"Thank you, no," I snapped.

"Suit yourself, Mr. Glenarm." He seemed to like my

name and gave it a disagreeable drawling emphasis.

"Morgan, you are an infernal blackguard. You have

tried twice to kill me-"

"We'll call it that, if you like,"-and he grinned.

"But you'd better cut off one for this."

He lifted the gray fedora hat from his head, and

poked his finger through a hole in the top.

"You're a pretty fair shot, Mr. Glenarm. The fact

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about me is,"-and he winked,-"the honest truth is,

I'm all out of practice. Why, sir, when I saw you paddling

out on the lake this afternoon I sighted you from

the casino half a dozen times with my gun, but I was

afraid to risk it." He seemed to be shaken with inner

mirth. "If I'd missed, I wasn't sure you'd be scared to

death!"

For a novel diversion I heartily recommend a meeting

with the assassin who has, only a few days or hours

before, tried to murder you. I know of nothing in the

way of social adventure that is quite equal to it. Morgan

was a fellow of intelligence and, whatever lay back

of his designs against me, he was clearly a foe to reckon

with. He stood in the doorway calmly awaiting my

next move. I struck a match on my box and lighted a

cigarette.

"Morgan, I hope you understand that I am not responsible

for any injury my grandfather may have inflicted

on you. I hadn't seen him for several years before

he died. I was never at Glenarm before in my

life, so it's a little rough for you to visit your displeasure

on me."

He smiled tolerantly as I spoke. I knew-and he

knew that I did-that no ill feeling against my grandfather

lay back of his interest in my affairs.

"You're not quite the man your grandfather was, Mr.

Glenarm. You'll excuse my bluntness, but I take it

that you're a frank man. He was a very keen person,

and, I'm afraid,"-he chuckled with evident satisfaction

to himself,-"I'm really afraid, Mr. Glenarm, that

you're not!"

"There you have it, Morgan! I fully agree with you!

I'm as dull as an oyster; that's the reason I've called on

you for enlightenment. Consider that I'm here under a

flag of truce, and let's see if we can't come to an agreement."

"It's too late, Mr. Glenarm; too late. There was a

time when we might have done some business; but that's

past now. You seem like a pretty decent fellow, too,

and I'm sorry I didn't see you sooner; but better luck

next time."

He stroked his yellow beard reflectively and shook his

head a little sadly. He was not a bad-looking fellow;

and he expressed himself well enough with a broad western

accent.




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