White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1922-06-11

surveyed the car With q knowing ana
| appreciative eye. Hammond turned
his. back on the man disdainfully.
"Yep-a sneak thief they'd pinched
a couple of years back didn't know
where he was, but the prints seemed
to ft him. They'll come up and look
| things over sometime today, then go
after him and land him.
Gramont gave the stranger a glance,
but the other was still surveying the
car with evident admiration. II he
heard their words he gave them no
| attention.
"who was the man, thenT" asked
Gramont.
Chacherre." Hammond pronounced 1t
as he deemed correct-as the name
was spelled. "Only they didn't call
him that. Here, / wrote It down."
He fished In his pocket and pro-
duced a paper. Cramont glanced Mt
1t and laughed.
"Oh, Chacherre !" He gave the
name the Creole pronunciation.
Yep, Sasherry. I expect they'll
come any time now-sald two bulls
would drop In"
"All right" Gramont nodded and
turned away, with another glance at
the stranger. "Tll not van the car
today nor tonight that I know OF. I'm
not going TO the Proteus ball. So your
times your own until tomorrow make
the most of II!
He disappeared, and Hammond re-
turned to his work. Then he straight
ened up, for the jaunty stranger was
bearing down upon him with evident
intent to speak.
"Some car you got there. brother !"
Ben Chaeherre. who had overheard
most of the foregoing conversation,
lighted his cigarette and grinned IA
miliarly. Some car. Ell? All she
needs is some good tires. a new coat
of paint, a good steel chassis, and n
new engine"
HUH" snorted Hammond. "Say,
you DO. who sold you chips In this
game? Move along"
Ben grinned anew and rested him.
self against a nearby telephone pole.
Free country. amt it," he in
quired lazily. 'Or. have you invested
your winnings and bought this here
alleyT'
Hammond REDEEMED with anger and
took a step forward. The next words
of Chacherre, however, jerked him
sharply into stlf-control.
"Seen anything of an aviator's he'll
met around here?"
'Huh:" The chauffeur glared at
his tormentor, yet with a sudden sick
feeling inside his bosom. who you'
kiddin' now"
Nobody. l was asking a question.
that's all. | was flynn along here last
night In my airplane, and | lost my
helmet overheard. Thought maybe
you'd seer 1t. SO long. brother"
Hammond stood staring after the
staggering figure; for once he was
s~peechless. The jaunty words had
sent terror thrilling Into him. He
started impulslvely TO pursue that I'M
pudent accoster-then he checked
himself. Had the man guessed m
thing? Had the man known some
thing? Or had those words been only
a bit of meaningless lmpertinence-a
chance shaft which had accidentally
flown home?
The last conjecture impressed itself
on Hammond as being the truth, and
his momentary fright died out. He
concluded that the incident was not
worth mentioning TO Gramont. who
surely had troubles enough of his own
at this juncture. So he held his peace
about II.
As for Ben Chacherre, he sauntered
from the alley. a careless whistle upon
his lips. Once out of Hammond's
sight, however. he quickened his pace.
Turning into a side street, he directed
his step toward that part of the old
quarter which, in the days before pro-
hibition, had been given over TO low
cabarets and dives of various sorts.
I Coming to one Of them, which ap-
peared more dirty and desolate than
the rest. Chacherre opened n side door
and vanished.
He entered what had nee been the
Red Cat cabaret. At q table In the
main room sat Two men,
One of them. who was the proprietor,
jerked his chin In an invitation to
join him. -
A man famous In the underworld
circles. a man whose nov rested
on curious feats and facts, this pro-
prietor few crooks In the country had
not heard the name of Memphis IEzy
Gumberts. He was a grizzled old bear
low, but In times past he had been
the head of a far-fung organization
which. on each pay day. covered every
army post In the country and diverted
into its W pockets about two-thirds
of Uncle Sans payroll feat still
related I'm criminal circles ms the ne
plus ultra of success. Those palmy
days were gone, but Memphis Icy.
who had never been ''mugged" In any
gallery, sat In his deserted cabaret
and still did not lack for power and
influence.
The nan at his side was apparently
not anxious 10 linger, for he rose and