"Will you kindly do as I ask?" he said. With Mannie at his side,
Vance walked quickly from the room. Once in the hall, the boy
laid a detaining hand upon the arm of the older man.
"If you'll take my advice, which you won't," he said, "we'll all
cut and run now, while we got the chance!"
In the library, Gaylor turned savagely upon his fellow
conspirator.
"Well!" he demanded.
Rainey frowned at him sulkily. "I wash my hands of the whole
thing!" he cried.
Gaylor dropped his voice to a whisper.
"What are you afraid of now?: he demanded. "If you're not afraid
of a district attorney, why are you afraid of a reporter?"
"I'm not afraid of anybody," returned Rainey, thickly. "But, I
don't mean to be a party to no murder!" He paused, shaking his
head portentously. "That man in there," he whispered, nodding
toward the bedroom, "is in no condition to go through this.
After that shock this morning, and last night -- it'll kill him.
His heart's rotten, I tell you, rotten!"
Garrett snarled contemptuously.
"How do you know?" he demanded.
"How do I know?" returned Rainey, fiercely. "I was four years in
a medical college, when you were in jail, you -- " "Stop that!"
cried Gaylor. Glancing fearfully toward the open door, he
interposed between them.
"Don't take my advice, then," cried Rainey. "Go on! Kill him!
And he won't sign your will. Only, don't say I didn't tell you."
"Have you told him?" demanded Gaylor.
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