The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-05-14

was a meeting with Mary-previously arranged tor, and held at nearby roadhouse.
 Everything looks fine, my dear, said Mona. But you've got to find real burglar for me some one who crack safe. | can't do that and it's the safe that contains what we're after. Do you think you can?'
 q try" said Mary. q know some awfully disreputabe people, you know
 Well, it's vital to my plan to have depend able safe cracker. I'll leave that to you. As usual, the really hard work is for you to do."
 Mary did, she had told Mona, know lot of more or less shady people. And on the night of her talk with Mona she went to place she had not visited for 2 long time-a place that had threatened once, to entrap her, and drag her down. It was luxurious resort of those who smoke opum-a place where the drug is rounded with all the glamor and false romance that constitutes it's chief appeal to many who forming it's acquaintance for the first time.
 This place wi5 not in Chinatown, but in the heart of of the beli districts O. the city. IT house was luxuriously appointed and fur nished. There great where if they so desired, the patrons nigh take their ease on soft couches. If they preferred, however, small rooms were at their disposal, where they might have privacy. Many customers came to this resort because they knr they need be seen by none of their fellow smokers.
 There hc been q time @hen Mary had nearly fallen victim to the smoking habit. But she had tlaken O.. the seadly spell of the drug, and she hesitate even with : fixed purpose in her mind, to renew her acql .intance with it. It had to be- however, since here, she felt, she fairly sure to ond a man n-, the sort she needed Here would be common criminals, but only the very pick and choice of the profession.
 The proprietor this resort a China man. whose eyes gleamed covetously at the sight of Mary
 "You alice same come back one time two tme?' he said, gloatingly. He fancied that she, who had once escaped, about to fall back into his clutches more. And he knew that those who returned did not escape second time
 "Yes-and I want Ching to cook for me- she said. She affected great lassitude. Ching came, and welcomed her. He began to roll pill" for her.
 Listen, Ching said Mary. You wa 1t money?"
 "Yes' said Ching who, save for an inability to get his tongue around an R. spoke almost per- feet English.
 'Then do something for me- and you shall have it-$50.- See? Here it is. I want to know if there is here who knows how to blow safes.'
 Ching thought moment. ''stalings," he said. "He did job in Flsco-now he is hiding here. Come I show him to you"
 He guided her to of the little private rooms And there she found Stallings, young, keen faced He had been smoking but Mary saw at once that he old timer that the drug had no perceptibe effect upon him.
 Want company2a she said.s "Id like to smoke my pipe here with you
 "Welcome,' he said
 He wasn't at all the sort one would expect to be a cracssman. He was rather an attractive young man, and only his eyes betrayed him. He looked like any young fellow, with plenty of money-a successful young business man, per haps. Mary studied him, and decided on a bold play. ''I know all about you, she said. You're safe blower"
 "A pinch?" he said, not very curiouslv
 Nothing like that" she told him. Ut just happens that I need in your line as badly as I'll ever need anything"'
 'Tell me p he said, interested
 Why not?" said Mary. I'm pretty des- perate !"
 And she recounted, with changes to fit her appearance, the story Clyde had told of the woman in the hotel and the letters Reynolds held She told her story well. and she could see the appeal striking home to Stalngs
 "The hound" he said. "Say-rm no saint, you know, but he-wel he's past all limits Sure