Page:Arthur Stringer - Twin Tales.djvu/157

Rh Gunboat Dorgan fell back, gaped a little, and then swallowed hard.

"Yuh paid—yuh paid that mutt— that money—for—for what he'd get tarred and feathered for—down in my Ward!" he gasped, wide-eyed with incredulity.

Teddie nodded.

And Gunboat, seeing that movement of acquiescence, repeated: "wenty-five thousand dollars!" Then he began to stride meditatively back and forth, pacing the studio-rug with his characteristic panther-like step. Teddie watched him, without speaking, without moving. She watched him until he came to an abrupt stop.

"Say, Ruby was right in this, after all," he suddenly proclaimed. "I was the guy who got off his trolley. Yuh—yuh looked so good to me I got my numbers mixed. I got to dreamin' things. But twenty-five thousand bucks in cold cash ain't no dream. And d' yuh know what I'm goin' to do, and do right now? I'm goin' up to that Uhlan guy and get that twenty-five thousand back. Just so's yuh can see I'm a little more on the level than yuh've been