Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-06-04
AmLION1
Or Hudson ouSlas'

1gy'|.l0.I17'lh(
"-'"T"'Ssal9l !a.ssF
situation, nor yet the San Francisco law
ycrs with whom Seager had already been
in correspondence, and who had accepted
his plausibly proven statement that he
was Stephen Quaintance. They had there
fore sent him whatever information he
asked, and only baked at his application
for funds to enable him to comply with
Miles Quaintances stipulation. That did
not lie within their province, they said,
and Mr.. Stephen Quaintance must make
his own way to the address in Paris with
which they had supplied him, and where
the girl might be found. While, falling
receipt of proof that the marriage re-
CURED had been duly solemnized within
the twelvemonth which was almost up.
1t would be their duty to distribute the
estate among such charities as had been
designated by the testator.
Dirck Arendsen's brain was busy seek
ing some weak point on which to pounce,
but without finding any. Even had the
real Stephen Quaintance been living, 1t
would have been very hard for him TO
disprove it. There was a covetous CLEAN
in Dirck Arendsen's eyes.
''Well?" he asked Where do I come
in-Mr. Quaintance?"
Tell me how 1t strikes you," requested
Seager, his face aglow.
"A good deal depends on the girl OF
course"
lyon don't suppose, do you, that any
girls going to turn down the chance OF
splitting ten millions with me? Hang II
all, Arendsen, I'm surely not so old and
ugly as that!
IT shouldn't think So" Arendsen had
to admit however grudgingly.
Have you got his diaries with you!
l he demanded.
! Nope" said Seager. They're at the
hotel, but I've memorized the most OIL
/ their contents. I'm Stephen Quaintance
| and Dominic Seager's done with
! you'd look foolish if she didn't fancy
you," Arendsen put in maliciously and to
gain time.
what difference would It maker" Sea-
ger answered angrily. You know what
| women are, Arendsen. I'll find means &c
have the knot safely tied well within the
time limit and whether 1 happen to hi
| her fancy or not. You may trust me to
take il is as gospel that no woman living
is going to stand between me and five
millions. She may make any conditions
; she pleases, so long as she marries me-
1 don't care II I ever see her face again
after the wedding. I'll disappear and
send her n death certificate, so that she'll
be free to marry again If she wants to-
All she has to do is to go to the regis
trar's with me, and pocket her share OF
the money. I'll make 1t so easy for her
that she'll maybe want to keep me-but
We'll have to see about that afterwards
The great point at present is to get mar
ried without a moments delay
'"Then why don't you start for Paris
at once?" interrupted Arendsen, and the
ironical question brought his visitor to
the climax of their interview.
How can l." he answered irritably,
until you come in with the capital. Let's
talk sense. It's up to you to let me have
a couple of thousand dollars, and I'll pay
you cent per cent. It'll be the easiest
money you ever touched, and-otherwise
you'll get nothing"
Arendsen was still reflecting rapidly.
He had a far better idea of the value of
money than Seager. He also knew
that there was no time to be lost. and
did not spend any on futile finessing.
The other had perforce come to him as
lamb to the slaughter, and 1t was a
pleasure to bleed him.
I'm put up one thousand dollars" he
said at length, land not a cent more.
It's a sheer speculation but I'll risk that
much on Stephen Quaintance's note for
two million five hundred thousand
and Dominic Seagers for the eighty thou
sand you owe me already, with interest
at ten per cent
Now listen to me-" he went on as Sc
gar glared at him with a ludicruos mix
ture of rage and amazement. IF you
kick, I'll squeaL If you make any bones
about it, I'll lock you up. If you do me
dirt in the smallest particular"-he lean
ed forward and shook a warning finger in
his confederates face-'In'-
He said no more but sat back, sat
isfied. His man was utterly in his pow
err now, and he saw that Dominic Sea-
ger had come to an understanding of his
position.
"All right then" assented that worthy
in a husky voice and after an interval
spent in staring open-mouthed at his OPP
pressor.
And now, if you'll count the cash out,
I'll give you your notes-I've been prac-
! ticing Quaintance's signature so that it
comes off the pen as readily as my own;
and I'll skip across to Cherbourg
by the first steamer"
He signed a separate name to each of
the documents which his companion had
been preparing, and pocKered without
counting them the notes produced by the
latter from the big safe.
You'll cable me the moment the bond
is registered" Arendsen called after him,
land write me by every mail. If 1 fail
to hear from you regularly I'll under
stand that there's something wrong, and
be after you like a shot"
'Ill send you the news, sure" Seage-
called back. He had not failed to COM
prehend the threat underlying the careless
words.
When next morning, Arendsen rang up
the steamship office to ask whether q
berth had yet been reserved for Stephen
Quaintance, he was politely informed that
that gentleman was then on the point of
sailing for Paris.
Continued in Next Issue