The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-10-14

branch men tell me that a full half
of the crowd are anarchists, and such
rats as that. i think it must be so.
for Nicolin and his Russians have had
the place under close observation for
weeks. And you know what that
means, sir"
Yes, / know what that means"
"Amaroff was not a member. but
used to drop in there from time to
time. He was very thick with the
man who runs the place, Greatman.
as he calls himself. They tell me that
Greatman sat as a model for some
statue he was doing, back in July. 1t
must have been funny sort of statue.
for Greatman's a weedy little Pole,
and drinks like fish"
For some time the inspector sat in
silence. drawing circles ON the floor
with the point of the light cane he
carried. The bartender dropped a
glass. swore, and then, with stare
at us. retreated into a little cage he
had at the back Of his domain. Doubt
less the presence of detectives was no
incentive to trade in the bars of Mai
den Square.
This Greatman-what more do you
know Of him?"
I'VE have had nothing against him
before: but all the same, fits his pri
vate room that has the sanded floor"
The inspectors prophecy of the pre-
vious night came back to me with a
sudden remembrance: "Amaroff was
murdered In room with a sanded
floor, probably at no great distance
from Leman street, seeing that they
carried him there in coster's bar
row." began to understand the NOR
bid significance OF the private room
in this little foreign club.
We were drawing nearer to our
game; the scent was growing strong
CT. Arlington Peace leant little for
ward. with twist in his jaw that
raised a ripple OF muscles under the
skin.
Continue. II you please" he said.
'The room is at the rear of the club,
and there is back staircase to yard
behind, where costers store their bar
rows when not in use. It fits in With
what you told us to inquire for, don't
it, sir?"
Yes"
The inspectors stick recommended
its interlacing circles on the floor;
and We sat and watched, as II thereby
he were disentangling his sordid story.
So still were we all that the bartender
poked his luminous nose from his cage
in the hope that We had gone. He
withdrew it with remarks on the DO
lice force which were distinctly audi
BILE, and opposed to the complimentary
Suddenly the inspector turned to me
with a motion of half-apology, as ii
at the neglect of guest.
There are times, MT. Phillips" he
said, when evidence runs in absurd
contradictions. Observe the present
case. In which you are so good as to
interest yourself. We have it from the
Russian police that Amaroff is their
man, and that in their opinion-they
being we'll qualified to judge-he was
murdered by Nihilists. We now learn
that he was apparently on intimate
terms with Nihilists, and we have
good reason to believe that he was
strangled in one of their clubs. What
do you gather from that?"
They discovered HIS treachery, and
took an excusable revenge" said I.
"a sound conclusion. And now lei
us suppose that Amaroff was not pc
lice spy at all; being, In fact, dan
gerous Nihilist. What then?"
why set yourself such puzzle?"
mot for amusement" he said, With
his quiet smile. "And now I propose
q little experiment You must intro
duce us to this club. Jackson; the
door-keeper will know you, and pass
us In. Afterwards you will go to the
back entrance in the yard you spoke
of, and wait. It should be easy &c
conceal yourself"
Eyes. sir. Am to stop Greatmar
II he comes out?"
mo. Stop nobody. We had better
be going" n
The square lay desolate and lonely
in the bleak moonlight. We crossed
1t, and stopped at house In the
shadows of the farther side. At oui
knock a slide few back. and, in the
gush of light, a hairy face examined
US curiously.
Wat is et?" he said.
The serjeant stepped forward and
whispered. The man was sufficiently
satisfied. for he dropped the slide al
once, and the door swung back to ad
NIT us: the hairy-faced porter bowling
welcome in polite submission. The
inspector led the way up the stairs |
and / followed at his heels. The ser
jent had disappeared.
It was a broad, low room In which
we found ourselves, the rafters Of the
roof unhidden By the plaster Of a cell
ing. Round the walls on benches rang |
ed behind tables a dozen men sat
smoking and drinking. The chatter
of talk faded away as we, entered. In !
silence they stared at rs, calmly. judi |
ciously, without fear or curiosity. ]
could not have imagined more com
posed and resolute company. l feb |
that carried myself awkwardly. as an |
{rnrorffuanf Intruder Shofld. hrt thA 1