Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-03-20
Now" whispered Magee to

Now" whispered Magee to Miss
Norton. I'll get you that package.
I'll prove that it was for you 1 fought
and bled the mayor of Reuton. Watch
for our chance. When l see you again
I'll have 1t in my pocket"
You mustn't fail me-" she replied.
1T means so much"
Mr.. Magee started for the stairs.
Between him and them loomed sud-
denly the great bulk of Mr.. Cargan.
His hard menacing eyes looked full
into Magee's.
Il want to speak to you, young fell
low" he remarked.
I'm flattered," said Magee, that
you find my company so enchanting.
In ten minutes I'll be ready for an
other interview"
You're ready now," answered the
mayor, "even if you didn't know it..
I've been trying to dope you out, and
l think I've got you. I've seen your
kind before. Every few months one
of 'em breezes into Reuton, spends a
whole day talking to a few rats I've
had to exterminate from politics and
then flies back to New York with a
ten page story Of my vicious career all
ready for the linotypes. Yes, sir,
got you. You write sweet things for
the magazines"
Think SOP" inquired Magee.
Know it," returned the mayor
heartily. $50 you're out after old Jim
Cargan's scalp again. are you?
thought that now, seeing stories on
the corruption of the courts is so
plentiful, you'd let the same Of the
city halls alone for awhile. But
well, I guess I'm what you guys call
good copy. Big, brutal. uneducated,
picturesque-yous see 1 read them sto-
ries myself How long will the Ameri-
can public stand being ruled by a man
like this, when 1t might be authoriz-
ing pretty boys with kid gloves to get
next to the good things? That's the
dope, amt 1.-THE old dope Of the re-
form gang. the ballyhoo of the bunch
that can't let the existing order stand ?
Don't worry. l amt going to get
started on the gang. But 1 want to
talk to you seriously-like a father.
There was a young fellow like you
once
Like me?"
Exactly. He was out working on
long hours and short pay for the re-
form gang, and he happened to get
hold of something that a man knew
"a man high up in public office
wanted and wanted bad. The young
fellow was going to get 5000 for the
article he was writing. Ny friend Of
fered him $4,000 to call it off. What'd
the young fellow do?"
Wrote the article, of course" said
Magee.
"Now-now." reproved Cargan.
That remark don't fit in with the esti-
mate I've made of you. 1 think you're
a smart boy. Don't disappoint me.
This young fellow I speak of-he was
smart, all right. He thought it over,
Magee. the same as you're going to do.
You're on says this lad and added
five figures to his roll as easy as we'd
add a nickel He had brains, that
guy"
"And no conscience" commented
Magee.
Conscience" said Mr.. Cargan.
"ain't worth much except as an ex-
cuse for a man that hasn't made good
to give his wife. How much did you
say you was going to get for this ar
ticle?"
Mr.. Magee looked him coolly in the
eye.
IF it's ever written" he said, ut
will be a $500, 900 story"
There amt anything like that in it
for YOU" replied the mayor. Think
over what I've told you."
I'm afraid" smiled Magee. Pm
too busy to think"
He again crossed the Office floor to
the stairway Before the fire sat the
girl of the station, her big eyes upon
him pleadingly. With a reassuring
smile in her direction, he darted up
the stairs.
"And now," he thought as he closed
and locked the door of No. behind
him. for the swag. So Cargan would
give $4,000 for that little package. I
don't blame him."
He knelt by the fireplace and dug up
the brick under which lay the pack
age so dear to many hearts on Bald
pate mountain.
II might have known" he muttered.
For the money was gone. He dug
up several of the bricks and rummag-
ed about beneath them. No use. The
fat little bundle of bills had flown.
Only an ugly hole gaped up at him.
(To be Continued.)