The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-02-21

on arithmetic. And that makes you-all
dead easy in this deal OF mine. You're
sitting there and adding two and two
together. and you-sll know / sure got
you skinned. You know me, and that
l amt afraid Of nothing. And you-all
adds up all your money and knows
you amt a,going to die II you can help
It,"
I'll see you hanged" was Dow
setts retort.
Not by damned sight. When the
fun starts. you're the first l plug. TIL
hang all right, but you-all won't live
TO see 1T. You-all die hero and now
while I'll die subject to the laws delay
-savvee? Being dead, with grass
growing out Of your carcasses, you
won't know when hang, but I'll sure
have the pleasure a long time of
Knowing you-all beat me to IT,"
You surely won't kill us!- Letton
asked in queer, thin voice.
Daylight shook his head.
Its sure too expensive. You-all
amt worth 1t. I'd sooner have my
chips back. And l guess you-all d
sooner give my chips back than 20 to
the dead-house."
A long silence followed.
We'll, I've done dealt. It's up to
you-all to play. But while you're de-
nberating, want to give youall warn.
ing: II that door opens and any one
OF you cusses let's on there's anything
unusual right here and then l surs
start plugging. They amt a soul III
get out of the room except feet first"
long session of three hours follow.
ed. The deciding factor was not the
, big automatic pistol, but tho oertitude
that Daylight would use it. Not alone
were the three men convinced OF this,
but Daylight himself was convinced.
He was firmly resolved to kill the men
II his money was not forthcoming. II
was not an easy matter, on the spur of
the moment, to raise ten mil.
lions in paper currency, and there
were vexatious delays. A dozen times
Mr.. Howison and the head clerk were
summoned into the room. On these oc.
casions the pistol lay on Dayiisht's lap,
covered carelessly by a newspaper,
while he was usually engaged In roll.
ing or lighting his brown-pAper Gig.
arctic. But in the end, the thing was
accomplished. A suitcase was brought
up by one of the clerks from the wait.
Ing motor-car. and Daylight snapped II
shut on the last package OF bills. He
paused lat the door to make hts final
remarks.
There's three several things / sure
want to tell you-all. When get out.
, side this door. you-all'll be set free to
act. and just want to warn you-all
about what to do. In the first place,
no warrants for my arrest-savvee!
This moneys mine, and / ain't rob-
bed you of 1t. If 1t gets out how you
gave me the double cross and how ]
done you back again, the laugh III be
on you, and it'll be sure an almighty
big laugh. You-all can't afford that
laugh. Besides, having got back my
stake that you-all robbed me of, II you
arrest me and try to rob me a Sec
ond time I'll go cunning for you-aIl,
and I'll sure get you. No little fraid-
cat shrimps like you-all can skin Burn
Ing Daylight. If you win you lose, and
there'n sure be some several unexpect-
ed funerals around this burg. Just
, look me In the eye, and you-allll saw
wee l mean business. Them stubs
and receipts on the table Is all yourn.
Good day"
AS the door shut behind him, Ma
thaniel Letton sprang for the tele-
phone, and 'Dowsett intercepted him.
What are you going to do?" Dow
sett demanded.
THE police. It's downright robbery.
/ won't stand 1t. l tell you 1 won't
stand It,"
Dowsett smiled grimly, but at the
same time bore the slender financier
back and down into his chair.
We'll talk 1t over" he said; and
In Leon Guggenhammer he found an
anxious ally.
! And nothing ever came of It. The
thing remained a secret with the
three men. Nor did Daylight ever
give the secret away, though that aft
ernoon, leaning back in his stateroom
on the Twentieth Century, his shoes
on, and feet on a chair, he chuckled
long and heartily. New York remained
forever puzzled over the affair; nor
could 1t hit upon a rational explana-
ton. By all rights. Burning Daylight
should have gone broke, yet 1t was
known that he Immediately reappeared
In San Francisco possessing an appar-
emily unimpaired capital This was
evidenced by the magnitude OF the en-
terprises he engaged In, such as, for
instance, Panama Mail, by sheer
weight Of money and fighting power
wrestling the control away from Sheft-
ly and selling out in two months to the
Hartman interests at rumored enor-
nous advance