Charlevoix county herald., 1915-09-18

see only the smooth side Of his face,
one would unhesitatingly have pro-
nounced him a handsome man.
There were possibly a score Of
regulars" seated at the tables, which
were many, for the saloon was both
wide and deep; but Crewe's trusted
assistant. Christy, was attending to
their wants. so that he was himself
unoccupied.
The hands Of the clock above The
back bar pointed at five minutes to
midnight.
The front door opened and a tall,
darkman of the elder Hermann type
came swiftly toward the bar where
Crewe was standing.
He moved with a peculiar grace and
ease that suggested both lithness
and great reserve strength, and his
black eyes under their heavy brows
were remarkably soft in their express
sion. Women would have admired
him-at a distance.
Men would have shrugged their
shoulders and shook their heads If his
good looks were mentioned.
Crewe maintained his familiar atti-
trde until the newcomer was directly
in front of him; then he said, still
without moving from his position:
''How are you, Sindahr? What are
you going to havew But, as If he
had known before he asked the ques-
ton, he reached into one Of the re-
ceptacles behind him and brought
forth bottle that was never called
for save by this particular customer.
1t contained some kind Of an East
ern cordial which must be nameless
here for the reason that it is unDro-
nounceable.
THANK you. Mr.. Crewe," Sindahr
said in low voice that was soft as
velvet and in perfect English, al
though one could see that he was a
foreigner, and doubtless of HINDU
origin, Notwithstanding the inky-black
mustache and imperial he wore.
well, were you there" Crewe
asked as he helped himself to a glass
of vichy.
Surely! Did I not say that I
would be there? I was the Italian
Count Sucini much resemble. I had
no difficulty in obtaining the invi.
tation, Mr.. Crewe."
Don't Mister me, count" and
Crewe showed his white teeth in a
half smile. II am just plain Crewe.
I have no other name. Did you obey
my orders?"
"Most assuredly."
"You are lying, Sindahr," Crewe
announced coolly.
And when the man in front of the
bar took a step backward away from
it and shot CLEAN from his eyes that
was half hatred and half fear, the
proprietor added as coolly as before:
you East Indians think that you are
the only wise guys on earth, but you
will find when you know me better
that I am gifted with something of
the occult myself. Shell out, count"
what do you mean by that express
sion, Crewe," the Oriental demanded,
and there was no mistaking the ha-
tired in his eyes then.
81 sent you up there, Sindahr, to
watch, not to lift I told you ex-
pressly that you were not to pinch
thing, even if the opportunity offered.
You disobeyed me. Shell Quit"
81 have nothing. / stole not
thing"
Count, do you want me to send
you up the river?"
mo, no, no! Not even IL you
could do So" was the hasty but half
uncertain reply.
"Then dig down in your jeans and
cough up that cameo brooch that you
lifted tonight"
Sindahr's expressive eyes grew wide
with fear. Then, without word of
reply, he thrust one hand inside his
waistcoat and brought forth an article
wrapped in tissue-paper.
He passed it across the bar to
Crewe, who opened the wrapping
enough to see what 1t contained, then
turned and dropped it into a drawer
behind him, which he locked.
"