Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1902-04-10

suddenly and facing about, how much
money can you raise:'
Nealc's eyebrows took the shape of
inverted VS., and beneath them his
eyes locked like dots because of the
contraction in tie corners.
What are YOU trying to get at?' he
demanded. You mean something.
What is III"
4 sudden shivering seized Blair, so
that his jaws could be seen to shake.
Indeed they could be heard. He cross
ed to a locker on the wall, from which
he took a small bottle containing a
thick and dark fluid. This he raised
to his lips, shuddering at the taste of
it, But he seemed to be benefited in
the matter of self command.
Nerve medicine:" said Neale. II
don't think you need it."
you told me-" replied Blair slowly,
that | ought to quit or let you in. I've
decided to do the latter"
Right said the captain, with en-
phasis. How much did you getT
''The little money that | got from
Maclane doesn't amount to anything"
responded Blair. 81 got something
better"
Neale stretched out his hand with a
quick motion and laid it upon Blair's
shoulder, to that individuals great sur
prise, for he thought himself far out
of reach They stared at each other
with equal intensity
'Can you be square?' said Blair as if
he were consulting an oracle and not
the man at whom he was looking. rs
there any way to make you? l believe
there is. And you've got the money
too"
'I've always got plenty of money for
a good thing" said Neale. Now, speak
up. Did Alden tell MaclaneY
Blair shook off the hand upon his
shoulder by the exercise of great agili-
ty, and then he strode across the room
to a desk, from which he took small
blankbook and a stylographic pen. He
opened the book upon the table and
wrote his name on the first page, with
a word or two after it; then he looked
at Neale, holding the pen toward him.
The captain nodded, and he also wrote
appeared this:
ARTHUR A GORDON BLAIR Equal Partners
"AIy friend" said the captain, you
ask me if l can be square. Well,
there amt nobody that can be squarer
than what l can, and you'll find that
out If you stick to me and don't try to
get funny nor play no tricks"
If Blair's acquaintance with Neale
had been more intimate, he would
have recognized sincerity In this re-
dundancy of negatives. The reporters
who have followed Neales career as
sert that he once put seven into ore
short sentence while engaged in de-
nouncing a certain well known re-
former. AS rule, however, his Ian
guage was not grossly Inaccurate. In
this instance it was the ring of the
words that appealed to Blair. He took
up the book and wrote upon the page
that bore the names, his position being
such that the captain could not see
what was set down.
"Now, my esteemed business asso-
ciate," said Blair, laying down the
book, this Is the English of the mat
ter-Alden has told Maclane where
he was that afternoon and Maclane
has told me. l didn't go up there to
get the secret; went for a little cold
money. Circumstances had made it
agreeable to me to put Miss Maclane
out of this case, and as l was going
to do 1t anyhow it occurred to me
that l might as well be paid for it."
Its a pleasure to be in business
with man like you," said Neale, with
a grin. "How much was the touch"
"Only $4,000" replied Blair. ''It is a
loan. told him pitiful story of mis-
fortune and mentioned that | was
being bounded by the police. Well,
he's had a little of that himself. He
sympathiZed with me, and when l said
/ wanted to move, take better Office
and all that he very kindly consented
to help me out. AS to his daughter, l
told him frankly that | believed she
was the woman l had seen, but that
1 had no idea she was directly con-
cerned In the crime. | believed that
she had gone to that house, had seen