Argosy, Vol. 117, No. 2 — page 33: what you’re looking at

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

SANNIGAN’S JAG. McColl could impose what sentence he saw fit when a culprit was in contempt. Ten dollars fine, or fifty dollars, or a month in jail, or two months. Faces whitened. “One dollar fine, each,” ruled McColl. There was a huge sigh of relief. e Not so bad, the crowd seemed to feel; the eve- ning’s entertainment was worth the price. ‘Form in line there, gentlemen,” com- manded Wiggins. ‘Don’t crowd.” A couple of constables looked after the cue, and with eagle eyes saw to it that no guilty man escaped. Chief Wiggins opened his rec- ord of convictions, but McColl interposed: “TJ can’t wait all night to finish this other case, Wiggins, while you’re filling in those names with a pen. Take each man’s particulars on a slip of paper and pin it to his money.” The chief did so. ‘“ Not a bad day’s takings,”’ he whispered to McAllum. » ‘‘ We'll have to put on an- other Sannigan performance. Four hun- dred and seventeen dollars—oh, boys!”’ “ That’s enough,” barked McColl. He peremptorily remanded Sannigan till next morning; and dismissed: court. V. MacistraTtE McCo tr patiently counted the money. There were a few fives and twos in the pile with the accompanying slips bunched, and there was a little silver, but the pile of one-dollar bills was porten- tous, just the same. Presently McColl jotted down a couple of names on a slip of paper. ‘“ Bring these men,” he told Wiggins. The magistrate turned to Sannigan, still waiting, and looked him up and down. “Well,” he said, in a tone that seared the culprit, “ you are Patrick Sannigan, _ and a very great man. You ‘have a good wife who helps you earn and save money, and is trying to keep your immortal soul out of Hades, and—you come to town and forget all about decency and fill yourself with rotten whisky and—and make an ass of yourself. Yes, a bigger ass than you were born.” So, in quiet, conversational, yet biting tones he tongue-lashed | the crushed, remorseful Sannigan, till Sannigan in his inmost soul vowed that never, never 183 again would he taste anything moister than talcum powder. In came Wiggins just then with Black Dan Moshier and Dandy Curle. “Oh!” said McColl, in that compelling tone of his; and gazed challengingly at the bewildered couple. ‘‘ Here,” he added crisp- ly, “ are two one-dollar bills. Where is the rest of Sannigan’s money?” Dandy Curle kept his end up nobly. But Black Dan, a weaker vessel, gasped as he realized how he had been caught; then be- gan to blurt out the truth. In frantic haste to get from under he thrust a hand into his pocket and plumped down a wad of bills. ‘There it is, y’r honor,” he mumbled. “Dandy, here, he gave me the money to keep for him.” Dandy’s temper soared like a rocket. “You infernal liar, we went fifty-fifty, and that’s your share.” But Wiggins was already going through Curle’s pockets. “I have it,’ he an- nounced; and checked over the numbers of the bills. ‘‘ Every cent,” he said at last. © “That means,’ concluded McColl crisp- ly, “‘ that you two men got the twenty dol- lars Sannigan paid for the booze. Which of you -was the mysterious stranger with the fishing-line—or did you have a third man as a go-between? Oh, you don’t need to tell if you don’t want to. I can’t make you tell. But I can send you to the cooler overnight to reflect upon it.” Chief Wiggins took them down-stairs. | He came back presently. McColl still sat ruminating upon the crushed and: hum- bled but contrite Sannigan. To look at him the keenest observer would not have suspected him of possessing any heart whatever; his eyes were cold and his face was set like granite. But presently that blue iceberg twinkle flickered into a corner of one eye. ‘‘ Wiggins,” he said unemotionally, ‘“ I remit all those fines imposed for contempt. They have served their purpose. Hand back the money when the men call for it.” “And Sannigan?” asked Wiggins. “Hand him his money,” adjudicated McColl. “ Only, deduct ten dollars fine, and costs. There’s not a collection agency in the world would have got him back the money for so low a commission.” Gomicbook (CO)