The San Francisco call., 1906-07-15
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bEH KENDR.
BANGS ES XS

why don't you warn Hammond IL
you're on to some plot against him?' 1
demanded. That would be the friendly
thing to do"
I'D rather he learned a lesson from
experience" Dawson replied.
tried hard for the next half hour to
get some hint as to what it was that
made Dawson so cocksure in the mat
ter of Hammond's plate, but he was ir-
ritatingly uncommunicative, and finally
we parted.
Don't let your curiosity keep you
awake all night, old man." he laughed.
as he left me at my door. Just make
up your mind that you lose"
week went by. and although I
scanned the newspapers eagerly for the
predicted removal of the Hammond
plate it was without avail, and as the
time passed I began to count up among
my assets the one hundred Havanas
which another seven days would likely
bring into my possession. On the
morning of the eighth day, however,
my dreams of a period of smoking
splendor were shattered. A ring at
the telephone took me from my matu-
final egg. and Dawson's voice came
over the wire.
rs that you. Jenkins?" he said.
Yes; that you, Billy" / replied.
The same. Say, old man, are you go
ing to hold me strictly to the terms of
that bet?" he asked.
How do you mean?" I queried, rather
puzzled by his question.
'As I remember il, I bet you'd find
the details of the Hammond robbery in
the morning papers" said Dawson.
Yes" 1 assented; that was the way
you put it,"
Well, we're going to keep it out of
the papers," said he.
II don't quite catch the point said
I, my bewilderment growing.
Il say that we're not going to give
the news out to the press. We think it
best not to-that is. not just yet" said
Dawson.
we! who the dickens is we?"
asked.
Hammond and / You see, the thing
o'clock Three-quarters of the stuff is
gone and the rest is on the floor by the
dining-room window, tied up in jute
bag" Dawson explained.
You don't mean" I began, breath
less with surprise and excitement.
Il mean just what / say. Most of
Hammond's plate is missing, but the
by the butler, who heard them at work,
chased downstairs after them, sur
prised them with the fsg end of their
haul and got shot in his right little
finger for his palms," Dawson went on.
"Jee- ee-rusalem!-really?" 1 exclaimed.
Yep. Hammond rang me up on the
phone at o'clock this morning and
wants me to look into the job before
he calls in The police. I'm going up
there at g. and I thought you might like
to go along" said Dawson.
I'm your huckIeherry. Billy" said l.
What I wanted TO find out was
whether you insisted on its being in the
papers, for If you do I'll send you up
the perfectos tonight. Otherwise you
owe me bunch of Smoky Hollers from
Pittsburg. Pa Say the word and the
Havanas are yours" said Dawson.
Then won't say the word. Billy.
I'm no welcher on a technicality. BY
the way, was the job done by your
man?" I returned.
Sure! He's an artist. too. He's put
more fine touches the turn than I
expected. If you want to be in at the
death meet me at the Powhatan in half
an hour, and we'll go up to Hammond's
together" said Dawson.
I'll be there in fifteen minutes I
calculated. Maybe ten"
All right, only don't break your neck
in your hurry, for 1 shan't turn up for
a half-hour. 1 want to look up my rec
oEds and make sure of my man"
With which remark Dawson rang off.
I finished my breakfast hastily and
in twenty mintes entered the lobby of