The record-union., 1897-07-04


There was no answer from Scotty.
The men signaled again. and, seeming
to be satisfied with him, Mike outlined
their plan, which was to rob certain
Maiden lane jeweler. They had studied
| his shop. The rear door could be open
ed from the inside without key; it
was fastened with a revolving bar and
latch Over the door there was a
| transom which, when the glass was
broken, would admit boy, who could
drop inside and let in the men. Would
Scotty do it?
''It looks dead easy to me, Mike"
"Of course it's easy, and it's a big
haul Wen get-diamonds by de bagful,
an de newspapers'll have pitchers of
We climbin' in. T'ink what de gang ii
say when they reads about it,
But 1 was wishin' it wasn't so dead
easy" the boy said.
Barney'S patience came to an end at
this stupid remark, and he replied to it:
We'll, kid, when ye come ter shinny-
ing across cellar area about twenty
feet below ye an hangin by yer eye
brows t. de window ledge, breakin'
glass wit one hand while ye hold on
wit de oder fer yer life, den maybe ye
won't t'ink it's so dead easy. If it was
a snap 1 wouldn't have no use fer ye
at ALL
is dat right, Mike?" asked Scotty.
rs it a risky climb?"
That's right all right, but you can
do it like bird if ye're de same sort
ye was when ye was a kid"
when do you want me?'
"To-night''
''I'll let We know in a hour. I wan
ter t'inll about it little"
mo, ye don't" objected Barney, leap
ing to his feet. "We don't have no use
fer thinking in dis business De crooks
dat t'ink amt crooks at all, an amt
ter be tied to. You've got ter say de
word now, or I'll do ye up on de spot.
See?"
"Ah, leave him t'ink," said Mike. ''It
was a failin' O. his since he was knee
high ter nothin' and it never did no
hurt. He's de stuff ter stand by his
pals; amt ye, Scotty, old boy?"
''I'll be back in an hour" the boy
said simply, and he left them in an
angry Wrangle.
Out on the sidewalk the Growers
We're waiting, roasted on beer kegs and
the cellar railing. At a sight of their
leader they rushed forward to receive
from him any scraps Of confidence he
might condescend to bestow. But he
did not look at them, He marched
coldly past them all, and went straight
up to Maggie Flynn, who had hung
about on the edge of the gang.
Mag said Scotty loud enough for
all to hear, yer de whites feller on de
block, an dat's right, see?" You come
along wit me- 1 got some things
wanter tell Z We. Come ahead"
It was the proudest moment of Mag
gle Flynn's life, and she delayed long
enough to sweep with her eyes the
group of disappointed Growers before
she trotted along after Scotty. He led
the way to his favorite place, the old
pump.
Closed in narrowly on all four sides
by the high brick tenements. the area
never had the sun and was always
gloomy, but this evening, though the
| daylight was only just leaving the
street, it was dark and still as night
| there. The children felt it as they
came in. They paused as a cat shot
out from one corner and disappeared up
the wall to a fire escape. Then, as all
grew quiet again, Scotty took the girls
hand and drawing her to the pump,
said in low tone, as he scanned the
closed blinds of the windows about
| them:
'Sit down, Mag; an don't say moth
in till L tell yer, because Is got ter
t'ink."
The girl was glad to obey. 1t gave
her an opportunity to review the Incl
dents of the last few days, and weigh
the infinite significance of them to her.
Some of the remoter consequences set
her fiuttering with excitement, and she
had not ordered them when Scotty
spoke and brought her down to his
| present need of her.
Mag, I've got dat feelin' in me now, -
he said.
You have? How does it feel?"
1T don't feel scared, for one, cause
I t'ink I'll do de ting dats scary an
it don't phase me a little bit [ only
wisht it was bigger, de ting I'm goin'
ter do, so it can't be scared. can it?''
mo, an it amt" she declared posi-
lively, "'cause I'll tell ye why 1 know.
When you was in de gin-mill wit Mike,
de gang was sayin' it was somethin'
awful big dey wanted ye fer, an one
as dere was only one boy he knew of
had de nerve t do ii, an dat was you.
So there"
Did Mike say that?"
Oats right
Scotty could hardly conceal his emo
ton. He had to wait a little before he
could pull together the thoughts he
wished to lay before the girl Their
Maggie F'ynn," he resumed solemn
ly, "dere's anoder ting want ter know.
An 1 expects ye t answer me on de
level; see?"
Sure, Scotty; I'll give it ter We
straight, or I'll give ye nothin'''
'All right Now, what I wants ter
know is dis here: Ye know / likes ye,
don't ye?"
Maggie made no reply.
An you, you like me, of course
No answer.
But de ting I'm after is ter know
if ye'd like me better if I done a good
big job-nore o. yer little sneaks, mind,
but a regular first degree. Say, now,
would ye, Mag?"
The girl gazed honestly into Scotty's
eyes as she said:
I'D love to see ye do it, Scotty; I'd
like to see ye do it just t. show EN-
'All right then; it's a go. III show
EN-
But, Scotty, I'll like ye if We don't,
cause likes We anyhow; 1 has ter
Her voice dwindled away as she
spoke, and she fixed her eyes on the
loose sole of her shoe. Scotty looked
| there, too.
You've said enough, Mag, an I'm