The Argosy, October 1906 — page 66: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

~ “You may put it down t to- ” Car- some one “else. np os mad <== = ter began angrily. about the whole = ond the way he’s And there he stopped and returned to been treated—or thinks he has. Just his papers. For Carter, Mr. Ormsby -wait a few days. We'll hang on ‘to the had ceased to exist. case, hard and fast, and let Be nedict get - Ormsby,” however, was still upon the a bit anxious. See? Then we'll let him oe = isot. F inding that time did not bring approach us.” : | =a ~ a change in Carter’s attitude, at the end “Ves?” = of five minutes, he laid a gentle hand Lon “Oh, you don’ Eas know. Henedice as well =< the other’s knee. as I do, Mr. Carter—not by a very long = | oe ~ “Come now, sir. Isn’ t it just a little shot. vm acquainted with every point ——— - foolish for se to act this way? ATES in the tascal’s character! He, pesesah = = = -QOf--courses--YOu ve got. ‘the case— behind him have ‘all ‘kinds of . we understand that. You've opened it, He'll pay well for that little case, once _ = - too—that’s pretty evident. Now you we assure him that it’s here and intact. | = know what is inside, and you think We can fix the lock up again.” SSeS = - you've managed to get hold of a big Carter smiled slyly. == —i—si—SstS thing. But you’re wrong, sir. I know “How much, do you think? = = “more about it than you do—a good deal ‘““Whatever we ask, Carter. A hun- | more, believe me—and yet even I should dred thousand—or ‘five /hundred_ thou- hesitate to tackle the job. of carrying it sand—or a million, | -for.that— Matter: through to the end.” | One is as easy to get as the other, and = oe Really?’ ” — ‘The curiosity was rising — “people -will hand it out all right. — ‘Yes, a again in spite of Carter’s efforts to keep it’s good for a million, if we work it it down. properly! = = = -“You can gamble on it. There are a A-illion—dollars Carter’: 's brain ge _ whole. lot of things that would make reeled. What under the sun could be. trouble before you were done with it. contained in that little: case worth CRO == “Now why not come right out, open and million dollars? sees : Ss ~ above board, and work with me? oS Not diamonds, certainly, nor FS — . “Tn what way?” = | jewelry—nothing of that sort would fit_ ___“ Well—in whatever way you like. If in with this Ormsby’s queer line of talk. ~ you. want to go ahead and do—what you But—he had never seen it, he - think you can do, why, I'll work with possess it, and there was no chance of his. = ss you, share half and half alike. It’s a possessing it. So, as he had before con- == — little foolish, but I’m willing.” cluded, the matter were best ended on. = © And if I don’t: choose?” the spot. Carter arose. Ean ae “Then we can hold on to it until» ‘Im very sorry, Mr. oS - Benedict’ s crowd is ready to put up a haven’t the thing, nor have I had = Zs Ss good sum.” — Therefore I am regretfully forced’ (a= = 3 “For the case?” asked Carter rather relinquish the prospect of that million. Sore _ preathlessly. : ‘Before you go, would you mind telling . To be sure! Say, how much do you me what was in the confounded thing?” == know about Benedict?” | “Eh?” Ormsby’s face, which had _ “Nothing whatever!” —. =e clouded at the first part of the speech, = S “Oh! Nothing whatever, eh?” broke again into that maddening toler Seat _ Ormsby nodded wisely. “I see. You ant grin. . -—_ know nothing more about him than you “You haven't seen a= have ee = do about the case—which you’ve never opened it—and yet you are most curic — séen! Oh, yowll do, Mr. Carter! to know just what the contents - een as eon re a deep one, fast enough |! se: ss —— - Carter flushed, but held his peace. “ Weil——” eS grin Ormsby came even closer. “since you “haven't ‘seen it