The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1921-06-30
gave me the glad hand.
"WhO is he? 4 crank"

tain in the Chilean army, military at
tache to the embassy at Washington,
intrnsted with certain work But he's
really working to overthrow the pres
ent Chilean government-gettin' up a
revolution down there. I lied until
l was black in the face, but I must
have kept within bounds, for he got
to liking me real we'll. He was a
high-roller, and I put him onto some
things in New York he had never
been steered against before. That
made hit with him. There wasn't
nothing said about cashing up al! day
long, and early the next morning we
breezed into a downtown hotel, and
went to bed"
"What hOtel?"
"Search me. We'd been tanking up
on champagne and were drunken in
the morning than when we turned in.
That's the honest truth. All either of
US wanted for breakfast was cup of
coffee. We got that at a little dump
on some side street, so as to brace up
a little" He paused to laugh at the
recollection, helping himself to third
cigar.
"And you actually retain no knowl-
edge of where you spent the night"
mot the faintest glimmer. Can you
beat it? Alva lost part Of a letter
somewhere, and a curious sort of box
he had picked up in Chinatown. He
put them both in his pocket, so he
says, but that was the last he ever
saw of either. Queer looking box that
was; nothing I cared about, but 1t
cost the guy hundred bucks, and he
was daffy over it. Anyhow, that night
put me solid with Alva.'
"But the money? He's never drawn
ft?"
"Not a dinky red. He claims the
time hasn't come yet, and that it's
safer with Krantz. But I've stuck to
him like a brother and he's took me in
with his gang, so now I know every
move that's going on. I'm on the in
side, all right, and now it's beginning
to get hot"
"They are ready to act?''
"Sure; that's what the meeting was
about tonight"
"What are they after-ships?
"Well, they've got to have some, but
mostly arms; then there is guy down
there who's got to be croaked. l don't
care what it is; when the time comes
they won't find a handful of change
to act with. I'm some patriot, l am,
and I'll put a bigger crimp in their
sails than the whole United States
government secret service"
"But see here, Harris, soberly,
show do you know you are going to
get this? OF course see the game
the way you've mapped it out, but
suppose Krantz pays in check, or draft.
That spikes your gru."
"H-l, yes; but he won't. I've sized
up this man Krantz. He's in the game
for money. He don't care who wins
the d-n revolution, for he gets his
share out Of the pot right away. He's
playing the game secretly on his own
account. Get that? He expects 1t
may be a year, or perhaps two, before
he can cash in on the deal, but when
if does come his share Of profit will
he likely a hundred thousand. That
beats bank interest," and the old bird
is willing. to take the chance"
"Cuitc likely that's true; no bank
would finance such project"
"Of course not-.the directors Weuld
throw a fit. Well, now. that kind of
a guy, in on raw deal like this, Is
going to play safe, isn't he? He isn't
going to leave any evidence lying
around to hang himself with-any
drafts, or checks to pass through the
clearing house? Not on your life; ne
is too willy fox for that. Krantz
knew this was coming, and he's been
cashing in for six months or more
to be ready for it. And now he's got
the currency stored away, nobody
knows where but himself. When Alva
comes for it, it will be handed out Sc
cretly, and that old bird will crumple
up the receipt in his pocket and wait
till he can cash in through those guys
in London. So now it's up to us to
locate the dough; we've got to sepa-
rate it from either Krantz, or Alva-
I'm for Alva."
"Why?'
because the job looks easier. He's
human and no money grubber. He's
lust as liable as not to carry the
whole wad around with him; d-n 1t.
I think that's just what he will do,
for he won't dare deposit such a sum
anywhere. That's why I have laid
back so long. without attempting to
strike-I'm banking on the army cap
tain to offer me a soft thing. What
do you say?"
I had the whole story now In nut
shell and it was one to think over.
That Harris had played his cards we'll
was sufficiently evident. Now l must
ho fnllv as cautious in playing nine.