Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1922-09-08
By
H.BedfordJore
Illustrations bu
Irwin Flyers

toward the long shed which stood
closer to the house. At the end OF
this she'd was a door, and when he
tried it, Gramont found it unlocked. II
swung open to his hand, and he
stepped inside.
At first he paused, confused by the
vague objects around, for it was quite
dark in here. A moment, and his eyes
grew accustomed to the gloomier light
Ing. Details came to him: all around
were cars and fragments of cars
chassis and bodies in all stages OF
ACKNOWLEDGMENT. Still more cars!
He slowly advanced to a long bench
that ran the length of the shop be
meath the windows. A shop, indeed
a shop, he quickly perceived, fitted
with every tool and machine necessary
to the most complete automobile re
pair establishment Even an air
brush outfit, at one end. together with
a drying compartment, spoke of re-
paint jobs.
Comprehension was slowly dawning
upon the mind of Gramont a moment
later it became certainty, when he
came to a stop before an automobile
engine lying on the bench. He found
it to be the engine from a Stutz-tbe
latest multi-valve type adopted by that
make of car, and this particular bit of
machinery looked like new.
Gramont inspected it, and he saw
49, 49, r-N1 hoI IopA fh0{r uOrly
we'll. The original engine number had
been carefully dug out, and the place
as carefully filed and leveled with
metal. Beside it a new number had
been stamped. A glance at the cleo
trical equipment around showed that
these workers had every appliance
with which to turn nj the most I'm
lshed jobs.
AS he Strengthened up from the en-
CINE Gramont's eyes fell upon a typed
sheet of paper affixed to the wall
above the bench. His gaze widened
as he inspected IT by the failing light
Upon that paper was a list of cars.
After each car was a series of nurl-
bers plainly comprising the original
numbers of the engine, body, radiator
and other component parts, followed
by another series of new numbers 70
be inserted. That sheet of paper
showed brains, organizing ability, care
and attention to the last detail!
Here was the most carefully
planned and thorough system of auto
mobile thievery that Gramont had ever
heard Of He stood m%otionless, know
ing that this typed sheet of paper in
itself was damning evidence against
the whole gang of workers. What was
more to the point, that paper could be
traced; the ~typewriting could be
traced to the man higher up-doubt-
less Memphis Izzy himself These
men ran in cars by the wholesale,
probably from states adjacent TO
Louisiana. Here, at this secluded
point on the bayou, they changed the
cars completely about, in number,
paint, style Of body, and then prob
ably got rid of the new product in
New Orleans.
Gramont stood motionless. Surprise
had taken hold of him, and ever a
feeling of slight dismay. This was
not at all what he had hoped TO find
there. He had thought to come upon
some trace of the lottery game
Seen all you want, boz" said a
voice behind him.
Gramont turned. He found himself
gazing directly into IN automatic pis-
tol Over which glittered a pair of blaz-
Ing eyes. The man was a stranger to
him. The place had not been desert
ed, after all. He was caught.
WHO are your demanded Gramont,
quietly.
~Me?' The stranger was unsmiling,
deadly. In those glittering eyes Ora,
mont read the ferocity of an animal
at bay. II s'pose you would like to
know that, huh? l guess you know
enough right now to get all that's
comm to you, bo! Got any p%articu-
lar business here? Speak up quick ~
Gramont was silent. The other
sneered at him, ~viciously.
Hurry up! Turn over the name
and address, and I'll notify the sur.
win relatives. Name, please?"
Henry Gramont," was the calm re
Spouse Don't get hasty, my friend
Didn't you see me here a little while
ago with Chacherre and the Other
boys?"
whats that?' The giittering eyes
famed up with suspicion and distrust
Herewith them? No, l didn't.
been away fishing all afternoon. Wha'
the IA you doing around this jointY
your best scheme said Gramont
cOldly, is to change your style o.
tone, and to do it III a hurry! If you
don't know what's happened here this
afternoon, don't ask me; you'll FIND
out soon enough when the other boy
get back. You'd better tell them In
going to get in touch with Memphi!
Izzy the minute l get back to the city
and that the less talking they do
! what the HIS all this?' demand