The Washington times., 1911-01-27
To Him That Hath
By LEROY SCOTT
Copyright he rank Munsey Coz
By LEROY S,
Copyright, The Frank A. Munsey Coz

1 Aldrich. 1 don't know what your game
| ls-but know there is a game. II you
want to find out how much l know,
come on. Let's go out and have
| drink"
An hour later David stepped from the
rear room of a Bowery saloon and
walked dazedly through the splattering
slush back to his house. He paused
| before it and gazed irreSclutely at Rog-
ers' office window, whose shade was
family aglow. He bagan to pace up
| and down the block, his eyes constantly
| turning to the window, his mind trying
to determine his honorable course; At
| last he crossed the street, entered the
house and knocked at Rogers, door.
Rogers admitted him with a look or
| quiet surprise and led the way across
his office into the neatly furnished room
behind, containing a couple of hundred
volumes and the couch on which he
slept He motioned David to a chair
| and he himself leaned against his table,
his hands folded across a copy OF "Pere
Goriot" he had been reading.
I'm very glad you came in" he said
in his low, even voice.
David gazed at Rogers in his attitude
| of waiting ease, and he suddenly felt
that to speak to this unsuspecting man
| that perhaps Rogers had caught ms
| strained look and that perhaps TINS
ease might be the mask of an agitation
! as great as his own He dropped ms
forced himself to look up. Rogers had
the same look and attitude Of quiet
waiting.
MIR. Rogers" David began, with an
effort, 81 have just been told something
that think l am bound to tell you.
! You hired me, befriended me, on the
belief that 1 knew nothing about you.
What I've heard may not be true; but,
at any rate, l feel 1t would not be hon.
orable in me to remain your employe,
in sense your friend, If concealed
from you that 1 know what may be
your secret"
voice.
IT'S doubtless all a mistake" said
David hurriedly, feeling that it was
not. I've just had talk with a man
l knew in prison-Bill Halpin. He's
been to see me several times. He
happened to see you. Something about
you struck him at once as familiar,
but he could not recognize you. He
saw you again. and he thought he
placed you. He called here, had talk
with you and on going away purpose
ly shook hands. There was no grip
in your little finger-you could only
half bend it. He said he placed you
by that"
Rogers still leaned against the table,
his figure motionless as before but
David could see that his quiet was the
quiet of a bow drawn to the arrow 8
head. The tendons of his hands, hold
and his yellowish face was now like
paper.
and who did he say I am?" his
voice asked, with low tensity.
"He told me that fifteen years ago
you and he were friends. pals-that
you were a famous safe
that you were Red Thorpe"
Instantly Rogers was another man
tense. slightly crOuching as though
about to spring. his eyes blazing. on
his face the fierce look of the hunted
creature that knows 1t Is cornered
and that intends to fight to the last.
A swift hand jerked open a drawer
from the table and rose. In it was a
revolver.
David sprang to his feet and step
ped back. Rogers glarcd at him for
a moment, and for that moment David
Rogers said: "What fool-to be
thinking of that and tossed the pis-
tol into the open drawer of his table.
Defiantly erect, he folded his arms,
his fierce pallor suggestive of white
heat, his eyes open furnace doors of
passion.
We'll, you've got me!' he said. with
strange, gutteral harshness. I've been
expecting this minute for ten years.
or blackmail me?"
David got back his breath
II don't understand. Halpin told me
he didn't think the police were after
They're not. I don't owe the State
minute" o..
Won understand-perfeCtly! His
words were a blast Of hot ferocity.
You know what would happen If my
customers learned 7 am an eX-Convict-
They'd take every house away from me,
and I'd again be an outcast. You know
in my throat. Well-I'll pay blood
money. I have paid 1t. A police cap
tain found me out, and for five years
sucked my blood-every cent l made
myself. How much dyou want blooo-
sucker?"
These hot words from this tense. white
figure filled with supremest rage ana de-
spair thrilled David infinitely; ne ,S tei9
the long struggle, the tragedy pehlhu
You misunderstood me-" he cried;
I've told you what I have because l
thought to tell was my duty 10 o,,snco you
I never could, Surely you KNOW
never could! Why, haven't you all TINS
time been making a terrible fight Tor
For ten years I've touched no mans
nenny but my own" he said tiercely:
I'm money matters I've been as honest
as God" IT., t,oo
and despair was growing-the despair
that sees defeat, failure; that sees the
skeleton walk forth from the closet he
has striven to keep locked. He looked
"But what difference does that make
TO you?" he asked bitterly. "Well-how
much is 1t to be?
The piercing brothership that had been
s1Ireine up in David for this desperate
defiant, suspicious man swept suddenly
Don't You see that we're making the
same fight?" he cried, with passionate
earenstness ''I admire you! I honor
vouI Your secret is as safe with me as
in your own heart!
David stretched out his hand. II honor
SI% For several moments Rogers tran
fxed David with suspicion. You're
speaking the truth-man?' he asked in
a low whisper.
"I am
He continued staring at David's open
face, flushed with its fervid kinship.
''If you're lying to mer'- he whis-
pered. Then he held out his hand and
his thin fingers gripped about David's
hand like tight-drawn wires. During
the month I've known .,,gGr you ? Ss,{sye ySG,ye
I,o,I Put mani don't play with mer