The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-11-15
head Of the Central Southern Syndicate

anu ''0ae oil mo most ardent admirers
: your work, Mr.. Heldar. | assure 20,
, In tho name Of The syndicate, that "
| are immensely indebted 10 YOU; and
trust, Mr.. lleldar, you wont forget thu
we were largely instrumental In hrius
. ing you before the public" Hu pante
because OF the seven flights OF stairs.
Dick glanced at Iofpenhow, who's
eyelid lay for moment dead on Ii!
cheek. 80 'S'''.
III chant forget" said Dick, every in
; gtinct Of defiance reused In him
. You've paid me 80 well that I couldn',
you know. BY the way, when I'm aet
} tied In this place l should like to son,
land get my sketchcu There must b
near! y q hundred and fifty Of them will
YOU" r5' =
"That Is cr-is what came to speal
about. | fear We can't allow It exactly
Mr.. Hcldar. In tho absence Of an,
specified agreement, the sketches are on
pronerty, Of COURSE"
DO you mean to say that you arc 20
Ing to keep them?" "
Yea; aud we hope TO have your help
on your own terms, Mr.. Heldar, to as
s'st US in arranging ll.tle exhibition
which, backed by our name and tho In
lluence We naturally command among
tho press, should BIO Of material servictt
to you. Sketches such rs yours" +
Belong to mo. You engaged me BY
WIRE, you paid me tho lowest rates yoi,
dared. You can't mean TO keep them
Good God alive. man, they're all I'yC
got in the werldw
Torpenhow watched Dick face and
whlstled. r. -
Dick walked up md down thinking.
He saw tho whole OF his little stock IN
trade, the first weapon OF his equipment,
annexed at tho outset OF his campaign by
M elderly gentleman whose name Dick
had not caught Alright, who said that he
represented n syndicate, which was n
thing for which Dick had not tho least
reverence. Tho injustice OF tho PRO.
ceedines did not much move him; ho
had seen tho strong hand prevail too
often in other places to DO equeamish
over tho moral aspects OF right and
wrong. But he nrdently desired the
blood Of the gentleman in the irock coat,
and when he spoke again 1t was with a
stralnedsweetness that rorpenhow knew
well for the beginning Of striie.
Forgive me, sir, but you have no-no
younger man who can arrange this bust.
ness with ime?"
II speak for the syndicate. sec no
reason for third party to"
"You will in a minute. Be good
enough 10 give back my sketches.'
The man stared blaakiy ut Dick, and
then at Topenhow, who was leaning
against the wall. lie was not used to
ex.em ployees who ordered him to be
good enough to do things.
Yes, tits rather cold.blooded STEAL"
said Torpenhow, critically, "but Pm
afraid, am very much afraid, you've
struck the wrong man. Be- careful,
Dick. Remember, this isa's the soudan."
Considering what services the syndi.
cato have done you in putting your
name before the World
This was not fortunate remark; i.
reminded Dick OF certain vagrant years
lived out in lonliness and strife and uu.
satietled desires. The memory did not
contrast we'll with tho prosperous zen.
tleman who proposed to enjoy the fruit
OF those years.
81 don't know quite what to do with
YOU" began Dick, meditatively. "Oi
course you're e thief, and you ought to
be hall killed, but in your case you'd
probably die. don't want YOU dead
on this floor, and besides, it's uulucky
Just as ones moving in. Don't hit. sir.
you'll only evcite yourself" He put
one hand on the mans forearm aud ian
tho other down the plump body be-
meath the coat. "My goodnessW he
said 10 Tospenhow, land this gray oas
dases to BIZ q thief! l have seen IN
Esneh camel.jriyer have the black hide
taken OIL his body in strips for stealing
half a pound OF wet dates, and he was al
tough as whip.cord. This things soft
all oyer-like woman"
There are few things more poignant.
ly Illuminating than being handled by
man who does not intend to strike. The
head OF the syndicate began to breathe
heavily. Dick walked round him. paw
ing him, as cat paws a soft hearth rug.
Then he traced with his fore.inger the
leaden pouches beneath the eyes, and
shook his head. "You were going to
steal my things-mine, mine, mine!-
you, who don't know when you may die,
Write note to your cfiice-you scy
you're the head OF it-and order them 10
give Torpenhow my sketches-every
one OF them. Wait minute; your
hands shaking. Nowp He thrust a
pocketbuok before him. The note was
written. Torpenhow took it and depart
ed without void, while Dick walked
round aud round the spell-bound cap.
tive, giving him such auvice as he con
celveG best for the welfare OF his soul.
When Topcnhow returned with gigau.
fic portfolio, he heard Dick say, altnost
soothingly, "Now,, l hope this will be a
lesson to you; and ii you worry me
when l have settle down TO work with
any nonsense about actions Of assault,
believe me, III catch you and manhan-
die you, and you'll die. You haven't
very long to live, anyhow. Go! Inshi,
Tootsak-get out" The man denarted,
staggering and dszcd.. Dick drew a
long breath; "Phew! what lawlcss lot
these people are! The frs. thing poor
orphan meets is a gang robbery, organ.
lied burglary! Think Of the nideous
blackness OF that mans mind Are my
sketches all right, Torp?"
"Yes; one hundred and iorty.seven of
them. Well, I must say, Dick, you've
begun WELL"
"He vas interfering with me. It only
meant few pounds 10 him. but it was
everything to me. l don't think he'll
bring an action. gave him some med
ical advice gratis about the state OF his
body. 1t was CHEAP at the little furry
itcost him. Now let's look at my things"
Two minutes later Dick had thrown
himself down on the floor and was deep
in the portfolio, chuckling lovingly rs
he turned the drawings over and thought
OF the price at which they had been
bought. s- t,s ggF.l
The afternoon was we'll advanced when
Torpenhow came to tho door and saw
Dick dancing wild sarabeud under the
skylight.
II builded better than knew, Torp,"
he said, without stopping the dance.
They're good! They're damned good !!
They III 90 like flannel I shall have an
exhibition Of them on my own brazen
hook. And that man would have
cheated me out Of it! Do you know
that I'm sorry now that didn't actually