Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-04-02

and ne comes out with that black tin
box from his trunk. Then they all
drive off. That way,
(which tin box, Inez?' says I. mot
the one he keeps his papers and bank
books in?"
Il dunno" says Inez. Maybe it
was"
There you are" says Barry. "Just
as I suspected. Listen. Inez, what
sort of looking men were these
strangers?"
Inez thinks hard for a minute.
'They-they had on new straw hats"
says she.
THAT helps lot" says I. $50 have
thousands of other men in this town.
Anything else peculiar about them %
1nez couldn't remember anything
else. So Barry dashed down to inter-
view the chief Of police. What he heard
from that official wasn't encouraging.
"Oh, yes" says Barry. HE told me
that a gang Of crooks who worked
the overlapping game had been
operating around here for the last
two months. Seemed quite calm about
1t, too, and when 1 demanded why
they hadn't been arrested he simply
shrugged his shoulders. Couldn't get
anything on 'en1, he claimed, although
he admitted there had been several
complaints from tourists who'd been
fieeced. And I'll bet they have Uncle
Nels and his friend Hank in their
clutches"
ITS a shame" says I. Cant we do
something?"
I'VE might scout around the differ
ent roads leading out of town." sug-
gests Barry.
Which we did. For the next two
hours we drove here and there, turn
ing our spotlight on all wayside
stragglers. But it was a hopeless job.
About 10 o'clock that night we came
back to the hotel and sat down on the
veranda to wait, thinking that Uncle
Nels might telephone for help from
somewhere, or that the police might
send in some word. Nothing like that
happened, though.
A ND the more I thought of simple
minded Uncle Nels, and how per-
haps at this minute he was being bum
coed out of his hard-earned money;
maybe being tortured or worse. by a
gang of crooks; the more indignant
I got.
|. I'D like to tell that chief Of police
just what think of him." broke out.
Poor Uncle Nels!"
And I'd hardly got the words out
before we saw this bent-shouldered
old chap in the wrinkled Palm Beach
suit come stunning weary up the
walk. It was Uncle Nels. himself.
Barry and jumped up, each took an
arm, and helped him into a porch
rocker.
"You poor old dear!" says l. Now
tell US the whole story. Did they rob
you. Uncle Nels?'
+ He signs weary and slumps into the
chair. Smooth fellers. them two"
says he. But they shouldn't make
me walk so far. I'm old man. It
amt fair"
"Did they get you to- bet on a
horse race?" asks Barry.
Uncle Nels mods. mot at first.
though" says he. They asks Hank
and me IL we won't go have dinner
with them because I'm such a great
horseshoe pitcher and he's my friend.
We had fine dinner. too! cigars and
everything. all free. Then they want
me to look at some fine timber land
one was goin' to buy, and we went
to meet the man that owns It Nice
Teller him. He's got son that has
wireless outfit and he's just picked
up some news about a horse race in
New Orleans. Then another Teller
says he knows OF a place nearby
where he can go make bet before
they get the news. So we all go in
car to a house on back road, and
he bets $50. Say. he wins five hun
dred, right of. We 90 outside and
they say it's too bad Hank and me
don't make something. too. Tho man
says his boy can get moro news and
it's q cinch- Well. said wouldn't
bet no more than ten."
"And you WONT" asks Barry.
sure" says Uncle Nels. Hundred
dollars, all new bills. Then we get
moro wireless tips and they say we