The record-union., 1897-07-04


lance. Mike hung about the corner sa-
loon most of the time, and the other
boys, leaving Scotty to Maggie Flynn,
who was always near him, loafed With
Mike and We're gradually taken up and
patronized by him for their usefulness.
In a week another member OF the How
Ter gang appeared, and then Scotty no.
ticed that the two men began to shun
the streets. They stayed in the back
room of the saloon all day, and when,
at night, they ventured forth into the
streets, they We're wary of observers
and talked together in whispers. Scotty
thought he could guess what that
meant, but he wished he had the privi-
lege of a Growler in good standing OF
being near enough to be sure.
1t was when he felt tempted to ask
some of the boys what was up" that
he realized that he was an abandoned
leader. None of them was ever near
him. Why was it? A vague notion
of the truth came like a sickness to
him; they avoided him because He
shrank from making the conclusion de-
finite, and Maggie, quite unaware of
his suffering, had to do it for him. She
cleared the situation ruthlessly one af-
ternoon as he was sitting disconsolate
on the old pump.
The girl had been in and out of the
area for an hour trying to catch Scot
tvs eye. She was doing so most of the
time, however, so he paid no heed to
her maneuvers, not even when, after
edging around the wall, she slipped
herself to a place on the pump and
slyly squirned up close beside him.
Once there, she ventured to speak
though very softly.
Say, Scotty. why amt you in it no
more?'
Scotty looked up, stared at the girl
slowly understood.
who said 1 amt in it?''
Maggie waved her hand toward the
street and answered "All of 'em."
What else did they say?"
The girl, embarrassed poked at hole
in the knee of her stocking.
They said you never was no good
nohow, except at dead easy games and
"G'wan."
And they says-they says as you're
scared
Scared? Me scared? What do they
say I'm scared of?'
''Of getting ketched, I guess; of de
cops
Scotty sat perfectly still. The pain
spread all around inside of his body
and then collected and hurt most in his
chest. After he was used to it, his
head began to work again.
Say, Mag" he said III tell We why
de blokes say 1 amt in it. Dey t'ink
cause [ never robbed no house nor
nothin' like dat, dat I'm afraid ter
But 1 aint, Maggie; sure 1 amt /
don't t1nk [ am, anyhow. Dat amt
big tricks. It's cause somehow it goes
ag in me. / hate to. Now how would
you feel? Supposin' you was goin' t
break inter a house an hold up de res
ldents o de house an scare 'em inter
givin' up dere t'ings, an supposin' you
had a liftin' feelin' inside O. ye, UP in
yer t'roat-now 1I4l leave it ter you:
what would You call dat feelin'?"
Maggie fidgeted about sympathetic
ally before she answered:
Scared, Scotty;I kin feel de feelin'
now, when 1 t'ink. But I'm a girl, an
girls
LUZ SuppOSlu1 ye WASN'T no girl.
Il can't, Scotfy"
''Ah, try, Maggie"
There was a pause.
I can't. De more I try an t'ink de
more I'm scared"
Then L guess may be it's de same
wit me, and I'm scared, too"
Maggie had no answer ready, and be-
fore one came to her there was a clat-
ter in the alley that meant the Growers
were coming. The girl jumped to her
feet; she would not be caught sitting
beside Scotty, and they We're coming
fast. AS they dashed into the area. it
was evident something important was
on their minds. They were as Wild
eyed as Maggie was the day she an
nounced the return Of the Howler.
Mike wants ye, Scotty," shouted the
fastest runner.
He wants ye perticlxler," said the
second arrival and the others repeated
the summons in many forms of speech,
and with superlative degrees of en-
phasis.
Scotty did not move. He looked from
one to another of the boys as each in
turn delivered the message, and could
hardly grasp the Importance of this
wonderful change in the situation. Mike
wanted him? Mike? Him?
"Hully Gee, Amt ye goin' ter go?''
asked one impatient and amazed
Growler
Scotty's attention was directed anew
to the messengers, and he understood
that his prestige was restored When
he had made sure of that, he said:
Eyes, I think I'll come
And he walked down the alley, the
Growers following at a respectful dis
tance How they envied him, They
crowded a little too close as Scotty
turned into the street, and he whirled
around on them sharply.
Say, does he want he hull gang? ?''
NO" they answered sheepishly.
well then"
The unchosen fell back crestfallen.
Scotty stared at them with a sneer as
they skunk away, and he proceeded to
the saloon, where he found Mike and
Barney, the other Howler, sitting on
the table in the back room, with their
heads together.
That's tn kid" said Mike, as the
boy stepped in. Il remember him well
from the old days. tn slickest boy in
de kid gang. Where ye been keepin'
yerself, Scotty, me boy? We amt seen
ye onct since we got back
I've been around" said Scotty.
ME an Barney's bin wonderin'
what's become O. We. How's yer fader
an yer moder. eh?''
ME mothers dead; always was, ye
know"
"Oh, yes, I remember. An de OF
man? Still drivin' a caro-
While some more talk Of this sort
was going on, Mike and Barney ex-
chauced looks of ioc,,irv apcu,a,.,7 1o.,