Part 12 (1/2)

”Well, Colonel, I--”

”Never mind, Spotty. Perhaps the less you talk the better off you'll be. Does anybody in town know you're here?”

”Well, my picture--”

”Yes, it is probably down at headquarters. But they're too busy to look for it now. But they may--later. So far you haven't been recognized then?”

”Only by you, and it'd take a pretty clever guy--”

”No compliments, Spotty. We've gotten over that. You disguised yourself very well, but the freckles show through.”

”Yes, d.a.m.n 'em!” heartily exploded the gunman. ”I can't cover 'em up.

I've tried everything, but I guess I'll have to go togged up like a colored man to fool the other bulls. As for you, Colonel--”

”There you go again! Cut it out! This is business.”

”Yes, good business for you, but bad for me. I didn't think you'd get after me so soon, Colonel!”

”I'm not after you, Spotty.”

The detective spoke quietly, but the effect on the man sitting across the table from him, in one of the less conspicuous cafes in Colchester, had the effect of a shout.

”Not after me? You _ain't_?” and Spotty drew away from the array of gla.s.ses and bottles so suddenly that he overturned a tumbler with its tinkling chunk of ice. ”Not after me, Colonel?”

”No, I came here for a quiet bit of fis.h.i.+ng, and I just stumbled on this case against my will. I'm not even working on it, and I'm not going to. n.o.body knows I'm in town except my man s.h.a.g--and you. I know I can depend on s.h.a.g, and as for you--”

”I'm with you till the cows come to roost, Colonel. I'm strong fer you! I kin forget I ever saw you.”

”That's good. I thought you'd be that way. So, as no one knows I'm in town (the colonel knew nothing of what s.h.a.g had said to the newsboy), I can keep under cover and have my fis.h.i.+ng as I like it--quiet. I don't intend any one shall know I'm here, either.

”Now, Spotty, I'm a plain-spoken man when there's occasion for it, and this is one of those times, I guess. You saved my life just now, I know that. Of course I realize I might just have been badly hurt, and perhaps have lingered on in a hospital for some years--but that would be worse than death. I consider that you saved my life. I couldn't have moved out of the way of that truck any more than I could have flown. I realize it more and more. You did me the biggest service one man can do another, and I'm not going to forget it, Spotty.”

”No, I guess remembering is your long suit, Colonel.”

”Well, that's all in a day's work. I didn't forget you, Spotty. Now, as I said, you saved my life. I believe in turning the tables, and though I can't do for you what you did for me, maybe I can help in a way.”

”You kin gamble on that, Colonel!”

”Listen to me, Spotty,” and the detective leaned forward and spoke in a low, tense voice. ”Just now, as I say, I'm not in this case. Not being a public official, I'm not bound to use what knowledge or suspicions I have regarding this matter, and I'm not particularly interested--as yet. So I'm going to give you a chance, just as you gave me mine now. It isn't exactly the same, for maybe you wouldn't lose your life. You've been devilishly lucky, and gotten through more narrow places than I'd ever give you credit for.

”So it may seem that I'm not quite squaring the account, but it's all I can do--now. I'm going to give you your chance. I'm not going to ask you any questions. You know what you know and I know what I know.

Now, Spotty, streak it out of town as fast as a train can take you, and--_don't come back_!”

Spotty Morgan made little wet rings on the table with his empty gla.s.s.

A waiter, hovering near by, caught the glint of his eye and brought the liquor. Then Spotty, after a libation, spoke.

”Colonel,” he said slowly, ”most of what you has been spielin' is like the lawyer guys git off in court. I don't quite tumble, but I take it you mean you're goin' t' let me go.”

”That's it, Spotty! I'm going to let you go this time!”