Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1919-10-02

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DrInk-House Samg"
The other eyed him furtiveIy.
that's me: Sam Marie. by rights.'
he admitted CURLY. awhat can I Dc
for you misterY'
-well." said wallen, lowering his
voice. I'D like a few minutes Of your
time. somewhere In private"
~What forY' demanded Marie.
Wailen leaned across the bar.
-.It's about the Upolo." he said con
fidentially.
The man stared at him for q mo
ment. a curiously mingled expression
OF cunning and surprise creeping into
the small, black. red-rimmed, shifty
eyes-then he stepped abruptly oui
from behind the bar. led the way ID
an empty table at the end Of the room
by the rear door. and flung himself
down into q chair.
Wallen followed. but remained stand
ing On the opposite side %, the table.
II can't say cali this very private
he protested.
It'll do till / know more or your
businessr' grunted Marie. take It OF
leave IL. amt for sneakin' on with
the first stranger that comes In, and
hayin' every last one Of these swine
here get to figurin' I'm putin up some
sort Of deal TO shanghai his particu
lar carcass. And SIT down, mister
you're shown more'n IL necessary OF
your good clothes"
Il was true.
His standing there after the othei
had seated himself only served to at
tract further attention. A crowd nj ths
next table was already INDUCING soft,
vOce. In uncomplimentary and drunk
emily offensive remarks.
''Now shoot the works!" prompted
Drink-House Sam. "What about this
ere UpOlof'
Wal;en was casting about In his
mind for what to say now II he could
play the man. arouse the others fear
perhaps. or his curiosity that would be
lacked 10y fear. or his cunning. or his
interest sufficiently TO get him some
yLere alone without giving away his
swn hand.
An! Yes. he had II now. Helen
IGckay had unwittingly furnished
Air. the lead with her laughing refer
ence to putting his head into the lions
.louth. IL he said innOcently that Ting
Yah had sent him,
Drink-HOuse Sam would naturally
'Hnclude that the Chinese accomplice
.as still playing Into his hand. and
nad sent him. wallen, back into the
power of this rat-eyed murderer with
he bloated face to complete the work
that Ting Wah. for some reason or
other. had been unable to accomplish.
Wallen's hands that were thrust into
his trousers pockets clenched fiercely.
This man before him. just few feet
away with sssst the table top between
them. was Drink-House Sam at last,
the man who knew. the man he had
dreamed of night and day In his long
convalescence at MaeKnight's as the
man who some day he would treat "a
he would treat n -pOisOn snakel
Queer that he was seeing that
screaming. maddened wretch. Won Su
jump overheard again.
His mind seemed to grow almos,
ghoulish. That fiabby neck OF the mar
in front of him was Drink-Houss
Sans. the man who had loosed n pack
of Chinese thugs upon him-hOw far
in would his fingers sink?
swell, you got lockjaw7" g.owlet
Drink-House Sam. "This ere Upolo
you was sayin'T"
yes" said Wallen. and smiled en-
Gagingly. Its bit of a longish story
hut TIL cut 1t short with a word-yel
low jack cleaned her out somewhere In
the Java sea-"
Huh" snorted Marie. Everybody
-nows that. Most of us can read. mis-
ter. She was picked up by the gun
boat Phyllis a few weeks ago; and Q
'orrid mess she was, accordin' to &C
counts"
as that so? / hadn't heard shed
been picked up" said Wallen slowly
"But that's nothing to do with what
brought me here. You knew a chink
aboard her called Ting Wah, didn',
your"
The thrust was unexpected, as Wal
len had meant Ii to be. Marie, with
an involuntary start, leaned sharply
forward over the table; and then, with
a clumsy attempt to cover his agita
tion, spoke viciously:
"Say, what the ell you givin' usi
How should know himf"
you don't know him7" calculated
Wallen in well-simulated surprise.
"Never heard Of him." declared
Marie; but the rat eyes were stealthily
searching Wallen's face.
That's strange" waiIen unused
aloud perplexedly. SIN quite sure
haven't made n mistake. The mar
was dying. Of course. and pretty faI
gone. and talked thickly, but II wal
Ting Wah that sent me to you. He
Wallen's fists In his pockets cienched
& little harder -" said you would
know"
did hef" inquired Marie with q
sheer. "And who are you. misterf'
I'm wallen-Stacey wallen. the
first mate, you know" said waller
earnestly. "I'm the sole survivor; left
the bark In boat and-what's wrong
Mr.. Marler
The ford face. a miserable fear
stamped upon II, and a grayish color
and the man. jaw-sagged, was staring
across the table. A fierce JOY swept
Wallen-and then uneasiness. Per.
haps. after all. his strategy had been
faulty.
Drink-House Sam was evidently
placing q far different Interpretation
on Ting Wah's dying message than he,
II I1iIh H., a.,