Blow the Man Down - A Romance of the Coast

"Go as far as you like," consented Mr. Fogg, listlessly. "You can't make

me responsible for the acts of a person I don't know from Adam."

"Is that your last word?"

"Of course it is!" snapped the promoter. "You must be a lunatic to think

anything else."

"Very well. May I use your telephone to call the police?"

"Certainly." Mr. Fogg lighted a cigar and picked up a newspaper.

"Just a moment before you use that 'phone," objected the third member

of the party. "I want an understanding. You please step out of the room,

Mayo."

"Stay where you are," commanded Fogg. "I'll give no chance for any

underhand work." He scowled when the prisoner winked at him. "This looks

to me like a put-up job between you two."

"There's nothing put up between us," declared the man. "There'd better

be something put up between you two. The thing can go about so far,

where I'm concerned, and no farther. I want an understanding, I say!"

Fogg slapped open the pages of his newspaper.

"I have made my talk," said Mayo.

"By gad, I'm not going to jail--not for anybody!"

Fogg removed his eye-glasses and gave the man a full, unblinking stare.

"Did you try to dynamite that wreck?"

"Is that orders--orders to talk right out?"

"Orders? I don't know what you mean, sir. I have asked you a plain

question."

"And you want an answer?"

"Naturally."

"What I tried to do didn't work--he was too quick for me. There, now,

get together! He has made you a fair offer, Mr. Fogg. There's no need of

my going to jail. I won't go!"

"You ought to go, for what you did!" commented Fogg, dryly.

"No, for what he didn't do--from your standpoint," suggested Captain

Mayo.

"And you have been boasting, eh?" Fogg kept up his disconcerting stare,

with fishy eyes.

"I ain't going to let men walk over me and wipe their feet on me when

I'm obeying orders."

"Orders from whom, sir?"

"Condemn it all, orders from men who can protect me by saying one word!

I ain't going to stand all this riddle-come-ree business! Flat down,

now, Mr. Fogg, what say?"

"Not a word! If what this fellow says is true, you ought to be in jail."

"The advice is good. He'll be there very soon," declared Mayo, starting

for the telephone. Fogg replaced his eye-glasses and began to read.