Argosy All-Story Weekly, May 3, 1924 — page 126: what you’re looking at

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

916 low, did you? I tell you they’re after Joe for that Ingram business and the diamonds from the necklace came to you for a quarter of what you'll get for them! You ought to be willing to do Joe a good turn!” “* Always I am doing good turns!” Mr. Lazarus retorted querulously. “ To nobody do I owe anything, and how do I know Joe ain’t wanted for something besides the neck- lace business yet? Something happened last week that looks kind of funny to me! I wouldn’t say a word about it to nobody, but maybe Joe is in it and for that the bulls want him! It ain’t my business, Gott zu dank, but I ain’t hidin’ no momser in my cellar that’s wanted on a charge like that for a hundredt dollar, I'll tell it to the vorid! At my age if I should go up they might as well give me life!”’ “But Joe ain’t done anything last week, I’m saying!” Charlie persisted doggedly. ‘“You got him dead wrong now, Lazarus! There ain’t even a broadcast out for him, only a bunch of no-account private dicks that Ingram’s called in—” “Private fellers, eh?” the old pawn- broker interrupted slyly. ‘“ You sure they ain’t calling themselves ‘The Shadowers’ by no chance? I read about them schlem- mils somewheres! ”’ “Sure they ain’t!” Charlie shook his head but a dull flush mounted in his cheeks. “ Look here, I'll make it two hundred, but that’s the best I can do, honest! ‘Take it or leave it! You ain’t got to do anything now but put out the lights and go upstairs to bed. If you don’t happen to think of that door leading into the cellar of the closed-up gin-mill next door and out on the alley it ain’t to be wondered at, for it hasn’t been used in years and you don’t know nothing about how it come to be open, get me? I'd take him home to my sister’s it’s that safe, but the damned flatties are lamp- in’ the layout up there and we've got the kid to think of. In the morning when you take down the shutters there’ll be nobody in the cellar and not a box so much as moved! It’s pretty good pickin’s for one night’s lodging! Think it over, Lazarus!” Mr. Lazarus meditated a moment, but the sight of the augmented roll of bills was too much for his caution, and he succumbed, ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. “All right, I take it!” He shrugged. ‘‘ Get out now quick before I change my mind yet! The door in the cellar will be open when he comes, but mind Joe don’t smoke with all that excelsior around; he’s sniffling that coke again and maybe he forgets!” Charlie promised and took his leave by the side door. Just around the corner in a teeming tenement block a black-eyed, black-haired woman waited for him. When they moved off a figure loitering in the shadow of a doorway crept forth and slunk after them. Meanwhile Mr. Lazarus turned out his display lights and leaving only one small globe glowing he descended to the cellar, picked his way between barrels and cases with the surety of long habit.and unbolted a low door half hidden in the masonry of the wall. Then he mounted hastily to his shop once more, saw to it that the fasten- ings were in shape at door and windows and ascended the second flight of narrow stairs leading up from the back room to his exceedingly dirty couch in a chamber littered with the overflow of cheap wares from below. } 3 An hour passed and then all at once there came a soft scratching sound in the wall of the cellar which was not made by the rats that infested it. In another moment the little door opened stealthily and the pinpoint of light from an electric torch swept about like a spark. ** Come on, Joe; you’re all right now!” a woman’s whisper cut the silence. ‘“ Don’t forget to bolt the door again after I’m gone, and curl up on that roll of old rugs over there. Cut out the snow for one night if you’ve got any with you and try to get a little rest.” “God, I’m tired,” a weary voice croaked. *““T ain’t got any coke, honest, and I’m off the stuff, anyway! You’re sure gonna get me on that freighter to-morrow?” ‘“*Haven’t I seen you through so far?” the woman demanded. ‘“ Shut up and lay low now and I'll meet you at six back in the alley here. Is that good enough? Don’t forget the door!”’ It slammed softly as her voice ceased and her footsteps died away in the echoing still- ness, but the solitary occupant of the cellar COMIG DOO! (©