The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-08-12

dye think o. him! Indicating isak"peAs
with nod of his head.
Gas wicked villain as liver bratneo
Gods air, said Con, decidedly. He's got to
swing. sure as nv names Con Purtell.n
"Yes, know assented Bridges, medita-
lively. He kin think up more crookedness
than 20 men kin do, an then he wants all
the swag fur hissef. Never wants nobody
to have his regulars. An believe he's got
a big streak o. yaller in him. / think ned
round on his pals in a minute TO save his
selfn
The ouick-witted Irishman caught on at
once.
"Oi haven't the Taste doubt av it in the
wurruld. That felle'd sell his own mother
to git new coat fur his back. know him"
aye do?" said Bridges, looking ut him
intently, as if to fathom the depth OF his IN
formation. Then he walked on for some
minutes in moody silence.
!" / believe that cove's yaller all through"
mumbled Bridges presently.
"Oi wuddent have him have chance TO
turn on me for all the gowld In Guinny,"
said Con encouragingly.
The Superintendent watched narrowly
when the prisoners were brought into the
Armory, and thought he saw looks OF amaze
ment and CONSERVATION pass between some
of the officers and them. He ordered them
locked up in cells as remote as possible from
one another, and gave strict orders that no
one was to hold any communication Win
them To make sure that his order would
be obeyed, he directed Wat and Con to re-
main at the station-house all the time, one
relieving the other, and being locked up IN
the corridor upon which the cells opened
while on guard.
81 suppose shall be allowed to have my
rights as an American citizen, and to COM
| muncate with my lawyer in the morning."
asked Ragabert haughtily, after being search
ed and registered
| Jem Tile and Bridges glared at him as II
| they already detected treason.
"I,ll consider that matter later" said the
| Superintendent briefly.
Before the Superintendent and Kent lett
| Con called the latter to one side and whIs-
pered him his conversation with Bridges,
and his belief that Bridges might be got 10
| tell something. Kent communicated this 10
| the Superintendent when they were outside.
| 81 expect as much myself" said the
| Superintendent. "That was one object In
locking them up rs far apart from one another
| as possible. They'll all do as lively think
| ing as they're capable Of for the next day or
two A man always does when he has the
| quiet of solitary cell to help him. Our
arrest has confused and scared them badly.
! They haven't an idea of what we know, or
how we came 10 drop on to them. Their
| first impulse is to believe that we know
much more than we do; to suspect each
other OF giving them away, and to fear that
each one is going to look ont for himself by
| turning States evidence. Well give them a
day or two to think this over without going
near them. They'll be ready 10 talk then,
and if we manage it well we'll get the facts
out of one of them"
Tired as Wat was with his day of hard
toll he insisted on taking the first half OF
the watch, and Con lay down on cot and
was soon fast asleep. 1t was not until after
daylight that he was awakened to take Watts
place. He found the prisoners awake, and
with all the savagery of animals, at day break.
! Ragabert was glazing through his bars like
beast of prey, and the rest were parching
for whisky.
"Sorry Oh am that Oh haven't the Taste
u drop ay the craterD said Con cheerfully, for
he had good nights sleep. This is
strictly tay-total institution. The guests all
shwear off whin they come in, an they
kape the pledge as long as they sthay. But
we have gobs and lashings av the foinest
wather in the wurruld roight from our new
| y
to that until yer livers is afioat."
Ragabert impatienily drank part of cup
of water which Con handed him, and dashed
the rest Oh the floor of the corridor. The
rest drank greedily, and were carried many
cups by Con with nnlailing good nature
Every time that he carried cup to Bridges
he found him more disposed to be laxative.
At length Bridges asked abruptly:
"What wuz we Jagged fur 2"
"Ofm not fully in the confidence nv the
Chafe,n said Con- modestly. He marely
mintioned, accidental loike, some murders
burgaries, confidence games, and some other
throiAes, which Oi disremimber."
Aud what pinters has he?"
"Pinters! Fhew." And Con gave g
long, expressive whistle. Pinters, did ye
say? Oh only wish Oh had as many dollar:
as he has ye dead-to-rights"
Bridges looked frightened. He hesitated
a minute, and then said:
econ Purtell, / believe you're square
man, and Pm going 10 be open with you
Pm man what sticks fast TO his cullies
come what may. There amt nothin' in thi:
deal that Pm afraid of as / told you before
/ squared up all my jobs with the Captain
months ago, an there haint been nothln
agin me since But Pm awinlIy scared abou
poor old Jem Tile. Me and Jem We pallet
together, off and on, for good many years
Lately he's Deen doin' a good deal o. worl
for that high-rollin' gonoff with nod of hi
head in the direction OF Ragabert's cell), an
he hant got hardly a reach around yer bacI
for it. / never see SIGH a hog as that topper
Wants every red cent for hissef. Begrudge
: We even The string around the swag. Now
Pm dead sure that he's goin' to split, an pu
Jem in the hole to save bsself."
Il think y're right, Bridges" said Cor
alphabetically.
ICON Purtell, will you help us agin tina
'ere square-cross cove?"
"Oi will" answered Con readily.
:, "Swear it by the cross"
"Oi shwear it by the cross" said Cor
= making the sign.
"Then 90 straight to Jem Tiles cell. tie
q him the talk we've had. Tell him that sa
o he'd better git the start o. that kid-glove
bloke by splittn' hisself Tell him that's tn
only way to save hisselffrom being scragget
e Tell him to ask me if this amt SO, by hittil
!; with the ring on his cell-doOr three times
e two close together, an then once later. L
IL answer yes, by three close together"
s. Con did so. He went over the whole ma
u ter to Jem. talk ing very slowly, to keep pat
= with the ex pugilst's laggard comprehensive
Is The impatient Bridges would from time
'e time signal Con by lifting up the heavy rir
on his cell door, and letting it fall with
~ resounding cang Con would reply in IL