All Story Magazine, December 1913 — page 75: what you’re looking at

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

A THIEVES’ room. Paler took the seat he had vacated. Crabbe, who had not spoken so far, but whose one eye held enough shrewdness and evil to fill a dozen ‘of the ordinary kind, seemed to notice Rollins all at once, and, on the point of sitting down, waved his hand to him. “Lo, old sport! How goes it? Have another on me.” ~ Rollins’s face twitched peculiarly and his lips appeared to get in the way of the things he wanted to say. “T will—but later. I’d like to speak to you iater—er—outside. I have something—” “ Aw—ewan, Bill Gregg! What ya take me for? A truck-horse? I got ‘nough tuh do haulin’ myself roun’, let alone you. Me for Blondy!” Miss Paler’s strident voice drowned everything else, and ere I quite knew what had happened, she was standing over me asking me if I could turkey- trot. She was very large and rough—but there wasn't an ounce of evil in her eyes. *T’'m afraid not. Hadn't you better choose some one more accomplished than I?” Nothin’ doin’,”’ Miss Paler de- clared, and froze Rollins with a glance, because he dared to move his hand nervously toward his glass. ‘ You gotta trot wit’ me afore you leave the room. * The minute I seen you I says: * It’s no use, Rosie, you can’t play no games wit’ the cards stacked again’ you. This new guy is your finish!’ See? So if you ain’t goin’ to hop, we'll sen’ your frien’ over to keep Bill Gregg comp’ny an—** “Cut that out, Rosie,’ her brother broke in quietly. “ Aw—leave her be,” Crabbe con- tended, and swung round upon some of the others who were threatening to be- come inquisitive. “* What ye rubberin’ at? Ain't the pianner still goin’? You wanted to speak to me, sir?” The final question was directed at are COMEDY. 785 Rollins, who, though he rose shakily, seemed glad to do it. ** Kr—eh—yes, moment, will you?” “ Certainly,’ I agreed. ‘‘ I am sure the lady will entertain me while you are gone.” Rollins’s lips were blue and his smile was ghastly. Appearing not to notice, I glanced up at Miss Paler. “Won't you sit down?” Rollins and Crabbe moved away. Probably the only eyes that did not fol- low them were Rosie’s. ; A low laugh, coming from behind me, made her raise her head sharply, and her glance went over my shoulder. “Til bust you, Ted Paler!” she threatened vehemently, and her cheeks became beet red. But her brother only grinned and called the waiter, which reminded me of my duty. “Can I offer you anything? Rosie glanced quickly about her, as if she were afraid that some one might be watching us; and a few were sur- reptitiously. “You think I’m fresh, don’t you?” she asked, just as Rollins and Crabbe disappeared. “* Not at all,’ I assured her, with one eye upon the signal-light at the door. * Do you indulge at all?” She looked steadily at me for fully a minute before she answered, and [I imagined she had got my pedigree by that time. “You don’t belong ‘here, mister,” she told me in a much quieter tone. “ An’ I guess you think we're a bunch o’ roughnecks. Well, we are. If you was born the son o’ a man what had— what had done time, where the hotel bill d’ye think you'd be to-day?” I hated to think about it. Rosie’s wisdom was not to be trifled with, and one found, after a few minutes, that her face had more kindness than rough- ness in it. “JT don’t know,” I replied. “I sup- pose the great majority do go down, don’t they?” Pardon me just a 9 comiicloooks.com