The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1910-05-26
ANGEL ESQUIRE
BY EDGAR WALLACE

through it before" he added, then h
looked at the girl in meditation.
Il have two propositions before me,
he said, "and want your help"
You VIII have no help from me
Mr. SPEEDING" she replied coldly. ITO
morrow you will be asked to explain
your xtraordinary conduct"
He laughed.
Tomorrow, by whom? BY Angel o.
the young swell mobsman who's hal
In love with you?
/ He laughed again as he saw the colol
rising to the girls cheeks.
/ "Ah! I've hit the mark, have II"
! She received his speech in coBtemp
tuous silence.
Tomorrow I shall be away-wel
away, trust, from the reach of either
or the gentlemen you mention. l an
rot concerned with tomorrow as much
as today" She remembered that they
were within an hour of daybreak. ITO.
day is most fateful day for me--and
for you" He emphasized the last
words.
She preserved an icy silence.
IF l may put my case in a nutshell,
he went on, with all his old time suav-
ity, II may say that it is necessary for
me to secure the money that is stored
in that ridiculous safe" She checked
an exclamation. "Ah. you under
stand? Let me be more explicit. When
L say get the money, mean get 1t for
myself, every penny Of It, and convert
1t to my private use. You can have no
idea," he went on, chow comforting II
is to be able to stand up and say in so
many words the unspoken thoughts of
year, to tell some human being the
most secret things that l have so far
hidden here" he struck his chest. II
had thought when old Reale's commits
sion was intrusted to me that / should
find the legatees ordinary plain, every
day fools, who would have unfolded to
me day by day the result Of their in
vestigations to my profit. I did not
reckon very greatly on you, for women
are naturally secrettve and suspicious,
but did rely upon the two criminals.
My experience OF the criminal classes,
fairly extensive one, led me to be-
lieve that with these gentry I should
have no difficulty" He pursed his
lips. II had calculated without my
Jimmy" he said shortly. He saw the
light in the girls eye. "Yes," he went
on. Jimmy is no ordinary man, and
Angel Is glaring instance of bad no.
menclature. i nearly had Jimmy once.
Did he tell you how he got the red en-
velope? I see he did not. Well. I
nearly had him. 1 went to look for his
body next morning, and found nothing.
Later In the day I received a picture
postcard from him, Of a particularly
fippant and vulgar character" He
stopped as IL inviting comment.
Your confessions have little interest
for me-" said the girl quietly. II am
now only anxious to be rid of your
presence"
II am coming to that" said the law
yer. II was very rude to you a little
while ago, but l was busily engaged,
and besides / desired to give you an
artistic introduction to the new condi-
ton. Now, so far from being rude, I
wish to be very kind"
In spite Of her outward calm, she
trembled at the silky tone the lawyer
had now adopted.
My position Is this" he said, there
is an enormous sum Of money, which
rightly is yours. The law and the in
clination OF your competitor-we will
exclude Common, who is not a factor
give you the money. 1t Is unfortunate
that l also, who have no earthly right,
should desire this money, and we have
narrowed down the ultimate issue to
this: Shall 1t be SPEEDING or Kath-
leen Kent? / say SPEEDING, and cir
cumstances support my claim, for I
have you here. and, If you will pardon
the suspicion Of melodrama, very much
in my power. If am to take the two
million, your two millions, without in
terruption, 1t will depend entirely upon
YOU"
Again he stopped to notice the effect
OF his words. The girl made no re-
spouse. but he could see the terror in
her eyes.
IF / could have dispensed with your
services, or If 1 had had the sense to
guess the simple solution of this cursed
puzzle, i could have done everything
without embarrassing you in the
slightest; but now 1t has come to this
I have got to silence you"
He put forward the proposition with
the utmost GOODNESS. and Kathleen felt
her senses reel at all the words implied.
II can silence you by killing YOU" he
said simply, 'or by marrying you. II
could think of some effective plan by
which might be sure Of your absolute
obliteration for two days, I would glad
ly adopt 1t: but you are a human wom-
an. and that is too much to expect.
Now. of the alternatives, which do you
PREFER"
She shronk back against the shut
tered window. her eyes on the man.
You are doubtless thinking of the
chauffeur" he said smoothly, but you
NAV leave him out Of the reck oning.
Had your ears been sharp, you would
have heard the car going back half
an hour ago-he Is awaiting our re-
turn half a mile away. IF return
alone he Will doubtless be surprised.
but he will know nothing. Do you not
see picture of him driving me away.
and me, at his side. turning round
and waving a smiling farewell to an
Imaginary woman who Is invisible to
the chauffeur? Picture his uneasiness
vanishing with this touch. Two days
afterwards he would be on the sea
with me. ignorant of the murder, and
curious things happen at sea. Come,
Kathleen. is It to be marriage"
DEATH" she cried hoarsely, then.
es his swift hand caught her by the
throat, she screamed.
His face looked down into hers, no
muscle Of 1t moved Fixed, rigid and
full Of his dreadful purpose, she saw
the pupils OF his pitiless eyes contract.
Then Of a sudden he released hold of
her, and she fell back against the wall.
She heard his quick breathing, and
closing her eyes, waited.
Then slowly she looked up. She saw
revolver in his hand, and in a numb
kind Of way she realized that 1t was
not pointed at her.
Hands up!" She heard Spedding's
harsh shout. Hands up, both Of you'll"
Then she heard an insolent laugh.
There were only two men in the
world who would laugh like that in
the face Of death, and they were both
there. standing in the doorway, Angel
with his motor goggles about his neck
and Jimmy slowly peeling his gloves.
Then She looked at Speeding.
The hand that held the revolver did
not tremble he WAS as self -pOSsasSad