All Story Magazine, December 1913 — page 78: what you’re looking at

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

788 THE ALL-STORY MAGAZINE. Two seconds later there was a = Wyual? “ bracelet’? upon my right wrist, and A pause. Rafferty continued to my motorman, holding the other, or- dered ine to get up. * You'll sweat for that one,” he in- formed me viciously, feeling his mouth. “And you will suffer for this out- rage!’ I returned, my temper rising. “ Allright. Let it goat that. Come on,” There was nothing else for me to do. Dragging me after him through the murk to the rear door of the shop, we had passed inside, while I gaped and wondered where he had got the keys, since Campbell had told me that he paid “ rent to himself ’’ for both shops. The place was quite empty, and my tnotorman seemed to know his way about, leading me to the front door without any hesitation whatever. It was closed, but unlocked. He stood for a while before opening it, as if he were listening for some sound or other he expected to hear; then, very cautiously, his hand went out to the knob, as the rattle of an ap- proaching wagon came to our ears. In a moment we were outside, and the door, which was not flush with the front of the building, was locked. A policeman in uniform, idly swing- ing his night-club, stood upon the side- walk probably a foot from the door- way! He was a big policeman and his back was toward us. *Anythin’ doin’, Rafferty?” the motorman asked, keeping in the shad- ows of the doorway and holding ime there, too. Rafferty did not turn his head. “ Loights wint out tin minits since, sore: -Didn” ye hear the ‘wimin screamin’ ?”’ The motorman coughed. “* Anybody leave? ” “Three men, sorr. was drunk.” “ Carey go in to see what the hol- lerin’ was about?” “Yes, sorr. Barkeep said as there was somethin’ the matter wid the switch.” Wan av thim swing his night-stick and to face front. A passer-by glanced quickly up at him and passed on. The motorman hesitated a moment or two, then removed the handcuff from my wrist. “T’'m bein’ decent to you because I think you're only a boob that’s got in wrong,” he told me quietly. “Go round to the station-house with Raf- ferty there—an’ don’t try for to beat him up or he'll knock your block off. Rafferty!” es: sore: “ Take this gentleman round to your station-house and let the reserve squad keep him company till I get there.”’ Rafferty turned his head, and, whether he had known of my existence before or not, he showed no surprise. I knew it was perfectly useless to ob- ject, and caution bade me hold my peace until such time as I could talk to advantage. I fell in by Rafferty’s side and walked with him quite respectably, leaving the motorman standing in the shop doorway. The policeman did not speak, nor did I, all the way to the station. Peo- ple looked at us, af course, and I felt. uncommonly guilty of something or other, but I wasn't a bit afraid of the outcome—after I had thought a little. The lieutenant on desk-duty at the station-house glanced up from an eve- ning newspaper, and looked at me over his glasses as Rafferty piloted me in. = Well? “Detective Parks said I wuz to hould him in the min’s room, sorr.”’ “What. torr Parks niake any charge?” “No, sorr.” “Oh, is that so? . What does Parks think this station-house is? Ain't he got men enough of his own without yanking mine off their beats to pull his easy marks? Had Carey wastin’ his time around that dump, too, I suppose?” comicloooks.com