The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1921-08-31

Of their failure, II she already knew
who was the murderer Of Alva. and
what had become Of the spOils1
could ask these questions. but not
one was answerable. They merely
Knocked me with their emptiness.
Then, shrill and insistent, the tele-
phone rang. 49,.
My heart was beating like q trip.
hammer as l took down the receiver.
Who could be calling me at this hour 7
Who except she alone in this city knew
my name and hotelf
"HullO."
A mans voice spoke huskily. '"This
you, Daly?"
"Yes," hastily. instantly aware of
who was on the other end Of the wire,
yet feeling 1t best to dissemble until
I learned the purpose.
"Who II speaking?"
"The fellow you biffed with q bottle
tonight. No. amt got no hard feel
ings. Besides, I got something else to
think about than a 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
q matter for the girl as well as yer
self. I'm playing square as long a.
you do the right thing, but 4 know
who the dame ID. an am liable to
sQueal n I get 4 raw deal; that's put
ting it straight. Harry"
"You know who she IL, you sayr"
"Sure l 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"
"Wh0 IL she, them"
That's all right know; but I
amt fool enough to blow it over the
wire. II you'll come over here and
have talk. I'll spill a few things in
your ear that'll make you wise."
"Where are youi"
AT Costigan's." =. -,,.,..
"What's become Of your partner?"
"Who's that-Waldron? He amt no
partner Of mine. Say, you must have
handed that guy some Jolt. The last
l saw Of him, he was laid out on a
bench in PerOnd's back room breath
Ing like stuck pig, dead to the world.
Will you come over here?"
what have you got to tell me"
swell. 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 I'm on to where a part
Of that boobies planted-anyhow I've
got a bunch. If we turn it up, I'm
still strong on the fifty-fifty PROPOSE
tiOn."
turned 1t over swiftly in my mind,
the receiver still at my ear. l felt no
particular fear Of Harris; to be sure,
In all probability, he was only feeling
about in the dark. hoping in this way
to learn something of value, yet it
might be that he had accidentally I'M
covered the girls identity, and that
alone was inducement enough to urge
me to take the risk. II he actually
knew who she was, he was the kind
that might become ugly, and, however
much suspicioned her in my own
mind, l had no desire TO leave her I'M
defended at his mercy Guilty or not
guilty, my inclination was to protect
her to the last. Besides l was eager
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 he
merely threw that in for good meas
ure. But the other looked reasonable
enough; she had confessed being Mt
PerOnd's before; Pierre was fully as
likely to recall her to memory as he
was to remember DAILY, and Harris
could never have made SO shrewd a
guess. unless he had really beeh told
the facts. Another thing gave me cour.
age to 60 to Costigan's. l was still
accepted by these people as Harry
DAILY. crook. l would undoubtedly he
=" received. so treated. Under these
circumstances there could be no per.
sonal danger; held the whip hand.
the advantage-Harris was only en-.
deavortng to see what he could get
out Of me: he had abandoned force
to resort to diplomacy.
"All right" l said. "T'n run over
there; II you want to play fair. I'll
meet you half way"
"Oh. I'm on the square, old man
and I've got some good DOPE" he in.
sisted. "Tll blow it when Won show
up"
| l returned the receiver to the hook
uncertain whether or not / had do.
cided rightly. yet determined to carry
out the experiment. Above all else :
wanted to learn who Mare Gessler
was. Nothing else mattereh so much
for on this discovery all else hinged
If violence, or treachery, was Intended
l would be found prepared, and we'll
able to defend myself.
The neighbOrhO0d into which I wac
venturing induced me to take n taxi