“But you won’t,” said Dale, with a grimness in his voice. “Having blackmailed me to the tune of a hundred, you’ll promptly hit the high places.”
“But I haven’t seen the hundred yet.”
“Here it is.”
The word blackmail had caused Chester to check himself in the act of coughing, to give them notice that he was sitting near. He now listened with great interest, peering forth at the dark figures to be seen behind the shrubbery.
“It feels like the real stuff,” laughed Hanks, with satisfaction. “Are you certain it’s an even hundred?”
“I didn’t count it.”
“Then I think I will.”
Hanks struck a match and held it with one hand while he thumbed over the money with his other hand.
“Four twenties, a ten, and two fives,” he said triumphantly. “That’s quite right, Spark, old chap. It looks like good money, too. I need it in my business, you know.”
“I don’t know why you should, for you’ve certainly fleeced enough greenhorns to be good and flush. I caught you at your crooked game and exposed you.”