The daily Alaskan., 1913-11-25
A .DoubLeCarle By HARRY VAN ANlBURG


 man to another who occupied a chair beside him.
 Well, yes, rather. Cards is about the only way to pass the time. And the difficulty about cards is you must get up a party to play 'em,"
 q couldn't do that" said the other. flor don't know a soul socially in the town. expected to finish my busi- ness here today and get out this even ing, but I didn't succeed"
 "I know several men who board here." said the other q was thinking of getting up a little ga@e of poker thls evening in my room. five centoFt9 or something like that"
 "I wish you would and let me in."
 The party met, and the man who didn't know anybody was introduced by his friend to the others as Mir. Whcplock. the inrolucer's name be- ing Jones. They sat down to play with d five cent ante. but kept raising 1t | till if reached dollar Mr. WheelOck didn't object and bet as high as any of the party, sometimes. winning and ! sometimes losing.
 It was not long before Whcctock dis covered that though he neither lost nor won much, the money he stoked was gradually passing out of his hands and was supplied by new five dollar l LtlIs. all uu the sgme bank. The fact didn't seem to surprise him, nor did he object to it. He did not even com ment upon ft But Mr. Jones, from whom the bills came, remarked that ! ho huI had $r.na0 paid him that after noon at a bank and it had been given him all in these new five dollar bills on the bank from which he had rccciv- cl the money. This explained his hay ing so much of it all of thc same de- nomination
 While the game was in progress a bell boy rnnpcd at the door and asked lIf Mr. Whenloc'l was in theroom. On being told that he was he handed in a hououot of flowers. Whoolock receiv- cd thc flowers with evident astonish- mc-t. When the others raiind him at having sweetheart near at hand he looked embarrassed and declared that he didn't know a woman in the place, and if he had made a nash he was entirely unconscious of it.
 "Uowcvcr." hc said, "-cutlcmen. I | trust that y0u will drink to the lady, whoever she may bc. with mc." And, rising. ho pres :ed the electric button and on the arrival Of a waiter ordered a bottle of wiuo. The QuuGin- of wine ! and the game w.nt on together after this. but none of the men present seem eI to care to drink to excess. Mir Jones. in whose room thc party were, was especially ahstouious. barely sip ping his wine.
 But Nr. WHna'acE and one or two of inc others n1-imr iiutshel the bottle, the first named ordered another and when it had been left in the room . Whoolocli followed the waiter out for some purpose and when lc returned shut the door and turned the key un- known to the others. He then dcrr,r . s,rnrI it up his sleeve and after re- sumtag his seat. being hidden ny tho table. transferred it to his pocket.
 "It seems to me" remarked one of the party. "that those flowers have a very decided perfume"
 "Vcry decided" chimcd in another.
 Tt makes me feel like turning in," said a thirl
 "Porhans we'd better open a win dow." observed the host, "and get some air. Would you object, MT. Whee- locz:"
 "Ccrtaiuly not"
 Jones went to a window and tried to open it. It seemed 10 be stuck. He went to another which also resisted his efforts Nr. WbocIook seemed to he intent on the cards hut his mind was on the windows. ITe had gained access to that very room during the day and had driven a nail into the sash of each window
 Jones turned away with a frightened look on his face. There were two games being played in bis room-one by himself, the other by NIr. Vince lock. Jones staggered to the door and tried to open it. Finding ir locked, he looked more frightened still.
 Some one has locked us in here" he said We must get out"
 He caught on to the back of a chair The perfume from the flowers was 1 overcoming him. He returned to the window and made another effort to 1 lift the sash. He failed and was on bis way to the other window when he sank down unconscious. Meanwhile the others of the party were also giving way to the effects of the flowers and one by one either roll cd down to the floor or bent over un- conscious on the table. Whee.ock enumerated the fumes by holding a vial under his nose. When all except himself had succumbed he summoned a waiter and directed him to bring the police as quick as possible. They ar rived in a few minutes and were much surprised at the scene before them