Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-04-17

you behind the bars before I'm done
with you. This is blackmail"
Blair laughed aloud.
"Blackmail Is n dreadful SIM" he
said, land nobody knows it better than
You do"
Neale did not see tit to reply. He
watched Blair carefully as the latter
paced up and down gnawing his lips
"Captain," said the doctor, pausing
suddenly and facing about, how much
money can you raise
Neale's eyebrows took the shape OF
inverted VS., and beneath them his
eyes looked like dots because of the
contraction in the corners.
What are you trying to get at?' he
demanded. You mean something.
What is it?"
A sudden shiverng 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 Il small bottle containing n
thick and dark fluid. This lie raised
to his lips. Aluddcring at the taste Of
1t. But he seemed to be benefited in
the matter O self command.
"Ncrve medicinc:' 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-.
plasis. "1Iow much did you get:'
THE little money that got from
Maclane doesn't amount to anything"
responded Blair. Il got something
better"
Neale stretched out his hand with n
quick motion and laid it upon Blairs
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 squnrc?" said Blair as IL
he were consulting an oracle and not
the man at whom he was looking. is
there any way to make you? | believe
there is. And you've got the money
too"
1--WE always got plenty Of money for
a good thing" said Neale. Now, speak
UP. Dlu Alden Tell Maclane!
Blair shook off the hand upon his
shoulder by the exercise Of great agili-
ty. and then he strobe across the room
20 desk, from which he took small
handbook and stylographic pen. He
opened the book upon the table and
wrote his name on the first page, with
n word or two after it; then he looked
at Ncale, holding the pen toward him.
The captain nodded, and he also wrote
in the book. Upon the page there then
appeared this:
AFIrgn Conn GoEp0s BLAIR Equal Partners.
"My friend" said the captain, "you
ask me If l can be square. Well,
there amt nobody that can be squarer
than what | can. and you'll find that
out if you stick to me and don't try to
get funny nor play no tricks
If Blars acquaintance with Neale
had been more intimate, he would
have recognized sincerity in this re-
dundancy OF negatives. The reporters
who have followed Ncales career as
scrt that he once put seven into one
short sentence while engaged in de-
nouncng a certain well known re-
former. AS rule, however. his Ian
gu0Ge was not grossly inaccurate. In
this instance 1t 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, 'ths is the English Of the mat
ter-Alden has told Maclane where
lie was that afternoon and Maclane
has told me. | 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 rs | was going
to do it anyhow it occurred to me
that l might as we'll be paid for it.
Its pleasure to be in business
with man like YOU" said Neale. with
grin. "IIow much was the touch?"
only $1,000" replied Blair. at is n
loan. | told him pltiful story of mis-
fortune and mentioned that ! was
being bounded by the police. Well,
he's had little Of that himself. He
sympathlzcd with me. and when | said
! wanted to move, take better office
and all that he very kindly consented
to help me out. AS to his daughter
told him frankly that | believed she
was the woman | had seen, but that
! had no idea she was directly con-
ccrncd in the crime. believed that
she had gone to that house. had seen