Tombstone epitaph., 1915-07-18


 his man. receiving from him a shabby suit of clothing. and thin little book lettered Fl"
 Dismissing the man, he crossed quickly to a hotel. secured a room in a moments time. and changed to the disguise.
 Very soon he had finished trans forming himself into an ordinary-look- ing tough down on his luck. and lad dropped into e 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- - 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 ac- count had been written. Then he ex- claimed. Yes, Opium! Opium! Im- 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 shuffied down the | moldering steps to an apparently de serted cellar on Rivington street, gave a double rap on the door. and waited till . panel glided noiselessly back, and a rat-eyed oriental peeped out. iangling. not unmusically:
 Yen she Qua?"
 It was a threadbare password to Poe. merely meaning. Do you smoke opium?"
 He answered mechanically, Sui gow!" the name for the little sponge with which the bowl of the opium pipe is cleaned.
 "Ff f." cried the Chinese watchman. and Poe, responding to the command to hurry in. slipped through the door as it slid open on welloiled hinges.
 On his way to the general room he had passed the open door to several smaller compartments, accommodat- 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 a pipe. while on the bunk opposite stretched a 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 dun eyes asked "Simmy," the squintfeatured Chinaman in charge. for 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:
 
 close to your description. stoop and all. spotted him at five this eve ming: his mouth and eyes watered for pipe. Nobody knows him. He's got a steamship ticket to Liver pool"
 Good, I'll try him. He looks the part. Do you think we could get him out of here?"
 Not till he sails. Says he hasn't had pipe for week-usually smokes in Boston. Seems suspicious. Hasn't been here in a year."
 You stay here" directed Poe. draw ing his cheeks as though pulling 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 if 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 a moment, he managed to twist it into an intricate stopper-knot, and then jerked an end of it into Matthew Walker"
 I'll bet you a layout I can tie a better Walker" answered Poe.
 That's too easy" grinned the oth. CT. his face becoming ghoulish in the effort Get something more like a rope. and I'll show you a few things. used to be. why, I was champion rope tier and wrestler of" He curbed his wandering tongue. looked sharply at Poe. and then dropped back into the same listless, languid flow of speech. T say. get something like a rope and I'll give you . tie, Q good British tie, like they do at the fairs in merrie England, and if l was to tie you up proper you wouldn't roll out of it in a fortnight, either"