Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1911-07-06

superior knowledge.
mo, no." protested Valentine. "this
photograph proves / was at ban
quet in st. Paul. I'll beat Doyle and
/ III make him like it."
you can't" was Avery's pessimis-
/ tic comment
You said we couldn't go square.
any Of us, and we all have" was Val
entlne's rejoinder. And if we can
beat the thing inside of us that calls
we can beat one man that hunts"
A clerk knocked at the door and en-
tered to ascertain if he should now
bring in trayful Of cash which Val
entine was to count. He was ordered
! to do so at once, and Avery's face be-
came a study as the young man soon
re-entered with a tray on which new
banknotes of large denominations were
piled among glistening rows Of gold
coin.
Great snakes, what a chance" eX-
claimed the one time thief, looking
| from Valentine to the Waterman.
'This is no place for me- Oh, just for
one grab and the quick getaway"
He mopped his wrinkled brow. Pm
sweating like a polar bear on the
Fourth of July"
Haven't got it out Of your blood
yet, eh?" asked Valentine.
Not the craving for real money.
! learned to let the wheat in the grain
elevator alone after a month or two,
hut lilo fhat-wOWp'
The old man stared fascinatedly at
the enticing tray
well, we watched each other for
awhile" commented Red, pointing to
his chief
"And amt neither Of you ever
snatched even one bundle?" asked
Avery incredulously.
NO"
"Wel, you better get me out Of
here I'm going to have lockjaw in
both hands in a minute" He reached
for his hat and stick.
"No, you're not" put in Valentine.
Come on, Red" he said, walking to
the vault room door. Pm going to
prove to Bill that he's honest. He's
going to watch that money till we
come back"
Avery cried out in protest, but Red
followed his superior. and the time
worn thief, who had confessed to his
friends the weakness that he we'll
knew yet lurked within him, was left
alone in the banking office before
tray containing $4,000 in cash. With
in reach was the door leading into the
open hallway through which it was
but a few seconds dash to the busy
street. where a man would Immediate
" be lost to view in the passing
throng.
"Tt's a dirty trick" muttered the old
man, starting after the others. shaft
of yellow light reflected from one OF
the golden coins caught his eye, drove
into his very brain, into the thin red
blood that coursed through his hard
ening veins. He stopped. He turned
full around and slowly, with hands
eagerly outstretched, tiptoed back to
the table bearing the precious burden
His brows narrowed down over his
pale gray eyes. his fingers, long talons
in their curved fXedness, began to
nervously twitch. Then Avery jerked
himself away of sudden. He straight
ened himself up and started toward the
vault room door to summon Valentine.
But even as he did so his glance rOved
back to the alluring tray. He was
drawn to it as the nerveless rabbit
that succumbs to the insidious charm
Of the oscillating head of the hungry
python.
He stepped to the tray. He seized
two packages of hundred dollar bills,
/ thrust them into his pockets. then
clutched two more. The fever had
him. His eyes shone with the fire Of
gone days and gone nights. His poi
soned blood sang through his veins.
Then he stopped once more He raised
his head.
"And have the coppers after me
again." he murmured thoughtfully. He
laid down a package. "And double
cross a pal that put me straight. Not
me. not me-" He replaced the re-
mainder Of the money. "And coin that
comes crooked never was any good"
Avery stood before the tray Of mon
ey. Now he looked at the tempting
fortune with the sure knowledge that
he had conquered-that he had faced
his greatest test and had not been
found wanting.
The thought Of how narrowly he
had escaped committing the meanest
crime Of his career came over him,
and he realized that he had been on
the verge of plunging himself into the
death dealing life from which Valen-
tine had rescued him. Ungovernable
rage possessed him at his insane lapse
into the self that he had cast from
him. He swung his fist at the neatly
stacked piles Of gold pieces.
Course you, curse your he cried in
frenzy. The tray and it's contents
crashed to the floor and the money
scattered in all directions.
Valentine and Red. hearing the noise.