Argosy, Vol. 122, No. 1 — page 95: what you’re looking at

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

FINDINGS TS KEEPINGS. bullet-shaped ‘head and an -eff-color dia- mond as big as a hazelnut in his purple tie. He fairly oozed prosperity in dress and .a certain cordiality in his leok and “Hello, Harry! Come here and sit down,” said Prandle in a fatherly way. “What will you take?” “ Coffee in a cup,” returned the patrol- man. ‘He saw that there was a cup already be- fore Prandle, the contents of which was nothing so innocuous as-coffee. The man grinned at him—merely a facial grimace that was as shallow as his appearance of goodfellowship. ‘Prandle .called the dirty~jacketed waiter and gave the order. When ‘the man had come and gone, he leaned ferward across the table and became at once. confidential. ‘Look here, Harry, I:want you to do a friend of mine a favor. Will you?” “ Anything im reason, Mr. Prandle,” said the policeman easily. ‘“‘ Whose your friend?” “Oh, you know who I mean, well enough,” said Prandle with a sly grin. ‘““ And let me tell you he is in a position to do you many a favor. He has a good memory, too. If you live to grow into a real cop, you will find that out. It is Mr. Andrew Maywell.” ‘“T supposed that was who you meant,” admitted Vale. Just what does he want? Please be explicit.” “Oh, I'll be explicit enough,” said the other, his brow lowering. He sensed the rookie cop’s attitude. “‘ He wants you to identify a certain party. You gave him to understand you could do so. ‘Then you reniged.”’ ‘“It was not ‘the party he showed me,” Vale said flatly. ‘‘ Ar-r!” growled Prandle. ‘“ Don’t split hairs. What does it matter to your He wants to get that young boob cousin of his —and he will get him. If you-know what’s best for you, you'll do it. Get me?” Vale drank the coffee slowly; then he said: “Tf I do this,.and they get me foul -at headquarters, where’ll I be then?” Prandle waved his hand -with :perfect ‘as- surance. “‘Nothmg like that, Harry. Nothing like that. We look out for the boys that do the right thing by us. We'll take care of any little difficulty you may get into down-town.”’ ‘““T don’t kxow that, Mr. Prandle,”’ said Vale steadily. ‘““Qh, you don’t, eh? Ain't I telling you? All you got to do if you get into trouble is to come to me. See?”’ “T am not going to get into trouble,” declared Vale firmly. “Qh, you’re not, eh?” exclaimed Pran- dle, his eyes gleaming suddenly. ‘‘ You’re some smart rookie, ain’t you? Don’t you know that we can break you if we want to —and when? And you just starting in as a copper? Why, if we say the -word, you'll find your way to promotion blocked for the next ten years to come! You'll never be anything but a flatty—and they tell me you’ve got ambish to be a:dick. So Old Dan himself says. Huh! ‘You come across with the mformation we want if you know what’s best, young fella!”’ Vale changed color no more before the district leader that he had before his skip- per. But he held his tongue now. | “Be reasonable,” urged Prandle with less acrimony. ‘“ Don’t you see what’s happening to you right now? You're going up before the trial deputy next Tuesday. Youw’re already marked for punishment. You put your foot deep into it the other night at that fire on Vandam Street. Whoever that jane was you. were chasing around with—”’ “Tm not worrying over what I did at that fire,” Vale interposed cheerfully. ‘““Huh! You're not, eh? Breaking into a house with a woman companion and mak- ing no report to your skipper about it? You'll have a fine time explaining that.” ‘“ Suppose I bring ‘the lady to support my statement before the commissioner?” asked Vale, eying the angry countenance of the district leader with calculation. ‘““Huh! Some woman of the street, I reckon?” ‘sneered the other. ‘“T wouldn’t mention her in that way to Mr. Andrew Maywell, if I were you, Pran- die,” Vale said in a steady voice. cComiclbooks.com