The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-10-28

pleased to settle the matter at ono
on that basis"
II gave you my decision last night,
Matt said. "Or rather | told you
hadn't the information you wanted
You surely can not have any better
proof of II than this What man il
his senses would refuse a hundred
thousand dollars: know | wouldn't
was only joking when ! raised you
! II WAS only to see how far you would
| go Mr. Kay. You are trying to buy
| something ! haven't got. and there j,
| is in Il nutshell"
Then who was the violinSt you
referred to in that newspaper account
The man who played on the ship. and
qncllcd the savageS when they were
ready 10 attack you? Answer me that
please 1t is very important it is the
key to everything"
Matt started he had completely for
gotten that chance reference to John
Mort: the indiScretion of it now took
his breath away. What an ass he had
been ever to let Hunter Hoyt extort
il from his lips!
answer me that" continued the
stranger with CLEAN of his yellow
teeth, and clutching at Mats arm
again
'Oh. the vioiniSt?" returned Matt,
pretending to laugh. He was nothing
to get excited about. In reality. he
wasn't a violinSt at all. but played the
concerIina. and he didn't quel any
body. That was all the newspaper
mems work. like most of the interview.
1t was simply that we had a scare
once down in New Britain and kept
him playing till we could get at our
pistols"
"Then there was nothing in it,"
"Wel there had been massacre in
the next bay. and
But no vioinist? No one at all re-
sembling the miniature showed you?"
NO. no. He was a Dutchman nam
ed Van Tassel and had been waiter
in a Sydney restaurant He was 4 hot
tempered little fellow and had hit
somebody over the head with Il bottle
That's how we came to take m-paid
us t2O to Smuygle him out of his
Scrape"
Il see that you can't help us" said
Mr. Kay after pause. ITS dsap-
pointing to have to admit it. wish
| could persuade You to 90 before my
prine ipls and tell them what you've
told mo They blame me for my fail
IRE are not convinced. you know
think they could have got this infor-
nation ont Of Youths information
that isn't there. Perhaps might
make ii worth your while to come
ont of my own pocket, you know out
of NY own pocket Would you con
slider it,"
Where do YOU want me to go?"
Only to the railway station, to a
private car we have sidetracked there.
You could show them that we are Oh
wrong scent support me in what
have already reported. | should be
glad to pay $50 Surely that would
be worth half an hour Of your time!
What do you say"
Matt hung back. He was confused.
undecided and not unconscious of
vague apprehension. Yet the $50 was
terribly tempting. 1t would allow him
to extend his stay in ManaSwan; to
put off bis departure for Il couple Of
weeks; IL be near Chris to see her, to
talk TO her, to finger in paradise before
he would be east out OF it forever.
Nor would 1t be any dlSioyalty To John
Mort. but merely repetition Of eva
sion and falSehood. possibly even help
tu now that he WAS better lprcWarn-
ed As to their doing hiu amy harm
that was prepoSterons. Threaten. per
hapS: Well, let them threaten. One
could stand a lot of threatening for
500
"Yes, I'll so for $50" he said. Only
il YOU don't mind Id rather have it in
advance
Mr.. Kay FASTENED to count ont two
twentcS and Il ten. and then seemed
to find il IN inlliction that Matt should
suggest any further delay. 1t WAS only
to run upstairs and leave the money
and his purse under the pillow, but
Mr. Kay chafed and demurred. and
Matt on bis return found him waiting
with i'll suppressed Impotence.
"Come alon"," he cried. and, grip
ping Mats arm as though not to al
low him - escape again. hurried down
the board walk to the automobile.
moment later they We're both inside
and the car swiftly moving.