ffy" enough to have him raise the window. When
it came to drawing nigh to money, Mr. Smith was the pink of propinquity.

Noting that Mr. Tescheron had been subdued, Mr. Smith started to go. He
bade his patron to be of good cheer, and promised him the outlook would
surely brighten in time.

"Keep your seat a minute, Smith," urged Mr. Tescheron, whose ideas had
been strengthened by the tonic of Smith's stimulating rejoinder, and I
may add that the turn was about what Smith had planned to happen. "What
are those papers you put back in your pocket?" The observing, gullible
man of business was trying to swim where the current was a little too
swift for him.

"Why, I had here a memorandum of what it would cost to have you go back
and have the whole business hushed up forever."

"How much?"

"Three thousand dollars."

"Whew! That's a scorcher."

"Flanagan wanted six, but I got next to him myself and I think--I'm not
sure--but I think he would take three."

"I can't think of it. I'll give a thousand, but not a cent more. And
say--how much do you keep out of it, Smith?"

Mr. Tescheron cast a suspicious eye on the detective, who proceeded to
apply his formula for suspicion.

"That is an insult, Mr. Tescheron," exclaimed Mr. Smith. "You may not
have intended it as such, but really that is too much for me to bear. I
have served you untiringly and faithfully, and really you should give me
better treatment. I cannot allow you to insinuate that I would be guilty
of--"

"There, there, Smith, forget it. I shouldn't have accused you of that.
But this expense is too heavy. I'll stay here a while longer. As there
seems to be no danger of the case being revived, I think we may return
in a week or so without paying the hush money."

"Just as you say, but I confess the newspaper reports have scared me,
even though you--"

"The reports!" Tescheron colored and blanched in turn. "The reports!
Where?"

"You saw them."

"Certainly I did not. Where did they appear? When? Why have you not told
me?"

"But you read the papers, and I understood you did not fear them while
over here."

"Fear them! What am I here for except to escape the scandal that would
attach to my family? Smith, are you lying to me? There were no reports.
Had there been I could not have missed them; my man King or some one
would have called my attention to them."

Mr. Smith handed a carefully folded newspaper clipping, with ragged
edges, to Mr. Tescheron. I