genuine sigh of relief as we crossed the unmarked street
that made my badge good again. The prisoner was soon behind padlocks
and the money and cigars in the station safe. These and him and the
transfer card I took again with me into the foreign Republic in time
for the evening train. But he seemed even more anxious than I to
attract no attention, and once in Empire requested that we take the
shortest and most inconspicuous route to the police station; and my
responsibility was soon over.

Many were the Z.P. facts I picked up during the next few days in the
swivel-chair. The Zone Police force of 1912 consisted of a Chief of
Police, an Assistant Chief, two Inspectors, four Lieutenants, eight
sergeants, twenty corporals, one hundred and seventeen "first-class
policemen," and one hundred and sixteen "policemen" (West Indian
negroes without exception, though none but an American citizen could
aspire to any white position); not to mention five clerks at
headquarters, who are quite worth the mentioning. "Policemen" wore the
same uniform as "first-class" officers, with khaki-covered helmet
instead of "Texas" hat and canvas instead of leather leggings, drew
one-half the pay of a white private, were not eligible for advancement,
and with some few notable exceptions were noted for what they did know
and the facility with which they could not learn. One Inspector was in
charge of detective work and the other an overseer of the uniformed
force. Each of the Lieutenants was in charge of one-fourth of the Zone
with headquarters respectively at Ancon, Empire, Gorgona, and
Cristobal, and the sub-stations within these districts in charge of
sergeants, corporals, or experienced privates, according to importance.

Years ago when things were yet in primeval chaos and the memorable
sixth of February of 1904 was still well above the western horizon
there was gathered together for the protection of the newly-born Canal
Strip a band of "bad men" from our ferocious Southwest, warranted to
feed on criminals each breakfast time, and in command of a man-eating
rough-rider. But somehow the bad men seemed unable to transplant to
this new and richer soil the banefulness that had thrived so
successfully in the land of sage-brush and cactus. The gourmandizing
promised to be chiefly at the criminal tables; and before long it was
noted that the noxious gentlemen were gradually drifting back to their
native sand dunes, and the rough-riding gave way to a m