g hard. But the story held with
what he already knew of the man's history.

"That's when Mike McGuire tacked the 'Jonathan K.' onto his name," Coast
went on. "And that money's mine, the good half of it. Figure it out for
yourself. Say five hundred thou, eight per cent, fifteen years--I
reckon I could worry along on that even if he wouldn't do better--which
he will.

"Well, Pete--to shorten up--I found McGuire was here--in New York--and I
laid for him. I watched for a while and then one day I got my nerve up
and tackled him on the street. You ought to of seen his face when I told
him who I was and what I'd come for. We were in the crowd at Broadway
and Wall, people all about us. He started the 'high and mighty' stuff
for a minute until I crumpled him up with a few facts. I thought he was
goin' to have a stroke for a minute, when I made my brace for the five
thou--then he turned tail and ran into the crowd pale as death. I lost
him then. But it didn't matter. I'd find him again. I knew where his
office was--and his hotel. It was dead easy. But he beat it down here.
It took me awhile to pick up the trail. But here I am, Pete--here I
am--safe in harbor at last."

Coast took the bills out of his pocket and slowly counted them again.

"And when you come back from the West, what will you do?" asked Peter.

"Oh, now you're talkin', Pete. I'm goin' to settle down and live
respectable. I like this country around here. I came from Jersey, you
know, in the first place. I might build a nice place--keep a few horses
and automobiles and enjoy my old age--run over to gay Paree once a
year--down to Monte Carlo in the season. Oh, I'd know how to _live_ now.
You bet you. I've seen 'em do it--those swells. They won't have anything
on me. I'll live like a prince----"

"On blackmail----," said Peter.

"See here, Pete----!"

"I meant it." Peter had risen and faced Coast coolly. "Blackmail! You
can't tell me that if you had any legal claim on McGuire you couldn't
prove it."

"I mightn't be able to----," he shrugged.

"What is McGuire frightened about? Not about what he owes you. He could
pay that ten times over. It's something else--something that happened
out there at the mine that you dare not tell----"

"That I _won't_ tell," laughed Coast disagreeably.

"That you _dare_ not tell--that McGuire dares not tell. Something that
has to do with his strange message about the blood on the knife, and
your placard about what you've got