The St. Johns herald., 1921-10-13

O1 uOuSy-lI never lOO ulIIJ 4OI ulLH to touch. Anyhow, he knew enough to put me wise to this dump, gave me the password, and all that. It looked as though there might be something in it, so blew over here tonight just to take a look. I was merely prowl- ing around when I ran into you"
 'T see," he muttered, as l came to an end. chewing savagely on his cigar. Did the Russian say anything about mel"
 'Not whisper. I supposed had cIear run for the money, except his rakeoff."
 "The dirty dog. Because I didn't show up on the dot, he was ready to ditch me. Now listen, and I'll tell you the straight story. I'm going to need you, and we'll divide fifty-ffty, leav- ing this guy to suck his thumbs. Is that a gO?"
 "He's sure nothing to me-shoot."
 Harris poured out a stiff drink, and put it down; then touched a match to the extinguished cigar.
 'WaldrOn sent me a cable in Eng land about a month ago." he explained briefly. "He didn't make the thing very clear, only that he had big deal on, and wanted me in on it. had made enough to get back on, and took a second-class passage on the Vulcan. It was not big boat, and, to escape close inspection, I went aboard at Queenstown. At that time 1 had no more notion what was up than blind rat. I was just desperate enough to take a chance"
 He paused and relit his stub, with an oath at finding It again useless.
 ''Then things begun to happen. l was roommate with a bird named Horner, who claimed to live in De troit. He must have cOttOned to me, for we got bit chummy, and in that way picked odds and ends out of him which set me thinking. He was quite a foxy bird-one of these tall, raw bOned, Secretive cusses, who talk a lot, but never say nothing, and he came near getting my goat. l went through his baggage, of course, but that was just ordinary stun-he only had one grip, which he left unlocked; but I did get onto a pocket belt the fellow wore around his waist. He never let that get away from him night or day. l studied every d-n way could think up to get a peep at it, but nothing gave me a chance. came near going bugs over the thing"
 He laughed, exhibiting row of rather ugly teeth behind his thir lips.
 'Then the devil must have helped me. One might've days out, for we were a slow boat-we ran into -l-l of storm. We both of us tumbled out, and began hustling on our duds. He was trying to get a shoe on, and went plunging head-On into the side Of the ship. I reckon 1t nearly brained him, but, to make things sure, hand ed him one to the jaw before ne got his senses, and he went out for the count. Then, believe me, didn't lose no time in frisking the guy-and, say, what do you think l fOund?"
 I shook my head, unwilling to inter- rupt, fascinated with his description.
 "The fellow was a revolutionary agent I didn't get onto all of it then -I didn't have time, but found let ter of credit for a million dollars, and a memoranda of how it was to be de- livered. The d-n thing wasn't any good to me-it was to be paid to this fellow by a banker in New York named Krantz-but it sure made my mouth water just to see it-a million dollars, good old U. S. currency. Can you beat it?"
 Looked easy-you had 1t, and you didn't have it."
 "You said 1t, Daily. didn't dare keep the thing, and it wouldn't have done me any good if had; there was no way of my cashing the paper. What the h-l could I do? If 1 denounced him, the game was all off; if I held on to the stuff he'd report his loss soon as he landed in New York, and that letter of credit wouldn't be worth the paper it was written on Say, I was in some boat; but, believe me, I had no notion of giving up that mill liOn-it looked darned good"
 "I should say yes," and leaned for ward to show my interest. And from what know of you, Harris, that guy had no show on earth. Did you croak him?"
 He grinned, evidently pleased at the note of admiration in my voice, and tossed down another drink.
 ''That never ain't been in my line. Of course I was tempted to-a cool million would tempt any guy. But just showed everything back exactly ruhnro if cnma frnn and fatchnd thn