The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1914-05-06
CHAPTER XIII,
A TOasf.

the private dining room tc
Robert Pollard. his excellent ciral
and his inimitabls smile.
In the centre Of the room stood a
table calculated to dassis and be
wilder . mind far more complex
than Captain velvsts. Mountains OF
cut-slass there were. and flowers In
profusion and candeiabra; and II
thinEs were 90 arranged that q Dor =
son sitting at the table could by no
possibility see the hands Of tho per-
son opposite. perhaps that was only
chance.
At all events. tho table pleased Pol
lard. which waA we'll. since he had
paid half the proceeds OF one yellow
automobile for Il; and when no had
made a final inspection he beamed
toward the door and the quietly en-.
tering Snake.
And even the Snake. depressed by
the warnings Of the cards and niue h
recent misfortune. seemed cheerful.
lie swept tho table with an apprecia-
tive eye and said:
IT'S all right"
"Your end Of II, too"
The Snake sprawied on the sofa at
the side and grinned.
We trailed him every second.
Robby. We stayed In that store TIL
near 6 o'clock. Then he and tho
other old guy started uptown to-
gether and separated At the Ia The
captains At . boarding house In
Twenty-seventh street. and he's got
tho second floor. front"
"Ah?"
And when came away Bill stayed
behind. and the captain had Just nm
ished primping up to start hero. He
never even pulled down the shade:
we watched him all tho time. stick
Ing on another one Of those freak
collars and combing out his whiS-
kers. Well" concluded the Snake
pleasantly. there's where he gets his"
And he didn't stop anywheref"
Bobby. he never spent cent"
"Um-aIl right" Pollard nodded.
"liefe!"
He extended two Of the six little
Walls Of colorleas huid that tinkled
Snake. accepting them. inquired:
I'm their wine-we'll have to dope
both Of 'em. II they squirm around
where they can see you. I'll do II. IL
they happen to get up for any reason.
you and l can keep their attention
while Bill does II. But wherever he
gets II from. he's going to get 1t
good" ssid Pollard. with a sudden
wave of deep feeling. Little old
Capt. Velvet is going to be roughed
up I'm he'd make sandpaper look like
grease"
Captain Velvet pounded after tho
ancient ship chandler. up the corridor
and to the closed door OF tho private
dining room. lie turned the knob and
burst In, glowing happiness: and he
set "a package on the decorated table
and seized both Pollard's hands with
q glad:
Luther. you dunno how I appre-
ciRte this In yo,i!"
TITS tho sort Of dinner I meant to
give you the night you disappeared"
beamed Pollard.
And then no looked II quickly. for
tho Spanish Brute had entered, and
there was something the Brute was
trying to communicate to Pollard by
the eyes alone.
Pollard detached himself for n mo-
ment and. on pretense OF passing
around tho table. hissed wickediy at
Ryan:
Keep your face straight. clown"
"Robby. ono o. thsm-' began tho
Brute's lips.
Pollard had passed on. A moment
tho muscular member OF the combine
stared at him. and anger rose within
shoulders and scowled. and Pollard
was saying:
Now. yOull sit here. captain, and
you right here. Mr.. Pickton. That's
the idea. You right over there. jim
my: and yOu'll have the place beside
me. Bill." Io rubbed his hands and
purred aloud. What sort OF cock
tails are we going to have?"
lie turned to tho captain. and the
captain smiled happily.
Luther" he said. Il brought EN-
along with mo-"
"Keally?"
"Or something better than those ,
larned mixed drinks, Luther" ,
'mended the guest OF honor as he
licked at the string Of his package.
Gimme glasses. Luther"
The Snake found them on the side
GARD In the corner and ranged them ,
'efore Capt. Velvet. and tuen
Watched with real amusement as tho
aptain brought forth thick little
ottle--a black bottle whose label had I
lng faded out In the muddy muriS
hat covered the whole surface. SOL
Innly. the captain poised II.
None OF you boys ever saw n Dot /
10 like that before, hey"
"liquor'' asked Mr. Pollard
Rum. Luther" said his guest.
This il one Of the 1--WE bottles known
exist Of the rs distilhng at Lon,a
lucia. I've had this bottle thirty-iive 4
ears. lads. waiting some such occs- /,
lon as this-and now the OCCASIONS
ere" 4
He nodded over tho task of pour- I
lg the brown liquor. and chucKled 4,
3 II flowed smoothly into glasses
riglnally intended for champagne I
nd ofNery full capacity. He chucsled, b