Evening star., 1921-09-27
(continued from Yesterdays Starr


Jams for that though the world were
peonle with Barjans, The thoushl
Rad brought a chill of dread Tor a
moment, that was all he had palu
the price: he was not likely 10 iof
get what that price had been; ana ne
would never yield up what that price
had bought. True, he had no plan
for this last play of his worked out
in detail. but he would ma way
because he must. He was propaDlS
exaSgerating what the pollce "oulu'
or could do anyhow, At hrSt When
he had come into the spenitentlary,
they had tried to trap. sometimes TO
wheedle him. into disclosing Where
the money was, though they had lons
since given up those tactics ana lelt
him to himself. But suppose the po-
lice did watch him no. when ne got
out. He could afford To wait-to wait
a long while-while the police got
tired, perhaps, or perhaps came 70
the conclusion that, after all thsy
had got the wrong man. Ihey Wouio
not forget that, though ne had re-
fused to say anything at the trlal' ne
had not been so mute in his attltuue
toward Runty Mott and B3ldE WICK
ers,. who had sent his up ana Bar
jan would not forget, either. th'tt III
the hospital that day. with scafeeiS
strength to speak, he had threateneu
70 get even with the ganG$ter ana tne
Runt There was Il pSyrhOlosical
factor in this. If he, Dave Hender-
SON made no effort to get the money
showed no sign that he had any
knowledge of its whereabouts, might
not the police in time come TO tne
far from illogical conclusion that
they might better have Watched-nEe
years ago-the men who had so gllplE
acted as witnesses for the state the
men who had, admittedly. themselves
attempted to steal the money! II
III a
could afford to wait The three thou-
sand dollars from Square John Kelly
would keep him going for quite a
while, He was a fool to let TINS
thing madden his brain with its con-
slant torturing doubts. 1t was their
move-not his.
From far along the iron gallery
again boot-heel rang with dull,
metallic sound. 1t was the guard.
probably, coming to rap old Iony
Lomazzi over the knuckles. Dave
Henderson stopped his restless pac-
ing and stood still in the center OF
the cell to listen. No. the old bomb
thrower wasn't talking any longer;
, there wasn't any sound at all eX-
cept that boot-heel ringing on the
iron flooring. The sound came nearer.
and Dave Henderson frowned in puZ-
zled way. The guard was not alone.
in any ease. He could distinguish
the footsteps of two men now. 1t
wasn't unusual at this hour for any
one to be out there with the guard.
What was in the wind? The warden,
perhaps. making an unexpected round,
His hands gripped suddenly hard
and tisht-but he did not move.
There came flashing over him once
more the scene in that hospital ward
of five years ago. The cell door
opened and closed. A man had en-
fan kad
away outside. The man spoke:
Hello. Dave!
1t was Barjan Lieut.. Joe Barjan of
the Frisco plain clothes squad. 1t
was the scene of five years ago. That
was exactly what Barjan had said
then: Hello, Dave" And he had an
swered: Hello, Joe"' But he did not
answer now.
This is a. little irregular, Dave"
said Barjan pleasantly, but l wanted
to have a quiet little chat with you,
you know, before'--he stepped for
ward and clapped his hand on Dave
HenderSonS shoulder and laughed
well. before YOU changed your ad-
dress.
Dave Henderson made no reply. He
moved back from the other and sat
down on the edge of his cot.
There's couple of things / want
to say to YOU" said Barjan, still
pleasantly. And the first of them is
that I want to tell you on the level
just where you stand. You're going
out of here pretty soon now,
Dave. l guess you've got bettar line
on that than have-eh?' He laughed
again good humoredly. Got the
days, counted, haven't you. Dave?"
No answer. Dave Hendefson's eyes
were fixed on the ungainly lines OF
the toe of his prison boot.
'Oh.7 come on, now, Dave" Bar
JAMS tones were still hearty and jocu-
lar, but the heartiness and jocularity.
as though disconnected. lacked some
Of their original Spontaneity. Loosen
up, You've been clam for five years.
That's long enough. I've come up here
tonight to play square with you
You know that whatever I say goes
with both of us. ] know you aren't
holding anything against me person.
ally just because 1 happened to be the
one who put the bracelets on you.
and back of that we used to be pretty
good friends. l haven't forgotten the
tips you used to give me in the old
days-and don't you think l have.
either. Remember when that old
skeleton with the horse-hair cover
pranced away with forty-to -one
shot? Bonnie Lass, her name was
or was it Boney? Remember? She
got the hee-hawobut my missus got
the SWEETEST outfit of gewgaws and
ixings the old girl ever had before or
No answer. There seemed to be
something curiously significant in the
uncouthness and the coarseneSs of
that boot toe-but the significance
was irritatingly elusive in it's applica-
ton.
There was silence for a moment
Barjan walked the length of the cell
and back again.
"Au right" he said. halting in front
of the cot. Maybe We'll get along
better on another tack. I'm not beat
ing about the bush, Dave"-hiS voice
.I want to know where that hundred
thousand dollars is. But / told you
that I'd put you straight first on where
YOU stand. Now. listen! We've played
both ends to the middle. We believed
that the story Runty Mott and Baldy
yickers told was true; but both men
had a record. and you can't be sure of
a crook on his own say-So. We didn't
take any chances, and so were sure
now Those men were watched-not
for a couple of weeks or a couple OF
months, but for the last four years,
They don't know where the money is.
and they never did know what you
did with it after you handed them that
automobile smash and beat it for the
woods Get that? It's up to you.
And now get this: ] told you in the
hospital that day. you remember. that
YOU could never get away with it, and
that's as true as I'm standing here
talking to you row. You've got some
brains, Dave-use 'eEl now for your
own sake From the moment you
step outside these walls you're a
marked man, and not for just a little
while either, but for all your life.
They'll never let up on you. Dave.
Let that sink in! And it amt only
lust old Joe Barjan you've got to fool.
Talking racey, Dave. your numbers s
up on the board on every police track