The citizen., 1914-11-27
They wanted to get a bite to eat.


Sure; how was the showr
"Oh. the women liked It all right
didn't pay much attention"
Brands attitude changed suddenly
from federation to attack.
Your telegram-the wire you sent
me today. got 1t little late at the
office this afternoon; not in time to
see you before dinner"
"Yes. thought we had better be
alone for this matter"
We'll. let's get down to business" !"
said Brand. your letter asked for
some more money. You must think
carry $4,000 around in my vest
pocket. What do you want 1t for any
way? I thought you had run your
bank roll up considerably. You haven't
dropped 1t. have your
The question was put with apparent
sincerity. It would have been accept
ed in that light, but for the revelation
that Bob had just received from
Meade. In the hour that he had pom
dered over Dicks information. he had
determined to carry the fight to Brand
on his own ground. The request that
he made In the letter was for $4,000
to discount the overdraft he had drawn
on the bank. But he was armed for q
bigger battle now and his answer took
the millionaire Off his feet.
"Ten thousand dollars isn't the fig
ure. Brand" he said truculently. 1T
was this afternoon, but have heard
something that's boosted the request
little. l want $4,000. You got two
hundred thousand by making me a
crook. and you gave me forty thousand
| of 1t. Now. partners in any shady job
like ours are entitled to an even split,
and that's my terms. A hundred thou
sand dollars minus forty thousand Is
sixty thousand. How's my arithmeticT r
Perfect. Almost the work of a sane
man." answered Brand. But the de-
mand isn't"
why not?" Reynolds persisted. Il
did the work-took half the risk. and
l am not sure that you didn't intend
that l should take 1t all. Anyway, l
delivered the goods, didn't II"
Eyes. you did, but / discounted your
claim. It was who took the chance
and handed $4,000 right out to you. |
had no real assurance that you would
go through with 1t. might go little
further and remind you that 1t was l
who gave you the opportunity. l was
useful enough then, wasn't 1? But now
you're broke and you are just finding
out that l wasn't on the square"
Right. exactly right" Reynolds ex-
claimed vehemently. Just finding 1t
out. l went broke on Consolidated
Wire and you made 100000 on it the
same day. bought Consolidated Wire
on Hennings advice and you sold 1t
through the same broker. Maybe you
believe I'm a baby, but think it over
some more"
Reynolds stepped to the table again
and reached for the silver cased bot
tie. Brand leaped to his side and seized
his hand.
Put that down." he cried. Il want
to talk to you. and If you have got any
brains at all when you're sober, you'll
need them now. You're inferring, Rey-
nolds. that l sold you out through
Henning. You're a damned liar and a
sneak. You're trying to blackmail me
and that's the only thing to call 1t.
Why don't you come out and own up
to it. You went into this thing in good
faith on the agreement that $4,000
should pay you for the job. You made
some more money with my help and
then you got the big head, and tried to
make some more without it. You
ought to be playing penny ante instead
of the stock market. and II you think
you're going to scare me with any
such childs game as you're attempt
ing tonight, you're mighty far away
from the truth. Now, you be careful
or I'll take you by the nape of the
neck and when get through with you,
you'll take a little journey. and at the
end Of 1t you'll have good view of the
river. Do you get me?"
Reynolds flushed and his hand shook
as he poured out his brandy. He un-
derstood quite well that the million
aire meant he would view the Hudson
from the gray walls of Sing Sing.
"Just a moment. please. Brand" he
said. I'm going to take this and then
I'm going to have something to say to
you"
Brand turned away with shrug and
a grunt Of disgust
mo. think I'll go; it's a waste of
time"
Reynolds set his glass down with a
bang.
You'll 60 when I'm finished, Brand,
and not BEFORE" he exclaimed. 81 know
just what I'm talking about, and
know just what I'm going to do, and
all the brandy In this bottle, or a
whole case Of it wouldn't make the
facts any different. Your little pleas
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