The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1921-06-17

LnaL unusual name. lhiS 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 70
use the mysterious raps, and the coun-
tersign "Cervantes," in order to gain
admittance. The knowledge that
was actually upon the threshold of
such a discovery brought with ii q de-
termination not to lose the advantage.
But what could / 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. It's cleaning hospitality in
vited me, and 1 strolled along the OPP
posite walk, my coat collar turned up
TO shut out the drizzle, and finally
crossed over to where I could peer in
through the dingy windows. The man
behind the bar was Enthusiastically Pol
ish, and Of no high type, and at first
/ saw no other occupants of the place
except two roughly dressed men at
table just inside, who were playing
cards silently. The room was clean
enough, and quiet, yet 1 felt no incli-
nation to enter Those were not fell
lows it would be safe to question, and
l would have turned away, but at that
instant 1 perceived the indistinct fig
ure of a young woman in the further
corner, sitting beside a table alone.
Her presence stimulated my curios-
ity. She appeared to be young, not
badly dressed, and her being in such
a 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 girl-for she was.
scarcely mOre-merely turned her head
and stared at me without interest.
spoke TO the barman in English. We ex-
changed few words-his own speech
very broken-while he prepared the
sandwich. and the only thing unusual
/ noticed was the passage of slight
signal between him and the woman
across the room. l could not be sure
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 APP
pearance. Indeed she impressed me
&c tbOrouChIv American IN foo+uras,
dress and manner, somewhere in the
twenties l should judge. with brown
eyes, and a face decidedly pleasant to
look upon, although with a firmness
to it, expressed by mouth and chin, not
to be mistaken. l noted these things
hurriedly, never venturing to stare at |
her, though she apparently gave me
no attention whatever. Somehow the |
girl seemed strangely out of place in
that dingy saloon-she did not in any
sense belong. She was evidently not |
there seeking company, nor was she !
drinking; and yet there must surely !
be some meaning to her presence.
The proprietor approached me, lean
Ing one hand on the table.
There is nothing more?" he asked. |
mo, this will answer very we'll"
He fingered, tempted to question me- |
You have not been in before? Per-
haps you do not live near?"
II do not" l replied frankly. 81
travel out of Boston, and sell lumber |
1 have been doing some business with |
the yard down below"
Il see. You are not from New York.
l make it?"
NO; Boston has always been my
home"
"Once live there, too: when 1 first
come north from Rio. What you think
about this war? We lick Germany
hey?"
"Oh, 1 don't know; she seems to be
more than holding her own"
ZACH. yes. But now this country go
in; what then?'
/ looked up quickly into his face,
with a swift desire TO test his real
sentiment.
'-This country Why should it go
In? There are Germans enough over
here to stop that"
mot GermanS-no. But Interna-
tionals, revolutionaries. They are
more than you think. 'Tis time for
them TO strike a great blow"
you are Polish, are you not?"
yah, from Warsaw. / come over
six years"
"Naturalized?"
II have first papers-why you ask?'
II merely questioned from curios-
ty." My eyes wandered once more to
the girl across the room, and he mo-
iced the glance.
You wonder what she do in here?"
he asked. Il tell you She was my
niece, an sit here to wait for friend
to walk home with her. 1t is not a
good neighborhood, this, for woman
alone in the dark"
Her home is some distance?"
"Ffve-six blocks. 1t is a dark. bad
way"
He moved back toward the bar, ap,.
1arently satisfied with his examination
Of me. as well as his EXPLANATION r