Argosy, Vol. 117, No. 3 — page 68: what you’re looking at

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

378 in’ for me to do but—” ~ “ But arrest me,” he says. cé Yes.” “ All right,” he comes back, cheerful as you please. “ Wait till I get dressed. Here, have a cigar while ye’re waitin’,” he invttes me, offerin’ a box of wicked ones. “Ill be right with ye,” he promises, gettin’ up and movin’ out of the room. My head was spinnin’ around like the propeller of an ayreoplane. A fine mess I’d got myself into! This guy Flanagan, good-natured and decent as he'd been durin’ all our talk, prob’ly would sink my skull in as soon as he found out I was just bluffin’ when I threatened to arrest him, and that I hadn’t no more right to arrest anybody than he had. But why was he takin’ my threat of arrestin’ him so easy? “The son of a gun figgers I’m bluffin’!” I decided after thinkin’ it over. “‘ He’s just kiddin’ me; seein’ how far I'll go. All right, Mr. Michael P. Flanagan, we’ll see who can bluff hardest. If you got any scare in you, I’m goin’ to bring it out, or my name ain’t Joe Conner.” While I’m so thinkin’ Whibaens comes back. He’s put on his Sunday suit and a collar and tie,.and in them looks about four stories bigger than the Woolworth Buildin’. “ Are ye ready?” he asks me. “T am,” I tell him quick. “ Look here, Flanagan, this is your last chance. If you got any regard for your reputation and the feelin’s of your family, you won’t force me to do my duty. You’ll dig down and pay me somethin’ of that outstandin’ account of yours with Feinstein & Reilly. Just a couple of bucks will do the trick and keep me from takin’ you before Judge Giles. The judge is a hard citizen; he'll land on you like a thousand of brick.” “T’ll take me chances with him,” grins Flanagan. “You won’t pay—” “Not a damn cent! me!” “ All right,” I say like it breaks my heart to do it. “ Better say good-by to your family, Flanagan; you may be gone a long time.” “T’ve told me missus,” Come on; arrest says he, “ and -say back. THE ARGOSY. “Well,” I sigh, “I guess there ain’t noth- : she says she thinks it’s awful to arrest a man for—” . “So do I,” I tell him. “That’s why I want you to pay some money and spare yourself and your wife the shame of—” ‘‘ Let’s tell it to the judge,” he taterrupts. I folley him out, and down the four flights to the street. On the way I’m won- derin’ if maybe I hadn’t ought to run for it. I was seein’ movies already of this guy Flanagan tearin’ my arms and legs out by the roots as soon as he tumbled to the fact that I didn’t have no court or no station- house to take him to. Why didn’t I just threaten to seize his furniture? He might have fell for that, or it might have scared his wife into makin’ him pay me some money. Anyways, it would have given me my chance to make a getaway after speakin’ my piece. We go down the street real slowlike. ‘* Flanagan,” I say at last, ‘‘ I been think- in’ your case over. I like you, Flanagan; you're a good feller. I’m thinkin’ maybe there’s somethin’ I could do with the judge - for you. Maybe he won’t want me to lock you up. I'll call him up,” I say, spottin’ a telephone-sign on the corner store. “ Come on in; we'll see what he has to say.” I get the boss on the phone. ** Judge Giles?” T say. “ Judge Giles!” he repeats. ‘‘ No, there ain’t ne Judge Giles here. This is the Giles Con—” “This is Conner, judge,” I tell him. ‘“What’s the idea of the ‘ judge’ stuff?” he inquires. “Why, I'll tell you, judge,” I say, “I got that feller Flanagan—the one that beat Feinstein & Reilly out of all that dough. He says he won’t pay nothin’, and I’ve pinched him. He’s a good feller, judge; he ain’t the kind you’d want to send up the river or—”’ “What in blazés are you talkin’ about?” asks the boss. ‘“That’s just what I told him, judge,” I “Wait a minute.” I cover the phone with my hand and turn to Flanagan. ‘The judge says he can’t do nothin’ for you,” I tell him, “‘ unless you pay me some money. He says if you keep on refusin’ to pay he’ll have to give you the limit.” NOOK COL Gc Gon