The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-04

stately and composed, set Miss Rachel
Bruno.
LII.
Areg'lar vanity box Of a house, half hid by
scrubbery and trees, with an air about il
which seemed to say NC admittance cx-
cipt on pleasure" This remoteness was
aocintooated by a fat and tubbaned colored
wench asleep at the back dure and a
drunken clown oatchin' flies on the stable
bench, alike incapable of fought save of
food and drink. Evidently the scrvante
had BEEN selected on account of stoopidity
instld Of in spite Of It, as ginerslly happens.
We slipped unnoticed t'roo the kitching
and thince to the dining room, sequistering
Ourselves respectfully o. eeder side Of the
cuttoned dureway. What with the side
boord on wan side and an antic chist on
the odder II wud 60 hard IL we cudn't
disappear before my Of the inmates ap-
peared. Meanwhile. it was to listen.
Perrin t'roo the swing Of the cuttun I
seen Miss Bruno at the desk betune the
front winders; while standin' at the side
was Big Shartell. .
"A pretty good days work, my man."
she was sayin' as she sorted a pile Of yeller-
backs all a-dazzle with X-rays. "You see
1 knew poor Flamingots ways so well that
there really wasn't anny risk. He allus
KEEP his checks signed in blank; l had ofting
filed thin out for him before. Now, with
bot the banks and, the public notified of
his disability there will be no trooble in
cleanin' out his accounts, good twinty
t~'ousand, say in tree mont's time, with
the hist OF livin' here meanwhile. You
must want some change; will this do for
the prisintf'
And thin2' asst Shartell eagerly, his duh
face lighted, as re tucked away the yaller
slab that she sliced of indif'rint from the
roll of life.
She watched him ~narrerly under heavy
Ids, for all her ~unoonCern. takin' his Measure
like an expert in spiritooal gownds. and
perceivin' how avarice was ragin' within
him like a first in a desert.
"oh. you have his FORUM bot reel and
p~ussonal in mind9' she anwsered. doubt
fully. That dipinds--
Listen. Missus." Shartell wint on, gainin'
power with livery wud. like some great
boulder set in motun. Il put my eggs all
in wan basket whin I whit into this deal
with you.
Il hung back, you know l did. whin,
arter I had brought you wud that Flamingo
lay murdered stark and stiff in the isle
OF he old church. you claimed that there
might be a millun or more in it for us to
divide. I didn't bury the body safe and
sure in the old Dommino's grave under
the pulpit, raisin' and settun the stun that
hadn't been disturbed for a hunder year
God. whct a job!-I didn't stalk Mrs. Fla
mingo end her man t'roo the city until I
seen thin OF on the ship for liver and a
day. 4 didn't sell my place in the country,
where I feels like mysilf and nowhere ilse.
and come to this bandbox for a fistful of
CHECKING feed.
Il want my full sheer OF the houses. the
lands. the certificates. the scrip-yis, and
I'm goin' to have thin. too, IL I swing for it,
She laughed full in his black, infamed
face: IL was amazin' to see her.
-Tha is a contradiction in tarms,- says
she. as cool as a schoolmistress. If you
swing. how can you have thin? Tut, tut,
man. did you niver hear OF the fool who
killed the goose that laid the golden egg?
Likely he swung for IL. too; I'm sure he
shud. Sensible folks like you and me don't
swing for money: they live to enjoy it,
-Yis, but they gifts H."
They do, in time, after every contingency
has been provided for. every danger guarded
aginst. l don't say that with my knowl-
edge OF Mr.. Flamingo's affairs and my abil-
ity to initiate his handwriting I might not
30 contrive that the great bulk of his prop
erty shud come into our hands; but what
wud be the use IL a man remained alive. as
u~nscrupulous, as acquainted with the facts
as we, all in readiness to snatch from us
hat we had securedr'
And there is u a pussonP" Shartel's
great hand we're clinched, his brow was
ghastly pale and beaded.
Il am jest writin' to him TO dine with me
to-morrer evenin'. Here il his address"
Shartell snatched the dainty envelope.
MI. George Ringgold." he read. -Ah. I
remimbers.' he muttered. he was with
you all at the luncheon as Flamingo's frind.
And you t'ink he's a crook3-
know he Is. a most desprit wan. and for
that very reason niver to be missed IL he
drops, or is dropped. out OF sight"
And he will dine hero Tomorrow night?"
Dine long and late, with many a drink
betune. Whin he goes out into the black
Of those trees, where the cart is soft and not
likely TO be disturbed for years, ne won't
know where he Is; mebbe no wan ilse will
liver know eeder."
"Cudn't It be done here. in the houseg'
Shartell whispered.
Miss Bruno gev' q little squeak like q sick
girl; she kivered her eyes with her white
hands.
-Oh. abominable!" she protested, with a
shudder. Don't you know that I cudn't
endure to see a ny harmed2
1t may be necessary to plan . battle, but
the sight OF the battlefield itself. all tho