Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1915-07-02

slipped along the platform to meet
his man, receiving from him q shabby
suit Of clothing, and . thin little book
lettered III"
Dismissing the man, he crossed
quickly to hotel, secured q room in
moments time, and changed to the
disguise.
Very soon he had finished trans
forming himself int an ordinary-look-
ing tough down on his luck, and had
dropped into a chair, skimming
through the book. Suddenly he stop
ped at one entry and read it through
carefully.
Electrician - works alone-for.
merly actor in Cambridge plays-ath-
letic-rope-wrestler-student - work
ed in Liverpool safe company two
years" He paused, and fixed his
eyes more soberly on the note which
had caught his eye at first, an entry
made some years after the full &C.
count had been written. Then he ex-
claimed, Eyes! Opium! Opium! I'm
agination! Murder! l feared it."
Rising quickly, he slipped the book
into his ragged coat-pocket, and passed
out Of the hotel without being no.
ticed. At the door he took a taxi as
far as Grand street, and walked down
Allen for several blocks, slipping
along as one accustomed to the haunts
OF narrowed souls. lodging in and out,
shying at the street lights,
At length Poe shufled down the
moldering steps to an apparently de-
serted cellar on Rivington street. gave
double rap on the door, and waited
till q panel glided noiselessly back,
and a rat-eyed oriental peeped out,
jangling, not unmusically:
"Yen she qua?"
It was threadbare password to
Poe, merely meaning, do you smoke
opium?"
He answered mechanically, "Sui
govt" the name for the little sponge
with which the bowl Of the opium pipe
is cleaned.
Ell A." cried the Chinese Waterman,
and Poe, responding to the command
to hurry in. slipped through the door
as 1t slid open on well-oiled hinges.
On his way to the general room he
had passed the open door to several
smaller compartments, accommodate
ing only two or three smokers. In
passing each he had given furtive, un.
easy glances at the occupant, his
manner that of the narrowed habitue.
seeking some pal" No flicker of
feature betrayed him, when he sudden
ly saw in one of the small rooms his
friend Burns. curled up with q pipe.
while on the bunk opposite stretched z
long, English looking man, with close
cropped hair, watery, hollow eyes. and
dead-white face.
Though his mind was quickened BY
the discovery, Poe lounged on. and
with dull eyes asked "Simmy," the
squint-featured Chinaman in charge,
for q layout"
In short time Burns entered from
his smaller compartment, pushed Poe
aside with the rudeness characteristic
Of the place, and, dropping down be-
side him, managed to whisper unno-
ticed:
Did you see him? He comes
close to your description. stoop and
all. spotted him at I'VE this eve
ming; his mouth and eyes watered
for pipe. Nobody knows him. He's
got q steamship ticket to Liver
pool"
Good! Ill try him. He looks the
part. Do you think we could get
him out Of here?"
mot till he sails. Says he hasn't
had pipe for week-usually smokes
in Boston. Seems suspicious. Hasn't
been here in = year."
"You stay here" directed Poe, draw
ing his cheeks as though putting deep.
ly, Simmy having looked toward the
pair sharply. When he got another
chance to whisper, Poe finished: IF
you hear two knocks on my pipe. start
for the door, get your gun ready, and
block the passage il necessary"
With that he rose. stretched, and
loafed into the one where the suspect
lay alone. The latter hardly looked
at him, and Poe began toying aimless-
ly with long cord which he tore loose
from the mating cover to his couch.
His companion watched him with
heavy, idly-moving eyes.
Suddenly the pale man reached out
a moist, trembling hand. and took hold
Of the cord.
LET me tie you knot" he said
in a pleased, sleepy tone, for he had
just reached the blissful stage. Toy
ing with the string for moment, he
managed to twist 1t into an intricate
stopper-knot. and then jerked an end
Of it into Matthew Walker"
I'll bet you layout can tie a
better Walker" answered Poe.
That's too easy" grinned the otn.
er, his face becoming ghoulish in the
effort. Get something more like a
rope. and Ill show you few things. I
used to be. why, was champion rope
tier and wrestler Of" He curbed