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The Ghost of Gideon Wise know you have the run of these queer places, Mr. Byrne, and I want you to do something for us unofficially. You know where these men meet; there are only two or three of them that count, John Elias and Jake Halket, who does all the spouting, and perhaps that poet fellow Horne."

"Why Horne used to be a friend of Gideon," said the jeering Mr. Gallup; "used to be in his Sunday School class or something."

"He was a Christian, then," said old Gideon solemnly, "but when a man takes up with atheists you never know. I still meet him now and then. I was quite ready to back him against war and conscription and all that, of course, but when it comes to all the goddam bolshies in creation"

"Excuse me," interposed Stein, "the matter is rather urgent, so I hope you will excuse me putting it before Mr. Byrne at once. Mr. Byrne, I may tell you in confidence that I hold information, or rather evidence that would land at least two of those men in prison for long terms, in connexion with conspiracies during the late war. I don't want to use that evidence. But I want you to go to them quietly and tell them that I shall use it, and use it tomorrow, unless they alter their attitude."

"Well," replied Byrne, "what you propose would certainly be called compounding a felony and might be called blackmail. Don't you think it is rather dangerous?"