Tombstone epitaph., 1915-09-19

her. handing it to him with the re- mark:
 "I guess you'll do, You're a jolly one for the drink yourself-or the woman wouldn't have rumpled your hair all over your head like that Four marks is the price. and better drink | aint to be had in Hell's Quarter" Christopher Poe gave her knowing wink. took the bottle, and paid her; still holding out his hand after she had taken the money.
 What do you want now" she growled. expressing the gruff good-na- ture of her kind. More drink" No. The key!"
 She looked at him for calculating | second. Evidently he passed muster. | She handed him the heavy iron key, and indicated the rickety stairs at the | end of the room. Way in the back, | right-hand side. last door," she told | him.
 As Poe rolled out toward the stairs, 1 Frau Klittenlein suddenly leaned far over the bar. and had a good look at his back. The American cut to his | clothes could not be mistaken. Fool a | German on clothes' Her nose twitched in astonishment. He was a rum one, She hurried out from behind the bar the moment Poe had begun dumping up the stairs. Her finger was on her hard. colorless lips as she approached the tableful of loungers, and said some thing in hoarse whisper; whereupon three of her loutish guests lurched from tteir seats, and sneaked silently up the stairs after the man with the seafarilg manner and the American clothes.
 Christopher Poe turned the key noiselessly in the door to which he had been directed, stepped into the bare room. and as quickly and silently re placed the key and locked the door on the inside. All the time his eyes were watchful The room was black; Poe succeeded in igniting his cigar-lighter. and transferring the light to a candle his groping fingers had sought out on rude stand near by. | A low gutiural cry burst forth as the light shone cut A mass of white clothes upheaved, and an ugly black face with drawn lips showing gleaming | teeth. and terror-rolling white eyeballs bursting out above. stared at Poe as though he were the devil himself | There came a startling pumping and claTing from the little closet close be- side the bed. The black man trembled, reached coyertly along the wall. and | baI i- ,y, ol, ha ntn door when Poe walked quietly toward him and said in French: 1 Don't open that door and let your | daughter, Babo. cut. Let her stay there safely. l noticed the nice little hood and shawl or the foot of the bed there as l entered"
 l There came a croo2ing cry from | within the closet.
 "How's your foot?" inquired Poe. as the black man cringed back among the coarse bed-clothes, and glared with l glassy eyes, teeth chattering.
 Who are you? What you want?" cried the man in French, very broken | French.
 T am from Haggerup & Co. just came to get Babo back. We miss her"
 You don't know what you're talk ing about. I never" But tell ne about that foot, Jock," Poe insisted. At the same time he took from his pocket the object he had removed from the dead crocodile's mouth. The handkerchiefs were | bloody; the black man watched with | glowing, fascinated eyes. as Poe opened out the linen on his palm, and suddenly revealed to the mortified eyes of the man on the bel two mangled toes and a snapped-otf footbone. What skin showed was black, matching Jocks.
 Poe dropped the disgusting exhibit. It had served it's purpose. The black man went gray and screamed; at the same time he shot hack the bolt to the closet-door, and as Poe sprang for his throat, ne received full in the stomach vicious seaman's kick which sent him bounding back against the outer door. Lreath-sapped.
 There came a snarl and a sudden scream; a piercing animal cry; the | room reNOlNeO III ulinIy outlined mass of kicking, struggling legs and arms.
 | A maze of curses burst forth. The clatter and din was hideous. Poe had lurched to bis feet, and stood for a moment staring fiXedly at the scene of jum5led confusion within the small room. Yes. there it was-at last.
 He saw it. Through the dim light those gripping teeth gleamed. that hairy, horrid-eyed head arose. Babo. the huge ape, was loose. Babo clung there tense to the bedstead. protect ingly above his master, and his huge hairy fist shot out like a steel spring, and grasped the foremost of the sailors.
 | Another agonizei scream, A wild animal cry,
 'Babo! Babo," yelled Jock in a throaty rattle above the din ''Sacre Bleu. Le diable, Jesu-"
 There was a crash of feet in the passage without: headed by a huge lamp. in rushed Frau Klittenlein. fol- lowed by the remaining loungers from l below