Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1915-10-23


uuence of fear, as in the cases of
many others. Cracker had formerly
been dope-fiend, but for year past,
with the aid and encouragement OF
that many-sided man, he had gradual
ly grown away from his weakness
until he felt that he was rapidly be-
coming man again.
Nevertheless he was a denizen OF
the underworld, and he knew every
by-way il contained, and nearly all
of the characters that comprised IL
locally.
He knew Bobcat Rickett, too, and
his devious ways and methods; and
he knew, moreover. something that
Crewe did not know about the man
something that he had intended to re-
veal and had neglected to do so only
for lack of opportunity.
Cracker, long ago-months before,
in fact, and while he was still using
the dope-had overheard converse
ton between Bobcat and two plain.
clothes men when he was himself
supposed to be dead to the world un-
der the influence of the drug he had
used.
The plain-clothes men were Lieu
tenant Holderness, now no longer on
the force. and Marine, of whom men,
ton has been made recently.
The talk between them and Bobcat
Rickett was, in effect, that il the Bob
cat could ever get anything ION"
Crewe so that he might be delivered
into their hands so that they could
"get the goods" on him, so that they
could catch him in a felonious act,
Bobcat was to receive an adequate
reward, and would be, forever after
ward, immune from police interior
ence.
OF course they lied to him when
they made the promises, but Bobcat
believed. Holderness had been dis
missed from the department, but Mar
line remained; and Baxter, who had
been hand in glove with both of them,
now trained with Marine.
Cracker was naturally shrewd,
sharp, and keen.
Had he been without the knowledge
OF that stool pigeon" agreement, he
might have been less wary and watch
full than he was when he obey ed tho
signal from Crewe.
But Cracker, like all the, other fire.
quenters of the place, believed that
Crewe was the master criminal Of
them all; none doubted that he could
give them cards and spades in the pur-
suits of crookdoom.
And he had watched the interview,
between Crewe and Bobcat, although
he had heard no word of it; still, he
had not a doubt that something was
on foot for which Crewe needed the
services of the yegg-and he was GER
tain that in such an event the yegg
would betray Crewe.
While he followed Bobcat, the lat
ter stopped once in front of saloon,
but evidently decided against the risk
of entering it.
He walked on after that until he
came to a small combination cigar
and stationery store, which he en-
tered.
Cracker, watching from the op-
posite side of the street, saw him pur-
chase supply of cigarettes-and
then a sheet of paper and an envelope
after which he spent nearly an hour
in laboriously writing a letter.
When he came outside he dropped
the letter into the first post-box he
passed, and then went on his way
whistling and strutting-for he was
still proud of his new clothes, not
withstanding the scoring they had re-
ceived at the hands of Crewe.
Thus, Crackers suspicious were
verified, in his own mind, at least, and
feeling assured because of the letter
writing episode, that Rickett would
not attempt to leave his house again,
for a time, at least, he hurried back
to Crewe and told not only what he
had seen, but also that other story
about the conversation he had over
heard so long ago.
THAT is good work, Cracker"
Crewe told him approvingly. "Put
this ten-dollar bill in your pocket and
get back on the job. You will have
to stay on it until one o'clock tomor-
row night, too. shall go there then,
and l will look for you near his door.
You can stand it without much sleep
till then, can't your"
"Betcher life, Crewe. More'n that,
If you want me to-" was the reply.
Christy returned at five o'clock and
delivered the keys he had had made
In the meantime.
81 shall not be here tonight, Chris
ty," Crewe said to him at the upper
end of the bar, near the window.
"Sindahr will be in about midnight.
You tell him to deliver those stick
pins and other things to you, and that
1t will be bad for him IL he does not.
Tell him also that want him here be-
fore twelve tomorrow night. l will be
here then.