The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-02-09
By y"Hop''

 1 tin is worth more n that, you measly old gouger?'
 "Twenty," snapped Eagan. Not in a million years,' declared Jake "Why, they ain't pawnshop in town but'd give me hundred!" There ain't a pawnshop in town where you'd dare show your crook face was Sam's pleasant rejonder. That's why you came to me. That's why you all come to rae. And there's never yet been one of you that could get a penny moren my first price from me. Twenty, I said"
 ''You're-you're a robber" faltered Jake.
 'Me?" querier Sam, in no wise of fended "Noto me. I'm respectable, reformed, hard working man. Ask the p'lice if I'm not. If some of the shoes, that come here to be mended, happen to have things in their heels-why, try to do you poor fellows good turn by taking them off your hands. If you don't like my prices, go look somewhere else. Find fence who'll squeal to the cops at the first pinch and land you in the coop. Find a fence who's willing to take the same chances as me, on getting rid of what he buys from you and pays better money to you. Twenty dollars is my price for this thing. Itll cost me fifty to square the right folks and get these stones on the market. Twenty's the price. Take it or leave it." "Ill leave it. then" stormed Jake. I'm not going to be robbed. Give it back to me-"
 Sore" smiled Eagan, blandly, re- turning the brooch to him, and at the same time absentmindedly pulling from his trousers pocket rol of bills which he fingered ca elessly To Jake the sight .f or hnev was bone to a starvina dos He wavered. Then
 ooh, take it, you swiney' he growled, tossing the brooch down upon Eagan's leather aproned lap "ralle it. I hope it lands you in the pen Sam peeled two geasy ten-dollar bills from the roll. handed them to back in his pocket He picked up the brooch. As he did so, Tom Dunn slipped hurriedly into the shop.
 Max I.amar-fly cop" he reported. "Comin' down the block; lool1in' at the numbers on the houses"
 "Geen babhled Jake. He'll spot me, dead sure. He's"
 Out the back way" ordered Sam. The lookout caught the shaking Jako by the% arm and hustled him toward the back of the shop, to place Where the blank surface of the wall was
  stood sparse array of shoe boxes.
 Dunn thrust his hand in among these boxes Instantly a section of the wall shelves and a1l-opened outward, re- vealing passageway behind. Through this opening, Dunn showed the panic stricken Jake, closing the thick secre: door behind them.
 Jacke and his conductor found them selves in dim-lt inner room, unfur- nished save for big, and dog-eared cal endar that hung on one wall and broken packing box below 1t. Dunn pushed violently at slab in the clipped plaster of the adjacent wall: The plas- ter gave back at his push. A doorway perhaps three feet high and 20 inches or less in width, took the place of the seemingly solid clustering. Through this hole closing it behind them, the two wriggled; out into the yard beyond, and thence, through the rickety gate to the aleyway.
 Meantime, left alone in his shop, Smiling Sam Eagan saw long shadow fall athwart the street threshold and hesitate there for an instant
 No time was to be lost. Sam slipped the brooch back into the hollow Of the shoe heel; and, with two delft blows or the hammer. nailed the heel into place on it's shoe.
 He was driving the second nail when Max Lamar sauntered into the shop. Max glanced down aprovingly. at the busy old fellow tacking worn heel on to worthless shoe. It was picture Of poverty tinged by honest toll. Sam looked up inquiringly and for the first time beheld his visitor. His jolly old face broke into an expansive and warmly cor dial smile. Tossing aside the shoe on which he had been working, he rose clum- silly to greet his visitor.
 Well, we'll MT. Lamar!'' he cried jov- ;alI ''This is an honor I wasn't looking for. Sit down. You'll find that bench clean. I think. I try to keep things as tidy as [ can. This is like old times, seeing you again.
 Continued in Tomorrow's Age-H -Heraldo