Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-03-21

It aDas he, and he alone. acho gdue the
signal.
cial popularity, and circumstances or
his own wickedness had made him a
scoundrel, and very bad scoundrel
at that.
And so it was that 1 responded quite
affably to his greeting. oblivious of the
past and almost forgetting the future.
He stood by me, surveying the encamp-
ment, his bulky form overlapping mine
by three inches at the least.
Its a pity, Mr. Greatorex," says
he, rejecting, that these animals have
no spunk. Spunk goes long way with
me, 1 will admit, and that warns my
heart to you. l doff my hat to Mr..
Sheppard and, by the way, to my
young friend Montgomery also"
what you lack in quality, suppose,
you calculate to make up in quantity"
said grimly.
Precisely, Mr. Greatorex. You've hit
it. That's the rub. If had three of
my mongrel Indians here I'd reckon to
luS JUL LII u SOuplC VI uayS pul
one has to use the material at hand"
mo doubt" said Sheppard, "but
your plans must have been laid long
time"
The captain cast curious glance at
him. well, you seem to know" he
said slowly. But l tell you frankly
that greed can carry too far and that
jaw too widely open will sometimes
lose bite; 1t takes too long to shut it.
If had managed this business But
here, apparently recollecting himself,
he broke off and turned away with a
little frown. But presently he resum
ed, wearing his accustomed good hui
mored expression. "There was never
any good came Of Greek. I've known
them upward of twenty years, and |
never knew one that was fit for any
thing save to jab you in the back when
you were not looking"
II should say" remarked Sheppard
mildly, that you had very suitable
gang for your purpose"
Sercombe laughed. ooh, l don't fan
CIV the knife myself, though some peo-
pie do"
Sheppard turned deathly pale, but he
smiled politely and answered, 'There
is no knowing what scruples a man
will develop"
This turn of the conversation sud-
denly woke me to a sense of my errand,
and I quickly communicated my news
to Sercombe.
81 thought we should come to this"
he said cheerfully, land 1 would have
laid odds should have had you here
on this mission. I knew you would
drop that mealy mouthed righteous
ness of yours. What disliked in you,
Mr. Greatorex, from the outset, if !
may say so without offense, was
your blamed British pharisaism. You
couldn't look at job squarely. It's
not your fault, but that of your train
ing. l had the same defect once my
self, but campaign in the Ionian isles
knocked the pretenses out Of me.
That's how l came to know these
scoundrels so we'll Well I'm glad we
meet evenly at last You can see for
yourself there's not penn'orth to
choose between us, save that you've
had first blood" and with that he look
ed at Sheppard.
This time Sheppard held his color
under control, but he looked away, and
l perceived, in spite of his severe re-
straint twitching Of the nostrils.
Come, come" said l. 1--WE must take
what steps we may in self defense
against cutthroats, captain"
I'm with you there" said Sercombe
cheerily, "and the steps l usually take
consist of barker. l shoot out of my
coat tails as often as not My plan is
to fire when l see a squirt"
81 fear you rebuke me-" / replied
with bow, but swear that Won,
have fired ie it had hcen an- OF