e. Townsend went to the telephone in the front
room.

20

Shirley had delayed his evening meal to fit his appointment at the
Model Trucking Company. Near eight o'clock he crossed the street to go
up the alley to Cherry Street. At the crossing of the dark alley he
encountered a policeman and was greeted casually by that officer. In
front of the lighted office he accosted another officer, standing in a
darkened area near a car parked in front. "Maybe this is a warning,"
he thought, as he stepped into the well-lighted office.

He was greeted cordially by Anzio and was introduced to the two others
present. "This is Don Carlin, our custodian here, and this is Jan
Damino, our most trusted employee." Carlin was a slight young man, but
his companion differed much in size and considerably in age. Damino,
aging to baldness, was a commanding figure. Thick-chested, with arms
and legs of considerable size, his seamed face revealed a ragged scar
from temple to chin. Both nodded acknowledgment of the introduction
and Carlin brought a chair for the visitor.

"I'm glad you've come," said Anzio in pleasing tones. "Your brother
reports that you have been badly informed as to what this company is
doing. We want to correct any such wrong ideas."

"No one has given me any information about you," said Shirley
scornfully. "I was out to the old farm and saw with my own eyes just
what's going on."

"Ah! You paid us a visit and we didn't know it. Somebody has been
negligent."

"That's right! Your carefully guarded distillery had a visitor. I used
to live out there. Knowing about your locked gates and posted guard, I
went on the farm from the rear. I edged up to see your still in
operation in the old shed. I saw your bottling plant in the big barn.
It recalls the old adage: 'You can't fool all the people all the
time.'"

Anzio's face clouded as he planned a reply. "You didn't go in close
enough to see what was being bottled and labeled? You are willing to
spread a false report without having the facts?

"What you glimpsed in your casual snooping was the details of the one
business in this community that is prospering. Out in your family's
old farm, Doctor David Allen, formerly of St. Louis, is preparing,
mixing, bottling, and labeling 'Allen's Stomach Bitters' that has been
famous in the South and Southwest for many years. He is now pushing
sales in the North and East. Because of its vegetable content, just a
small amount of a