The Bismarck tribune., 1929-04-19
RUTH

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Harold ringed you'll 90 too far," !"
he warned desperately. You can't
handle Pamela that way. A word
from dad and she'd marry Armita4e
before anyone could stop her"
Huck seemed to find HArclds words
convincing: At least they were Suffi-
cient to arrest his action and give him
food for thought. Harold saw his ad-
vantage and pressed it earnestly.
You've got to leave me out Of this," !"
he declared hotly. You can't use me
to help you win my sister. II I thought
you had chance with her I'd tell the
truth about you. you -"
Even il 1t sent you to prison?"
Huck flicked at him viciously.
1T wouldn't. You don't know my
father"
"oh. yes, I do" Huck told him
tauntingly. Why, you poor fool, do
you imagine I don't know my busi-
ness? Every man in my racket has
your name rs q mark. But / hap
pened to have special knowledge con-
cerning you. I know that your old
man warned you even when you were
junior in eollege-as far as you got,
wasn't it?-that he wouldn't stand for
repetition Of that one act Of yours
that careless little habit you were
getting into Of forging his name.
You weren't to repeat it, you know"
Harold gapcd at him. dumbfounded,
as he tossed the words off like so
many Irrelevant formations Of the
alphabet.
mo, I'm not superhuman," he went
on, as Harold continued to stare
speechlessly at him. Just the turn Of
fortune. You ought to know by this
time that We place our men. mem
bers Of our intelligence service" he
amplified jeeringly, lin every strate-
gic position We can reach.
1T chanced, il I was correctly in
formed"-here he paused to let what
he had to say sink with its full i'm
port into the astounded boys mind
that you were still in bed one morn
ing during your Easter vacation here
when your father came to you with
the evidence of your crime in his
hand and q flat ultimatum which he
ladled out to you in regular stern
parental fashion"
NHuck was enjoying himself now.
He'd been holding back this figurative
ace In the hand he played against
Harold until such time as the boy
threatened to get out Of control. Well,
he had threatened and it gave Huck
back a measure Of his composure to
put him on the pan and make him
dance.
Both Of you forgot, or rather your
father did not know, that q valet was
busy in the adjoining bathroom, with
the door partly open," he went on
quietly. THAT valet happened to be
a man who had served me for some
time"
Harold seemed to totter under this
blow, but the next moment he had
drawn himself up In q last effort to
bluff it out.
What Of it. you dirty spy?" he
cried half sobbingly.
What Of IT." Huck echoed lightly.
We'll, here's what Of 1t. You'll do
anything before you'll let me send
that check you gave me to your
father. You're too clever for that.
II you weren't clever you wouldn't
have thought Of dating 1t back two
weeks so that It would appear enough
time had elapsed for you to have re-
ceived 1t from abroad. Not even
would have suspected you II I hadn't
known you were In hole"
"Yes. damn you," Harold cried fur
iously: "a hole you got me in"
Huck was not disturbed by his We
hemence. "Quite so,'' he said easily;
"a hole I got you in to make an ally
Of you. You zee we needed the entree
you could give US to the right people.
So we had to take you by the hand,
little boy, and lead you to the slaugh-
ter"
He stopped and surveyed the tor
mented creature before him with sim
lister affability. Harold couldn't en-
dure 1t. He staggered over to the
nearest chair and dropped down with
his face In his hands.
Huck pretended to be touched.
you'll have nothing to worry about"
he said smoothly, when Pamela and
I are married. No, be quiet" he
rasped. as Harold jerked up his head
to speak. "You can't stop 1t, but I'll
promise to give the check back to you
and sever all our er business
relations, just to have your help now
-"
II won't send that messase!"
"You would II I wanted YOU to, but
I don't. You were right. Pamela
would bolt. I just want you to keep
your mouth shut. After Pamela and
I are married I'll give you the check." !"
you'll never marry her." Harold
choked. but there was stark terror be-
hind the words.
Huck laughed. He was perfectly
calm now. Torturtng Harold had
quieted him.
"so?" he Knocked. "well. get this.
Neither you nor Armitase will stop
me. I'll soon have that heel out Of
the way"
ITO Ne Conlinuel)