CHAPTER XXXI. BULSON GROWS DESPERATE.
Sam Pepper was taking it easy at the rear of his resort on the evening of the day when Gertrude went to Lakewood, when the door opened and a messenger boy came in.
"Is Sam Pepper here?" asked the boy, approaching Bolton.
"That's my handle, sonny. What do you want?"
"Here's a message. I was to wait for an answer."
Pepper took the message and read it with interest.
"Friend Pepper: Meet me to-night between eleven and twelve o'clock at my apartments. Something important. Bring those old papers with you. I have the cash.
"H. B."
"Humph! so Bulson wants to close that deal to-night," muttered Sam Pepper, as he tore the message to shreds. "He's in a tremendous hurry, all at once. I wonder what's new in the wind? Well, I'm low on cash, and I might as well take him up now as later on."