The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-06-14
CHAPTER XVII
Peter Becomes a 1

CHAPTER XVII
Peter Becomes a Conspirator
Peter entered and stood by the door.
startled from his rhapsody by the ap-
pearance of the intruder, who had
made himself quite at home, regard
less of the fact that the final words
of their last meeting had given no
promise of a friendship which would
make his air of easy familiarity ac-
ceptable to Peter, whose first impulse
| moved him to anger. fortunately con-
! trolled as he quickly remembered how
much hung upon the assumption of an
| amicable relationship with McGuire's
arch enemy. Peueu hadn't replied to
| Hawks letter, which had indicated
that some weeks might elapse before
Black Rock received another of his
visitations. The speculations in Pc
| ter's mind as to the change in his
visitors plans and the possible causes
| for them may have been marked in
| his face, for Hawk grinned at him
| anna bly, and rose and offered his hand
| with an air of assurance.
| 'sWond ering why 1 dropped in on
you so unepect ed-like? Let's say that
I got tired of staring at the lonely
grandeur Of Pixies Peal mon gars, or
| that the lady who gave me the pleas
| ure of her society skipped for Den
yer with younger man, or that the
| high altitude played Bf1ly-be- damned
with my nerves, and you'll have ex-
| cuse enough. But the fact is, Pete,
| 1 was a bit nervous at being SO long
away from the center of financial op-
erations, and thought I'd better come
right on and talk to you"
'I got your letter. said Peter calm
| ly, 81 hadn't answered it yet"
81 thought It better to come for my
answer"
| I've been thinking 1t over"
| Good. 1t will be worth thinkin'
over. You'll bless the day Jim Coast
ran athwart your course"
| you seem to be taking a good deal
for granted
"I do. I always do. Until the
| present opportunity it was about the
only thing I got q chance to take You
wouldn't of done me a good turn that
night, if you hadn't been o. K. VIII
you have a drink OF your own? It's
good stuf-ten years in the wood, I
see by the label, and I'm glad to get
1t. for whisky is scarcer than hens
teeth between this and the Rockies"
As Peter nodded he poured out the
| drinks and settled down in Peters
chair with the air of ono very much
at home.
well, Pete. what's yer answer to
be?'' he said at last. you weren't
any too polite when I left here But
1 didn't think you'd turn me down
altogether. And you're straight I
know that I've been countin' on your
sense of justice. How would you like
to be treated the way I was treated
by Mike McGuire?''
81 wouldn't like it,
| You just bet you wouldn't You
wouldn't stand for it, you wouldn't
I've got Justice on my side and I've
trrN% 30 H. =
but I'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 it
would make a heap of difference to a
man who stands where MCGUIRE
does"
That's true"
Yes. And he knows it. He hasn't
got leg to stand on" Kennedy paus-
ed and looked Peter over coolly. Pc
ter had been studying the situation
critically, playing his game with some
care, willing to placate his visitor and
vet taking pains not TO be 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?"
|
believe that you know that rights
right and wrongs wrong"
But told you that I 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 will if you're not a fool, which
you amt I 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
It 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
easy. What's a million more or less
, to him? It might pinch him a little
, here and there sellin' out securities he
/ had a fancy for. but in a year or sc
: he'd have IT all back and more, the
; way he works. oh, I know. I've
2 found out a bit since I've been away
, And he'll come across all right, wher
t he hears what I've got to say to him. -
: why don't you go to him direct? %
l asked Peter
And have him barricadin' ths
. house and shooting promoscuous al
me from the windows7 Not on youl
|. Life. know what I'm about Tht