The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1921-05-19
int There are Germans enough over

here to stop that"
mot Germans-no.N But. Interna.
tfonals. revolutionaries. They are
them to strike great blow"
You are Polish. are you nOt?p
yah, from Warsaw. 1 come over
six years.
'Naturalized?"
Il have first papers-why you ask p
suspiciously.
merely questioned from curios-
1ty." My eyes wandered once more to
the girl across the room, and he no
ticed the glance.
You wonder what she do in here?'
he asked. II tell you. She was my
niece, an sit here to wait for a friend
to walk home with her. It is not q
good neighborhood, this, for woman
alone in the dark
Her home is some distance?"
"F1ve-six blocks. It is a dark, bad
way"
He moved back toward the bar. ap-
parently satisfied with his examination
of me, as we'll as his explanation. I
the trouble to tell me all this, and or
dered another glass of beer as an ex-
cuse to linger there a while longer.
What was the party like who was to
call for the girl? I did not have to
nnger long to crafty my curiosity.
Inc side door opened silently, and q
man stepped briskly inside, shaking
the raindrops from his coat as he
greeted the barman cheerily.
"A dirty night, JAMS" he said. glanc-
Ing swiftly about, his eyes sweeping
over me sharply. Business not very
good, I suppose?"
Dead. It's no good now any more.
with all the factories closing I'D be-
cause Of the war. Just some salesman
drops in for a beer. That makes ma
nOthings."
The newcomer laughed, evidently
put quite at ease by this quick expla-
nation. was watching him. A rather
thick-set fellow with a turned-up mus
tache and ,disfiguring scar on one
cheek, which gave to his eye peculiar
expression. Watching the fellow I
must have missed some signal, for he
whirled about suddenly and confront
ed the girl, who had already risen to
her feet and stood expectantly, one
hand yet resting on the table.
"Ah, senorita! You were waiting
for me to come" he exclaimed. yet
l have not kept you long"
"Oh, no." she answered quietly in
Spanish, her voice so low the words
barley carried to where I sat- "You
were delayed?"
"a car blockade at the wharf. No,
thank you, Jams, nothing tonight. You
would go, senorita?'
There can be nothing to remain
longer here for, surely"
I watched them disappear through
the side door, marking his grasp on
her arm and her quick glance aside
into his face. There had been some
thing wrong about this meeting, some
thing undeniably awkward and con-
strained. These two were not what
they pretended to be-old-time friends
incidentally to walk home to-
gether. They were strangers, coming
together there for the first time by
appointment. Neither had previously
known the other. had even detected
fear, doubt, in the expression of the |
girls face.
Yet [ dare not move, or attempt to |
follow them. could only sit quietly, |
my eyes on the window fronting the |
street. l watched intently, but no
shadows passed that way-the two had
not turned down Cans street.
My mind worked rapidly as I sat
there mOtiOnless, afraid to make the
slightest move lest it arouse suspicion.
Whatever the object of the meeting
night be, JAMS was more or less in
7Olved. He had signaled to the girl
vice, and his words, however innO-
'ent they may have sounded, must
AVE brought warning to the man.
Beyond doubt he had questioned me
With the distinct purpose of thus dis
oyering why had drifted into the
'lace. l dismissed utterly his state
nent that the young woman was his
liece-her very appearance gave that
he lie.
Something was wrong, perhaps not
riminal, perhaps in no way associated
nth the affair which had brought me
1to that neighborhood, and yet sus-
iciously wrong, and felt inexorably
riven to find out what it all meant.
finished my beer slowly, and then
elected a cigar from the case and lit
deliberately. Jams leaned over the
ar, speaking confidentially, and had
} remain, although I cursed inwardly
the delay. Yet broke away at last. ;
ssured that had finally lulled every
lspicion to rest and passed out
trough the front door. ,