The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1921-09-24


who was on the other end of the wire,
vet feeling it best to dissemble until
! learned the purpose.
"Who is speaking?"
"The fellow you biffed with a bottle
tonight. No. / amt got no hard feel
ings. Besides, l got something else to
think about than cracked dome. Say,
/ got some dope on how that job was
did, an maybe could tell you some
thing else of interest. | got to talk
with you privately-that's what. It's
matter for the girl as well as yer
self. I'm playing square as long as
YOU do the right thing, but | know
who the dame is, an am liable to
saueal if | get a raw deal; that's put
ting it straight, Harry"
"You know who she is, you say?"
"Sure do. Old Pierre, over at
Perond's, told me. He never fOrgets
face. or a name. that old duffer.
He knew you the minute you blew in,
and he knew her, too she'd been there
before Summing"
"Who is she. then?"
THAT'S all right know; but l
amt fool enough to blow it over the
wire. If you'll come over here and
have a talk, I'll spill few things in
your ear that'll make you wise"
where are you?"
"At Costigan's."
"Whats become of your partner"
who's that-Waldron? He amt no
handed that guy some jolt. The last
| saw of him. he was laid out on a
bench i'm Perond's back room breath
ing like stuck pig, dead to the world
viii you come over here?"
."What have you got to tell me?"
"Well, there's the DANES name for
one thing. I'll bet you don't even
know who she Is, or how she's string
in you. Then Pm on to where part
of that boobies planted-anyhow I've
got bunch. If we turn it up, I'm
still strong on the fifty-fifty PROPOSE
tion."
turned it over swiftly in my mind,
the receiver still ct my ear. l felt no
particular fear of Harris; to be sure,
I'm all probability, he was only feeling
about in the dark, hoping i'm this way
to learn something of value, yet IL
might be that he had accidentally un.
covered the girls identity, and that
alone was inducement enough to urge
me to take the risk. If he actually
knew who she was, he was the kind
that might become ugly, and, however
much / suspiciOned her i'm my OWL
mind, had no desire to leave her un.
defended at his mercy. Guilty or. not
guilty. my inclination was to protect
to obtain the information he claimed
to possess; indeed, all progress on the
case was blocked until / did obtain it
As to his boast that he knew where
the stolen money was concealed,
; took little stock in that. Doubtless hi
merely threw that in for good meas
$ ure. But the other looked REASONABLE,
d enough; she had confessed being a
n Peronds before: Pierre was fully al
{; likely to recall her TO memory as h,
|, was to remember DAILY. and Harris
;, could never have made so shrewd .
guess, unless he had really been toll,
: the facts Another thing gave me cour
y age to go to Costigan's. l was still
It accepted by these people as Harr
n Daily. crook / would undoubtedly b.
IS so received, so treated. Under thes
=. circumstances there could be no pei
? sonal danger; l held the whip-hant
a the advantage-Harris was only er
deavoring to see what he could &c
a out of me: he had abandoned fore
a to resort to diplomacy.
Il "All right" / said "I'll run owe
A there; If you want to play fair, l.
"A meet you half way"
a "Oh, I'm on the square, old mai
"A and I've got some good DOPE" he II
a sisted. "rll blow it when you sho
"A up"
IA / returned the receiver to the hoo
"A UNCERTAIN whether or not l had d
VI cided rightly. yet determined to carr
IA out the experiment. Above all else
ln wanted to learn who Marie Gessl,
VI was. Nothing else mattered so niue
for on this discovery all else hinge
II violence, or treachery. was intende
Nj would be found prepared, and W,
able to defend myself.
The neighborhoOd into which l W
n venturing induced me to take a ia,
and, within ten minutes. was q
I posted ut the door Of the saloon.
pressed open the swinging door, al
q stepped into the brilliantly lighted bs
room.
D Costigan was behind the bar, b,
at sight of me, rounded the end, a,
: shook hands cordially, removing /
= apron, and slipping into a coat,
token that he had changed his occur
~. ton.
Better call Charlie" he said to
man beside him, ''for I'll be off for
ed hour or so. You came to see George
wo "Yes; he telephoned me-"
os- "Said he was goin' to. He's wait
lie in the Office there. I'll 60 along w
ew you"
nd He pushed passage through I
: crowd, his breadth Il body Accord
lot me ample room In which to foil
lily without being INSTRUCTED. and open
the closed door with a pass-key.
le- wave of his big hand passed c,
fidently past him. and entered.
ip- next instant he had pressed me