Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1915-07-08


slipped along the platform 10 meet
his man, receiving from him = shabby
suit Of clothing. and . thin little book
lettered "a"
Diminishing the man, no crossed
quickly to hotel. secured q room In
. moments time. and changed to tho
disguise.
Very soon he had finished trans
forming himself into an ordinary.look
Ing tough down on his luck. ana had
dropped into = chair, skimmins
through the hook. Suddenly he stop-
ped 1t one entry and read II through
carefully.
Electrician works alone--for
merly actor In Cambridge plays---2th-
Observation-Disclosures - work.
cd In Liverpool safe company two
years.. He paused. and liked his
eyes more soberly on the note which
had caught his eye It iirst an entry
made some years after the full 10
count had been written. Then ho ex-
claimed. YES! Opium! Opium! Inn
agination! Murder! | feared II.
Rising quickly. he slipped tho book
into his ragged coat.pockct and passed
out OF the hotel without being no.
ticed. All the door no took 4 taxi u
tar - Grand street. ana walked down
Allen FOR several blocks. clipping
along - ona accustomed To the haunts
Of narrowed souls, lodging In and out,
shying It the street lights.
AT length Poo stunned down tho
moldering steps 20 IN apparently d.
serted cellar on Rivington street, gavs
= double rap on tho door. and waited
till panel glided noiselessly hack,
and = rat.eyed oriental pesped out,
jangling. not unmusically:
Yen ahs guar"
Il WAS ! threadbare password 10
Poe. merely meaning. DO you smoke
opium9''
He answered mechanically, ~sui
gow!" the name TOR the little sponeo
with which the bowl OF tho opium pipe
10 cleaned.
III III" cried thu Chinese Waterman.
and Poo. responding 70 the command
to hurry In, slipped through the door
- Il slid open on welioilsd hinges.
On his way TO the general room 10
had passed the open door to several
smaller compartments, accommodate
ing only two or three smokers. In
passing each no had given furtive, un-
easy glancea It the occupant. his
manner that OF the narrowed habitue.
seeking some pal" No flicker cf
feature betrayed him. when he sudden
" saw In one Of the small rooms his
friend Burns, cnrled up with 4 pipe.
while on the bunk opposite stretched !
long, English looking man. with close
cropped hair. watery, hollow eyes. and
dead-white face.
Though his mind was quickened By
the discovery. Poo lounEed on. and
with dull eyes asked "Eimmy," the
manufactured Chinaman In charge.
for layout"
h Q short time Burns entered from
his smaller compartment. pushed Pos
aside with the rudeness characteristic
Of the place. and. dropping down boz
side him. managed to whisper unno.
ticed:
did you see him? He comes
close to your description. stoop and
all. I spotted him at iive this eve-
ming: his mouth and eyes watered
for pipe. Nobody knows him. Hes
got steamship ticket TO Liver.
pool"
Good! I'll try him. He looks the
part. Do you think we could ret
him out OF here?"
Not till he sails. Says he hasn't
had . pipefo for week usually smokes
In Boston. Seems suspicious. Hasn't
been here In . year."
You stay here" directed Poe. draw
ing his cheeks AZ though puffing deep
~. Simmy having looked toward the
pair sharply. When he got another
chance to whisper. Poe finished: III
vow hear two knocks on my pipe. start
for the door. get your gun ready, and
block tho passage Ii necessary
With that he rose. stretched, and
ioafed 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-moying eyes.
Suddenly the pale man reached out
moist. trembling hand, and took hold
OF the cord.
LET me tie you knot he said
In pleased. sleepy tone, for he had
just reached the biissful stage. Toy.
Ing with the string for . moment, he
managed to twist 1t into an intricate
stopper-knot, and then jerked an end
Of 1t into . Matthew Walker"
"T1l bet you layout I can tie .
better Walker answered Poe.
That's too easy" grinned the 9th.
er. his face becoming ghoulish In the
effort. Get something more like .
rope. and I'll show you q few things.
used to be. why. was champion rope
tier and wrestler Of" He curbed
his wandering tongue, looked sharply
ct Poe. and then dropped back into
the same list1ess, languid flow Of
~.nn~h ar 80, 80 - c4At.- mr. =