The Kenna record. (Kenna, Roosevelt County, N.M.) 190?-1924, 1921-07-08

enough for the passage of motor
truck, was tightly secured by an Inn
mense iron bar. smaller door to the
! right alone offered any possibility Of
entrance, although It was tightly
closed.
TO all outward appearances the
place had been unOccupied for months,
and perhaps years. From the sidewalk
1t was impossible to gain any glimpse
within. Only one discovery served to
convince me that l might be on the
right track-that had not been en-
tirely deceived. A small sign, so COW
cred with dust aud dirt as to be almost
unreadable. was nailed over the smaller
door. In the growing dusk ! was
obliged to study it intently to decIpher
the words, but finally made them out
letter by letter:
"OFFICE ALVA MALLEABLE IRON
COMPANY. !"
Here was strange coincldent, II
nothing more, for Gustave Alva had
been one of the names signed on the
hotel register. Beyond doubt this old,
abandoned iron foundry was his prop
erty, and what better spot could be
selected In which to meet and cOncoct
scheme of crime? What a place to
hide arms for shipment. Whatever
doubt l may have felt regarding my
venture vanished in the presence Of
that unusual name. This was unques-
tionably the place named in the letter
as a rendezvous; here was where the
recipient of that letter was to go and
receive instructions where he was to
use the mysterious raps, and the coun-
tersign "Cervantes," in order to gain
admittance. The knowledge that l
was actually upon the threshold of
such discovery brought with it de-
termination not to lose the advantage.
But what could l do? What further
steps might be safely taken alone?
The night was dark, slight drizzle
In the air, no one abroad except from
necessity. No sign of life was visible
for the full extent of the block, until
the saloon on the further corner came
into view. ITS cleaning hospitality In
vited me, and | strolled along the OPP
posite walk. my coat collar turned up
to shut out the drizzle, and finally
crossed over to where l could peer In
through the dingy windows. The man
behind the bar was Enthusiastically Pol
ish, and of no high type, and at first
l saw no other occupants of the place
except two roughly dressed men at a
table just Inside, who were playing
cards silently. The room was clean
enough, and quiet, yet l felt no incli-
nation to enter. Those were not fell
lows 1t would be safe to question, and
l would have turned away, but at that
instant ! perceived the indlstinct fig
ure of young woman in the further
corner, sitting beside table alone.
Her presence stimulated my curlos-
ity. She appeared to be young, not
badly dressed, and her being in such
place unattended rendered her of
some interest. 1t surely could do no
harm If l dropped in for a sandwich
and a glass of beer. crossed to the
bar, furtively watchful, but no one
except the proprietor apparently paid
the slightest attention to my entrance
The two men never glanced up from
their cards, and the girI-for she was
! scarcely mOre-merely turned her head
and stared at me without interest.
spoke to the barman in English. We ex
changed a few words-hls own speech
very broken-whlle he prepared the
sandwich, and the only thing unusua
l noticed was ice passage of a slight
signal between him and the woman
across the room. l could not be sur,
even as to that, but gained the impress
sion that he shook his head negatively
as though to some mute question.
Unless it might be the intense bru
nette blackness of hair and an ex
tremely clear complexion, there was
nothing typically Spanish in her ap
pearance. Indeed she impressed m,
as thoroughly American in features
dress and manner, somewhere In tn,
twenties / should judge, with brown
eyes, and a face decidedly pleasant t.
look upon, although with a firmnes,
to it, expressed by mouth and chin, no
to be mistaken. noted these thing,
hurriedly, never venturing to stare a
her though she apparently gave ms
no attention whatever. Somehow thu
girl seemed strangely out of place IL
that dingy saloon-she did not In an,
sense belong. She was evidently no
there seeking company, nor was sh'
drinking; and yet there must surcl!
be some meaning to her presence.