Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-07-06
CHAPTER III.
10 Triumphe!

once Safely In the street hehhe'
Griswold, with a thousand dollars Il
his pocket and the packet Of bank
notes under his arm, was seized by al
impulse to do some eXtravagant thini
to celebrate his success. 1t had proves
TO be such a simple matter, after all
one bold strike; a tussle, happli'
bloodless, with the plutocratic dragon
whose hold upon his treasure was 81
easily broken; and presto! the hungr!
proletary had become himself powe
in the world, strong to do good o
evil, as the gods might direct.
This was the prompting to exulta
ton as it might have been set II
words; but in Griswold's thought 1
was but a swift suggestion, followed
instantly by another which was muci
more to the immediate purpose. HI
was hungry; there was a restauran
next door to the bank. Without think
ing overmuch Of the risk he ran, an1
perhaps not at all Of the audaciou!
subtlety Of such an expedient at sucf
a
down at one Of the small marble
topped tables, and calmly ordered
breakfast.
Since hunger is lusty specia
pleader, making itself heard abov'
any pulpit drum Of the higher facul
ties, 1t is quite probable that Girls
wold dwelt less upon what he hat
done than upon what he was about t.
eat, until the hue and cry in th'
street reminded him that the chase
was begun. But at this, not to appear
suspiciously incurious he put on th'
mask of Indifferent interest and asked
the waiter concerning the uproar.
The serving man did not know wha
had happened, but he would go anc
find out If M'sieu' so desired. "M'sieu'
said breakfast first, by all means, anc
information afterward. Both came II
due season, and the hungry one ate
while he listened.
Transmitted into the broken English
of the Gascon serving man, the story
of the ROBBERY lost nothing in it's sem
sational features.
1t was very evident that the pluto
cratic dragon did not intend to accept
defeat without a struggle, and Girls.
wold set his wits at work upon the
problem Of escape.
It's a little queer that l hadn't
thought Of that part of it before" he
unused, slipping his coffee as one who
need not hasten until the race is actu'
ally begun. II suppose the other fell
low, the real robber, would have fig
ured himself safely out Of it-or would
have thought he had-before he made
the break. Since did not, I've got tc
do it now, and there isn't much time
to throw away. Let me see" he shut
his eyes and went into the inventive
trance Of the literary craftsman
keynote must be originality; 1 must
do that which the other fellow woulo
never think Of doing"
On the strength Of that decision he
ventured to order third cup Of cof'
fee, and before 1t had cooled he ha6
outlined a plan, basing it upon cross
questioning Of the Gascon waiter
There had been but one man con-
cerned in the robbery, and the side
walk gossip was beginning to describe
him with discomforting accuracy.
Griswold paid his score and went
out boldly and with studied noncha-
lance. He reasoned that, notwith.
standing the growing accuracy Of the
street report, he was still in no imme.
diate danger so long as he remained
in such close proximity to the bank
1t was safe to assume that this was
one of the things the professional
"strong-arm man" would not do. Bu'
it was also evident that he must
speedily lose his identity if he hoped
to escape; and the lost identity must
leave no clue to itself.
Griswold smiled when he remem.
bered how, in fiction Of the felon- catch
ing sort, and in real life, for that mat.
ter, the law-breaker always did leave
a clue for the pursuers. Thereupor
arose q determination to demonstrate
practically that it was quite as pos
sible to create an inerrant fugitive as
to conceive an infallible detective
Joining the passers-by on the side.
walk, he made his way leisurely tC
Canal street. and thence diagonally
through the old French quarter toward
the French market. In a narrow alley
giving upon the levee he finally found
what he was looking for; dingy sail
negro, fat. unstuous and sleepy look
ing, and he was alone.
Yes, sab: shave. boss?" asked the
negro, bowling and scraping a foo
when Gristwold entered.
mo, a hair cut" The customer
produced a silver half dollar. &c
somewhere and get me a cigar tC
smoke while you are doing it. Get g
good one. if you have to go to Cana
street" he added, climbing into the
rickety chair.
The fat negro shuffied out. scenting
tips. The moment he was out OF
sight Griswold took up the scissor:
and began to hack awkwardly at his
beard and mustache; awkwardly, bu
swiftly, and with well chosen pur.
pose. The result was fairly com.
plete metamorphosis easily wrought
In place of the trim beard and curling
mustache there was rough stubble
stiff and uneven, like that on the fac
Of a man who had neglected to shave
for a week or two.
There, l think that will answer,
he told himself, standing back before
the cracked looking-glass to get the
general effect And it is decently
original. The professional cracksmaI
would probably have shaved. where
upon the first amateur detective h
met would reconstruct the beard ol
the sunburned lines. Now for a pawn
broker: and the more avaricious h
happens to be. the better he will serv
the purpose"