Evening star., 1919-11-30
SINISTER

See here" he began briskly.
Would you lie to make five hundred
dollars?"
Your generosity is goin' to ruin
you some day." grinned back Dick,
''Why, you got about 'steen billion
here"
'Disten to me-" commanded the 9TH
er. unsmilingly. THAT money you see
there has got to be put back in the
bank, every cent of 1t, within two
weeks. It's too long a story to tell
you now. Some one may come along
here at any minute and you wouldn't
understand, anyway. The $500 I'll
pay you out of my own pocket. but
not one cent OF that money can be
touched"
lence.
~ guess I'm stupid. FRIEND" he an
nounced, finally. "All I know is that
you sure got piece of money in this
here grip-the whole top layer is $500
bills! When they miss this in the
mornin' and catch me amblin' around
here they'll put me in jail first and
look for YOU afterward. l just had a
little experience like that. Some low
down crooks blew a post office in a
place called Astoria and l happened
to be there when they did it-well,
just finished a five-year bit for that
this mornin'"
He stopped and eyed the other mar
rowly.
"As long as it's agreed I'm goin' to
Jail for this" he said. whats to stop
me from takin' it all?"
The other did not answer Immediate
iy. but nervously fumbling at his COL
lar--he seemed to have lost his assur-
ance almost as quickly as it had como
to him.
care you married." he asked, alb
ruptly.
Dick was genuinely surprised.
NO." he answered slowly, and his
thoughts went back with q poignant
flash to his Little Blue Lady. NO
[ amt What's that got to do with
it?'
TITS got everything to do with it."
retorted the other. speaking quickly
and passionatcly. I'm the cashier of
the bank. I've got wife and two
children 1 get a salary that q first
class bricklayer would turn down.
Well, I took a chance on something Il
few weeks ago for their sake, and it
failed to so through. I've got to have
money enough tomorrow morning to
pay for that chance or I'll go to Jail
That will XIII my wife! In two
wv
will enable me to pay back what I've
taken tonight. l.
He stopped, as far up the road came
the droning Of a motor. They caught
u flash of light and looked at each
other significantly.
IF you're workin' in that bank
shot out Dick. taking advantage OF
the others confusion, what did you
have to break in to get the money for,
why--'
Il wanted it to look like q bur
glary," broke in the other swiftly, "in
case it was missed before could re
place it. l fixed things in the vaul,
to make it look like an outside job"
Dick stood silently watching the
cleaning headlights of the automo-
bile far up the road which were
rapidly becoming more distinct-the
droning hum seemed to fascinate him,
recalling the night FIVE years ago H.
Astoria. when---
The other man tugged at his arm.
breaking his train Of thought.
"Here!" he cried, "come with me-
I'll show you I'm telling the truth"
He broke into run through the
shrubbery, half dragging Dick with
him. They came at length upon
clearing and in the space stood q
tWo-story house OF stucco, framed by
shade trees and a clinging vine of
some sort that curlcd prettily about
the windows and doorway. It, wasn't
Just n house-it had "home" written
all over 1t. There was no light visible
from any Of the windows, no sign OF
lie about the little building as the
man led Dick on tip-toe around tor
the rear.
Il live here" he whispered. "ColIe
in with me and you can hide Until
morning. AT o'clock there is a Nain
for Now York and I'll smuggN YOU
out before any one can see YOU. You
can take the five hundred and 20. II
you were caught wanderinR about
now you might be questioned and