New Britain herald., 1930-10-14

tea. gown, and thrust the needle into her left arm.
 "Why do you wish to see me?' asked Mrs. Lawrence curiously.
 You've misunderstood some of us at Oaklands," explained Fergu- sen. wed like to be your friends for a consideration"
 What about?"
 "A piece of information" He leaned across the table. What: your hold on Elsa Chaser"
 What's that to you?"
 "Nothing to me. But there's them that'll pay high"
 "So you're a fixer." She regarded him steadily. For whom?"
 That's not material; money talks, you know. and names don't matter"
 They do with me-"
 From his pocket Ferguson drew out a roll of bills. gold certificates, and fingered them lovingly.
 "Who sent you here?" Mrs Law renee demanded, but with less in- sistence. Those that hate Elsa or those that love her?"
 Ferguson counted the money.
 Mine hundred, one thousand" he ended. "A tidy sum for just a nights work"
 She shook her head. Not enough"
 Ferguson promptly pocketed the money. There's the bulls," he sug- gested softly.
 For whom, Elsa?" she ques- toned mockingly. Elsa will never go to the police of her own sweet will; she dassent." Again she laughed. And MT. Winslow can't without me-"
 50 Mir. Winslow can't go to the bulls without you," Ferguson re- peated. Well, spill your informa- tion; perhaps Mir. Winslow will SC higher than a grand"
 Maybe he will" with a faint shrug. But young Jack is a free spender. He'll come across hand some"
 Her companion grinned apprecia- lively. Young Jack won't be free long to spend anything" he pointed out with evident enjoyment. Not when he's copped by the bulls for pumping off Doc Kane"
 Mrs. Lawrence stared at the gar dener as if she had not heard alright.
 What's that?" she gasped. "Dr. Faul Kane of Boston,"
 Sure; he's dead" It was his turn tc regard her curiously. "Where've you been that you haven't heard how young Jack Winslow Is wanted by the bulls for poisonin' old Kane at Oaklands last Monday night?"
 T was sick" he gasped. "So sick I couldn't read. So Kane's kicked off" She burst into wild. uncontrolled laughter, then became silent.
 What brought him to Oak lands?" she questioned after a sec ond's silence. Kane, I mean"
 T heerd tell that he came down to see Elsa"
 What about?"
 He bein' a physician" the gar dener spoke with marked hesita- ton; "an' she bein' a cripple" "Ha ha! Ha hal" Her laugh was more like an explosion; again she gave vent to peal after peal.
 Ferguson again drew out his roll of money.
 Here's your grand" he coaxed, "an' maybe I can throw in some snow all you'll want of It."
 A sweat broke out on her face and she shook as with palsy.
 "When?" she asked in a sibilant whisper, bending forward.
 You claim you've got the goods on Elsa" he began. Well show me proof of it."
 Who are you, anyway" she de- manded suspiciously. "A fly cop?"
 "No," with reassuring vigor. An I ain't no beefer neither. I'm here to help you get what you want-re- venge. Money and plenty O snow that's the life for ye. Come on here's the mon, hand out some proof"
 Mrs. Lawrence jerked open the drawer of the table standing in front of her. He could hear her hands turning and twisting in the drawer, making curious rip ping sound. Her eyes were down. cast and he could read nothing from her expression. Her lips were twitching oddly. Suddenly pecul- jar drumming sound cut the still : ness. It came from under the table and Ferguson started violently.
 Keep your feet still, can't ye?" he commanded roughly. "Ain't ye