Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-06-28


/ devil. Well what dye know about
/ that"
| In the midst OF the diversion Stakos
! rose and excusing himself approached
another table well back beside the
I cigarcase. where he spoke to a couple
! of men. After a moment he came
back and in quite audible tones re.
! quested that we come over and meet
| his friends.
| 1t was well played and I'm sure one
not informed OF its true purpose
would have been completely deceived.
We rose after a bit of urging and &C.
companied him half across the room
to the place where the other two sat.
| Intfoductions followed.
We learned that the larger Of the
two men who were both dark was
called Paulos, and the smaller Hermo-
styple. At their invitation we sat
down A waiter slid up and after a
friendly byplay Stakos ordered the
drinks. and we were alone. Not until
then did Reich speak.
These are my friends Of whom l
told YOU" he explained in a low
voice. "They want to know about the
girl
Mr.. Dual an Mr.. Glaze, the de-
tective. an Mr.. Sheldon. quite So"
said Paulos. "Those were the names
r,,n1l 10
not such very large quantity to tell.
Perhaps Mr.. Reich have tell you what
we air?"
Were WISE muttered Sheldon.
Dual and ! nodded For no appar.
ent reason Hermostyple saw tit to
duck his head also.
well then" continued Paulos.
1.-THE ozzer day ii was teeped off to
my very good fren' Hermostyple an
me, Eat zere was a girl in room
in house down in thees parts. Eat
have happen before. have it not Her
monstpple?"
Again the little man nodded.
IL
theca, say Eat they think perhaps
thccs girl was wat you call detain'
agains' her will, an vas not zere of
her own accord. Zen it wa to us to
investigate in wat YOU call offeecial
capacity, was 1t not?"
1T was rumbled Sheldon. did
you?'
Paulos opened his brown eyes in
surprise, then shrugged his shoulders
in depreciation.
"But--" he began and paused once
more as our waiter returned with our
order. But of course" he resumed,
lifted his glass of beer and sunk his
mustache in the foam, "Hermostyple
and | acted at once. What did we
do? What should we do? We go to
thees place, an we deman to see
thees girl an we ask her the dues-
ton Have YOU experience to which
she say, oh, yes
Then what could we do? Wis
her nozzing. She say she is of the
age. she hat no people. Is she dom
ANYTHING wrong? We may know but
can we prove it? Eth, Hermostyple.
my fren'?"
Hermostyple answered by nod,
and went on consuming beer
"you asked her il she'd had ex-
perience. What'je mean ~said Col
onel Mac.
yet is contradistinction from per
sons who have been persuaded or led
away from home by false representa-
TONS explained Paulos "As one
would say, do you come Of your own
free will?'"
San she told you yes? She
wouldn't do it. don't believe you"
Sheldon's voice threatened to rise
to an unwise pitch.
"Sssh." Kissed Reich laying hand
on the colonel's arm. maybe she
had to. Maybe they scared her into
saying what they told her. Colonel,
they're devils They've killed girls
who wouldn't do what they told them
haven't they. Mr.. paulos?"
Indeed. yes,v declared the Greek.
Hermostyple nodded.
Colonel Sheldon's gray eyes hard
ened. "Al right" he muttered. Il
amt very wise to this game reckon,
but got hunch that that leetle gal
wouldn't "a been afraid to cash In II
that was tn only way to slip this
bunch. Go ahead. | won't butt in
any more. reckon kin think to
myself what did you do them"
I'VE investigate, sair," replied
Paulos, coldly. ave try TO fin out
where she come from. an We fin she
came from the south. Then we decide
to see her again. because there has
been too much trouble here of lately
an when We. 20 10 see her yesterday
We find she Is gone"
"Gone where?" | asked.
1--WE do not know. We ask the
man who runs the house. He say, she
say. she goes to Seattle. That is ALL"
"'rhey moved her. that's ALL said
Reich duly. They knew we'd fol.
low and they wouldn't take chances.
We were just too late. If only you'd
let me come up when wanted 10. /
shai.,on M haya maj these men and !