Willmar tribune., 1904-03-02

myself and wanted to buy business.
How much II yer sell this yer show
stand and all-for, eh?"
To my surprise he leapt to his feet
excitedly, and grasped the lapel of my
coat, he peered into my face as if he
expected to recognize me. Then he ex-
claimed in a voice hoarse with pas
sion:
"Come, drop it! None of your tricks
with me; was prepared for some
thing of this sort! Who are you? A
detective, eh? Speak up! for I'll stand
none of your nonsense!"
1t was getting dark, but not so dark
thai I did not see peculiar twitching
OF the eyebrows, which I had noticed
as the only sign of excitement that
Number Three had betrayed when, al
the drawing of lots in the gypsy wagon,
he discovered that it had fallen to his
share to assist Number Two in obtain
ing possession of the concealed dyna-
mite. Yes, it was Number Three un-
Questionably, and had indeed made as
pretty a mess of the business as was
possible.
Staggered as was, however, l did
rot lose my presence of mind. mo!
no!' l made haste to protest with ear
nestness, which was not all assumed
for his hand was at his side-pocket, as
if in search of weapon. Il amt no
sneakin' tee. Strike me dead if am!
I'm pore man like yourself, mate,
and don't like the tees no better nor
wot you do, for if they knew what lay
l was on, they'd nab me and no mis-
take, they would, rot 'em!"
whats your game, them" he said
shortly, but less aggressively.
"Well, it's like this" I answered; !;
there's man wot lives in this Square
as I'm goin' to put a knife into.
You're pore man and I'm a pore man
See! So you won't peach on me, !
know. This mana lord he calls his
self-he's took the bread out o. my
mouth and out O. my kiddies' mouths,
and out O. the mouths O. my mates
and their kiddies. That's wot he's
done, the Lord CranthOrpes g
his name, and some of us-them as is
men and not chickens-'ave met on the
quiet and talked over 'ow we could
get even with i'm. We're men, we are
not dogs to be kicked and starved an
robbed. and our missises and kiddies
starved. by the likes of I'm. And we We
drawn lots which Of us was to knife
i'm. and drawn the billet and got to
do 1t. Well, my mates they sent the
at round, and got bit O. money to-
gether to 'elp me in doin' the job. So
as your lays just a-nigh is 'ouse,
want to buy out the business, so as l
can 'ang around without 'aving no per-
ishin' p'liceman harsking questions.
Then waits for my man when 'e'a
comm in or goin' out when there ain't
nobody by, and then I spikes i'm.
See? You're pore man and som I.
Eh? That's right, amt it? On the
square. too. Well, 'ow much do yer
want for it?'
II don't want anything" he said.
Il shall go straight away and put his
lordship on his guard, and then set the
police on you. That's what shall dc" ."
That's what you'll do, eh, is it, yer
bloomin' monkey?" I said, with a
great assumption of fury. "You give
Information to the p'lice, yer per shin
pavement spiler! No, yer won't, not
much; not if as 70 swing for yer!"
There! there! my friend! That's
all right" he said. II on,y wanted to
see if you were made of the right stuR
or not. How was to know that you
weren't a detective in disguise. and that
all this talk Of yours WASH q plant to
take me 1na Now look here! Il you
g. - 10, .