Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1916-02-04

er steadily.
"Welly"
VERY good looking chap. sir; well
dressed, only | didn't like his smile"
Have you ever seen him beforeT
His face Is new to me, sir.
Crawford walked over to one of the
windows ana gazed seriously at the
touch of color across the river in the
wooded highlands.
Suspicion is not good for the soul,
ind he was beginning to find that all
strange faces aroused distrust. How
he hated it all. this life of his! How
like he was to that pasty faced boy at
school who was forever running with
tales to the teacheri
A sneak, so whispered his pride and
breeding; an honest competence, spoke
his manhood. Cheats, liars and thieves.
And his business was to watch them,
warn the government and take his
1.-THE of the spells.
1t was the 1.-THE which had the acid
bite. If only he were doing 1t for the
sport, the adventure! But no; he want
/ ed money and the good things money
bought. His friends? Many a time
over coffee they had contided to him
how neatly they were going to bam-
boozle Uncle Sam when they landed.
In honor he could not warn them to
be still; in honor be had to make known
their childike confessions. This kept
his spirit writing always. More than
once he had been tempted to take a
plunge in Vail street One throw of
the diee-riehes or beggary. And he
hadn't had the nerve!
Between rim and his prodigal grand
father stood the memory of that bull
Bark of eaution-his father. Having
his father a. an example. he became
all caution. caution; hesitated when OPP
portunity knocked and lost many
chances To re-establish the fortunes of
the house of Crawford.
He quilted lite with exactly what he
had begun with. The grandson had
just enough to weather his club dues
and his tailors, with a little left over
for his fishing trips.
/ beginning to. tell His bank account
was growing and growing. In three
. or four years he would have enough to
live on comfortably.
Marriage was, however, an utter i'm
possibility for he was determined nev-
er to marry a woman whose income
was greater than his own, and he
l. - I,.Y,
with one who was not his equal in
breeding and education. Blame en-
vironment for this fallacy!
Describe him.
Slender, rather dark. medium height,
good hands, clean shaven, with little
white scar on the left side of his chin -
Crawford unused for a space.
Cant place him. Oh. well, it doesn't
matter. Maybe nothing at all. If he
has letter of introduction DASH
it, Warren, you and | are beginning
to be suspicious of everybody"
well, sir, we can't afford to be
careless now that you've started to
break up the gang"
II don't think they'll bother me Sc
riously on this side of the water. It's
the only thing that makes the game
possible-the real smuggler, with his
ramifications that reach into the heart
of India. It's good sporting PROPOSE
ton to lay those fellows by the heels.
Their ingenuity is remarkable. Smead
was held up yesterday. Broke his leg
in Paris. Mahogany crutches. Hollow
shaft, twenty diamonds worth eight
thousand. His leg was really broken,
and l suppose that gave him the idea
of utilizing the crutches. Bought the
gems in Rotterdam. The clutches stuck
in my mind. My room was next to his
In the Continental In Paris. 1t was
only guesswork on my part. didn't
know for certain. Well, I'm OF. IN
wear this suit on the train. Don't for
get my pipes. See you at the station"
Crawford went to his club for dinner
He found three or four lonely bach
elors-old friends-and they sat at the
same table Talk ran iflSo every con-
ceivable channel-women, horses, the
light operas then going. boating, box
ing and even the discontinue Of the
famous gambler, Smead, who had been
caught finally with thesgeods ON his re-
J fdrn from Europe Cranford's coffee
Z tasteft bitter -sasss - sa2@@>s
Before going TO the station he went
into the bar of one of the nearby ho-
tells for some cigars. He was leaning
against the cigar stand. next to the bar,
when two strangers at his side clicked
their glasses and spoke phrase which
puzzled and surprised him.
"Pidgin islandr'
Square away
The two men drank and departed,
Pidgin islandi Crawford turned.
They had paused at the cashiar's
desk. On. was tall. thick set, gray
haired. rudy faced. with an air Of
prosperity. His companion was short
and wiry and taciturn OF expression
His lip was adorned by a cropped mus
tache. which stood out like the bris-
ties OF toothbrush.
Crawford laughed silently.
Fishermen like himself, for only
bass fisherman would ever mention
such a spot as pidgin island. Doubt
less he would see them again.
BY the ticket booth he met Warren.
'.The man with the scar has been
wandering about have an idea that
he's been following me"