The only reality is a form signed by
the czar of the Zone himself tucked away among I. C. C. financial
archives. That authorizes the man assigned to special duty in
plain clothes to be reimbursed money expended in the pursuance of
duty up to the sum of $60 per month; though it is said that the
interpretation of this privilege to the full limit is not unlikely
to cause flames of light, thunderous rumblings, and other natural
phenomena in the vicinity of Empire and Culebra. But please note
further; these expenditures may be only "for cab or boat hire,
meals away from home, and LIQUOR and CIGARS!" Plainly the "gum-
shoe" should be a bachelor.
Fortunately, however, the proprietor of the expense account is not
required personally to consume it each month. It is designed
rather to win the esteem of bar-tenders, loosen the tongues of
suspects, libate the thirsty stool-pigeon, and prime other
accepted sources of information. But beware! Exceeding care in
filling out the account of such expenditures at the month's end.
Carelessness leads a hunted life on the Canal Zone. Take, for
instance, the slight error of my friend--who, having made such
expenditure in Colon, by a slip of the pen, or to be nice, of the
typewriter, sent in among three score and ten items the following:
Feb. 4/ 2 bots beer; Cristobal.
Pages:
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137