Page:Arthur Stringer - The Door of Dread.djvu/135

 He leaned forward again and tapped his coat-front just over his heart.

"I'm going to slope up to Canada and sit on this nest-egg of mine until the excitement blows over," he quietly explained to her. "This town's too hot for me, and I can afford to wait until it cools down. Money isn't much good after they've given you a number and shaved your head."

"It'd help me along consider'ble!" acknowledged Sadie.

Dorgan was on his feet by this time, and had taken off his coat. Then he as deliberately took off his vest and placed it on the end of the table.

"Goin' to turn in?" Sadie solemnly inquired.

But Dorgan, as he took a small pen-knife from one pocket of the vest, did not even smile.

"No; it's more a case of turn out," he explained as he flattened the vest on the table-top. He saw the look of wonder in her eyes, and wrinkled his face in a one-sided smile as he stood for a moment looking down at her.

"I'm taking a chance with you I wouldn't take with any man this side of the Ohio," he went on, as he opened the knife, turned over one edge of the