Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-11-23
The Evening Story
A Smuggler's
Ruse
By ARTHUR W. BREWSTER

II By ARTHUR W. BREWSTER
''The only man ever knew" said
the customs inspector, who struggled
for long while without being caught
was a man by the name Of TINKER.
TINKER was a short, fat man. just
about such fellow 40 his name would
indicate. He wore very good clothes.
but nothing to attract attention. His
countenance was cheerful, amiable.
and honesty looked out from every
feature. He returned from Europe %
often that after awhile We inspectors
came to know him. He was very
good fellow and often. after all his
baggage had been examined, would
offer. rs cigars and occasionally make
some ono Of US little present he had
brought from abroad.
"'Here's bottle Of French brandy I
want to give you, old man. he said to
me one day after had pasted the lab
els on all his baggage, enabling him to
remove It from the dock.
II declined tho gift, with thanks, but
some Of the other inspectors took such
things, and I noticed ever after they
were not very thorough in searching
the giver's baggage But Thinker didn't
care whether they searched It or not
for they were sure to ind nothing duti.
able there except what he had declared.
zone day while walking on the street
I noticed TINKER ahead Of me. Az
| was going in the same direction, kept
on Fastening my steps bit, thinking
to Join him. But before reached him
he turned into the store Of large i'm
porter of 1ewely.
1T II marvellous how little things sug-
gest other things of much greater i'm.
portance. I suppose in my case It was
natural enough 1t should occur to me
that the man was going In to sell
smuggled goods because It is my bust.
ness to look out for smugglerA At any
rate. the idea popped into my head that
Tunker's frequent visits to Europe
might have something to do with the
diamond trade.
Following up the suggestion, !
made inquiries about Thinker. I could
learn nothing further than that he ap-
peared to have no business, and II he
had any property 1t could not be found.
He lived in the style Of q man who
would spend about $500 year except
for his European trips. 1t seemed like
" that some one was bearing the ex.
pense of these trips.
II made up my mind that the next
time TINKER came from abroad would
search him. It was several months
after this that saw him coming down
the gangplank of newly arrived liner.
He had half smoked cigar between
his teeth, q satchel in one hand and a
cane in the other. Jolly as usual, he
was smiling and waving his cane at
| some one on the dock. turned to see
who was greeting him and noticed that
there was no one on the exact spot at
which he was looking-at least no one
that seemed to be interested in him.
This confirmed my suspicious.
"'How are your he said when he
saw me. Going to let me through easy
this timer
81 can't. Tunker. Some one--an en-
envy. suppose-has been telling sto-
ries about you. and we've got an order
from the collector himself to search
| YOU
IT watched his countenance while I
spoke and saw that my information
| startled him. But he recovered HIM
self In an instant and said:
".An right; search away. I know q
man who hates me like poison and
IL just mean enough to do anything
like that
II took him into q privats room, and
the search began. The flrst thing done
was to unscrew the head Of his cane.
Hollow, but nothing in It Then we
went through his clothes. ripped on
the soles Of his shoes, felt the lining
Of everything he had on, looked for
secret pockets IN his satcheL Not
thing could We nnd We took OF
his hat with q view 10 search for
q false bottom In the crown. There
was nothing In the hat, but the IN.
covering Of his head revealed q bald
spot on the top Of It which was near
the size Of half q lemon.
"Tunker,' said, why don't you
have that thing removed The sur
geons can do 1t and not hurt you q
bit know q man who had one Of
them taken OF without any trouble
Wouldn't have that touched for q
I farm he replied, striving to appear
easy. Doctors say that II they cut II
they'd open an artery and I'd bleed to
DEATH
i Here was puzzle. II tho wen
was built on to his head to conceal
gems one couldn't prove It without
cutting It open. for Il hooked for all
the world like the real thing. Il was
OF . purple hue and altogether IN
lovely. Nevertheless resolved to tss>
It I applied the sense Of touch. put
my finger on Il
IT am going TO operate on It myself