The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-11-05
PUBLIsIED SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
If SINNERS ENTICE THEE,
BY WILLIAM - QUEUX,
War England Guilty IA
Service "Whoso Nndeth Wife" sc. &C.
PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
BY WILLIAM - QUEUX,


nave puIlou Az A'AAo 0HS"0Ao
quickly.
Max Richards, the inventor of the
agony of Monte Carlo" regarded the
man before him with supercilious smile:
ation-eh?''
II thought we had agreed not to mem
ton the matter again, - Zertho exclaimed,
dart1ng at his crafty looking fellow -ad-
venturer look of annoyance and suspio-
ion.
my dear fellow answered the other
quite calmly, II have no desire to refer
to it. Ii you are completely without rs-
greet and your mind is perfectly at ease,
well I'm only too happy to hear it. l
have sincere admiration, assure you,
for man who can forget at will. / wish
could
81 do not forget" zertho sua pped.
"Your COMPOUNDED demands will never
allow me to forget"
The thin faced man smiled, lazily
watching the smoke ascend from an I'M
usually good weed.
est is merely payment for services rem
dered," he observed. I'm not the lucky
heir to an estate, therefore l can't afford
to give people assistance gratis.
"No, 'oried Zsrtho in a tumult of anger
at the remem brance of recent occurrences.
"No, you're an Internal blackmailerl'
Richards smiled, quite undisturbed by
MS V1SlUOr' s Suuu6H 6UulilulUu VI WTdull,
and. turning to him, said:
"My dear fellow, whatever can you
gain by Safeguarding me? Why, every
word you utter is in self-condemnation !"
Zertho was silent. Yes, 1t was the truth
what this man said. He was a fool to
allo W his anger to get the better OF him.
Was 1t not Napoleon who boosted that
the success of all his great schemes was
due to the fact that he never permitted
tO Mi q hOVA his thTOatf Ills
face relaxed into sickiy smile.
I'm weary of your constant begging
and threatening" he said at Last -
was fool in tine first instance. II had
allowed you to speak no one would have
believed you. Instead of that, / generous
ly gave you the money yoa wanted"
"I'm glad you say generously. his
companion observed, smiling. "Gener-
osity isn't one of your most engaging
characteristics.
'tWell, I've been generous to you-too
generous, for you have now increased
your demands exorbitantly
"T'm poor-while you can afford to
pay" e... ;, ..+,r4.s z...
tho, determined1y. when men grow
wealthy they are always imposed upon
by men such as yon," he added. y admit
that the service you rendered deserved
payment. Well, I liquidated the debt
honorably. Then you Immediately levied
blao kmail, and have ever since continued
to send me constant applications for
money
A man who can afford to forget his past
can afford to be reminded of the debt he
OWES" answered the man. still smoking
with imrerturbabIe GOODNESS.
"But ! tell you I won't stand it any
longer. You've strained the cord until
it must now snap"
14nN
the other, with an air OF impudent
nonchalenee. "You know your own busi-
ness best. Act as you think fit.
81 shall. This is my last visit here.
''No doubt. My present wheeze is get
ting about played out. A god thing
like this can't run for any length of time.
In a week, for obvious reasons. I shall
LOCK up the doors and aeparT with Mother
Valentip. leaving the landlord looking
for his rent and my clients thirsting for
my vitais Yes, Yeu are right, my dear
Zertho, when You say this Will be your
last visit here. But II the mountain will
not come TO Mahomet, the latter must go
to the mountain. may perhaps call
upon you. my dear Zertho."
tsNo. yon shan't. / shall give orders
that you are not to be admitted.
'TYou will scarcely do that, think. -
he answered, still smiling. The whole
bearing Of the man betrayed confidence
in his position.
"But l tell youI will. have come
here tonight in fuIfifment of your de-
mand. It Ia. however, the last t1methat
we shall meet"
IL hope So"
"WhyP'
81 hope that yoa'll pay me sufa oiept to
obviafe the necessity OF us meeting agsiri.
/ assure you that Che pleasure of your
company Is not unmixed with dislike. :"
ssft is mutual" Zertho snapped, an
noyed at the mans unmltigated insolence.
"I'll pay you nothing more than what
you demanded in your letter yesterday, -
and taking from his pocket a wallet of
dark green leather with silver mountings
he counted out four five-hundred franc
notes and tossed them angrily upon the
table, saying, "Make the best of them,
for you won't get another sou from me. !"
To be continued.