The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1899-05-05
A Grim Wager.
BY CECIL HAYTER
hNPESHuLi spes-shul! 'Orrible

"Speshul! SpeShul! '-anu the rest was
lost in incoherency as the sound OF
the voices, mingled and intertwined,
gradually faded away in the distance.
what a loathsome noise, that ISL
said Peel, with shudder. There is
something positively ghoulish about
H."
eft always gives me the creeps, es-
pecially at night. 1t suggests all sorts
OF horrible, morbid IDEAS" Joined in
Lelange, who was perched ON the
model throne, smoking innumerable
cigarettes.
Kovno, the owner of the studio, said
nothing, but smiled in rather supe-
rior way. He was person OF some
what unusual taste-his pictures be-
trayed him in that.
We were rather cosmopolitan lot
gathered in the big studio that night.
Lelange was a merry, lght-hearted
little Frenchman, clever to the tips OF
his restless fingers, but quite incapa-
bic of serious work. Peel and myself
were Notwithstanding, not who'll
" unsuccessful, but without half Le-
lange's versatility. Ferguson was
Scotch-serious and argumentativc,
and Kovno-the owner of the studio
was Pole by birth, though much OF
his life had been lived in Paris and
London.
lie was two or three years older .han
tie rest of us. AS far as his art was
concerned he was brilliant, original
and startlingly unpleasant. For him.
self, he had a fine head-the head of
a dreamer. Usually reticent man.
he would at rare intervals fash out
into fiery, animated flood of talk
accompanied by wild gesticulation.
Only one other person was in the
studio-Dora Smith, our model -
pretty. nervous little person, at the
present moment toasting her toes at
the big stove and enjoying cigarette
during her well-earned rest.
"Well, there's only one good thing
about a MURDER" said Ferguson-"it
will out! And that, as a rule, ends in
hanging"
Nonsense, my dear chap!" said
Kovno. "It's only the clumsy idiots
who are found out. Anyone who isn't
a fool could kill as many people as he
pleased, and never be even suspected
If you grant him an average amount
of luck"
Lelange began drumming a sort of
"danse Macabre" on the model throne
With his heels, and struck tragic at
titude which made Dora laugh.
81 wish you wouldn't all be so hor-
ribly gloomy" she said. 81 believe
this great big barn of a studio is haunt
ed. Do, for goodness sake, talk about
sor ething chez rful!"
cts not gloomy AT all; it's most
interesting" persisted Kovno. 81 don't
mind owning that the possibilities of
undiscovered crime have great fasci-
ration for me-"
"The possibilities Of an undiscov-
cred shilling in my trousers pocket
would be more attractive to me per-
sonally," said Peel, ruefully surveying
his worldly possessions. "Archie"-
turning to me-f'we shall have to pad
the hoof tonight "Can't afford an ON
nibus."
Il am willing to bet" Kovno contin-
Ted, without noticingthe Interruption,
II am willing to bet that I could COM
nit murder without a possibility of
detection" He was getting into one
Of his excitable moods and gesticulat-
ing freely.
Rubbish" said I, laughing. "Any-
one can talk like that. But, in the first
place. it's absurd;. and in the second,
don't suppose for mint e that you'd
be such an abject fool as to try"
Kovno himself laughed at that, for
by nature he is one of the mildest crea-
lures imaginable.
NO. no. l don't mean to say that
want to harm anyone in particular fer
the mere satisfaction of proving to
parcel of lunatics that 1 am talking
common sense; but still maintain
l could do sou
We'll, you prove it to me, and I'll
take your bet" said I, jeering.
Will ycu?' he asked.
"Of course WILL" replied. "Frank,
We'll have dinner on the strength of
this"
Done with you, them" said Kovno.
'I'll bet you five pounds to shilling.
sold a couple of sketches to-day"
That's all very WE'LL" put in Fergu-
son. slowly, "but short of actually mu1-
dering the man. and then confessing
to us-in which case we should in
evitably trct you off to the nearest
police station-how are you going to
give us proof of your ability?"
Kovno thought for moment.
Look here" he said, speaking quick
ly, "suprosing I manage to spirit
man away and cause him to vanish for
week-ten days, if you like-without
any inquiries that may be made en-
abling anyone to connect me with the
matter; and supposing that obtain
written confession from that man.
acknowledging that it was in my pow
er to kill him, if it so pleased me, will
that satisfy you?"
IT'S hardly fair test" grumbled
Ferguson. "Still suppose you can't
manage better-shorto of actually COM
uniting crime"
You'll have the deuce to pay when
you let him CO." suggested Lelange.
Il shall make his release conditional
on no further steps being taken, y an
swered Kovno. Come, are you salts
fied?n
After little more discussion the.
terms were agreed to, and Ferguson
was appointed to hold the stakes. The
->~g~rE.