The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1921-06-30
jSh onr intimacy more closely.

IS | lit up. 'Inefe WAS dllollel llliiio
I wanted to ask YOU about. You sald
there was Il woman here from WASH
inrton. What's the id&?'
"D-n if | know, but l guess it's all
right. Still don't quite cotton to the
dame. This is how | get it fr@m AlVa.
Those iunta felloWs-the big ones, YOU
knov-think this New York bunch is
pretty slow: they want some action
for their money So Senior Mendez'
who seems to be engineering the deal.
decides to send somebody over here TO
stir up the criminals. But hes
watched every minute; secret service
men are as thick as flies, and If one or
his underlings was to leave tor Ne"
York, he'd never get ten feet without
being spotted. Mendez is wise to this,
so he gathers in privately Skirt ne
believes is all right, and sends her.
It's not decent job for woman, and
that's what makes it safe. He made
a good guess, too; that female is as
smart as a steel trap. She gave me
the cold shivers.'
"You don't think she suspects you"
"No. I don't; there amt no reason
why she should but she gave me the
once over, all right, and am perfect
ly willing to know she is on her way
hack to Washington. I never did play
in any luck with woman in the game
-perhaps that's what makes me
afraid of EN-"
"What's her name"
"Gessler, SO Alva said-Marle CESS
Ter: South American, I suppose; any
how. she talked that language like
native. I steered clear of her most OF
the time. Somehow she got my goat.
However, that's nothing to worry
over" He glanced at his watch. 1.-THE
danes safely off by this time. What
do you say-let's 60 home"
signifed my willingness.
AS we passed out together through
the narrow passage, extinguishing the
lights behind us, the one overpoWerlng
desire in my mind was to be once
more alone. so as to think over, and
piece together as best I might this
fabric of villainy with which l was
confronted. The situation was fairly
clear, yet there were strange lights
and shadows in it found hard to
reconcile. Moreover, what should l
do? How could I serve best-by i'm
mediately telling my story to the Of
ficers of the law, and thus washing my
hands clean? or by continuing to en-
act the role Of Harry Daily, and in this
way entrapping these fellows red
handed? l had had fully enough OF
Harris for the present. His boastful-
ness and pride of crime disgusted me.
had no desire to be associated with
the fellow, or pretend, even for a
worthy purpose, to be his companion.
Yet all this had happened so sudden
" and unexpectedly I could not de-
termine the best course to pursue. l
remained dazed and confused, the
only clear decision being an eagerness
to bring him, and these others also, to
justice.
We were the last to leave the place,
and emerged from the building into
the deserted yard, leaving all in ST.
lence and darkness behind US. The
door closed tightly, secured by night
latch. and we stood motionless in the
drizzle. BY that time I was ready
WITH a cdggestion, but by good fortune
he took the initiative.
1--WE better slip out of here alone. I
reckon" he whispered. "Tll go up
this way, and then you take a sneak
through the lumber yard. Likely We'll
catch the same car going down. If we
don't, look me up at Costigans place
you know where that Isl?
"Sixth avenue, isn't it?'
"Sure. Ask for Parker, and it will
be all right. If I amt in, leave a note
where 1 can hunt you up. 1 got to
keep my eye on Alva tomorrow, so ne
don't get away with the stuff"
"Y ou expect him to draw?'
'Not before night; but, just the
same, I want to know for sure. You
wait here five minutes, for I've got the
longest trip to make. You'll show up
all right?"
"You can't lose me; it looks too
good"
He chuckled and patted me on the
shoulder in an excess of friendliness,
evidently feeling to some extent the
whisky he had been imbibsng so freely.
"That's the talk, DAILY. Well, so
long"
He slipped out through the gate into
the dark of the alley, leaving it slight
ly ajar for me to follow. I sheltered
myself behind the high board fence
and listened to the soft slush of his
feet in the mud. The sound vanished,
and all about was silence and dark
ness. I waited only long enough to be
sure he was safely out of the way, and
then followed, eager to be off. One
thing was certain, I would make no
effort to- join him on the car; would