Under His Thumb — page 211: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

202 UNDER HIS THUMB. tailor a picnic if he rigged me up in this style, by Jupiter !”’ Clarence passed his hand.over his eyes, and then, ~ in a graver tone, continued: | ‘I must have been pretty badly off. They have not only robbed me of my money and watch, but they even exchanged clothes with me. Heavens, who had these things on last? What shall I do?’ “Sos “Go home and clean up. But for me you might have been killed. Stay; what do you recollect last before you lost consciousness? Where were you?” ‘In Colville’s wine shop, I believe.” “Who was with you?* “A young chap I picked up—a jolly fellow with 3 eye-glasses and plenty of money. He got me drunk, and—good heaven! DidI dream it? Or did he ask me some questions about—about——”’ “The Waldron murder, eh?’ Croly questioned, concealing his eagerness. “It seems as though he did. I didn’t mean to get full—I didn’t dare to. But he was a mighty persua- ove chap. Did he question me, or did I dream it — all?’ “Probably he questioned you, as you fear. That jolly fellow with eye-glasses was a detective—one of © the score at work upon this case. The best thing that ae can do is to tell me all that you think you told im. You cannot cover a crime forever, Bea man, and tell all.’’ | “No, no.” The young man glanced nervously about him, and rapidly added: ‘‘Take me out of this — place—set me right again. I will pay you well for this favor. You are a gentleman, Mr. Croly—I’ll say that for you.’’ The detective realized that, in his weak state, . Clarence Blain could doubtless be compelled to dis- close the message which George Dyer had given him to take to his father. But Croly, with all his zeal, preferred not to resort to such means. To force an intoxicated man to criminate another looked too much like treachery, and Croly was the — s soul of honor. “Come, and I will take you home,” the detective _ a comicbooks.com |