Argosy All-Story Weekly, May 17, 1924 — page 42: what you’re looking at

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

192 Soon they saw ahead of them the lights of the hotel and heard the boisterous sing- ing that told of thirsty souls who were finding ample refreshment—of a sort and at a price! “Yer wants ter watch hout fer Smithers —or Isaacs, specially Isaacs. He’ll do yer dirt, hif ’e can,” Ginger Dick warned as they came to the hotel. ‘ An’ don’t yer go hin- sulting Burke. There’s men with dirtier professions than his hin this bleedin’ dorp. Besides—’e can shoot, an’ does.” “ T’ll be careful,” Hardwick promised and together they entered the hotel, going at once to the barroom. They paused for a moment in the door- way, dazzled by the light after the abysmal darkness outside. As they stood there a slim, dark-featured man brushed against Hardwick. They seated themselves at a table near the door, paying no heed to the greetings of half-drunken miners. Standing at the bar they saw Smithers and Isaacs talking ear- nestly to a policeman. As they watched the dark-featured man came up behind Isaacs and whispered in his ear. “Two whiskies, darling,” Ginger Dick ordered when a blousy barmaid simperingly asked his pleasure. He threw down a ten shilling gold piece on the drink-stained table. “ Ver can keep the change,” he said with a grand gesture, “ hif you’ll ’ave this lamp turned hup—” He pointed to the oil lamp in the bracket just above his head. The room was lighted by four of them. She tossed her head. “There won’t be any change, smarty,” she snapped, “ an’ you can do your own dirty work.” She flounced majestically away, returning after a long time with two glasses, wet from the suds in which they had been rinsed, and a bottle which was _lyingly “« Imperial.” She half-filled one glass and then, affect- ing to hear an order from a thirsty customer in the far corner of the room, hastened away again—taking the bottle with her. “Tumme!” exclaimed Ginger Dick ad- miringly. “ I’m goin’ ter run a ’otel meself w’en hi ’as enuff money to start. labeled, ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY, “But wot’s that, cully? Where did you get it?” Hardwick was looking with puzzled sur- prise at what appeared to be a piece of unpolished glass, which he held between thumb and forefinger. “It’s a diamond,” he said softly, “ and a beauty. It must be worth at least—” “ Never mind that,” the other interrupted with a note of alarm. “ Put hit away before some one sees hit.” Hardwick obeyed wonderingly. “* Now, tell me w’ere yer got hit, an’ tork quick an’ low.” Ginger Dick looked apprehensively around the barroom. “‘T found it in my pocket just now!” “Ell! Then the covey ’oo knocked against yer as we came hin must ’ave put hit there.” “ But why?” “'W’y?” His voice was full of scornful contempt. “‘ Don’t yer see. That’s Smithers and Isaacs little game. Trying to frame a 1, D. B. charge against yer. That’s their low way of gettin’ heven. Come hon. Let’s 20.” But Hardwick settled back comfortably in his chair. “There’s nothing to be afraid of surely. If they arrest me I’ll tell the magistrate how I got the diamond and—”’ “Don’t be a bleedin’ fool, Yank. Ain’t yer been ’ere long enuff to know the I. D. B. laws yet? They don’t ave ter prove yer. guilty; you ’as to prove yer innocent. Hand do yer think they’d take any stock hin a tale like that. Nota bit. Ten years yer'll get hif they find that stone hon yer.” “Then I'll throw the damned thing away.” “ That might ’elp a bit—fer a little w’ile. But hif that’s their little game—tryin’ ter frame yer, I mean—best thing for you to do is ter go away from ’ere for a bit. Hif yer don’t—they’ll get ver, surely. The per- lice and ’tecs abart ’ere are nearly hall crooks: hall they ’ave to do is search a man an’ they’ll find fings on ’im ’e didn’t know e ’ad. “Come on!” He rose to his feet, and Hardwick, impressed by the little man’s deadly earnestness, rose also, ZA GComicbook (C@