The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1914-11-05

WlCn his lWu Cuulho, oSS'SSf
reporter. and Verven, plainclothes
man. were seated around one OF the
rear tables, ready for one OF their
late feeds
The steaming food was spread be-
fore them when some on tried the
door.
Stevens looked up. Don't let. him
In, Cooky," he growled. Lets nave
4 little peace tonight,
Cooke smiled his round smile. he
may be as hungry as you are, anu
he may have stray nickel about
him."
"More likely he has a scent" the
reporter answered. i
But Cooke let him in, and fllleo
his order. The poorly clad man
handed over big bill. Cooke stared
then winked at his friends.
When the three had cleared up
Cookies offerings, and leaned BACK
to smoke, the man who had likewise
done damage to Cookies COOKING
came over to them. =,
Gentlemen, may l smoke Win
you? I'm little lonely, and nad
an experience tonight that is a little
out of the ordinary and makes
pretty good yarn" :
Stevens pricked up his ears. ana
the detective looked interested.
Cooke offered him seat.
"I was standing in the corridor or
the Hotel Weeden, wondering Where
I was to get enough to buy a meal
1 saw a man studying me, and I'm
ally he came up. He was weA-
dressed chap, looked as If ne nao
money, though l could see he spent
It in ways that don't make a man
live long.
HE asked me if were game to
do something for him, and 90 II
without asking questions. Any other
time would have winked in ms
eve: but he followed up his question
with show of bills that dazzled me.
And fell.
'sHe took me to his rooms and
told me he was giving an affair az
place in the city where you can 90
as you please as long as you pa!
the bills without a kick.
"He said he wanted me to dress
ND as a gentleman, go with him 10
this affair, and he would tell me
later. there, what he wanted OF me
1 was simply to appear on my OWE
hook under the name Of STAFFORD.
"Im a bum now, but I have seer
better days. and it all looked tempt
ing. He fixed me up in good rig
and gave me instructions what to dt
when / got there.
II was taken right in at the dool
without word, and soon l was
home. OF course | was wondering
what was coming next; but I'm be
lever in the present good or evil.
"They were a sporty crowd;
know the brand, and they were nav
ing a high old time. I was a littl
rusty in some lines, but l held VI
my end, all right.
II was paired off most OF tn
evening with a girl that was a beaut
"a little daring, and bit too mucl
Of other things, perhaps; but sh
seemed to be unusually interested Il
me and. Of course, l met her hal
way. / was having glorious time
This guy who told me to show u
was right in the thick Of things, an
I began to wonder when he was &C
Ing to put me wise to his real reaso
for bringing me there. / didn't seer
to serve much purpose, and 1t didn
seem likely that he'd ask me just
ill out.
"But the fun was moving fast, an
I didn't worry. had a pretty cir
and I was willing to let things c
on.
"After a while, though, coul
see that the affair was dragging. Yc
know how 1t is at some affairs
lot of kick and snap for Will
then things go dead, and the fal
10 keep it up is pretty poor. We
that's the way the game went.
81 had drifted out into one of Il
halls with the girl, when sudden
Alxn that ,ro hack