Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-01-12

he said. with a twisted smile. There :
the hundred thousand dollars there TINT
you pinchcd from the old pigeon cote.
He showed out his hand impulsively to
Millman. "I'm sorry, Millman. Shake
I've been in wrong all the time. But
never seemed to get that slant on 1t
before: that you werc-a straight
crook"
Millmqn's gray eyes. half amused,
half serious, studied Dave Henderson
for long minute. as their hands
claspcd.
"a straight crook, eh?'' he said
finally, leaning back again in his chair.
well, the deduction is fairly logical,
Dave. I'll nave to admit. And what 5
the answer to thGt?'
Dave Henderson jcrlcd his hand to-
ward the package of banknotcs again.
"'rhcrc's on one, isn't thrrc!' hc
returned. We got a stake in that
coin now. \ fair share of it Is yours.
and III leave it to you to say what
you want
Millmon lighted cigarette before
he answered.
"All right" he said, with curious
smile, Ms his eyes through the spiral of
blue smoke from the tip of his cigar
cite fixed on Dave Henderson again.
can right I'll accept that offer.
Dave. And I'll takc-all, or none"
Dave Henderson drew sharply back
in his chair. There was something In
Millman's voice, Significance that he
did not like. or quite understand, save
that It denied any jocu'arity on Mill
mans part, or that the other was max
ing a remuneration of his claim through
pure generosity. His eyes narrowed.
The money was here. Millman had come
across with it. Those facts were not
t" be Eainsaid; but they were facts 50
utterly at variance with what months
of broodng over tho matter had led
him 20 "Xpe"t they should be. that he
had accepted them in a sort of stunned
surprise. And now this Was he right,
after all-that there was some trickcry
here?
"What do you mean-all, or none?''
he said. hint of menace creeping into
his voice.
"Jua that" said Millman, and his
tones were low and serious now. "Just
what I said-all, or none
Dave Henderson laughed shortly.
Then ! guess it'll be-none he
said coolly.
Perhaps" admitted Mllman slowly.
but hope not" lie leaned forward
now, earnestly, over the table. Dave"
he said steadily. "lct US get back to
the old pal days again when we be
licvcd in each other, just man to man
Dave; because now you've got chiJ
on your shoulder. don't want e.
knock that chip off; want to talk tC
you. want to tell you why com
mittcd what you have rightly called n
theft In going to that pigeon cote and
taking that money. And | want t.
try to make you understand that nv
life in prison and the story that ] told
you there, in spite of the fact that !
have stolen the money now. was not a
lie. There Is not soul oil this wide
earth. Dave, except yourself, who knows
that Charles Millman served two years
in the pcnitcntiary with prison stripes
OH his back.
'If it were known | think it would
mean ruin to me. certainly in social
sense, very, probably in a commercial
sense as well. And yet. Dave. | would
rather you knew 1t than that you
didn't. Does that sound strange! Well.
somehow, I've never pictured the far
ing headlines that would be In every
paper in this city If | were exposed
because, well. because | couldn't pic
ture it-not through you, Dave-and
that's the only way il could come about
And so you see. Dave. did not ask
YOU for faith In me without reposing
my own faith In you in the same full
measure.
Dave Hendersons brows gathered.
He stared at the other. 1t was like
the Charlie Millman of old talking now.
But the whole business was qucer-ex-
cept that the money lay here now with
in reach of his hand after five years Of
hell and torture. lie made no COM
ment.
"And so. Dave, what could ! doI'
Mi'lman went on. ''As far as ! could
see then, and as far as ] can see now.
| had no choice but to offer to get that
money from its hiding place. ! knew
you meant literally what you said when
YOU swOre you'd fight for 1t II all the
nOlice % America we're blocking your
way, and that you'd either get it or go
down and out. | knew you'd do that !;
I knew the police would watch you, and
| feared for you either physical harm
or another long prison sentence. And
SO took the money and shared your
guilt. But, Dave, once was COM
mitted to that aet,n was committed 20