Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-12-17
CHAPTER /.
One Hundred Thousand Dollars

/ A WILD and prolonged roar came
n from every quarter of the race
track. 1t swelled in volume. It came
again, and again. Pandemonium itself
seemed loosed.
Outside the inclosure. squat. fat
man. the perspiration rolling in streams
down his face, tugged at his collar
with frantic. nervous jerks, as he leaned
In over the side Of high powered car,
and with his other hand gripped at the
arm of the young man In the drivers
scat.
Dave, listen to en-! Ny God. lis
ten to 'cm ~ snarled the fat man.
Dave Henderson, with the toe of his
boot. moved the little black satchel that
the other had dropped on the floor of
the car further to ono side; ; and by way
of excuse for discngaging his arm,
reached into his pocket for his ciga-
rettcs.
II can hear 'em-evcn yard away
Sounds like n great day for the book
ies--not ~
The fat man secured his grip on Dave
Henderson arm again.
'1'm wiped out-every last cent-all
I've made in years. he said hoarsely.
You get that, don't you? You know
it! I'm cleaned out--and you don't
seem to give a damn ~
why should IT, inquired Dave
Henderson calmly. II guess it's their
turn. amt it?' ,
Bookic Skarvan's red trimmed little
gray eyes narrowed. and he swallowed
hard.
1--WE played square. ] have he
whined And I'm wiped out "
"Yes-squnre as hell! amended
! Dave Henderson,
You don't give a damn" shrilIed
Bookie Skarvan. That's like you
That's like the lot of you Where
would you have been II / hadn't taken
you up-ch|'
"God knows" said Dave Henderson
dspassonately. "l'm not blaming, you
for trying to make crook OF me.
An apoplectic red eigbtencd BooXie
Skarvan's flushed and streaming face.
"Well. that's one thing l didn't make
bull of, at any rate!" he retorted
viciously.
Dave Henderson shifted his cigarette
from one corner of his mouth to the
other with the tip of his tongue. There
was a curious smile, half bitter. half
whimsical. on his lips, as he leaned
suddenly toward the other.
"I guess you're right. Rookie !. lie
shrugged his shoulders. but I've only
just found 1t out myself. so if you think
there's any congrats coming to you and
you're sore because YOU didn get EN-
before, you know why now.
The scowl on Bookie Skarvan's face
dccpencd, then cleared abruptly, and the
man forced n nervous. wheezy chuckle.
"You won't feel so blamed cool about
it tomorrow morning when you come to
size this up" II" was whining again,
but plnintively now. "I'm wiped out, |
tell you, and it's too hard n crack for
Tydeman to give me any more backing
after he's squared this up-so what
IRE you going to do, CHI:
Dave Henderson glanced at the car :
clock. II was already after three.
"I'm going up to Frisco-if ever
get started. :" he said bruSQucly. ~ We
missed the train. as II Is, ana that
means ninety mile run-and were
still wasting time! Get down TO cases !.
You got Tydeman on the long DISTANCE
what did he say
II couldn't help your missing the
train :" Rookie Skurvan's voice had
grown almost ingratiating. There
wasn't any use of you going until |
knew Tydrmnn was Mt home, and unless
got hold Of him before the banks clos
ed. wns there? And II I'd been able
to get him at once we might have had
time to arrange it by wire with bank
hcre-if they were carrying that much
in ready cash-and you wouldn't have
needed to 20 ut all. But ] didn't get him
until Just few, minutes ago. You
know that / couldn't help 1t, could ]:
and the run won't hurt you. You can
grab the evening train back. J can
stavc this gang of wolves of until tn then :!
by telling 'em Tydeman's making good.
IAN right - Dave Henderson was
apparently much more intent upon the
starting mechanism of the car, than
he was upon either his companion OF
his compainon's words. The engine was
already purring softly when he looked
up at Bookie Sknrvnn again. "Well,
what's the arrangement
"Tydeman will have the money in
cash at his hOuse-one hundred thou
sand dollars. You go there and get it,
and bring 1t back on the train tonight.
Anything clse:'
NO; that's all Rookie Skarvar
, moppcd Mt his face with the back ot
his sleeve, glanced in the direction o
! another sudden OutburSt OF deliriou'
"Thnt'il be another long shot-cvcry
body's playing 'em-damn 'rm! FoI
Gods sake, don't miss that train back
Dave, 1t leaves at 8 O'Clock. Some %
! these pikers that never turned rec
in their lives before II be laying III,
. out IL don't fash the long green then
=, You got me, Dave? I'll have all | cnl
; do TO stavc 'cm off that long. ] wisl
, | could go with you and get out Of here
but they'd think was running away
and
II get you said Dave Henderson
They all love Bookie Skarvan. Well
oh
there. but get off the step unless YOU r
coming. :" lie threw in the clutch, an
! tho car shot forward. 80 long
Rookic," he Gung out over his shoul
der.
r A., hour nasscd. Out in thc free swec
= of country tho car was running Mt ter
riic npecd. And now. from the r0a
ohnod Dave Henderson dark eyes
3 "noI and self reliant, straycd TO tn
Q Iittlo black handbag at his feet aS the
- hoI done many times before, while IN
y tiaht lins partCd slightly in n smile
:. opd suddenly. over the rush of the vim
S and tho roar of the speeding car, h
spoke aloud. .,, ,,,,,a ,
i cash" said Dave Henderson mGdlta
S lively. "Well, 1t looks ike the rhsnc
:. i'vr been wairing for-what? Only
awe 20 and let ola Tydcman hand
o~nr TO me and trust sne with it, an
u then heat it and give him the double
G cross. can |? Once he shoves 1t at mC
n and saws. Dave, my boy, take this baC
a to Skarvan,' I'm stung, and there
nothing doing! That's right, amt it
= Well then, what's the answer
J. The broad. muscular shoulders set