Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-08-13

iuulleIeus 0Idu YOU We SOI GIG al
last. This place Is fair giving us all
the Jump"
Evening, jim" He stepped insid
followed by Zaboleff, and the door
closed behind them. "Our friends
boat was little late. Is everyone
here?
"Yep," answered the other. "All the
six of u.s. And l reckons we'd like to
get it over as soon as possible Has
he"-his y0ice sank to a hoarse under
tone-"has he brought the money!"
you'll all hear in good time," said
Waldock CURLY. (Which is the room?"
"'Ere it is, guv'nor." Jim flung
open door. "And you'll ave to sit
on the floor, as the chairs amt safe"
Two candles guttered on square
table in the center Of the room, show
ing up the. faces of the five men wto
sat on the floor, leaning against the
walls. Three of them were monde
script specimens of humanity of the
type that may be seen by the Thousand
hurrying into the city by the early
business trains. They were represent
alive Of the poorer type of clerk. And
yet to the close observer something
more might be read on their faces: a
greedy, hungry look, shifty, antitrust
worthy loOk-the look of those who
are jealous of everyone better placed
than themselves, but who are inca
pable of trying to better their own po-
sition except by the relative method
of dragging back their more fortunate
acquaintance the look of little men
dissatisfied not so much with their
own littleness as with the bigness of
other people.
The two others were Jews; a little
f1ashlly dressed, distinctly addicted to
cheap jewelry. They were sitting
apart from the other three, talking in
low tones, but as the door opened
their conversation ceased abruptly and
they looked up at the newcomers with
the keen, searching look Of their race.
Waldock they hardly glanced at; 1t
was the stranger, Zaboleff, who riv-
eted their attention. They took in
every detail of the shrewd, foreign
face-the olive skin, the dark, pierre
ing eyes, the fine-pointed beard; they
measured him up as boxer measures
up his opponent, or business man
takes stc-1 of the second party In a
deal; then once again they conversed
together in low tones which were
barely above whisper.
1t was Jim who broke the silence
Flash Jim, to give him the full name
to which he answered in the haunts he
frequented.
"Wot abaht getting on with it, guv'-
norY" he remarked with an attempt at
genial smile. "This 'ere 'ouse amt
wot I'd choose for a bloomin' 'oney-
moon"
With an abrupt gesture Waldock
silenced him and advanced to the
table.
"This is Mls Zabolefr, gentlemen, .
he said quietly. eve are little late,
I am afraid, but 1t was unavoidable,
He will explain to you now the reaso.
why you were asked to come here, and
not meet at our usual rendezvous In
| Soho"
He stepped back a couple of PAGES
and Zaboleff took his place. For a
moment o. two he glanced round al
the faces turned expectantly toward
him; then resting his two hands on
the table in front Of him, he lean,
forward toward them.
Gentlemen" he began, and the for.
eign accent seemed a little more pro.
nounced, 81 have asked you to come
here tonight through my good friend
Mr.. Waldock, because 1t has come to
our ears-no matter how-that Lon.
| don is no longer safe meeting place
Two or three things have occurred
lately the significance of which =. is
impossible to disregard. Our chief
with whom l spent last evening, Is Sc.
riously concerned about these things
'You spent last night with the
chief?" said Waldock, and his voice
held a tremor of excitement while the
others leaned forward eagerly. us he
then, in Holland?"
"He was at six o'clock yesterday
evening"" answered Zaboleff with a
faint smile. "Today-ncw-I know nc
more than you where he isl
"Who is he-this man we're always
hearing about and never seeing?" de,
manded one Of the three clerks aggres-
sively.
"He is-the Chief" replied the
other, while his eyes seemed to bore
into the speakers brain. "Just that
and no more. And that is quite enough
for you" His glance travelled round
the room, and his audience relaxed
"By the way, is not that a chink In
the shutter there?"
"All the safer" grunted Flash Jim
Anyone passing will think the ghost
is walking"
Nevertheless, kindly cover 1t up,
ordered Zaboleff, and one Of the Jews
rose and wedged his pocket handker
kerchief into the crack. There was
silence in the room while he did so, g
silence broken only by the mournfu
hooting of an owl outside.
| =sH =sw 60: Z. sYs s=ex=