Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-09-15
CHAPTER XVII
Peter Becomes q Couspirstor

~ oo y OO09pIf8bT
..er re,er entered and stood by the door,
.,ed na.v nom his rhapsody BY the APP
iTrnce OF the intruder, who had made
Ssn. S'e,L quite at home, regardless OF the
meat,nst unst tne nnal words Of their last
frierdI nad given no promise Of O
ossy familiarity acceptable to peter
whose first impulse moved him 70 anger.
,rortunately. controlled as he ouicfly
remembered how much hung upon the
,.9sI mpion OF an amicable relation shin
VII McGuire's arch enemy. Peter
haan replied to Hawks letter. which
usd ~ indicated that soma weeks mirht
Iapse before Black Rock received an
elner t,r OF his visitations. The specuia !.
IONS IN Peters mind as to the change
MS VISITORS plans and the possibie
auses Tor them may have been marked
- his face. for Hawk grinned at him
m;.L a;.iLspIy and rose and offered his hand
WIN , an air Of assurance.
wondering why I dropped in on
you 80 unexpected -like7 Let's say that
o.. 10Y tired Of staring at the lonely
fbusus fbat th OF Fixes Peak, mon gars, or
nra na' tne lady who gave me the pleas.
VIII VIII oa ner society skipped for Denver
altitude played Billy be. damned With
my nerves, and you'll have e.cusc
enough. But the fact Is, Pete. I was a
th vLt nervous at being 80 long away from
.h Inc center OF financial opera tions. and
talk to you" ' s"' on AM
L. got your letter." said Peter calm
~. l hadn't answered IL yot--"
thought it better to come for nv
I've been thinking It over"
Hood. IL will be worth tbink;n,
over. you'll bless the day Jim Coast
ran athwart your course"
for granted" '''0 ueA'
Il do. always do. Unit, the
present opportunity it was about the
ohly thing l got chance to take. You
Wouidnt OF done me good turn that
nlght, II you hadn't been o. K. viii
you have drink Of your own? Its
good stuh-ten years in the wood. I
see oy the label, and I'm glad to get
~, Lor whisky is scarcer than hens
teetn between this and the Rockies. &"
as Peter nodded he poured out the
drinks and settled down in Peters chair
WIFI % the air OF one very much at home.
=, wen, Pete, what's yer answer TO
PEI! he said at last. "You weren't
any too polite when I left here. But
l didn't think you'd turn me down
altogether. And you're straight. j
know that. I've been countin' on your
sense OF justice. How would you like
by Mike McGuire?" s''
II wouldn't like it,
"You just bet YOU wouldn,t VI,
wouldn't stand for it, You wouldn't
I've got justice on nv side and I'vs
got the law-if l choose TO ure If
but~l'd rather win this case as man
to man--without its getting into The
newspapers. That wouldn't matter
much to a poor man like me, but il
would make a heap of difference to a
man who stands where Mcclure does. -
That's true"
yes. And he knows it., He hasn't
got a leg to stand on" Kennedy paused
and looked Peter over coolly. Peter
had been studying the situation criti :.
caiiy, playing his game with some care.
willing to placate his visitor and vet
taking pains not to be too eager to gain
his confidence. SO he carefully lighted
his cigarette while he debated his course
of action.
What makes you think I'm in a
different mood now from when you left
here?" >
Haven't I told you? Because 7
believe that you know that rights right
and wrongs wrong"
But ! told you that / didn't want
to have anything to do with the case"
True for you. But you will when
I've finished talking to you."
will II"
"You viii il you're not fool, which
you amt. l always said you had
somethin between your ears besides
ivory. You don't have to-. A good
half Of McGuire's money Is mine. II
1t hadn't been for me helpin' to smell
that copper out he'd of been out there
grubstakin' yet an that's a fact. But
I'm not goin' to be too hard on him.
I'm no hog. I'm goin' to let him down
to him? 1t might pinch him q little
had fancy for, but in year or 30
he'd have 1t all back and more, the way
he works. Oh, know. I've found
out bit since I've been away. And
he'll come across all right, when he
hears what I've got to say to him."
"Why don't you go to him direct?"
asked Peter.
"And have him barricadin' the house
and shooting promiscuous at me- from
the .windows? Not on your life. I
know what I'm about. This thing has
got to be done quiet. There's no use
stirring up a dirty scandal to hurt his
reputation for honest dealin' In New
York. Even as It Is, the story has
got around about the mystery Of Black
Rock No use maxim talk. That's
why I want you. You stand ace high
with the old man. He'll listen to you
and We'll work the game all right and
proper"
Then we'll put the screws on"
"What screws?"
Hawk Kennedy closed one eye and
squinted the other at Peter quizzically.
"I'n tell you that all In good time.
But first I've got to know how you
stand in the matter
Peter judicially examined the ash of
his cigarette, He ought to do the
right thing" he snid slowly.
"He will-never you fear. But can
/ count on you, PeteT'
"What do you want me to doT' asked
Peter after a moment.
"Oh, now we're talkin'. But wait a
minute. We won't go 80 fast. Are you
with me sure enough-hope l may die
cross my hearth ~
"If you'll make it worth my while.'
said Peter cautiously.
"a hundred thousand. How's that!'
at sounds all right. But can't see
what can do that you couldn't do
yourself
Don't you? Well, you don't know
oil this story. There's some Of 1t You
haven't heard. Maybe it's that will
convince you you're maxim no mis-
take"