mates grinned
childishly at his meek acceptance Of
the insults that were heaped upon his
lowed back.
Woolson, observing all this, clinched
MS strong hands on the counter. Once
his mouth opened to reprimand the
taIlyman, but it snapped shut as he
observed the roly poly form Of In
spector Duffy coming down the wharf.
The detective cast sleepy glance
over the men on the wharf, stared Inn
pudently into Hodgson's face and
when that Relligerent gentleman flung
an angry word at him flashed open
his coat and displayed his badge to the
utter confusion Of the tallyman.
This betrayal of petty vanity on the
part of the inspector brought a CLEAN
to Woolson's brooding eyes. he step
ped out of the cage and approached
the detective. The line of coolies was
stringing Off on to the wharf, and the
bowed gaunt form of the last man
would soon approach to pick up the
boxes against which the inspector was
carelessly leaning.
Woolson thrust an arm through the
inspectors pudgy one and turned him
away. Come over to the hotel and
have something" he said genially.
Cant you drop your duties long
enough to spend sociable half hour? ?"
Inspector Duffy Redeemed with tick
led vanity. Thank you; sir, I'll be
pleased to join you,' he agreed as he
accompanied the manager across the
wide street where the glittering glass
front of a large hotel reflected the
busy scenes on the wharf.
Inside the hotel Woolson sat facing
the water front Making out pretty
wel?' he asked at length
The inspector shook his head. mo
trace of his being in the city he said
ruefully. You see, Mr.. Woolson, I've
been In Victoria for two days past and
raked the place clean, and l went to
you as last resort. I've cross ques-
toned your men, and I've got slight
clew-that's all"
You were saying you had a cIew,"
suggested Woolson as the inspector