The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1921-07-08

| ibid the Russian say anything about
me?"
"Not a whisper. supposed | had a
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 Wen divide tifty-fifty. leav-
ing this guy to suck his thumbs. Is
that a go?"
Hes sure nothing to me-shOot."
Harris poured out a stiff drink. and
put 1t down her 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 a big deal
on. and wanted me in on it.. ! had
made enough to get hack on. and took
a ~second-class passage on the Vulcan.
1t IA not a big boat, and, to escape
close inspection, l went aboard at
Queenstown. At that time | had no
LtOIC IObioh WIAl was uB hp q 'iiiiN
rat. l 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. !
was roommate with a bird named
Horner. who clnimed to live in De-
troit. He must have cottoned to me.
for we got a bit chummy., and in that
way | picked O-lds and ends out Of him
which set me thinking. He was quite
a foxy bird--one of these tall, raw
boned, secretiye cusses, who talk a
lot, but never say nothing, and he
came near getting my goat. l vent
through his baggage, of course. but
| thr- was Just ordinary stuff-he only
ha6 one grip, which he left unlocked !;
but ! 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 I could think mp to get a peep at
1t, but nothing gave ne a chance. l
came near going bugs over the thing"
He laughed, exhibiting q row OF
rather ugly teeth behind his hip lips.
""Then the devil must have helped
me. One might've days out. for we
were a slow boat-we ran into a III
of a storm. We both of us tunbled
out, and began hustling on u duds.
He was trying to get a shoe on. and
went plunging head-On into the side of
the ship. l reckon 1t nearly Drained
him, but, to make things sure, l 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 guyana, say,
what do you think foundy
l shook my head. unwilling to inter-
rupt. fascinated with his description.
THE fellow was a revolutionary
agent. l didn't get onto all Of it then
II didn't have time, but l found a let
ter of credit for a 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 ure 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. l didn't dare
keep the thing. and it wouldn't have
done me any good If l had there was
no way of my cashing the paper. What
Alxr r. nnrll rAn9 r. Honnunonl
him, the game was all off; If l held
on to the stuff he'd report his loss
soon MS he landed in New York. and
that letter of credit wouldn't be worth
the paper 1t was written on . Say,
l was In some boat; but, believe me.
l had no notion of giving up that mil.
liOn-it looked darned good"
II should say yes" and | leaned for
ward TO show my interest. And from
what / know Of you. Harris, that guy
had no show OF earth. Did you croak
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 I was tempted to-a cool
million would tempt any guy. But
4 INST showed everything back exactly
where it come from, and fetched the
steward. Between US we hoisted Hor
ner back into the bunk and doused
him with water till he came to. E!irs'
thing he did was to feel for that belt
and re never got wise mat It had
ever been touched. APyhow, he never
let on H. no suspicion