Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 210, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 September 1915 — THE BLACKMAILER [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE BLACKMAILER

By H. M. EGBERT.

“Hanbury?" Inquired the bank president of his secretary, inspecting the card which had been brought to him. “Do I know anybody named Hanbury. Jenkins?” “It’a that crazy fellow who has been trying to see you for weeks past.” replied the secretary. “He Insists that his business is personal and confidential.” “Does he look dangerous, Jenkins?** “No, sir, but dogged as they make them. In fact, he’s such a nuisance that I thought I would ask you if you oared to see him." “Send him in, Jenkins,” answered Myers. “One newer knows. And, if he derelops symptoms of insanity 11l touch the bell under the desk.” “Very good, sir,” answered the secretary. The man who entered did not betray any symptoms of insanity. He was about fifty years of age. a little down at heel, with ill-fitting, shabby clothes, but not the type that would attempt violence. He paused in the middle of the room and looked hard at Myers. “Well, sir?” demanded the president. “I guess you don't know me.” said Hanbury, "so I may as well tell you who I am. My wife died last month, leaving me with a girl eight years old. I*re got to provide for her.” “Plenty of people are In the same predicament,” replied the other. “But In this case It Is you who are going to assist her. I need five hundred dollars to get a share In a new business venture.” “It*s blackmail all right,” the visitor with a smile of amusement “Nobody ever blackmailed me in his life. You'd better not try. It won’t pay you.” “It’s blackmail all right” the visitor answered, taking a letter out of his pocket “First let me tell you the name of my wife. She was Miss Connie Stevens.” The president remained impassive but his face blanched. Hanbury was

quick to notice it. He uttered a short laugh. In that moment of delay Myers’ mind went back to the early days when he was a copra buyer in the South seas. He had had adventures there, he had done things which had him eagerly sought after by his own government. He had amassed a fortune there, but he had lost the woman he loved, who waited for him in America. Of all the bitterness that, he had known, bitterest was the remembrance of that night when he had written a remorseful letter to Connie Stevens. He told her all —the incident of the kidnaping of the Kanakas, the death of the old chief who tried to rescue the men whom Myers had enslaved. the bloody tale of murder and theft which had given him wealth. He was coming back to America, he said. Would she take him in spite of his record of crime? In the hot tropics his sense of right had become atrqphied. He wanted to start a new, clean life hereafter. Would she take him as he was? No answer came. Myers did not even know whether Connie had received his letter; but when he reached America she was married. Then he had set to work to amass wealth. He, too, had married, and gradually he had forgotten Connie. He had been happy, after a fashion. He had convinced himself that he had only acted as white men act in the tropics. He felt little remorse and he bad been a good husband and father. Now, out of the past, this man had confronted him with that forgotten letter. President Myers saw the triumph in his visitor’s eyes. “You understand what this means,'* ‘he said to Myers. “If I were to take this letter into any newspaper office I could get five hundred for it They’d Jump at the chance of downing you. You ain’t popular—not exactly, in this town. I guess you’ve passed as a good citizen, but the folks don’t love you. Well, then. I offer it to you for five hundred first I don’t want to Nackmail. rat driven to tt“ “Nobody ever blackmailed me,” said f. - w ( Han bury laughed and opened the latter. He began to read: * &

“And so. Oonnia, dearest I am telling you all my past 1 have done enough to hang twenty men. If they had been whites Instead of Kanakas. There Isn’t any government here, but If Uncle Sam got hold of me he could put me In his penitentiary for the balance of my life. And though you will be horrified. I cannot ask you to be my wife without telling you this.” “Horrified?” he asked. “Say, you didn’t know my wife. What right had you to suppose that a good woman would marry such a blackguard as you ? I tell you. she nearly went mad over that cowardly letter. I had been courting her for a year, and It gave me my chance. She never regretted It, either. But she didn’t know I got the letter. I thought it might prove useful some day. And it wilt Well, sir, will you buy it for five hundred or shall I sell it to the SOr?” “Nobody ever blackmailed me,” answered Myers. "But I tell you what I’ll do. I’ll give you an order on the cashier for five hundred If you hand over that letter and envelope to me.” "HI get the money first,” said Hanbury. “Write: ’Please pay bearer five hundred dollars In cash in return for valuable trade information, of which I am to have exclusive possession.’ Finished? Good! Now well go to the desk and draw.” Five minutes later the two men were back in the president’s office. Hanbury handed Myers the letter. “Well,” he said awkwardly, “you won’t be troubled with me again. Good-day.” "Stop!” said Myers. “I told you nobody ever blackmailed me. You think I paid you five hundred for the letter?” "Sure,” grinned the other. "Well, you’re wrong,” said Myers quietly. "That letter was written from Kanakaland when its short-lived government was In power. What I bought was the stamp, Hanbury. That’s worth a thousand anywhere. There are only five in existence —and the other four are Imperfect. Goodday!” He touched the bell, and Jenkins entered hurriedly. “It’s all right, Jenkins,” said Myers. “Just show this gentleman to the door, please, and see that he doesn’t return.” Hanbury, looking like a man uncertain whether he has scored a victory or suffered a crushing defeat, retreated at the side of the secretary. His last impression of Myers was of the president seated at his desk, coolly turning over his correspondence. “Jenkins,” said Myers, when the man returned, “that fellow tried to blackmail me. I turned him dowg cold. Nobody ever blackmailed me, or ever will. By the way, you collect stamps, don’t you Here’s one from Kanakaland. I don’t know whether it’s worth anything, but it ought to be worth a dollar or two.- It looks like a rare one.” (Copyright. 1915. by W. O. Chapman.!

“I Guess You Don't Know Me.”