Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1921-07-06
NJ There are Germans enough over

more than you think. IT'S time FOR
them to strike a great blow"
You are Polish. are you notY"
Yah, from Warsaw. l come over
SIX years"
-Naturalized?"
Il have first papers-why You nsl, -
susplclously.
merely questioned from curios.
ity. My eyes wandered once more 10
the girl across the room, and he no
ticed the glance.
You wonder what she do In bereY"
he asked. Il tell you. She was NV
niece. an sit here to wait for a friend
TO walk home with her. II is not a
good neighborhood. this, for a woman
alone In the dark"
"Iler home is some distanceg"
"Ftve-six blocks. 1t is a dark. bad
way"
lie moved back toward the bar. ap-
parently satisfied with his examination
OF me- as well as his explanation. 1
wondered grimly why he had taken
the trouble to tell me all this. and or
dered another glass of beer as an ex-
cuse TO linger there while longer.
What was the party like who was to
call Tor the girl? I did not have TO
linger long 20 crafty my curiosity.
The side door opened silently, and
man stepped briskly inside. shaking
the raindrops from his coat as he
greeted the hartman cheerily.
"A dirty night, JAMS" ne said. glonc-
Ing swiftly about. his eyes sweeping
over me sharply. Business not very
good. l supposeg"
Dead. It's no good now any more.
with all the factories closing up be-
cause Of the war. Just some salesman
drops IL for n beer. That makes ms
nothings."
The newcomer laughed. evidently
put quite at ease by this quick expla-
nation. was watching him. A rather
thick-set fellow with n turned-up mus
tache and a diSfiguring scar on one
cheek, which gave 10 his eye a peculiar
expression. Watching the fellow
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. senorital You were waiting
for me to come" ne exclaimed. "Yet
have nor kept you long"
ooh. no." she answered quietly in
Spanish. her voice so low the words
barley carried to where I sat. "You
were delayedT"
"a car blockade M the wharf. No,
thank you. Jams. nothing tonight. You
would go. senorita?"
"There can be nothing 10 remain
longer here Tor. surely"
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 10 be-old-time frienCs
meeting incidentally 20 walk home 20
gether. They were strangers. con ng
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 l dare not move, or attempt TO
follow them. could only sit quietly,
my eyes on the window fronting the
street. watched intently. but no
shadows passed that way-the two had
not turned down Cans street.
My mind worked rapidly as l sat
there motlonless. afraid 10 make the
slightest move lest It arouse suspicion.
Whatever the object of the meeting
might be. JAMS was more or less in
volved. He had signaled TO the girl
twice. and his words, however innO-
cent they may have sounded, must
have brought a warning TO the man.
Beyond doubt he had questioned me
with the distinct purpose Of thus dis
covering why / had drifted into the
place. I dismissed utterly his state
ment that the young woman was his
nIece-her very appearance gave that
the lie.
Something was wrong, perhaps not
criminal, perhaps in no way associated
with the affair which had brought me
into that neighborhood, and yet sus-
plciously wrong. and l felt inexorably
driven 20 find out what IL all meant.
/ finished my beer slowly, and then
selected n cigar from the case and liz
IL deliberately. Jams leaned over the
bar. speaking confidentially, and had
10 remain. although l cursed inwardly
M the delay. Yet broke away at last
assured that I had finally lulled every
suspicion 10 rest and passed out
through the front door.