"A what?" exclaimed Samuel perplexed.
"A mission stiff," repeated the other. "One of the guys that gets
repentance!"
Samuel experienced a sudden chilling of the ardor with which he had
come into the room. The old grin was upon the other's face; and the
boy realized with a sudden sinking of the heart how hard and savage he
was. Finnegan was a babe in arms compared with Charlie Swift.
To convert him would be a real task, a test of one's fervor and
vision. Samuel resolved suddenly upon diplomacy.
"They've been very good to me," he said.
"I dare say," responded the other indifferently.
"And Dr. Vince is really a very good man," he went on.
"Humph!" commented the burglar; and then he added quickly, "You
haven't been telling him anything about me?"
Oh, no!" exclaimed the boy.
"Not a word?"
"Have you forgotten that I promised you?"
"That's all right," said Charlie, "only I just wanted to warn you. You
can tie up with the church guys if you feel like it--only don't
mention your lost brothers down in the pit. Just you remember that I
got some of the doctor's silver."
The boy gave a start. "Oh!" he exclaimed.
"Didn't you know that?" laughed the other.
"No, I didn't know it."
"What did you suppose I was doing all that time while you were
watching?"
Samuel said nothing for a minute. "Why did you pick out Dr. Vince?" he
asked suddenly.
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