Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-09-01
By GEORGE GIBBS
This BEGINS THE STORY

oo" N fhis country on a British
0y;n ,ooyking as a steourd. A fel-
u ~ ,fe,pard, Jim Coast, urges him
~; .o;o;r hip, IN some shady scheme,
~ m character unexplained, but Peter
u.ss.,s. Peter, as Peter Nichols,
umes charge of q, group of men
ia estate Of Jonathon X. Nc
Isi,c' ,ohose duty u is to see that
stranger approaches the house.
~. man. the man Mcclure fears,
S,saks the guard, leaves a .odrnino
ord orronges a meeting. Mcclure
~, Peter meet the man. While they
III q shot Is fired and the stranger,
Tdvk Kennedy. IS injured, He
susoects Peter OF hoving fred the
,Iof and rushes him, They fght, aud
Ms stranger colidpses. Wnh the,r
faces close together, in the dorkness
| siy recognize each other. HoUk
so,,, vs. "Yop say Mcclure told you
mmo,h;ro." m SAYS Coast. Nothing"
.nvs Psier. az is not my business"
AND HERE 1T CONTINUES
THE ex.waitar laughed. "He knows
i his business. Quiet as death, ain 7
be9 He's got right to be. And
scared. He's got a right to be scared,
too. III scare him worse before I'M
through with him."
us hroke off with a laugh and then.
.Fnnny 10 find you guardin' him against
- House nil locked--men with guns
iii over the place. He wanted one of
shose M guys to kill me, didn't he? But
I'm I'm TOO slick for him.. No locked doors
ssn N keen out what's scarin' Mike
Nf~C,ira'
He broke off suddenly and held up his
.mntv glass. Another drink of the
whisky. mon gars. ana I'm yer friend
for life.' 80,
and after cleaning up the mess they had
made he sank into a chair. studying the
worn features of his old companion. He
bad taken the precaution to pull in the
hsavv shutter Of the window which had
been opened and to lock the door. Peter
did mot relish the idea Of a murder COM
mtted In this cabin.
i'Not apt to come now, are they,
Pete? Well, let EN-" he answered
himself with shrug. But they won't
II Mcclure has his way. Murder is the
only thing that will suit McGuire's
hook. He can't do that-not with wit
resscs around. Amt he the slick one.
though? was watchin' for just what
happened. That's why / stayed in the
tree 80 long-listenin'. He must of
,lipped in like a snake. How he did 1t
don't know. I'm a worse snake than
he is, but I always rattle before I
strike"
He laughed again dryly.
"I've got him ratified all o. X. Mebbe
he'd Of shot straighter II he hadn't been.
He used to could--dead shot. But I
reckon his talents are runnin' different
now.
millions he has they say, mon vieux.
millions. And I'll get my share Of
EN-"
Jim Coast smoked for a moment in
contented silence.
"see here, Pete. I like you. Always
did. Straight as a string-you are.
You've done me a good turn tonight.
You might Of put. me out-..killed me
when you had me down"
"I'm no murderer, jim"
Fright. Nor amt either. I don't
want to hurt a hair Of McGuire's head.
Every one Of 'em is precious as refined
gold. I want him to live-to keep on
livin' and maxim more money because
the more money he's got the more I'll
get-see."
"Blackmafl," said Peter shortly.
Coast glanced at him. shrugged and
Laughed .ssd, :. 49,, . w., ,.,
dirty word, but I'll stand for It, seein'
It's you. Blackmail! What's a
vaiter's tip but blackmail for good
service? What's a lawyers fee from
a corporation but money paid by men to
keep them out of the jail? What's a
breach Of promise case? Blackmail-
legal blaskmail. I'm doin' nothin' less
an nothin' more than a million other
men-but I'm not workin' with
lawyer, III turn the trick alone. What
would you say If told you that half
OF every dollar Mcclure has got is
mine-a full half-to say nothin' of
payment for the years I was wanderin'
an ,grubbin' over the face of the earth,
while he was livin' easy. Oh You're
surprised. You'd better be. For that's
the Gods truth, mon ami"
You mean-he--he--" Peters
eredulity was strained and he failed to
hnlsh his query.
"oh, you don't believe? Well. you
needn't. But there's no blackmail when
you only take what belongs to YOU. The
money-the money that made his mil.
Mons was as much mine as his. I'm
gong to have my share with compound
interest for fifteen years-and perhaps
bit more" pp'
J.. You surprise me. But u seems that
II thsre's any justice in your claim. YOU
could establish it legally"
Jim Coast laughed again.
There's a quicker-a safer wav than
mat. m takin' It," He flled his
glass again and went on, leaning far
over D the table toward Peter. "Voyons.
rete' When we came ashore. I made |
you an offer to play my game, You
turned me down. It's rot too late to |
rnange your mind. The old man trusts
you or he wouldn't of sent Won ont
WIN mat money. I may need some |
i.p inp WIN this business and you're fixed
jjust right to lend me a hand. Throw
~ win me, do what want, and ri see
thSt your fixed for life" 'e'
n se,er side shook his head slowly from side
traitor" p"'' me WELL IN no
HIN. Traitor!' he sneered, He
WASH Nt overparticular about Won. He
na'snt OF killed you or I might ~ if
wS yvS nadn't been too damn ouick for mo
sh haat 40 you think Mike Mcclure cares
NSS ~, Wy = he laughed bitterly.
ference 'H'1g' But that makes no DIFF.
ner sn% do r 1angle OF bell from the cor
..rl la Jim Coast sprang to his feet
ira,.a.hae ahe telephone" explained Peter
WrGnting WcGisating the instrument. "Tbat's
toward l. "Hw' I. lie rose and moved
arm 4'u H. but Coast caught him by the
nurA,,
''Wsrtsr eh| he said with a grin.
rirbt no 70 Know what's happened Aii
.hen M Ar,l him-tell the" And
/ minute e'er released himself, wait
here" Iaus,.L Leil him you've got me
Tell him Tsneu IT,, "a Coast. "a prisoner.
ton. A'N, 1 m talking. Ask for instrnn