Part 38 (1/2)
”Right you are,” sneered the other.
”It's dirty money, I tell you--b.l.o.o.d.y money. I know it. And I know who you are, Jim Coast.”
Coast started up and thrust the roll deep into his trousers pocket.
”You don't know anything,” he growled.
Peter got up too. His mind had followed Coast's extraordinary story, and so far as it had gone, believed it to be true. Peter wanted to know what had happened out there at the mine in the desert, but more than that he wanted to know how the destinies of this man affected Beth. And so the thought that had been growing in his mind now found quick utterance.
”I know this--that you've come back to frighten McGuire, but you've also come back to bring misery and shame to others who've lived long in peace and happiness without you----”
”What----?” said Coast incredulously.
”I know who you are. You're Ben Cameron,” said Peter distinctly.
The effect of this statement upon Jim Coast was extraordinary. He started back abruptly, overturning a chair, and fell rather than leaned against the bedpost--his eyes staring from a ghastly face.
”What--what did--you say?” he gasped chokingly.
”You're Ben Cameron,” said Peter again.
Coast put the fingers of one hand to his throat and straightened slowly, still staring at Peter. Then uneasily, haltingly, he made a sound in his throat that grew into a dry laugh----
”Me--B-Ben Cameron! That's d.a.m.n good. Me--Ben Cameron! Say, Pete, whatever put _that_ into your head?”
”The way you frightened the old woman at the kitchen door.”
”Oh!” Coast straightened in relief. ”I get you. You've been talkin' to _her_.”
”Yes. What did you say to her?”
”I--I just gave her a message for McGuire. I reckon she gave it to him.”
”A message?”
”Oh, you needn't say you don't know, Pete. It didn't fetch him. So I put up the placard.”
Peter was now more bewildered than Coast. ”Do you deny that you're Ben Cameron?” he asked.
Coast pulled himself together and took up his coat.
”Deny it? Sure! I'm not--not him--not Ben Cameron--not Ben Cameron.
Don't I know who I am?” he shouted. Then he broke off with a violent gesture and took up his cap. ”Enough of your d.a.m.n questions, I say. I've told you what I've told you. You can believe it or not, as you choose.
I'm Jim Coast to you or Hawk Kennedy, if you like, but don't you go throwin' any more of your dirty jokes my way. Understand?”
Peter couldn't understand but he had had enough of the man. So he pointed toward the door.
”Go,” he ordered. ”I've had enough of you--get out!”
Coast walked a few paces toward the door, then paused and turned and held out his hand.