Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-05-29
EDGAR WALLACE
CHAPTER i.

The door opened and girl stooo
in the entrance hesitating.
Wont you come in?" SAID FOL
tavo. rising. -,
/ "Are you the editor of this paper!
asked the girl, as she slowly closed
the door behind her.
Poltavo bowed. He was always
ready to accept whatever honor
chance bestowed upon him. Had she
asked him if he were Mr.. Brown, he
would also have bowed.
II had a letter from you." said the
girl. coming to the other side OF the
table and resting her hand on It's
edge and looking down at him lit
tie scornfully, and a little fearfuliy,
as Poltavo thought.
He bowed again. He had not writ
ten letters to anybody save to his
EMPLOYER, but his conscience was an
elastic one.
81 write so many letters" he said
airily, that / really forget whether
Il have written to you or not. May l
see the letter."
She opened her bag, took out an
envelope, removed the letter and
passed it across to the interested
young man. 1t was written on the
noteheading of Gossip's Corner. but
the address had been scratched out
by a stroke of the pen. 1t ran:
Dear Madam
Certain very important informa-
ton has come INTO my possession
regarding the relationships between
yourself and Captain Brackly. l feel
sure YOU can not know that your
name is being associated with that
officer. AS the daughter and heiress
of the late Sir George BLK, you may
imagine that your wealth and posi-
ton in society relieves you of critic
ism, but l can assure you that the
stories which, have seen sent to me
would, were they placed in the hands
of your husband, lead to the most
unhappy consequences.
IN order to prevent this matter
going any further, and in order to
silence the voices OF your detractors,
our special inquiry department is
willing to undertake the suppression
OF these scandalmongers. 1t will
cost you 10000, which should be
paid TO me in notes. II you agree,
put an advertisement in the agony
column of the Morning Mist. and l
will arrange meeting where the
money can be paid over. On no ac-
count address me at my office or en-
deayor to interview me there.
Yours very truly.
y u. Brown"
poltavo read the letter and now
the function of Gossips Corner was
very clear. He refolded the letter
and handed it back to the girl.
II may not be very clever" said
the visitor, but | think l can under
stand what blackmail is when l see
it,"
Poltavo was in quandary but
only for moment.
Il did not write that letter." he
said suavely: sit was written with
out my knowledge. When l said
that was the editor of this paper. l
meant. of course, that | was the act
ing editor. Mr.. Brown conducts his
business quite Independently of my
self. l know all the circumstances"
he added hastily, since he was very
anxious that the girl should not re-
fuse him further information in the
belief that he was an inconsiderable
quantity, land l sympathize with you
most sincerely"
A little smile curled the lips of the
visitor.
Poltayo was ever a judge of men
and women, and he knew that this
was no yielding, timid creature to
I've terrified by the fear OF exposure.
1.-The matter can be left in the
hands of Captain Brackly and my
husband to SETTLE she said. II am
going to take the letter to my SOL
icitors. 1 shall also show it to the
two men most affected"
Now the letter had been written
four days earlier, as Poltavo had
seen, and he argued that If it had
not been revealed to these two men
most affected" in the first heat of
the lady's anger and indignation, it
would never be shown at all.
Il think you are very WISE" he
said suavely. after all, what is a
little unpleasantness of that charac-
ter: Who cares about the publica-
ton of a few letters?"
'1Ias he got letters?" asked the
girl quickly, with a change of tone.
Poltavo bowed again.
win they be returned?" she
asked:
Poltavo nodded, and the girl bit
her lips thoughtfullN
y see," she said
She looked at the letter again and
without another word went out.
Poltavo accompanied her to the
outer door,
1T is the prettiest kind of black
mail" she said at parting, and she
spoke without heat. II have only
now to consider which will pay me
best"
The Pole closed the door behind
her and walked back to his inner Of
flee, opened the door and stood
aghast, for sitting in the chair,
which he had so recently vacated,
was the yelled man.
lie was chuckling, partly at Pol
tavo's surprise, partly at some anus
ing; thought.
We'll done, Poltavo," he said: Tex
Cellently fenced"
Did you hear?" asked the Pole,
surprised in spite of himself.
Every word" said the other.
We'll. what do you think of it?"
Poltavo pulled chair from the
wall and sat down facing his chief.
II think it very clever" he said
admiringly, "but 1 also think am
not getting sufficient salary"
The yelled man nodded.