Page:Arthur Stringer - The Hand of Peril.djvu/239

 we carry the election in that republic there's a three hundred dollar bonus waitin' for ev'ry man who's made good. And I'm a poor guesser if you'd be a quitter in a game like that."

"Oh, I'm glad enough to get out o' this burg. But I'm bust. What're you givin' me down?"

"Twenty bones."

"And no questions asked?"

"All you've got to do is step down to the office and sign up."

Kestner viewed the other man with a sudden show of suspicion. But that mention of an office interested him.

"There's no street-parade about this thing, is there?"

"Son, what're you scared of?" was the stranger's gentle inquiry.

"I'm scared o' nothin'. But a couple o' flatties've got my number and they're goin' to pound me off the island. All I want is a corner to crawl into till I can sleep this head o' mine off."

"Then just step this way," said the man with the Stetson hat, as he glanced casually about and crossed to the sidewall door and opened it. He waited until the sleepy-eyed man at his heels had passed through that door. Then he swung it shut.

"And here's your twenty to cinch the thing," he added as he produced a capacious roll of bills and peeled off two yellowbacks.

Kestner took the two bills, folded them up, and started to tuck them carefully into his vest pocket. Then, as he listlessly followed the other man down the