The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1912-11-07


You've had close call all right"
said he. Vt something to brace
you? | can send right upstairs and
get you anything you like. No? That's
all right. II you are on the water
wagon. but you've been through some
ne~rve-shaking stun, and you need a
little ~invigorator. Tell you what
I'll have some coffee and some good
thick steaks brought down here; we
a eat on this table, and | can tell
o the whole story without any rub
bernecks horning In"
There was no chance to decline the
hospitality Of Mr.. Kelly, even II the
boys had wished to refuse. They had
no desire to refuse his friendly
proffers. for that matteS-both OF
them. with the danger past, found
themselves unstrung and shaky. The
Italians offer Of coffee and steaks ap.
pealed at once. and 1t was only a
few minutes before the Jewish youth
superintendent the setting of the table.
Did you see the Jap gent on his
wayT queried Mr.. Kelly. as the coffee
pot was borne In.
Il sure did that" grinned the He
brew. HE wanted to stop and argue
at the street door. but | give him the
circus-hand and out he went, still cat
calling. He's one sore guy, and wen
have to watch out for his smoke II we
amt careful"
He'll never come back" said Mr..
Kelly. Not round here, anyways, but
| got a notion he'll try to get to you
fellows while you are on your errand.
Keep your lamps open, and don't for
get to lock up the back door nights"
Five young men of excellent ap-
petites fell earnestly upon the steaks
and coffee, and the hospitable Mr.. Kel-
ly seemed delighted at the enthusiasm
shown by his guests. There was no
discussion of any special subject while
the meal was IN progress, but when
the feast was finished Mr.. Kelly, light
ing up a cigarette. began his work OF
explanation.
I'll tell you fellows all about It,
every line from the start to now, and |
know you won't let II go any further.
It's like this: I'm In the backroom OF
my cafe, upstairs here, when this
Japanese duck comes in-oh, along
about an hour before you made the
acquaintance Of the place. He intro
duces himself as Mr.. Yazimoto, and
asked me II | could turn a trick
said he had read about my reputa-
ton In a magazine. If | ever catch
the stin that wrote 1t, him and me
will go to the floor, for it's made me
a lot of trouble-still, 1t made me
some easy kale this evening, SO /
oughtn't to get sore about 1t.
Anyway, Mr.. Yazimoto tells me
that two crooks, with a lot of stuff
that they'd stolen from the Japanese
embassy at Washington, would be in
Doyers street before long, and that
he'd make 1t worth good money to
snare EN-. See the frame-up? He ar
ranged for the mob scene. Those
Chinks were all Japs in Chinese
clothes. OF course, | don't know how
he was wise that you two would be
VIVID ~ OWL, vi hOW NC hueW JOu VI
be In Doyers street at ALL"
That gets me-" exclaimed Brockett.
How on earth could Yazimoto know
where We would be, or at what time?
And even II he had managed to cling
on our track. how could he be posted
far enough ahead to have things ready
for our reception"
Got to give 1t to those yellow
mokes," said Mr.. Kelly. They are a
long ways wiser than we give 'em
credit for, and they car do things that
We can't even understand. One time
/ knew a party-well, I'll tell you that
one some other time. Too busy now.
Anyhow, this Yazimoto man frames I'D
the whole deal. The Chink riot would
force you over towards my door; I'd
call o in to get out of the smoke,
and hen we'd have you"
"You had us, all right" admitted
Solano. but what was to be done
with US after the Jap got all he want
ed?"
"Oh, that was all understood" ex.
planned Mr.. Kelly. after you had
given him all he was after, you would
both be put In a piano box-it's up
stairs now. Along in the morning the
piano box would be taken ou.. loaded
on a wagon, carried to a vacant lot
over On the west side, and dumped
there. In an hour or so you'd be able
to wriggle out, and there you'd be,
with YaZzy's money in your clothes
he'd have played square on the dough
and a story to tell that would sound
like the SWEETEST kind of a pipe-dream.
He meant well by you-didn't want to
have you hurt II 1t could be helped,
and intended to slip you the ten thou
sand. according to his word"
Tell us. Mr.. Kelly" asked Soiano-
how did you come to change your
mind?"
The Italian smoked half a cigarette
before he v~ouchsafed reply.
"This Is the first time," said Mr..
Kelly, that I ever double-crossed any
body. II | give my word. that settles
1t. A mutt that d~ouble-crosses people
that trust him won't get far In this
world. and I've played straight. Be
sides. this seemed easy money for q
Job where I couldn't fall-wouldn't
even have to hire a lawyer to look out
for the finish. 1t looked all o. X. to
me. especially when the Jap paid me
In advance. and I carried 1t through.
Then. when we got o bagged and