What could he make out of this, he wondered?
Again Sam Stay supplied the clue.
"I'm going to settle with that girl----" He stopped and closed his lips tightly, and looked with a cunning little smile at Milburgh.

"I didn't say anything, did I ?" he asked with a queer little chuckle.

"I didn't say anything that would give me away, did I ?" "No, my friend," said Mr.Milburgh, still in the character of the benevolent pastor.

"To what girl do you refer ?" The face of Sam Stay twisted into a malignant smile.
"There's only one girl," he said between his teeth, "and I'll get her.
I'll settle with her! I've got something here----" he felt in his pocket in a vague, aimless way.

"I thought I had it, I've carried it about so long; but I've got it somewhere, I know I have!" "So you hate Miss Rider, do you ?" asked Milburgh.
"Hate her!" The little fellow almost shouted the words, his face purple, his eyes starting from his head, his two hands twisted convulsively.
"I thought I'd finished her last night," he began, and stopped.
The words had no significance for Mr.Milburgh, since he had seen no newspapers that day.
"Listen," Sam went on.