Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1916-03-11

Your dear count will do nothing of
the sort, Mr.. Lanyard If you need
name to call me by, Smiths good
enough
The incisive force of his enunciation
carried out consistently the general
habit of the man. Lanyard recognized
nature no more pliable than his own
Idle to give time to pickering with
this one.
1T doesn't matter" he said shortly.
and. drawing back chair. sat down.
IF it did. l should insist-or else de-
cline the honor of receiving the ad-
dresses of this cosmopolitan commit
tee Truly, you fatter me. Here we
have Mr. Wertheimer. representing
the swell mobsmen across the chan
mel; NJ. lie Comte standing for the
gratin of Paris-and vice versa; Popi
not. spokesman for our friends. the
Apaches, and the well-knowa Mr..
Goodenough Smith. ambassador of the
gunner of New ork-apparently. A
most suspicious occasion! But l pre-
sumo I'm to understand you wait upon
me mainly as representing the fine
flower of the European underworld ?"
You're to understand that I. for
one. don't like your impudence." the
stout Popinot snapped.
Sorry. But 1 have already indicat-
ed my inability to take you seriously
why not?" the American demand
ed ominously. You'd be sore enough
If we took you as a joke. wouldn't
your
You misapprehend. Mr.. ali =
Smith; it is my first aim and wish that
| you do not take me in any manner.
shape or form. 1t is you. remember,
who requested this interview. and
| er-dressed your parts so strikinglJ."
What are we to understand by
that?" De Morbihan interposed-
This. messieurs if you must
| know" Lanyard dropped for the mo-
ment his tone of raillery and bent for
ward. emphasizing his points by tap
| ping the table with a foreinger
| Through some oversight of mine. Or
cleverness of yours can't say which.
| perhaps both-you have succeeded In
penetrating my secret. What then?
You become envious of my success.
In short, l stand in your light-I'm
always getting away with something
you might have lifted if you'd only
| had wit enough to think OF it first.
AS your American confrere. Mr.. Mys-
| terious Smith, would say, l 'cramp
your style"
| You learned that on Broadway"
the other commented shrewdly.
| Possibly. To continue: So you get
| together and bite your nails until you
| concoct a plan to frighten me into
sharing profits with you. I've no doubt
| you're prepared to allow me to retain
one-half the proceeds of my operations
| should l elect to ally myself to your"
That's the suggestion we were en-
powered to make" De Morbihan ad-
| mitted.
I'm other words, you need me- You
say to yourselves: Wen pretend to
be the head of a criminal syndicate.
such as the silly novelists are forever
writing about, and we'll threaten to
putt him out of business unless he
comes to our terms But you over
look one important fact: that you are
not mentally equipped to get away
| with this amusing impersonation!
| What! Do you expect me to accept
you as leading spirits of gigantic
criminal system-you, Popinot. who
live by standing between the police
and your murderous rats of Belle
Vile, or you, Wertheimer, sneak thief
and blackmailer of timid women. or
you, De Morbihan, because you exc
out your income by showing a handful
| of second-story men where to seek
plumber in the houses of your friends p
He made a gesture of innpatience
and lounged back to await the answer
to this indictment. His gaze, ranging
the four, encountered but one face
| that was not darkly flushed with re-
sentiment. and this was the Ameri-
cans.
Aren't you forgetting me?" this
last suggested gently.
| "On the contrary. i refuse to rec
ognize you in this conference as long
as you lack courage to show your
| face
LAS you will, my friend" the Ameri-
can chuckled- Make your profit out
of that any way you like ..-.--5.r
4 Lanyard sat up again Wen. I've
stated your case 1t amounts to
simple, clumsy blackmail. I'm to split
my earnings with you or you'll de-
nounce me to the police That's about
it, isn't it?'
Not of necessity De Morbihan
purred softly. twisting his mustache.
For my part" Popinot declared
hotly. Il engage that monsiog- of the
high hand here will either work with
us or conduct no more operations in
Paris"
"Or in New York" the American
amended.
.Eupland is vet to be heard from -