El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-04-11

know what he wants
A moments hesitation, and million
aire Grafton gave instructions for the
stranger to be shown in. His brow
puckered as he paced the floor, wait
ing Hugh Scanlon? The name SEEM
ed familiar.
Suddenly he halted in his stride
The identity of the visitor had come
to him. California-the gold fields
the gray light of early morning.
landslide.
The door opened and the servant
entered. showing in the visitor.
For appreciable moments neither OF
the men spoke.
'fWelIr' The visitor jerked the
word out to break the silence. Graf
ton, millionaire and murderer! Glad
TO see me. eh?"
"Youi I--thought--you-- were--deadr
Yes" he answered. It's me right
enough. The man who saw you kill
Jake Price. You'd put that little Incl
dent away back on the top shelf in
your memory, 1 reckon, Ell? l was
carried down that land slide and bur
led alive. 1t was nearly a week be-
fore men with spades and picks reach
ed me. An overhanging shelf Of rock
saved me-
You'd gone by the time I was
when I was able to make inquiries.
I heard you were piling up the dollars
growing prosperous over the mine
that Jake discovered. and that you
stole, You'd gone to England and
floated 1t into a company-the first Of
the list of big companies that stands
to your credit now. Strange. isn't it,
what small beginnings will do? Well
you can't silence me like you did Jake
all the same, my tongues for sale.
If it isn't bought"-he shrugged his
shoulders-'1t's got to wag. And 1t
can reel off enough evidence to fit a
hempen moose round your neck!"
You know that you lie. you viii
lainr' he calculated at length. You
know full well that did not kill Jake
Price-he fell over the cliff"
"a yarn from the marines. How do
you account for Jakes body being
found riddled with shot?"
Il never heard
I'll give you a thousand pounds in
exchange for a written confession that
all you have said is lies, and the prom
Use that you will never again attempt
to blackmail me
What sort of idiot do you take me
for. anyway"
You mean the millionaire queried.
that isn't enough? Well" he hest
tated for moment. then blurted out,
I'll make it two"
You'll make it nothing! You don't
quite savvy, Grafton You've just got
to pay my price, if you want to keep
your end up"
How much?'
Nary a cent It's something else
I'm after. Your girl She's got to be-
come Mrs, Scanlonr'
eli he
had been struck a physical blow. His
daughteri To such mani Recover
ing himself a little. he said:
That is impossible; absolutely i'm
possible"
That's your final?" Scanlon flicked
the all from his cigar with assured
carelessness as he questioned. Good!
You're not a word waster. I know.
Neither am I. If your minds made up,
SOS mine. You swingr
You must be madi"
He rose leisurely. picked up his hat.
and walked towards the door. Reach
ing that he paused for a moment
with a hand on the handle-to say:
See here Grafton. I'll admit to
you that I'd rather set my heart
Don't talk to me of your heart"
No? Reckon 1 can't boast of one,
Ell? Well."-his shoulders went up
again-"there amt no profit in ergu-
ing about that But see here. De-
cisions come to in a hurry amt always
superfine ones. A few hours reflection
may alter your view Of things. Maybe,
if you chew it over, you'll find that
Hugh Scanlon, esquire. don't look so
undesirable in the role of soninlaw.
That means that 1 won't take your
No now; I'll call this evening for
your final"
Doris Grafton was standing on the
hearth rug. One of her arms rested
on the mantel board; it seemed that
she had needed support of some kind.
Whatever the. struggle. 1t was over;
although evidence of it remained in
the absence Of color in the tear-stains
on her cheeks,
Her great, unselfish love for her
father. triumphed. She had realized
at cost of herself
Scanlon's observation, in one thing,
had been wrong-about 'the other fell
low cropping up" There was AN
other" And it was thought of him
the man Doris loved-that caused the
girl to stand there almost unable to
move.
She wrote him. The letter asked
him to meet her that evening by a
seat IN henS1ngCOn gardens
an old trysting place of theirs.
He was waiting. at the appointed
hour, when she turned out Of the
broad path on to the narrow one.
Radiantly happy. he fastened towards
her with extended hands.
The happiness-an the color. too
died out of his face, as he listened
whilst she told him this was to be
their last meeting; that things had
happened which made marriage or fur
Their intercourse between them impos-
sible.
He persuaded her to tell him the
whole truth and then volunteered a
plan.
You see" he exclaimed. my gov
ernor has come home. Returned from
the west with more money than he
knows what TO do with. I'm the apple
Of his eye; he'll do anything 1 ask
him"
Your father, I thought, was"
Dead. So did I, dear. He got lost
in the wilds. and wandered about for