The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1914-01-11
The banker detective Y!a
sicle-steppecl, and caught
the madman'S wrist.

unused. Stepping to a low bookcase. III
removed thin. neatly bound voum,
lettered IT, and bearing on the fly-leaf
Vaudeville. Buresque and music hal
Glancing through the carefully indexec
pages. he stopped finally at the sobrlque
! Of The Human Frog Only a feH
words appeared in reference to the man:
| Volume H" Picking out the well-usec
book he quickly found the Frogs" his.
tory, and read how the performer hat
rapidly descended through the Theatrical
frnna rnent like O. falling star and had
landed at last as a dime-museum en-
tertainer. At the final entry In the
Frogs history Poe dwelt for a full min
ute. reading 1t over twice:
No good since, Often seen in low
dives. So. Clark. Chicago, Crsu
lines St. New Orleans; Water ST.,
Milwa ukee; Canal ST. Buffalo, Low
er End Ave, n, 4. Tall. thin, and
Closing Volume II" abruptly, and
dropping the thumb and poker chip into
loose eeptsidSe, pocket. he remarked
rieht. II ought TO be easy" and strolled
out Of the house, crossing TO Broadway
and walking down as far as Forty third
street Just west of Broadway he came
to q row of typical theatrical stone
fronts most Of them cheap theatrical
boarding houses. AT a dirty Widowed,
apparently vacant four-story dwelling,
covered with weather-worn signs For
Rent" and For Sale" and looking on
the outside though II had been with
out tenant for ten years. he stopped,
and turned into the basement entrance.
He rang a seemingly useless bell. and
waited until d tiny peephole in the door
had been opened and his face had been
recognized by the looker-out,
Then the dilapidated- looking door slid
open. and Poe stepped In. the lookout
greeting him deferentially as Mr..
Hardy
From the bare cellar. unfurnished but
for two broken chairs, an ash barrel, and
tangles OF cobwebs Christopher Poe went
upstairs. where things were different
There o deep mapped carpet carcssed the
feet. and low-volced darkeys brought Sc
ductive liquors TO lash faded palates and
kindle the Are OF the betting passion.
Nodding TO a group OF men playing poker
al a round table Beneath bright light.
Poe went on up TO the second floor. where
players already seated on high stools
along the table, opposite the croupier.
three OF them "cappers" for the house.
The banker had Just caught up his little
revolving wheel singing out, The double
birdier' as the marble landed in the
green 90 pocket
Poo took seat. on high stool at the
extreme end OF the table beside q thin
man bent over small stack OF chips.
his greenish eyes gllnting continually
back and forth between the pile OF white
CHIPS ne had placed on the red space
before him. and the bouncing ma rble
BLACK wins!' cried the croupier
The thin man uttered a vicious oath.
and turned hts haggard. vice lined. chalky
face toward Poe. glinting his eyes at MS
as he remarked In q cold, clammy tone:
Better not sit near me. I'm a Jo-
nah! Had thirty dollars when J came
But | got a slim stake left now-damn
'em--and here II goes,
He clapped down fivo white chips. rep
resenting % cents apiece. this time on
the black.
Poe bought some chips. and scattered
q few a bout among the straight numbers
BLACK wins! cried the man at the
wheel again.
The Ehoulish-Iookinz fellow beside Foe
gave erunt of surprise. and jerked out
both hands 10 pull In his slight winning.
He then changed his mind and made a
parleu. leaving all the chips on the
black
Christopher Poe noted in the flash of