The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-10-11

surely. 1 will even telegraph my move
ments to his fiance n to his agent,
Abingdon, who used to be stipendiary
magistrate at Clerkenwell. Now, don't
interrupt You spoil my train of
thought. Philip Arson Will live again
for days after you have-er-disposed
of him. By that time you will have
established such an alibi hat an arch
angels testimony would not shake it.
Then Philip Arson will disappear, van-
ish into thin air, and with him a hun
dred thousand or more of his own
money, some in gold, but mostly in
notes, which will have been changed so
often as to defy anyone to trace them.
AS a precautionary measure, ne will go
out of his way to annoy or insult the
young lady whom he intends to make
his wife, and that alone will
supply an explanation, of a sort.
for his wish to oncea his
movements. with proper man.
agement, Philip Arson 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
who reads the newspapers. Neat, isn't
it?"
Too neat. You can't do it."
Have you or l evolved the idea?
Who run the greatest risk, the man
who strikes one blow, and hides a dis
figured corpse. or he who calmly faces
hundreds of men, and says ne is Philip
AnSon?"
Il don't care about risk, but if 1t
comes to that. 1 suppose you are the
more likely 10 be found out"
'"Thank you. You see my way at last
In any event. you are, safe. Even sup
pose I am discovered, will 1 split on
you? VIII 1 add a charge of muir
der to one of forgery? Not much! I
tell you the scheme is workable, not
by timid bunglers, but by clever men,.
1 admit / haven't the nerve to kill
anybody. nor would care to suggest
this present arrangement to an accom-
plice merely to make money. But If
you are resolved to end Philip Anson's
earthly pilgrimage, I can't prevent you,
and | fail to see any reason why /
shouldn't profit by the transaction"
What about me when the thing is
done?"
oh, you are beginning to appreciate
the other side of events. Now, we will
assume hat Philip Arson has been
dead a couple of months, and Victor
Grenier has amassed a fortune by a
sheer run of luck on the turf, it is
fairly evident that Victor Grenier must
divvy with Jockey Mason, or the lat
ter can make the world too hot to hold
him. even if an old friend were unkind
enough to refuse to disgorge unless I'M
der pressure"
MasOn's brows wrinkled in thought.
The project sounded plausible enough.
Determined as he was to wreak his
vengeance on Philip, Grenier's inge-
mons idea nOt 0Oly offered him q ra-
liable means Of escape, but promised
a rich harvest of wealth. Certainly it
was worth trying. Not once but many
times during the preceding month Gre
nier had withheld the murderer's will
ing hand. When it did fall, what keen
er satisfaction could he have than the
knowledge that he would be enriched
by the deed?
"I can't see ahead like you said
Mason, at last. But I will obey or
ders. You tell ME where and when; l
. II be there"
Grenier shifted his feet uneasily.
II don't quite mean that" he said.
Il will acquaint you with certain facts
OF which you may rely absolutely. I
will forthwith act myself on the as
sumption that the real Philip Arson
won't interfere with me. That is ALL"
The other man guffawed most I'M
p~icdSdnllg. IulS SOpHiSIIJ Uiu AOI ny
peal to him.
Put it n way you like" he said.
You can depend on me for my part
of the bargain"
And you can be quite certain that
in a very little while we need not trou-
BILE our active wits any further as to
the wherewithal to enjoy life. / have
thought this, idea out in all its bear
ings. II simply can't fail, Come, let
us drink to a glorious future"
He reached for a decanter, but a
sudden 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 1T bore.
"What about you in that rigout?'
growied the stronger ruffian-
II will slip into the bedroom. Quick.
See who it is"
Langdon entered.
where's Victor?" he said eagerly.
I'm his room: he will be here in a
moment. What's the matter? You look
pretty glum-"
i've had a piece of wretched luck.