Evening star., 1921-04-24

er I goes snoopin' round. spyin' out
the land. and late on the afternoon OF
| the second day, which Is Thursday.
just after the train from Saint Louis
gets in, I goes and looks up the Gen.
! eraI and am able to report progress.
l tells him a well-dressed party who
looks like he might have Interior mo-
lives on other peoples bank.rolls has
| mantown by the Eads-Bridge and
| that II he's the person think he h
we've located what we've been looktn'
for.
How'll you nnd out IL he is. or
IL he amt? says the General.
That I says. is one Of the easiest
things l do. Come with me- says.
| so 1 takes the General with me
and we goes up to the suspect. who
is leanin' against the cigar case in
the lobby. pickin' himself out suit
able smoke.
'Howdy do. Izzy.' says. How did
you leave things at Joliet?
| Excuse me, he says in hauteur-
full manner; I'm afraid you have the
wrong party: My name is Montague
p. Alex. Montague
| Probably so.' l says, probably SO.
for this day and date. But what's q
name more or less between brothers
in the same lodge? And besides.' ]
+, says. I've seen your picture in the
paper too often to be mistook. Come
/ L
wouldst have speech with you in pri-
vate. I'd hate it something awful
1 says. if some gossipin' busybody
/ was to overhear US and go runnin'
| round tellin' people that Mr.. p. Alex.
Montague is no other than First Aid
| lzzy WeXenbaum, the well known and
popular card wizard
He looks worried at that. is this
a pinch he says. Because if it is
he says. I'll have to tell you now
| that nobody's got anything on me-
"'Our sole desire l says, reas-
some easy money General L says.
allow me to make you acquainted
with Mr.. P. Alex. Montague Et Cetera
Wexenbaum.'
so with that we all repairS<o our
snug retreat. where Sweet Caps is
Caps lays eyes on the gentle stranger
he says to him. Friend. ain't I seen
you somewhere before" Well says
First Aid, I wouldn't be surprised.
because as far back as 1 can remem-
ber I've nearly always been some
that it don't take no time at all to
come to an understanding.
\ r >: x
"NrOW, il you don't mind. we'll just
skip along to Friday night
Everything works like it's been creased
The chairman of the railroads commit
tee receives his bonus of two thousand
and tucks it away in his wallet. He
starts to go, but the General suspects
there's somebody snoopin' round in the
hall outside-so they ooZe into Parlor
B for few minutes. Much to their
surprise, they finds me and Sweet Caps
and the gentleman known as p. Alex.
settin' there together. fussin' with tho
pasteboards in a bored and nonchalant
way. Prom this point you know tho
route 1t is sufficiency to say that on
the fourth deal the limit is removed by
general consent and everybody starts
bettin' his head off. Pretty soon the
pace gets too warm for me and throws
my pat flush into the discard. Then
the Sweet Caps Kid decides his little
seven-full on trays is also outclassed
and he retres graceful. But the Gen.
eral and the Chairman and First Aid
keep right on slingin' their frogskins
into the center until when the show
down finally comes of the General. to
all Appearances, is out two thousand on
four mines and the Chairman has gam
bled his two thousand away on four
lovely kings. and First Aid is in the
rocker with little straight flush OF
hearts.
so First Aid gathers up the dough
and shoves it into various pockets. He
then arises and says it's gettin' on to-
ward his bedtime and he thanks every
body for a pleasant evening and says
good might and blows himself out. all
Of which is part of the play as agreed
upon. The Chairman likewise departs.
but without thankin' anybody. and il