Cleveland County herald., 1920-03-18
C6APtEn VHs


 the evening Fitzhugh, immediately dressed, entered the private office of Quigg, who was alone and in a black mood. The fraudulent speculator swung round in his chair as FitZhugh entered growled a sullen "Hello!" and after a momentary silence growled an unpleasant "Wen?"
 Fitzhugh sat down and famed him. self leisurely with his Panama hat.
 Tt bids fair to be a warm day" he observed.
 You know what I want,' snarled Quigg, rapping his desk with his knuckles. "Where's my money?"
 "Oh"-Fitzhugh stopped flaming, put down his hat-"you mean the po- ker money?"
 "What about it? Where is it? What have you done with it?"
 Naturally, Quigg, I played poker with it."
 And you doubled 1t tool" The grafter leaned suddenly forward and pointed one of his short fingers in Fitzhugh's face But if this maneuver was calculated to frighten or confuse it's mission failed.
 Fitzhugh smiled easily. q more than doubled it. I more than tripled it. l won eighteen thousand dollars"
 Quigg jotted few figures on a cal endar pad and held out his hand. There's eleven thousand five hundred coming to me. I'll take it now.''
 Fitzhugh shook his head smilfngly.
 ''Fm sorry," said he; "but I'm afraid you'll do no such thing"
 What d'you mean?n Quigg half rose from his chair, his puffy eyes blinking rapidly. "You've got this money, haven't you?"
 "Got it p Fitzhugh laughed. 'Why, Lord bless you, Quigg, I haven't got the price of a ham sandwich" 'Whatd you do with that money?" roared Quigg, smashing his fist against the arm of his chair. "How could you | spend over twenty thousand dollars in two days? You're lying to mel" Fitzhugh's breath whistled through his nostrils. He stood up quickly His face was very white For the first time he seemed in deadly earnest.
 Don't talk too much," he advised quietly. "There are some things I won't stand, and if you anger me I'm liable to make that fat head of yours look like a plum pudding. The mon- ey's tied up in speculation if you want to know. You have the choice of two things: you can either take an equal chance with me in the speculation, or you can take my note for what I owe you. Which do you want?''
 Neither" exploded Quigg. q wouldn't give a cent for any specula- | tion you'd make, or for your note either. There's only one thing to do with you. You've played me dirty, lowdown trick, and I'm coming back the best way I can. You're going to work for me two months longer, and you're going to work for nothing. I'll see that you have a place to eat and | sleep, but l won't promise more. At I the end of those two months you're going to clear out of my sight, and Lord help you if I ever see you again !"
 
 nounced the uniformed negro"
 "What name?" growled Quigg.
 Didn't give none, suh. Said he wanted to see you about some Florida orange groves"
 ''Tell him I am very busy but will see him in five minutes"
 "Yes, suh.' The negro touched his cap and departed.
 The moment the door closed Quigg, | keenly animated, swung round in his revolving chair and spoke in quick K voice to his lieutenant: You're a Fifth avenue resident. Newport. Villa in France. Cotillon leader, so- ciety swell-all that. Recently you bought fifty thousand acres of Florida land and turned them into a paradise. You're tired of it now and want to sell at a great sacrifice. You follow me?"
 ''Tm even ahead of you," answered Fitzhugh. Then his demeanor un- derwent a complete change. His man. her was now heavy with ennui, and his voice simpering when it drawled: 'Aw, really, now, I cawn't! l really cawn't let it go for less than hawlf what paid for it. The thing cost me 1 hawlf a million, y'know and l really should get three hundred thousand, because"
 He dropped his mask as suddenly as he had assumed it, and running the thumbs and forefngers of both hands into his lower vest pockets, turned the Inning inside out.
 He smiled; Because" said he, q haven't cent