Part 22 (1/2)

”You just watch that d.i.n.ky little vase on the table across the room there. 'Tain't very valuable, is it?”

”No,” Mary answered.

In the same instant, while still her eyes were on the vase, it fell in a cascade of s.h.i.+vered gla.s.s to the table and floor. She had heard no sound, she saw no smoke. Perhaps, there had been a faintest clicking noise. She was not sure. She stared dumfounded for a few seconds, then turned her bewildered face toward Garson, who was grinning in high enjoyment.

”I would'nt have believed it possible,” she declared, vastly impressed.

”Neat little thing, ain't it?” the man asked, exultantly.

”Where did you get it?” Mary asked.

”In Boston, last week. And between you and me, Mary, it's the only model, and it sure is a corker for crime.”

The sinister a.s.sociation of ideas made Mary shudder, but she said no more. She would have shuddered again, if she could have guessed the vital part that pistol was destined to play. But she had no thought of any actual peril to come from it. She might have thought otherwise, could she have known of the meeting that night in the back room of Blinkey's, where English Eddie and Garson sat with their heads close together over a table.

”A chance like this,” Griggs was saying, ”a chance that will make a fortune for all of us.”

”It sounds good,” Garson admitted, wistfully.

”It is good,” the other declared with an oath. ”Why, if this goes through, we're set up for life. We can quit, all of us.”

”Yes,” Garson agreed, ”we can quit, all of us.” There was avarice in his voice.

The tempter was sure that the battle was won, and smiled contentedly.

”Well,” he urged, ”what do you say?”

”How would we split it?” It was plain that Garson had given over the struggle against greed. After all, Mary was only a woman, despite her cleverness, and with all a woman's timidity. Here was sport for men.

”Three ways would be right,” Griggs answered. ”One to me, one to you and one to be divided up among the others.”

Garson brought his fist down on the table with a force that made the gla.s.ses jingle.

”You're on,” he said, strongly.

”Fine!” Griggs declared, and the two men shook hands. ”Now, I'll get----”

”Get nothing!” Garson interrupted. ”I'll get my own men. Chicago Red is in town. So is Dacey, with perhaps a couple of others of the right sort.

I'll get them to meet you at Blinkey's at two to-morrow afternoon, and, if it looks right, we'll turn the trick to-morrow night.”

”That's the stuff,” Griggs agreed, greatly pleased.

But a sudden shadow fell on the face of Garson. He bent closer to his companion, and spoke with a fierce intensity that brooked no denial.

”She must never know.”

Griggs nodded understandingly.

”Of course,” he answered. ”I give you my word that I'll never tell her.

And you know you can trust me, Joe.”