The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-10-15

TWO miles from mere to the P0ll9adeS or
the Hudson-that there is certain
house on the right Of the road, built Of
stone and standing we'll back in the
woods and not far from tho river, where
you met Jake Huke and me last autumn
to arrange some business matters?"
/ bent my head, as if in ,perplexing
thought, conscious all the time Of the
sheer on the evil face in front of me.
mr. Discoe," said I, with the meek
moss Of lamb, "if you will be good
enough to go over as rapidly as you
choose, the transactions we have had
with each other-that is, from the be-
ginning-it will help us to get on. Un-
less you do so, I don't believe it posi-
BILE to arrange things satisfactorily" -
well, I'll be -" he growled,
lowering the bent leg and crossing it
with the other. "This beats anything
yetp'
waited patiently, and. after some
hesitation, he showed his hat from his
forehead, jammed both hands in his
trousers pockets and leaning back in
his chair said:
"There's SO little of it that it won't
take me long. You remember last sum-
mer that down at Sheepshead you put
up $1,000 and won 95, 900? Jake and
me had our money on the wrong horse
and got it in the neck. While you were
cashing in your tickets we noticed your
roll Of money. You were in high spirits
over your good luck, and Jake remarked
that if you wanted a good thing he
could put you on to it. You said you
was ready and would divide. That night
we met you at the Brunswick and ex-
planned the game, which was showing
the queer"
"Ah, yes. It's all coming back to me
now," I INTERCEPTED without helping
matters in the least.
"Our plan was not to do the work
here in the east, but in the west. Jake
and me were to go out to Kansas and
the Dakotas, making the Auditorium in
Chicago our headquarters. When every
thing was ready, we were to let you
know"
"And I was to do whatp'
"Of course III our business we must
have good money to work with, but
there's nothing mean about Jake and
me, and we agreed not to call on you for
your share
(Which was how much?"
"Ten Thousand dollars, until the
thing was OH its feet and fairly going
1t took us a good deal longer than we
thought. Jake got pinched, and it was
tight squeeze. So things drifted along
until this spring"
"And you kept me informed2'
"Of course. l called to sec you sew
eral times in New York, and all three
Of us had meeting some months ago
at the stone house. When you came out
to Chicago last winter, we had long
talk--the three Of us again-and you
pledged your word that when we needed
it you would lot us have the SO, 900,
for which you were to receive one-third
Of the profits and take no risks at all. "
"And have never given it to your
''Never given 1t to usl ! should say
not THERE'S where Jake and mo made
- fools Of ourselves. You offered 1t to
us twice, and we refused to take it"
why did you refuse?''
ave were 80 dead sure Of you that
we wero content to wait, being as We
did not need it. You set EN- up every
time and acted like the royal fellow we
believed you to be instead Of the sneak
you are"
And Tom Discoe's fingers twitched,
as if he could 10 longer keep them of
me. was on my guard, but he did not
know it.
"Aro you sure I have never advanced
You anything on account"
He could hardly restrain his anger.
mot cent? Don't set up that
claim. You owe clean $40, 600 and not
penny less. Why, reminded you Of
the whole thing in my last letter."
1.-THE one sent before this last note in
answer to my telegram
Eyes; I went over the whole ground.
showing that you hadn't paid dollar,
though you offered to do SO when We
didn't want it. You remember that We
agreed 10 refer to the money ~ farm
ers, so that NO enc could get on to it"
Amountain rolled from of my heart
In the eyes Of the law Harold Westcost
had committed no crime. He had
thoughtlessly agreed to do 80, when in
the excitement Of his success on the race
course, and, possibly, while under the
influence, too, Of wine. In his sober
senses he shrank from the dangerous
step, but lacked ths courage to back
out. Hs was afraid Of Tom Discos and
Jake Huka. who no doubt had threaten
I'd him, as one had already threatened
me.
Harold was lacking in moral stamina,
for he as much as confessed It when no
declared that he was pestsred bali to
death by the parasites Of society. Most
likely, too, these evil men believed that
III meeting with them and planning
this wicked business he had gone too
far to withdraw. If he attempted to do
SO, they not only meant to expose him,
but to visit personal violence upon him.
As the only way ont OF bad situs-
ton he weakly fed 70 Europe. Aware
that the crisis must come within few
months, he left me TO meet it, without
giving ths slightest intimation Of its
nature.
Therein I condemned him, an I had
the right to do for had he made Il clear
I would have been prepared at every
point, but he was ashamed to do SO,
and now tho all important knowledge
was mine ., .,.-,
And with It came a feeling Of graft
tuds beyond thu power Of language to