Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-06-01

age to face Black Dirck."
He smote his leg with the cane he car
/ ried, and threw out his chest in ostenta-
| tious bravado.
who's afraid of Black Dirck, any
how?" he soliloquized sternly.
And, even IL do happen to owe him
small sum, I'll soon be able to wipe that
off with interest. With interest, mark
YOU. For Dominic Seager's dead honest,
| lust as soon as he can afford to be. And
this is a sure thing, brassbound cinch
I've proof enough to convince a whole
court of inquiry.
Thus holding communion with himself
and. at the same time, bolstering up his
moral courage, he boarded a Broadway
car bound for the Battery. Better strike
while the irons hot" he advised him
| self
This same Dominic Seager, who had
not fiinched before the revolver aimed
at him by the girl on the broken-down
runabout, was not lacking in that ply
| steal quality which so often enables
men of his stamp to brave bodily danger
unmoved. But it must be admitted with
equal frankness that. as he drew rapidly
nearer Duane street, he became ment-
ally i'll at ease, his spirit of valor oozing
from his finger tips.
eff he'll only listen to me-" he whis-
pered uneasily, slackening his pace, II
can soon make everything right. All there
is between us is a mere fiea-bite compar-
ed with the stake I can share with him
now. can convince him that it will pay
handsomely to let bygones be bygopes."
He squared his shoulders now dnd
strobe forward till he came to a dingy
door bedizened with an unclean brass
plate bearing the simple statement,
d. ARENDSEN. Inc.
Wholesale Hardware.
and. pushing it open, passed through.
There was nothing at all alarming
about the scene inside. A shabby office
interior, much divided by dirty parti-
tions.
The apprehensive adventurer, proceed
ing to a private office, seated himself
cavalierly In front of the desk occupied
by the parsonage who was d. Arendsen,
Inc, a very truculent-looking man Of
swarthy complexion, possessed of a bushy
black beard and moustache.
Mr.. Arendsen raised his eyes, and so
suddenly that Seager was startled. But
| nevertheless he met them with a sue
cessful enough assumption of GOODNESS.
sol! Kissed Mr.. Arendsen, with slow
ly rising infection, and in the monosyl-
| liable there was purposeful menace.
Now don't get hot" Seager advised.
controlling his own premonitions of COM
ing trouble. 1--WE come to settle about
that shipment, and 1 want you to hear
me out in a rational spirit"
Mr.. Arendsen did not appear to have
heard him in any spirit at all.
"wulf," he called, run round to the
corner of Hudson, and fetch a cop"
Then he leaned back, elbows upon the
arms of his chair.
'T'n settle with compound interest"
Seager continued as though he had not
spoken, and watching him closely. Fig
ure It all out and let me know the
amount"
Mr.. Arendsen eyed him curiously. but
made no answer.
"Get busy" commanded the other. DO
you want me to withdraw my offer and
go?'
You'll go. all right" Arendsen retort-
ed gratingly. "Oh, yes, you'll go where
70 uought to have gone long ago, and
youth stay there"
Don't fool yourself, Arendsen. If you
put me away, you'll get nothing. It'll
cost you lot to put spite on me, and
Il can tell stories, too
You know nothing that will do me the
least harm-now," his enemy replied
imperturbably. "All it will cost me -
wipe out old scores I'll stand for-it's
lost money anyhow. You've come here
with another cock and bull story, and
wanting more money. 1 know you too
we'll to think any other errand would
tempt you to cross my threshold. 1t will
cost no less to lock you up than to
LISTEN
Seager was disconnected by the intui-
ton with which his former friend had hit
the mark, and showed that by his next
move.
tits a sure thing this time" he said
"a cold-drawn cinch. 1 have full proof
with me'-he fumbled in a pocket and
produced a bulky package which he held
up before the other-'all signed and seal
ed, all safe and certain. You're not going
to be such a fool
81 have been a fool-once," asserted
Arendsen, with dreary fixity of purpose
Seager saw that the man meant what
he said. and was about to rise, with some
faint hope that he might yet make his
escape, when he heard hasty footsteps.
He thrust the papers back into his pock-
ct, and when his hand came forth again
1t held a pistol. He dropped his wrist,
so that 1t lay levelly in line with Arend-
sens low forehead.
IF 1 go to Sing Sing" he said in
tense voice, head forward, ''Ill go for a
good reason. damn you! If you value
your life, send the cop away"
Arendsen's dull eyes had dilated slight
", and his teeth showed, snarling,
through his beard, but otherwise he had
not moved.
"Wulf," he said quietly. "Give the cop
half a dollar and send him away"
The steps outside had almost reached
the door before they halted and turned
back.
The two men in the small square room
drew deep breaths of relief. That minute
had been pregnant with grave possibili-
ties for both, but they recovered from its
influence with an ease which proved that
they were we'll used to facing chances of
that sort.
You're bold" commented Ardensen.
IF you were also honest to your friends
I could have done good things with you
and for you"
well quit that line of talk now" said
seagar sourly While he was master of
the situation he would be treated with
respect He knew, of course, that all he
had gained was a respite. but felt quite
confident that he could turn that into
free pardon.
I've got proposition to put before you
which beats the gun-running business: L
wouldn't have come here at all il 1 hadn't
been certain sure that it's sound"
"Tn listen" assented his victim, but
tell me first-what did you do with the
money they paid you for those cartridges