The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1915-07-15
mo, nor want to. Leave him alone

| damned afraid of him. Don't mistake
me. I'd like to see him fat beaten,
down and out for good. I'd like to see
him lose that windfall, every cent of it.
But don't want to get in his way just
now"
Rot! Don't you worry; no beach
comber like that can stand up long in
| front of me. He threatened on board
that he was going to collect that fifty
pounds. He hasn't been very spry
about it,"
81 should like to be with you when
you meet"
Mallow grinned. mot above seeing
pal get walloped, Ell? Well, you get
ringside ticket It'll be worth it."
II don't want to see you get licked"
denied Craig irritably. ~All I ask Is
that you shelve some Of your cock
sureness. I'm not so dead broke that
must swallow all of 1t. I've warned
you that he Is strong man. He used
to be one of the best college athletes
| in America"
"College!" exploded Mallow. what
the devil does college athlete know
about dock-fight?"
Ever see a, game of football?"
mo"
well, take it from me that It's the
| toughest game going. It's q game
| where you put your boot in mans
face when he's not looking. Mallow,
| they kill each other in that game. And
Ellison was one of the best, fifteen
years ago. He used to wade through
ton of solid, scrapping, plunging
flesh. And nine times out Of ten he
used to get through. I want you to
beat him up, and it's because l do
that I'm warning you not to underesti-
mate him. On shipboard he handled
me as you would bag of salt; damn
him! He's a surprise to me- He looks
as if he had lived clean out here.
There's no booze sign hanging out on
him, like there is on you and me-"
Booze never hurt me any"
You're galvanized inside" said
Craig, staring again at Elsa. He
wished he knew how to hurt her, too.
But he might as well throw stones at
the stars.
"How would you like to put one over
on this chap Ellison?"
I'm what way?"
Mallow smoked for moment, then
touched his breast pocket significantly.
mot for mine," returned Craig.
Cards are my long suit. I'm no Sec
Ond-StOry man not vet"
81 know. But supposing you could
get it without risk?"
In the first place. the bulk of his
cash is tied up In letters Of credit"
"Ah. you know that?"
What good would 1t do to pinch
those? In Europe there would be
some chance. but not here where boats
are two weeks apart. A cable to Ran
COON would shut off all drawing. He
could have others made out. In cash
he may have few hundreds"
Cali gamblers are more or less yell
| low" sneered Mallow. ''The streak In
you is pretty wide. I tell you, you
needn't risk your skin. Are you game
to put one over that will cost him lot
of worry and trouble?"
$50 long as can stand outside the
ropes and look on"
"He has thousand pounds in his
belt. No matter how / found out
How'd you like to put your hand on
it if you we're sure it would not burn
your ingers?"
"I'd like to, all right. But it's got to
be mighty certain. And the belt must
be handed to me by someone else. I've
half a wonder if you're not aiming to
get rid of me-" with an evil glance at
his tempter.
IF I wanted to get rid of you, this'd
be the way" said Mallow, opening and
shutting his powerful hands. I'm just
hungering for a bit of lark Come
on. A thousand pounds for taking
little rickshaw ride. Ever hear of
Wong's? Opium, pearls. oils and
shark fins?"
mo"
mot many do. ] know Singapore
like the lines on my hands. Wong is
the shrewdest, most lawless China
man this side Of Canton and Macao.
Pipes, pearls and shark fms. Big
money. Wong's the man to go to.
Want a schooner rugged out for illicit
shell hunting? Want a man shang-
haied? Want him written down miss
ing? Go to Wong"
"See here, Mallow; don't mind his
being beaten up; but what you say
doesn't sound good"
You fool, / don't want him out of
the way. Why should I? But there's
that thousand for you and worry for
him. All aboard!"
"You don't love Parrot & Co. any
more than | do
mo. I'd sleep better o. nights If
knew he was broken for keeps. Too
much red tape to put the United
States after him. How'd you rig him ?"
Faro and roulette. They never