The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1907-12-06

Leaves it,! He $50
YES. Il, Philip Arson the second.
win leave IT, ] will lay my plans
unite surely / Will even telegraph my
movemeats to his fiancee and to his
agent, Abingdon, who used to be SD
DendIars magistrate at 'Clerkenweh.
Now. don't. interrupt, You spoil my
train of thought Philip Arson VIII
live again for days after you have
er-tlisposed of him. BY that time you
will have established such an abb thai
an ,archangel's testimony would NOT
shake it. s Then Philip Arson will dis
appear, vanish into hin air, ana wnA
him a hundred thousand or more OF
his own money, some III GoIu' pu'
mostly IN notes which will have been
changed so often as to defy any one
to trace them. As precautionaF!
measure, he win go out of his way to
annoy or insult the young lady whom
he intends to make his wife, and that
alone will supply IN explanation, OF
sort for his wish to conceal his move
ments. With proper management
Philip Anson should leave the map
without exciting comment for weeks
after he is dead, and when the weeks
grow into months people will class his
disappearance with the other queer
mysteries familiar to every one VINO
reads the newspapers. Neat. isn't II!
"Too neat. You can't do 1t.
Have you or / evolved the ldei.
who runs the greatest risk, the man
who strikes one blow and hides Ci'
figured corpse or he who calmly face
hundreds of men and says he is Phii.'
Anson"
81 don't care about risk, but II /.
comes to that / suppose you are the
more likely to be found out"
..Thank YOU You see my way NJ
last. In any event, you are safe. Even
suppose am discovered, will split -
you? Will | add charge OF murdei
to one of forgery? Not much! tel,
Won the scheme is workable, not by
timid bunglers, but by clever men.
admit | haven't the nerve to Kill any
body. nor would | care to suggest this
present arrangement to an accompllc''
merely to make money. But if yoa
are resolved to end Philip Anson
earthly pilgrimage | can't prevent YOU,
and | fail to see any reason why
shouldn't profit by the transaction.
! ssWhat about me when the thing 4
done%'
81 "Oh. Won are beginning to appreciate
the other side of events Now. we
will assume that Philip Arson mas
been dead couple of months and We
tor Grenier has muassed a fortune ny =
sheer run Of luck on the turf 1t Is fhr
" evident chat Victor Grenier muSl
divvy with Jocky Mason or the latter
can make the world too hot to hold
him. even If an old friend We're unkinC
enough to refuse to disgorge unless un
der pressure.
MaSons brows wrinkled in Thought
The project sounded plausible enough
Determined as he was to Wreak Ms
vengeance ON Philip, Greniers nlgeh
ious idea not only offered him a rel
able means of escape, but promised
rich harvest of wealth. Certainly i
was worth trying. Not once, Dut many
times. during the preceding month TIRE
lnier had withheld the murderer VIII
ing hand. When 1t did fall, what keen
or satisfaction could he have than TN
knowledge that he would be enriched
BY the deed?
81 can't zee ahead like you" salt
Mason at last But l VIII obey or
ders. YOU tell me where and when;
will be there"
Grenier shifted his feet uneasily.
~ don't quite mean that, he said
81 will acaualnt you with certain facl
on which you may rely absolutely
will forthwith act myself on the as
ammunition that the real Philip Ansol
won't Interfere with me. That Is all
The other man guffawed most un
pleasantly. This sophistry did not ap
peal to him.
"Put 1t any way you ike he SAID
'You can depend on me Tor my part .
the bargain"
"And YOU can be quite certain ina
In a very lftue WnHe VIC
trouble our active wits any further a.
to the wherewlthal to enjoy lie.
have thought this idea out in all ~
bearings. It simply can't fall. Come
,et ms drink to glorious future"
He reached for n decanter, but SUD
den knock at the door Jared the nerves
of both men considerably.
"See who is there" whispered Gre
nier. whose face showed white through
the paint and grease IT bore.
"What about YOU in that rig outf
wrowled the stronger rufiian
81 will slip into my bedroom quick
See who II Is"
I.angdon entered.
"Where's Victor7' he said eagerly
..In his room He will he here IN
moment. What's the natter 1"'
look pretty glum."
eve had piece OF wretched mex
was Mt MIS-. Atherley's at home To
day. when Arson turned mp. | me
him without wiuklng, but he knew III
at once He called me outside AM