Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-04-18

ne stopped. size
Hold on" said Lamar. I've ar
idea. Suppose | drop around to see
Smiling Sam. He and Borden were
pretty thick. lie may. know something
about the Red Circle. Or he may not
IL he does, I'll find way to make
talk. Anyhow, it's more profita bic
than spending the day grubbing over
that collection of cell beauties or comb
ing the city for dummy tailor that
isn't either a tailor or dumb. I'll have
try at it. | think. Give me the adj
dress again
Sam Eagan's?" returned the chief
looking once more through a handful
of photos. Here you are: Cobbler shor
at 1919 Bright way. I've had hin
watched once or twice. But there:
nothing to him lie seems to have de-
cided he's too old not to make an hon.
est living. Has good name in the
neighborhood A rotten neighborhood al
that. Go and talk with him if YOU
like. 1t can't do any harm. But
don't believe it'll do any good"
Chief Allen was quite right as to the
rottenness of the neighborhood wherein
Smiling Sam" Eagan had chosen to set
tie down to his life of reform. 1t was
squalid district, and on a street that
served as one of the several short cuts
from the business section to the city.
Sam Eagan's shop faced on a corner
and behind il was a disreputable looking
back yard separated by rickety gate am
a tumbledown board fence from the
alley at the rear.
The corner was uninviting, even fol-
corner loafers. Yet one such loafer in.
tested it at all hours of the day. This
consistent idler was a thickset youth
clad in shabby gray. His name was Tom
Dunn. His mission in life seemed
to be to lean half-asleep agains,
the Intel of Sam Eagan's doorway puff
fing cigarettes
1t was an uninspiring life that Mr.
Thomas Dunn led. Long since, the
neighbors had ceased to interest them
selves in him.
Had the neighbors looked closer, they
might perhaps have noted that his half
shut eyes were as bright as rats and
that those same apparently drowsy eyes
were forever shifting their gaze up AMI
down the street. Also, that Mr. Dunn
at intervals would step back into SmiI-
ing Sans shop.
Sometimes, after vanishing thus, he
would reappeaP' at once, at his old post
as though he had merely skunk into the
shop to borrow a light for his eternal
cigarette. Sometimes ne would not come
out again through the doorway at all
outside, none the less, little later. And
this was odd; because everybody knew
there was no exit from the cobbler shop
except by the single door in front.
Tom Dunn, this morning, loungeJ AS
usual. in front of Smiling Sans shop
smoking an ill-made cigarette; and loaf
ing away the early hours when most
of the world was at work.
Inside the dingy little shop, Sam him.
- Ill -
shops dirty, walls re-ecnoed to the quic!i
taps Of his hammer as he drove tiny
bright nails into tough sole leather, He
was a busy mana contented man-an
ideally reformed man-was Smiling Sam
Eagan His broad, rubicund face was
as jovial as a comic opera cobblers; the
fringe of gray curls on each side of MS
bald head fairly exuded kindly honesty
The most suspicious of pessimists
would have banked on Smiling Sans
jolly rougn-hewn probity.
AS Eagan. cross-legged on his low
bench, sat nammering gayly away, Ton
Dunn ducked his unshaven visage into
the room.
"Jakes comm" announced Dunn; and
returned ito, the front steps once more.
Smiling Sam looked up with friendly
nod, a moment later, as a cadaverouS
man of middle age shambled into thu
shop. The newcomer bore under his
arm a crude little newspaper parcel, HI
handed it to Sam, without a word.
Eagan unrolIed the newspaper wrap
pings. Out felIg a dusty shoe, whose
sole was all but gone and whose heH
was run" at the left side. Smiling
Sam picked up a cobler's knife ant
proceeded to pry off the battered shoe:
still more battered heel; Jake standing
| in nervous expectancy behind him an(
looking avidly over the cobbler's IA
shoulder
Presently, the heel came away from
the shoe. 1t was hollow, and it wa'
wadded with tissue paper. Sam care
fully undid the tissue folds. Out o.
alternate pearls and diamonds of a fa!
size.
Lifted it while | was holdin opeI
carriage door for dame, outsid'
the op'ra house last night" explained
Jake. Its a beaut, hsy?'
| Not bad" assented Sam, holding tn
brooch to the light and studying it
circlet of gems. Zone stones off colo
and anothers fawed and one of tn
pearls looks sick. But"
"How much?' demanded Jake.
Twenty" was Sans terse verdict.
Twenty" snorted the indignant Jake
| L
ty dollars for that bit. of Easy stree
Pavement? Why, the gold settin' /
worth more n that, you measly oil,
gouger?'
Twenty" snapped Eagan
Not in a million years" declared
Jake. why. they amt a pawnshop il
town but'd give me a hundred"
There amt a apawnshop in tow
where you'd dare show your crooke1
face" was Sams pleasant rejoindeI
"That's why you came to me. An
there's never yet been one of you tina
could get a penny morne'n my first pric
from me. Twenty, l said"
"Me?" queried Sam. in no wise of
Tended Not me. I'm a respectable
reformed Woodworking man. Ask tn
p'lice if I'm not. If some of the shoes
/ that come here to be mended, happel
to have. things in their heels-why.
| try to do you poor fellows a good turf
| by taking them off your hands. If vol
don't LIKE my prices, go look some
where else Find a fence Who'll
squeal to the cops at the first pincl
and land you in the coop. Find
fence who's willing to take the sam
chances as me, on getting rid of wha
he buys from you and pays better mon
| ey to you Twenty dollars is my pric
for this thing. TIN cost me fifty t
square the right folks and get thes
stones on the market. Twenty's tn
price Take it or leave it,"
I'll leave il, them stOrmed Jak
I'm not. going TO be robbed. Give i
| back to me-
| sure" smiled Eaean, blandlv. re