The Southern herald., 1922-07-21
CHAPTER v
The Masquer Unmasks.

Of old-WOrd life. These pensions do
not advertise. The average tourist
knows nothing Of them. Even if he
knew, indeed, he might have some
difficulty in obtaining accommodations
for 1t is not nearly enough to have
the money; one must also have the in
Productions, come well recommended.
and be under the tongue of good re-
pute.
GramOnt had obtained a small apart
ment en- pensiOn-a quiet and severely
retired house In Burgundy street,
maintained by very proud old lady
whose ancestors had come out of
Canada with the Sleur dIbervlle.
Here Gramont lived with Hammond.
quite on basis Of equality, and they
were very comfortable.
The two men sat smoking their pipes
before the fireplace, In which blazed
small fre-mOre for good cheer than
through necessity 1t was Sunday
evening.
Gramont stared into the Pickering
fire and sucked at his pipe. Suddenly
he reused himself and shot a glance
at Hammond.
Sergeant You seem to have a
pretty good recollection OF that night
at the Lavergne house. when | found
you entering and jumped on you"
"YOu bet have" Hammond
chuckled. when you'd knocked the
goggles off me and we recognized each
other-h-l. felt like boob"
Gramont smiled. "How many places
had you robbed up to then? Three,
wasn't it?"
"Three Is right cap'n," was the un-
ashamed response.
I'VE haven't referred to it very OF.
ten, but now things have happened"
GramOnts face took on harsh lines of
determination. do you know, 1t was
lucky thing that you had no chance
to dispose Of the jewels and money
you obtained"
"No Chance?" snOrted the other. mo
chance is right, cap'n! And was
sore, too. Say, they got ring of
crooks around this town you couldn't
bust into with grenades Listen here
and I'll tell you something big"
Hammond leaned forward, lowered
his voice, and tamped at his pipe.
when | was young fellow | lived
In a little town up north--I amt say.
tn where. My Old man had a livery
stable there, see? Well, one night
guy come along and got the old man
out Of bed, and slips him fifteen hun.
dred for a rig and a team, see? |
drove the guy ten miles through the
hills, and set him on a road he wanted
to find.
"NOw, that guy was the biggest
crook in the country in them days
still is, | guess. lie was on the dead
run that night, to keep out o Leaven-
worth. He KEEP out, all right and he's
settin' in the game to this minute. No.
body never pinched him yet, and never
will"
"Why?"
Because his gang runs back to
politicians and rich guys all over the
country. You ask anybody on the In
side If they ever heard of Memphis
Izzy Gumberts Well, capn, l seen
that very identical guy on the street
the other day never could forget his
ugly mug! And where he is. no out
side crooks can get in, you believe
mew
HIM Memphis Izzy Gumberts, ehl
What kind of a crook is he sergeanty
THE big kind. You remember them
Chicago lotteries? But you don't, o
course. Well, that's his game-lot-
teries and such like"
Gramont's lips clenched for a min
ute, then he spoke with slow distinct.
ness:
Sergeant, I'd have given five hun.
dred dollars for that information
week ago.
"WhyW Gramont shook his head.
"Never mind. Forget 1t Now, this
stunt of yours was clever. You showed
brains when you got yourself up as an
aviator and pulled that stuff, SER
geant But you handled 1t brutally-
terribly brutally."
ut was a little raw, l guess" con-
ceded Hammond. II was up against
It, that's all, When you took over the
costume and began to get across with
the Raffes stuff-why, 1t was a pipe
for you, capn! Look what we've done
In a month. Six Jobs, every one run
ulng off smooth as glass Your no.
ton of going to parties ready dressed
with some kind Of loose robe over the
dyin' duds was a scream And then
me running that motor with the cut.
out On-all them birds that never
heard an airplane think you come and
60 by air, for certain Nobody will
ever find us out"
Gramont nodded thoughtfully.
"Yes7 But, sergeant how about the
quiet little man who came along last
night at the Malllard house and asked
about the car? Perhaps he had dis
covered you had been running the
engine"