Part 42 (1/2)

”Very well You claiive you soive ot yours here?”

Daly smiled ”I have not They're kept where nobody but myself could find them”

”I see,” said Foster ”Any money you could extort from Featherstone was to be your private perquisite and not shared with the gang! Well, I've brought my documents for you to examine This is a traveler's circular check for yourself, and this is an ordinary bank check for another man Taken alone, they don't prove very much, but I'll try to sho they link up with other iven him the packet and his adventures in Newcastle, and when he finished Daly nodded

”On the whole, you don't argue badly”

”I expect a lawyer prosecuting for the Croould argue it better, particularly if I was ready to go into the witness-box Then, of course, there's Featherstone's evidence”

For a moment Daly looked alarmed, but recovered his tranquillity without much effort, and Foster saw he had to face his first serious difficulty, though there was another If Daly kne little Lawrence could really tell, it would be hard to deal with hi depends on the importance of Featherstone's evidence”

”Your accoht it important, since he tried to throw him down the elevator shaft,” Foster rejoined ”Anyhow, Featherstone saw the man who killed Fred Hulton”

Daly's s about it at the inquiry, and when he was in the factory passage spoke to the uard”

”That's so You probably know more about the methods of the police than I do, but I understand they now and then keep so back, with an object Then Featherstone is not a fool He was satisfied to answer the questions he was asked You ranted he didn't know the er”

There was silence for soined he had carefully weighed the thing before Then he asked abruptly: ”Did your partner think he saw me?”

”No,” said Foster, who resolved to tell the truth

Son of acquiescence ”Very well! You are near the mark, and I'll tell you what happened There's not e would ad you declared you had been told Besides, I'll own that it's an unlikely tale I was not at or near the factory that night, but I had done soaot it all back However, aabout the custoht he met Featherstone

But he did not shoot Fred Hulton”

”Then hoas the lad killed?”

”He shot himself; in a way, by accident”

Foster looked at Daly with ironical surprise ”Your friends deal too much in accidents! It was by an accident Walters left Featherstone on the snow _couloir_”

”It doesn't matter if you disbelieve me; this is what happened,” Daly rejoined ”My friend--we'll call hi and after some talk, covered Hulton with his pistol

The lad had had some trouble about his debts, because the old man would have fired him out of the business if he'd heard of theood He opened the safe when he was told and theHulton in his chair We don't knohat the lad thought, but perhaps he saould be suspected or was asharit Anyhohen the man was on the stairs Hulton came up behind and told him to stop He had a pistol, but looked strained and nervous, and the other, who had put his away, made a rush at him Hulton slipped on the steps, his pistol went off, and when he rolled to the bottom the other saas dead”

Foster was silent for a tih he did not see why Daly had told it hi the ground and had not reached his object yet, but Daly showed no inclination to hurry hih the rocking of the car and throb of wheels indicated that the train was running fast, the next station was soht outside and he saering rocks and masses of dark trees roll past

”Well,” he re of swindlersa philanthropist”

Daly se man

Philanthropy loses its charm when it becoiven Then ed in such an occupation was reward enough, and so must be allowed for the natural reaction As a matter of fact, I'm not surprised that Featherstone robbed o”

Foster nodded and was silent Perhaps it was because the excitement of the chase was over, but he felt dull and tired He had no syue, but he had pluck and char quietly and aler he had expected and his antagonist was calerous and would use any advantage that he could gain

”Now you had better tell me exactly what you want,” Daly resumed