The Washington herald., 1908-09-04
LOVE THE CRIMINAL
By J. B. HARRIS-BURLAND
ats
Bv ]. B. HARRIs-BURLAND

mitting felony TankerIane noticed a
piece Of thin wire sticking out from one
Of the torn pockets
A snare. chr he said Well il
doesn't matter. I've a horse here Just
behind me. The devil won't move
frightened or something III give you
half a sovereign If you'H stand by him
til I send a groom up from the Court"
The man did not answer. but his teeth
chartered as he looked nervously behind
Tankerlane into the darkness.
Wen, you scoundrei?'' said Tankerlane,
giving him shake 10 quicken his pow
ers Of speech
Nike 1t quid. guv'nor." the man
whined-
Be hanged to you" replied Tankerlane.
You may think yourself lucky I'm not
giving you over TO the police
The 'orse stopped, did 'e2" said the
man on. the 'Orse stopped. The
blessed hanimal, e seed MORN wesrsman
beings e stopped there. by the rfe. the
broken rile- On, e stopped, did e. and
you arsk me 70 stay there for arr thick.
'un, there, where the bloomin' 'orse seed
i'm
What are you drivelIng about. you
idiOt2" said TaEkerlane sternIy. If
sou don't 90 and stand by that horse. III
take you down TO the police station
The man cringed and covered before
Iankerlane's angry voice
It's WORT a GUid. guv'uOr." he repeated
with chatteriug teeth IF you knew
what knows about that ere bloom.n'
Tile. you'd mike it q qUid.
Don't be q fool" replied TankerIane
firmly. But his words belied his feelings
Fear came 70 him out Of the darkness
and laid her cold hands upon his heart.
Perhaps the mans terror was infectious
Perhaps William TankerIane was afraid
Of something more tangible than the ghOsc
OF a dead man.
And what do you know about the
rail- he continued. that I do not know.
that every one does not know Ben HcI-
land. half drunk. feI against Il last nighL
and Il broke away with his weight We
all know that But only q miserable.
whining hound. Ike yourself. would be
afraid % wait half an hour by the place
where a man met with an accident
An haccideEt. gIv' nor" said The trem-
bling reuch with a sickIy grin -'Fhat'd
Yer say. # It were no bloomin' haccident,
after all"
A look OF fear came into Tanker-ane's
dark eyes. but his face was in the
shadow. and the p0achsr saw nothing
7 should say. replied Tankeriane,
that you had probably been drinking.
But you had better explain yourself, and
Z Be quick about it-unless you want 70
spend the uight in 5he village lock-Up
Look ere" said the man. yer q big
man. and mebbe I'm a mean little cur.
but my motto Is. 'Allus mike friends
wiki the little -uns' They can bite. guv'-
nor"
You'll find the big ones can kick. 4
you don't get 10 the point
The point is" said the man. that 7
knows yer. and I knows her ate a gen
tIeman called Mr.. Shil Ike pizen- And
knows yer'd give me a trlie # I could
make things unpleasant for thar same
M ShiI- That's what I knows. but what
I wants 20 know is 'Ow much
I'm afraid I don't understand you.
said Tankerlane. but you'd better eX-
plain" and he shook the little man saw
agely. as though he would choke the life
out OF him
&c Ere. ere. guv'uor." the fellow gasp
ed Leave 90. say. leave GO
"ITu warm you up" replied Tanker
lane brutally, but now then-speak out
and speak the tru-h. or III find a way TO
make you"
-' 'Ow muche'- spluttered the man
o. 'Ow mUch'u you give me. II 80 down
10 the hinQuest u0-nOrrow and speak the
I troof2--
What is the tr1th7' TaukerIaue asked
I quietly But ne knew vel enough and
cursed the fate that had put his secret IN
| anothe-'s hands. The man did not an
swer
Look here. ny fellow" said Tanker
I lane abruptly I've had enough OF this
nonsense I'm going to take you down to
! the village" and he commenced 10 drag
I the man down the steep path by the
scrUT Of his neck
Y Il speak. guv'nor; III speak"
''Eell2~ asked Tankerlane. Iooseling his
I grip on the mans collar
It's Ike this. guv'nor- I'm a pore
man. and what knows is WORT money 70
you But you're a gentleman and you'u
see as a pore man don't lose nothing by
/ bein' an honest nan. and teIlIn' the troof
/ the gawspel troof. mind you
Get 10 the point"
Well" said the man. in a low voice
7 was ere last evenin' a settin' Of q
snare. and seed Mr- 'Olland go over the
/ cIin. and seed 90 knocked i'm over. and
I seed 90 let I'm 'ang wivoUt Hftin' an
Z and 10 saive I'm And II that amt mUr-
/ der. ny name amt -Enry Burton
You saw this" queried Tankerlsne. IN
a tone Of well-simulsted surprise and hor-
Tor. and yet you did not come TO the
mans assistance2 You heard him call
for help. and yet
7 didn't say e called for 'elp. guv'nor.' 80
said the man with a sharp look IN his
little eyes. TankerIane bit his lip. and
was glad that his face was in the dark
ness.
7 suppose he did call for help he re-
Piled IF he was. as you say. hanging
over the edge" He wondered how much
the fellow knew. The wood was trsversed
by many narrow paths. He himself had
watched the tragedy from one Of these
at point close 70 where IL Joined the
entered the wood from the north side. and
had quietly retraced his steps. unseen by
John Shil- It was necessary TO fld out
at once where this other spectator had
concealed himself
Tell me your story he said. after a
short pause; 1t may be worth money to
you" He loosened his grip on the man s
collar It was not likely that he would
1 try to escape while there was a chance OF
making money
The man told his narrative and Il
agreed substantially with what Tanker
/ lane knew to be the facts. II was also
J clear that the scene had been witnessed
! from the other side Of the road. and thar
therefore It was extremely improbable
| that Burton had seen the second speCta-
I tor Of the crime This suppOsition was
/ supported by the fact that TankerIane
/ had not seen Burton So far. at any
| rate, Tankerlane was In the position of
advantage He quickly decided on a
/ course OF action He knew that Il would
D 70 - -