“That’s what I said. It was all right before I bucked up against Merriwell, but fighting him has cost me a pretty penny, and I’m in a bad hole. I dropped my last dollar and all I could rake on those Uniontown chumps. Thought they were dead sure to win, and gave the money to Kennedy to bet. I’m strapped, Bunol.”
“But you get more easy.”
“Not so easy. I’ve been working the old lady pretty hard of late, and she’s about ready to make a kick. I’ve even got money off sis.”
“You offer me one hundred dollars to go ’way.”
Chester glanced at his hand, on which sparkled a handsome diamond.
“I’ll have to stick this stone up for the sum,” he said. “You see just where I’m at, Miguel. I’m bumping on the rocks. You can’t blame me. If I had not been beaten at every turn by Merriwell I’d be ’way ahead now.”
“I keel him! You stop me! I know he make it trouble for you—for me.”
“Killing doesn’t go, Miguel. You’re too hot-headed for this place. Come, old man, there is no reason why we should fuss about this matter. The time has come for us to split, and that is all there is to do.”
But Miguel Bunol knew which side his bread was buttered on, and he did not fancy giving up a good thing like Arlington.
“I go,” he said.