The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1921-07-30

w AluTOD sent me c9Dle III 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 10 get back on, and took
second-class passage on the Vulcan.
1t was not a big boat, and. to escape
close inspection, | went aboard at
Queenstown. At that time / had no
more notion what was up than blind
rat. / was just desperate enough to
take a chance"
He paused and relit his stub, With
an oath at finding II again useless.
"Then things begun to happen. |
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
bOned, secretive cusses, who talk a
lot, but never say nothing, and he
came near getting my goat. | went
through his baggage, of course. but
that was just ordinary stuff-he only
had one grip, which he left unlocked (:
but l did get onto 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 l could think UP TO get a peep at
ii, but nothing gave me chance.
came near going bugs over the thing"
He laughed, exhibiting a row of
rather ugly teeth behind his thir lips.
''Then the devil must have helped
me. One might've days out. for we
were slow boat-we rain into III
of storm. We both of us tumbled
out, and began hustling on our buds.
He was trying to get shoe on, and
went plunging head-on into the side of
the ship. l reckon it nearly Drained
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. l didn't lose
no time in frisking the guyana, say.
Nldl uO
shook my head, unwilling to inter
rupt, fascinated with his description.
1.-THE fellow was revolutionary
agent. didn't get onto all of it then
i didn't have time, but found & let
ter of credit for million dollars, and
a memoranda of how 1t was to be de-
livered. The d-n thing wasn't any
| good to met was to be paid to this
| fellow by a banker in New York
named Krantz-but 1t 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 it, DAILY. / didn't dare
keep the thing, and 1t wouldn't have
done me any good if had; there was
no way of my cashing the paper. What
| the HI could / do? If l denounced
him, the game was. all off; if l 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 1t was written on Say
/ was in some boat; but, believe me-
l had no notion of giving up that mil
lion-it looked darned good"
Il 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 croab
him."
He grinned, evidently pleased at the
note of admiration in my voice, and
tossed down another drink.
| THAT never amt been in my line
OF course l was tempted to-a COO
million would tempt any guy. But
just showed everything back exactly
where it come from, and fetched the
steward. Between US we hOisted Hor
ner back into the bunk and douset
him with water till he came to. First
thing he did was to feel for that belt
and he never got wise that it hat
ever been touched. Anyhow; he never
let on TO TO suspicion"