The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1914-12-11

st4s- cone Tor goon, lnceed, poo;
! devil! Norton took out a roll of bills
"There's two hundred in this roll
J ''Well?" said the captain. vastly as
tonished.
its yours If you will do me a
small favor"
IF 1t doesn't get me mixed up with
the police. I'm only captain of a
tramp; and some of the harbor police
have taken dislike to me. What dc
you want me to do?"
THE police will not bother you. This
man Hargreave had some enemies !;
they want either his life or his money;
maybe both. 1t is a peculiar case, with
Russia in the background. He might
have laid the whole business before
the police, but he chose to fight it out
himself. And to tell the truth, | don't
believe the police would have done
any good"
"Heave her over; what do you want
me to do for that handsome roll of
money!"
IF any man or woman who is not a
reporter comes to pump you tell them
the man went ashore with packet IN
der his arm"
"Tie knot in that"
Say that the man was gray haired,
clean shaver, straight, with a scar
high up on his forehead, generally COW
cred up by his hair"
! That's battened down, my lad Go
on"
Say that you saw him enter yonder
warehouse, and later depart without
I his packet"
Easy as dropping my mudhook."
That's ALL" Norton gave the cap
tain the money. "Good-by and many
| thanks"
/ Don't mention it."
! Norton left the slip and proceeded to
the office of the warehouse. He ap-
preached the managers desk.
Hello, Grannis, old top"
The man looked up from his work
surlily. Then his face frightened.
Morton? What's brought you here?
0, yes; that balloon business. Sit
down"
of that old hooker in the slip?"
"Shifty in gun running, but other
wise as square as die. Looks funny
to see an old tub like that fixed up
with wireless; but that has saved his
neck dozen times when he was run
ming it into a moose. Not going to in
terview me, are your"
mo. I'm going to ask you to do me
little favor"
They always say that. But spin
her out. If it doesn't cost me my job,
it's yours"
well, there will be a person max
ing inquiries about the mysterious
aeronaut. All l want you to say is,
that he left packet with you, that
you've put it in that safe till he calls |
to claim it."
Grannis nibbled the end of his pen.
Suppose some one should come and |
demand that / open the safe and de- |
liver?"
All you've got to do is to tell them
to show the receipt signed by you"
The warehouse manager laughed. |
Got lot of sense in that ivory dome |
of yours. All right. But If anything |
happens you've got to come around
and back me up. What's it about?"
That l dare not tell you. This
much, I'm laying a trap and I want
some one don't know to fall into it,"
ION your way, James. But if you
don't send me some prize fight tickets
next week for this, I'll never do you
another favor"
In reply Norton took from his pocket
two bits of pasteboard and laid them
on the desk. 81 knew you'd be want
ing something like this"
"Ringside!" cried Grannis. you re-
porters are lucky devils!"
I'D go myself if there was any
earthly chance of a real scrap. You
make me laugh, Gran. You're always
going, always hoping the next one will
be real one. But it's all bunk. The
Dugs are the biggest takers on top the
sod. They've got us newspaper men
lone to FRAGILE"
Il guess you're right Well, count
IN me regarding that mysterious
bundle in the safe"
AT three o'clock this afternoon l
want you to call me up. If no one has
,alled, why the game is up. But if
ome one does come around and make q
Inquiries, don't fail to let me know"
"I'll be here till FIVE I'd better call !
'ou up then"
Then Norton returned home and
died about till afternoon. He went )
yer to Riverdale. Five times he :,
7alked up and down the front of the :
Iargreave place, finally plucked up :,
is courage and walked to the door. y
lfter all, he was lucky mortal He 4
ad good excuse to visit this house II
very day in the week. And there was =
tantalizing in the risk he .
ook. Besides, he wanted to prove to = !,
imself whether it was passing fancy =
r something deeper. That's the way -
18th humans; we never see a sign *
Fresh Paint" that we don't have to
rove it. III
a<