The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1925-06-26
BY CYRIL NcNEILE
SAP p Err
The man who had been addressed as
Copyright BY GEORGE Il. DORM co.
u. N. u. servic.

der, and followed the other through
broken-down lattice-gate to the rear
of the house. They paused in front of
the back door, and on it the leader
knocked three times in peculiar way.
1t was obviously prearranged signal,
for almost at once stealthy steps could
be heard coming along the passage in
side. The door was cautiously pulled
back few inches, and man peered
out, only to throw it open wide with
a faint sigh Of relief.
''It's you, Mr.. Waldock, is it?" he
muttered. "Glad you've got ere at
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 a little late. Is everyone
here?
"Yep," answered the other. "All the
six of us. And I reckons we'd like to
get it over as soon as possible. Has
he''-his -oice sank to hoarse under
tone-"has he brought the money!"
yYoulk all hear in good time" said
Waldock CURLY. (which is the room?"
"'Ere it is, guv'nor." Jim flung
open a door. "And you'll ave to sit
on the floor, as the chairs amt SAFE"
Two candles guttered on square
table in the center oe the room, show
ing up the faces of the five men wEo-
sat on the floor. leaning against the
walls. Three of them were monde
script spectre ems 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
vet to the close observer something
more might be read on their faces:
greedy. hungry look. a shifty. antitrust
worthy loOk-the look of those who
are jealous of everyone better placed
than themselves, hut 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; little
flashily 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; it
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, ste. :, OF the second party In
deal; then once again they conversed
together in low tones which We're
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'-
nor?" he remarked with an attempt at
genial smile. "This ere 'ouse amt
wot I'd choose for bloomin' 'oney-
MOON"
With an abrupt gesture Waldock
siIenced him and advanced to the
table.
"This is Mr.. Zaholeff. gentlemen
he said quietly 1--WE are little late,
Il 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 couple of PAGES
and Zaboleff took his place. For a
moment OF two he glanced round at
the faces turned eXpectantly toward
him; then resting his two hands on
the table in front of him. he leant
forward toward them.
Gentlemen" he began, and the for
eign accent seemed little more pro-
nounced, Il have asked you to come
here tonight through my good friend,
Mr.. Waldock, because it has come to
our ears-no matter how-that Lon
don IS no longer d safe meeting place.
Two or three things have occurred
lately the significance of which 4. is
impossible to disregard. Our chief,
with whom spent last evening. Is Sc
riously concerned about these things"
you spent last night with the
chief?' said Wnldock, and his voice
held a tremor of excitement. while the
others leaned forward eagerly. "Is he,
then. in Holland"
"He was at six o'clock yesterday
evening"" answered Zaboleff with a
faint smile. "Today-ncw-I know no
more than you where he is
'Who is he-this man we're always
hearing about and never seeing" de-
manded one of the three clerks agrees
sively. *
"He ls-the Chief" replied the
other while his eyes seemed to bore
into the speakers brain. Just that
ond No mora And that ic nuitn an0uoh