Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-07-05

tension ~ their corners, and the set
OF ms fighting chin had, too, taken On
d new angle.
Under their heavy brows his gray
eyes brooded. He looked like grlz.
Htd veteran waiting the call TO action
! "hlch he knew was about to come
From him my eyes Travelled To Reich
almost feeling OF pity.
After all, ! thought. the lad had lost
! iar more than any of us who Judged
ms erratic temper, and his protests
against what must have seemed to his
youth like inaction.
And surely he seemed to have suffer
ed, lie was worn, his face palid
Drawn almost hagaarj and there were
daikenlng circles beneath his eyes.
noticed that the hand on the arm of
the chair in which ne sat lwitch-d
now and then as against his yoilion.
HIS brows were knit in broodng
thought, his chin sunk on his breast.
Sheldon fose and walked to a win
"""' ''"'uiuS th'ie WIN MS HHHUS
'iasped behindshim, gazing out over
the lights of the city crossed ana
joined him where he stood chewing
upon his cigar which had gone dead.
shes some city he muttered,
noddinG his grizzled head at the miles
OF nights. Some city to so out into
an ind one leetle gal tucked away 10
/ keep folks from findin'. But | reckon
Dual kin do it. an II he does. he's a
wizard Nv Lord, III be glad to see
Lilly again"
He will do it, whispered assur-
/ ance.
81 amt doubtn' it son" he made
! answer. When that Lucille girl gets
back | reckon the fireworks will begin
to siz2le. | reckon you an know
Semi Dual"
Well his was the faith of soldier
| In the general who had sent him 10
victorious action | thrilled at his
| words, and laid hand ON his shout.
der He turned, and his lips twitched
into slow, grim smile
Again footsteps sounded from the
passage. The door opened and Miss
t0ote entered in company win a man.
He was a small and somewhat
shabby person In a sack coat OF brown
tWeeds and trousers to match. His
lace was thin, nervous and ncisiye.
ms hair when he took of his derby
nat was a dark and elose-cut auburn,
ana he walked with a shutting stoop
We all turned TO face him on his en-
trance, and in so doing looked into a
pair Of cool blue eyes
Gentlemen" said Miss Lucille,
THIS is Mr. MeKabe of the China.
town plain clothes squad"
McKabe nodded his head and
pttchcd himself on The edge Of chair
flddIing with his battered derby
"Th' young lady has given me the
'ay'' he began, Now just what er
want to do?"
Dual. who had lifted himself to al.
tention upon the entrance of the de. /
tectiye, Immediately answered:
We want to find this girl and as
sure her safety. and we want the as. |
slatance OF your people. and as time IS |
an important factor we want TO act at |
once. II you already know the main
details. you can suggest the proper
moves"
Mckabe frowned, placed his hat on
a table close beside him and locked his
wlry fingers about one knee.
Prom what Miss Foot told me |
reckon the best bet would be to ttv
and glimpse this Greek Annie. whom
YOU think brought the girl from Salt
Lake. If we can cross her trail most
Ike 1t will strike somewheres pretty
close to the girl. There's jus, two
places whore I think we'd be most
likely to pick her up-one IL the Pa.
clfic Avenue dumps VIVA, mos, folks
call the Barbary Coast, an the other is
the Chinatown District
'"The last is the best because right
now most of the avenue places il pref.
~ quiet. an they amt pullin' much
rough stuff over there. But the chinks
always have KEEP us guessing, an I
guess they always will Lately these
white slave people have been maxim
a good deal of use of them, too Only
last summer we dug out six girls what
a chink was holdin'. an sent them
back to their people. an at that we
couldn't gil conviction. The chink
brought a dozen Witnesses to prove the
girls was boardn' with him. an We
couldn't prove it wasn't so. OF course
We knew all right, just as We did when
we grabbed three girls Teller was
shipping out to China often vessel
That's the way they work IT, Girls
what lays down easy they keep here
and send out over the country. Them
as won't they're beginnin' to send out
OF the country"
But how do they gil by with that
sort of thing right under our eyes?'
inquired Colonel Mac.
Under our feet would be a better
way to say ii, my friend" said Nc.
kabe. We're wise it's goin' on, but
stoppin' It's like the old recipe for rab.
bit stew-hrst catch your rabbit. An
they're Just like rabbits. Folks will
.-.A