Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1921-12-09
CHAPTER II.
A Man and a Woman.

1t was late in the afternoon, the day
dark, with a chilly wind blowing off
the river, when reached Jersey City.
The first policeman encountered gave
me all necessary directions, so that l
alighted from street car within
block of my destination. A saloon on
the upper corner Of the block fur
niShed me the necessary clew, and,
using it as a marker, succeeded in
tracing back until satisfied l had thus
safely located 1876" 1t was an aban-
doned factory, built of brick, two sto-
ries high, evidently extending over con-
siderable ground at the rear, but with
a frontage not to exceed forty feet.
The lower windows were boarded up,
number of those in the second story
broken and the main entrance, large
enough for the passage of motor
truck, was tightly secured by an i'm
mense iron bar A 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
it 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 and dirt as to be almost
unreadable, was nailed over the smaller
door. In the growing dusk l 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 a strange coincident, If
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
a 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
was actually upon the threshold of
such discovery brought with it de-
termination not to lose the advantage.
But what could I do? What further
steps might be safely taken alone?
The night was dark, a 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 Op-
posite walk, my coat collar turned up
to shut out the drizzle, and finally
crossed over to where 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 a
table Just inside, who were playing
cards silently. The room was clean
enough, and quiet, yet felt no incli-
nation to enter. Those were not fell
lows it would be safe to question, and
would have turned away, but at that
instant / perceived the indistinct fig
ure of young woman in the further
corner, sitting beside 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 I dropped in for sandwich
and a glass Of beer. l crossed to the
bar, furtively watchful, but no one
except the proprietor apparently paid
the slightest attention to my entrance.
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