Part 28 (1/2)

”Try it,” said Garrison, grinning in his face. ”A charge of abduction, plus a charge even larger, may cause you more than mere annoyance.

You've been looking for trouble with me, and you're bound to have it.

Let me warn you that you are up against a number of facts that you may have overlooked--and you may hear something drop!”

”You think you've been clever, here and in Woodsite, I suppose,” said Theodore, concealing both wrath and alarm. ”I could drop a couple of facts on you that would fade you a little, I reckon. And this house isn't yours yet!”

”I wonder how many lessons you are going to need,” answered Garrison coldly. ”If you put so much as your hand inside this building, I'll have you arrested for burglary. Now, mind what I say--and get out!”

”I'll see you later, all right,” said Robinson, glaring for a moment in impotent rage, and he turned and retreated from the place.

Garrison, with his mind made up to a _coup_ of distinct importance, was presently headed for his room in Forty-fourth Street. Before he left the Subway he went to a waiting-room, replaced the long mustache upon his face--the one with which he had started away in the morning--and walked the few short blocks from the station to his house.

The street was nearly deserted, but the ”shadow” he had duped in the morning was on watch, still undismissed from duty by young Robinson.

Garrison went up to him quietly--and suddenly showing his gun, pulled away the false mustache.

”I'm the man you've been waiting to follow,” he said. ”Now, don't say a word, but come on.”

”h.e.l.l!” said the man.

He shrugged his shoulders and was soon up in Garrison's room.

CHAPTER XXI

REVELATIONS

The fellow whom Garrison had taken into camp had once attempted detective work himself and failed. He was not at all a clever being, but rather a crafty, fairly reliable employee of a somewhat shady ”bureau” with which young Robinson was on quite familiar terms.

He was far from being a coward. It was he who had followed Garrison to Branchville, rifled his suit-case, and been captured by the trap.

Despite the fact that his hand still bore the evidence of having tampered with Garrison's possessions, he had dared remain on the job because he felt convinced that Garrison had never really seen him and could not, therefore, pick him up.

Sullen in his helplessness, aware that his captor must at last have a very great advantage, he complied with Garrison's command to take a seat in the room, and glanced about him inquiringly.

”What do you want with me anyhow?” he said. ”What's your game?”

”Mine is a surer game than yours,” said Garrison, seating himself with his back to the window, and the light therefore all on his visitor's face. ”I'm going to tell you first what you are up against.”

The man s.h.i.+fted uneasily.

”You haven't got anything to hold me on,” he said. ”I've got my regular license to follow my trade.”

”I was not aware the State was issuing licenses to burglars,” said Garrison. ”Come, now, with that hand of yours, what's the use of beating around the bush. If my suit-case had nipped you by the wrist instead of the fingers, I'd have captured you red-handed in the act.”

The fellow thrust his hand in his pocket. His face, with two days'

growth of beard upon it, turned a trifle pale.

”I'd rather work on your side than against you,” he ventured. ”A man has to make a living.”