The San Francisco call., 1907-01-13
Martin pike Keeps An Engagement
CHAPTER xxIV

ing between The hheihoNiNii-
deer. RAPIDLY approach the house. he
was a thin young fellow, very wen
dressed I'm dark gray his hair prems-
furelv somewhat silvered, his race pre-
msturely somewhat lined, and his nat
,,ove-cd a scar such as might nave
been caused by blow from oiuh'
instrument iu the nature Of poker
He did not reach the door, nor was
there necessity for him TO rins' loi'
before he had set foot on the lowest
step. the Judge had FASTENED 10 meet
rim. Not however. with any lul-
sonelv hospitable intent; his hand and
arm were raised 10 execute one OF ms
Olympiau gestures, OF the kino winch
had obliterated the young man upon
certain bygone morning
I.ouden looked up calmly al the Die
figure towering above him.
ct won't 90, Judge" he said that
was all, but there was significance
in his manner and q certainty
in his voice which caused The upiitteo
hand TO drop Imply, while the look OF
apprehension which Of late had grown
moro and more 10 be Martin Pixies
habitual expression deepened into
something close upon mortal anxiety
Have YOU any business 10 set foot
upon my property" he demanded
"Yes." answered Joe. That's why
Icame"
what business have you got with
me?"
Enough TO satisfy you, ] think But
there's one thing don't want TO do
Joe glanced at the open dOor-'anc
that is 10 talk about Il here-for your
own sake and because i think Miss
Tabor should be present / called to
ask you 10 come TO her house at
O'Clock tonight"
you did" Martin Pike spoke an
grilv but not in the bull-bass Of yore,
and he kept his voice down, glancing
about linn nervously. as though he
feared that his wife or Mamie might
hear. NY accounts with her estate
are closed" he said harshly. II she
wants anything let her come here.
Joe shook his head. No You must
De there at S O'Clock.
The Judges choler got the better Of
his uneasiness. You're a pretty one
TO come ordering me around. ne broke
ont You slanderer do you suppose
haven't heard how you're going about
lraducing me, undermining my cnar-
acter in this community, spreading
scandals thar i am the real owner OF
Beaver Beach
ut can easily be proved. Judge Joe
Interrupted quietly, though you're
wrong i haven't been telling people. 1
haven't needed to-even il I'd wished.
once "A thing like that gets out you
cant stop it-ever. That isn't all 10
my knowledge you own other property
worse than the Beach; know that you
own half Of the worst dens in the town;
profitable investments, too. You bought
them very gradually and craftily, only
showing the deeds 10 those in charge
as YOU did to Mike Sheehan. and not
recording them Sheehan's betrayal or
YOU gave me the key; I know most or
the door creatures who are your ten
ants. too, you see, and that gave me
an advantage because they have some
confidence in me- My Investigations
have been almost as quiet and careful
as your purchases.
'.YOu damned blackmailer." The
Judge bent upon him fierce, inQuiring
scrutiny in which, oddly enough, there
was kind of haggard hOpefulness-
And out Of such stories" he sneered.
'vou arc going TO try TO make political
capital against the Tocsin. are you?"
No" said Joe. 1T was necessary
in the interests OF my client for me
10 know pretty thoroughly just what
property YOU own. and i think ] do.
These pieces I've mentioned are about
all you have not mortgaged. You
couldn't do that without exposure and
you've kept p controlling interest in
The Tocsin clear, too-for the sake OF
its influence. Il suppose. Now, DO you
want TO hear any more. or viii you
agree to meet me at Miss Tabors this
evening""
Whatever the look Of hopefulness
had significd il fed from Pixies face
during this speech. but he asked with
some show OF contempt: do you think
Il lilSely?"
me TO speak here And he came
little closer to him. You bought
big block Of Granger Gas for Roger
Tabor" he began, in a low voice. Be
fore his death you sold everything he
had except the old house. put ii all into
cash for him and bought that stock:
you signed the check as his attorney
intact. and il came back to you
through the Washington National,
where Norbert FlitcrOft handled it. He
has a good memory, and when he told
me what he knew j had him to DO
some tracing olo lttie myself also
Judge Pike, ] must tell you that YOU
stand in danger Of the law. You
were the custodian OF that stock for
Roger Tabor; ii was transferred in
blank; though ] think you meant TO
be legal at that time, and that was
merely for convenience in case Roger
-ha6 wished you TO sell ii for him. f3oe
T1st after his death you found your
self saddled with distillery stock, which
was going bad on your hands. Other
speculations of yours were falling at
the same time, YOU had 10 have money
-you filed your report as administra-
tor, credi-sng Miss Tabor with your own
stock which you knew was going to
the wall. and transferred hers TO YOUR
self Then you sold ii because you
needed ready money You used her
fortune TO save yoUrself-but YOU were
horribly afraid, No matter how rot
ten your transactions had been. YOU
had always kept inside the law; and
now that you had gone outside of Il
you were frightened. You didn't dare
come fiat out to Miss Tabor with the
statement that her fortune had gone:
ID had been in your charge all the time
= So.