Tombstone epitaph., 1915-07-25

any city near the other coast where they are more apt to test paper cur rency with their teeth than metal money. But then" Poe laughed, they are the greatest children in the world. his lips drew down soberly, but the nastiest rascals on earth to deal with Who? Criminals. you mean? cried Burns. leaning forward. having failed to catch the connection.
 No. Sicilians.''
 "Sicilians! What about them? You were talking about criminals" q know, but I was thinking all the time about those broad-shouldered, swaggering, swarthy fellows from the wondrous Italian isle"
 Then you think there Is a gang of Sicilians behind this Aux of dedicated 1 money?"
 "Oh, It's only the merest notion,' Poe hurried,y assured Burns, who was by this time sitting on the absolute edge of his chair. endeavoring to read | Poe's theory in his manner. The only thing We know is that grocers, deal CTS is butter and eggs, vegetables and the like. have been depositing these puny coins quite generally in uptown New York"
 1 That's all. But how in the world do you gather from that that the peo- pfe behind this thing are Siciiians?" I'm not sure yet. But If you cant sleep and want to make a night of it. I'm game" answered Poe. glancing at the clock
 What do you mean? What can we i do at one o'clock in the morning." asked Burns. curiously.
 1 Well, in the first place we can get ready" Poe switched on another | drop light. and stretched across a low cabinet to a telephone on a swinging iron arm. He hooked the phone into a comfortable position and called a number. Securing the man he want ed. he asked that an ordinary grocery wagon and an old horse be ready for him at thfee-thirty that morning.
 "A grocery wagon9 Whats that for?" asked Burns. as Poe hung up the receiver.
 Well, if you can't figure it out. I'm not going to tell you" answered Poe. drawing a highly polished chess-set from a case beneath the davenport.
 But at three-thirty in the morning, A grocery wagon, l don't get you, Chris," The other looked at him Quizzically.
 "Oh. forgot Before I beat you at game of chess. I'll rig you out in lowly clothes. like mine" Poe disap- peared into his dressing-room. return ing in ten minutes with a threadbare golf sweater. deDted and dusty derby. a celluloid collar. a ready-tied fore-inhand, and a neat, Germanic, square cut suit. which he dumped into Burns lap, and leisurely arranged the men on the chess-board. playing against himself until Burns returned looking like thrifty German grocer.
 They sat down before the board and played in silence until the clock chimed three-thirty. At the stable a broken-spirited nag and a rickety grocery wagon awaited them | the brother bankers drove out and cross-town to First avenue. It was quite dark, and there were very few wagons astir at that hour. other than milk and bakery carts.
 Poe whipped the horse into chop py trot. and they bounced over the pavement up First avenue. talking but little. When they reached the "nineties." Burns asked abruptly:
 Are you going to the Harlem Mar ket?"
 That's it." answered Poe. Were almost there. I've decided it'll be best to try the small Italian dealers first conclusion that the sweaters were Si cilians? You knew if the small mer , chants uptown possessed shrunk gold they probably got it down here al their wholesale market?" That's it The market is full o Italian dealers. and is a pretty goot . distributing point for coins that have , been tempered with. But here wt are. Take this"
 Poe extracted eight ffty-dollal , bills and ten twenties from a supply of large bills he had removed from , his safe before starting. "Mingl'
 with tine crowd as though you were { grocer. buy anything small from Ital , ians only. and look sharp for goit |, 1 change"
 f Finding a narrow space betweei . two trucks. Poe backed his wagon il , quite skilfully, and leaped down ove | pile of lemon crates. Burns followed { and they separated on reaching thu 3 cluttered walk.
 l Poe canvassed his side of the stree
 for two blocks. either buying some - thing or asking for change at eacl s Italian wholesale store. Much disap " pointed at receiving no gold excep
 two five-dollar pieces. which showe' y no signs of having been tampere'
 with, Poe returned to his wagon e where he met Burns, who had secure' s three ten-doilar gold pieces in change y but on inspection these. too, prove
 so ho .s frasb and upsulIiad as uhe,