Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1920-08-20
PART Il-Contlnued.

s.
This turned his attention to his own
mems Of identification. Putting his
hand In his pocket, he drew out four
gelopes contained bills-one an "ac1
dressed to s. w. James, Hotel Long
acre, New York city. Two Of the en-
velopes contained bills-one on FAC
count rendered. from liquor dealer
for S87 25; the other n bill for cigars
and cigarettes amounting to $3.50.
The third was letter from the steam
ship agents Of the Hnmbard line, read
ing:
Dear sir: We have booked you for
passage from New York to Naples on
the s.. s. Colonla, sailing from pier
foot of West Thirteenth street, N. II.
We have assigned to you Cabin G 80,
on the salon deck, ana have arranged
that you are to have 1t entirely to
yourself.
eve beg to call your attention to
the fact that. owing to the tide on the
day of departure, the Colonia will sail
at one o'clock in the morning, Octo-
Der T."
The fourth envelope lnclosed a
ticket calling for one first-class pas
sage New York to Naples, on the
steamship Colonla, and made out to ).
w. James. There was nothing else In
the pockets of his coat.
Robbed was his first thought, and
he searched In his trousers pocket for
the cash which he had with him-less
than ten dollars. He found many vel
iow-backed bills. Five hundred dol
lars.
The sight Of the five hundred dollars
Immediately brought to mind what
had happened before the long dream
less sleep just ended on the ship. This
mOney-or five hundred dollars just
like it-was lying on n table In a suite
Of rooms in the Bemont-Stratworth
hotel He was about to come into pos
session Of tall for signing con-
tract to report the world series on
behalf of the TranscOntnental News
paper syndicate, Metropolitan tower,
New York city.
He sat down again upon the berth
20 puzzle II out, beginning with the let
ter from the syndicate-it was on en-
graved stationery, he remembered.
The secretary, Walter Noble, gave him
Ne references three well-known New
Workers. But the letter had come, spe-
cial delivery. on Sunday-the day aft
er the championship was clnched-and
reply was requested by telegraph on
Monday. Anyhow what need was there
of references, he had argued, when he
couldn't lose! For he was to receive
five hundred dollars every day he
turned in n story. No. he couldn't lose,
and he could make thirteen hundred
dollars at least--nlneteen hundred dol
lars at most. Yes, he had looked upon
Il as Every easy" money and had kept
his own counsel. not even confding In
iris Ford, because of the reports In
the newspapers that the national COM
mission was to prohibit the players
from writing for the papers; certain
ly all those who hadn't contracts.
He remembered that he had gone to
the Belmont Stratworth. and the clerk
at the desk knew him-had seen him
play. He could repeat his words: "Mr.
Noble is expecting you-go right up
TO Suite 1872" He had gone up, had
been admitted to the parlor of suite,
and had met a nice young fellow, OBJ
vIously a gentleman, who greeted him
cordially.
The contract-it had the name OF
the Transcontinental Newspaper syn
dictate printed in, he was sure. He
had read 1t very carefully, and the
terms were precisely what had been
offered him. While he was reading 1t.
he remembered, Mr.. Noble had taken
from his bill case without any flourish
Ave hundred dollars. He could remem-
Der seeing the money lying on the
table, the bills folded over once.
The bills in his hand now were fold
ed once
But something was going wrong
with his memory. 1t had been spin
ming the tale of events without effort,
hut suddenly 1t had begun to flag. He
had TO prod 1t. What was II Mr.. Noble
had said? Oh, yes-"l'm going to have
a drink. What'll you have7" He had
declined, of course, because he didn't
drink. And then? Mr.. Noble had
said. walking over to the telephone:
"Wise man-wish | didn't" and had
added: an order you soft drink"
The drlnk-what was it? For some
reason he was very uncertain on that
score. Slowly he began to form
mental image of tia brown bottle
It was in a silver holder, because the
bottom was round. OF course-glnger
ale-it came In such bottles. He re-
membered, too. II was Imported ginger
ale, not so sweet as American. Yes,
the first taste had been almost bitter.
And then?
Blackness! He could recall nothing,
II, his best, until he woke up on the
ship.
II didn't accord with any experience
he knew at all well-of course not
with any he had ever gone through
himsen He couldn't believe that he
had taken an alcoholic drink By mis-