Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1903-10-15
EQUAL PARTNERS
By HOWARD FIELDING
Copyright, 1901. by Charles W. Hooke.
By HOWARD FIELDING


What DO you mean"
The captain shook big fOrefinger in
Blairs face.
You went to Maclane's house last
evening" he said. Then you gave
out that Interview" And the big fore
finger came very close to Blairs nose
as the captain added, How much did
you get?"
Blairs lean and deeply lined face
was suddenly moistened with perspir-
alton. He sprang up sidewise from the
trunk and walked around the far end
Of the table.
This is getting personal" he said
at last. with nervous laugh that
scarcely passed beyond contortion
Of the lips.
"Tll make It personal for you. my
friend" he said. I'm fact. I'll land
you behind the bars before I'm done
with you. This is blackmail'
Blair laughed aloud
"Blackmail is a dreadful sin he
said. and nobody knows 1t better than
you DO"
Neale did not see fit to reply. He
watched Blair carefully as the latter
paced up and down gnawlng 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 ate" he
demanded You mean something
What is it,"
A sudden shivering seized Blair, so
that his jaws could be seen to shake.
| Indeed they could be heard. He cross
/ cd 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
il. But he seemed to be benefited in
the matter of self command.
Nerve medicIne?" said Neale. Il
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 ems
phasls. How much did you get?"
The little money that / got from
Maclane doesn't amount TO anything. &"
responded Blair. Il got something
better"
N,nIo strat ,boI Dut HE hand v,i,b a
quick motion and laid 1t upon Blairs
4 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
II he we've 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 tho
money TOO"
rive always got plenty OF money for
q good thing said Neale. Now, speak
up. Did Alden tel! Maclane?"
Blair shook OF the hand upon his
shoulder by the exercise OF great agil,
ity, and then he strobe across the room
to desk, from which he took small
blankbook and Sylographic pen. lie
opened the book upon the table and
wrote HE name on the first page, with
a word or two after ii; then he looked
at Neale, holding the pen toward him
The captain nodded, and he also wrot'
in the book, Upon the page there theI
appeared this:
Arthur Gordon Blalr)
{ Equal Partners
Joseph Neale,
My friend said the captain, "yol
ask me II can be square, Well
there amt nobody that can be square
than what can, and you'll find thai
out II you stick to me and don't try t
set funny nor play no tricks"
II Blair's acquaintance with Neal,
had been more intimate, he woulc
have recognized sincerity in this re
dundanCy Of negatives The reporters
who have followed Neale's career as
sert that he once put seven into on,
short sentence while engaged in de
noulCing a certain well known re
former. As a rule, however, his Ian
guage was not grossly inaccurate, II
this instance II was the ring Of tn,
words that appealed to Blair, He tool
up the book and wrote upon the pag,
that bore the names, his position belnf
such that the captain could not Sc,
what was set down.
Now, my esteemed business asso
ciate," said Blair, laying down tho
book this 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 gel
the secret; ! went for a little colo