The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1911-03-17
Valentine and Avery laughed in their
uuporiOr knowlpdQo

mo. no." protested Valentine. this
photograph proves l was at ban
quet in St. Paul. I'll beat Doyle and
I'll 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
entipes 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 q 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 We're
piled among glistening rows Of gold
| coin.
Great snakes, what a chance! eN-
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. I'm
sweating like polar bear on the
Fourth of July
Haven't got it out of your blood
vet, eh? asked Valentine.
mot the craving for real money. l
| learned to let the wheat in the grain
elevator alone after month or two,
but coarse money like that-wow"
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.
mo"
"Well. you better get me out Of
here. I'm going to have lockjaw In
both hands in 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. I'm 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 vet lurked within him. was left
alone in the banking Office before a
tray containing $4,000 in cash. With
| in reach was the door leading into the
open hallway through which it was
! but q few seconds dash to the busy
street. where man would immediate
! ly be lost to view i'm the passing
throng
"It's a dirty trick" muttered the old
man, starting after the others. A 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. tfptOed back to
the table bearing the precious burden.
His brows narrowed down over his
pale gray eyes, his fingers. long talOns
in their curved fixedness. began to
nervously twitch. Then Avery jerked
himself away of a 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 Nlccumbs to the insidiOus charm
Of the oscilIating 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
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 package. And double
cross 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.
! Curse you. curse you 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.
came rushing in from the vault room
They saw the floor Uttered with bank
notes and coins And crOuchinp for