The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-04-26
Past One at
Rooney's
A Romance of the Under
World of New York
By o. HENRY
Copyright. 1910. by Doubleday, Page
d Co.


fight by the book of arithmetic. II
you but bite your thumb at an uphold
er OF your opposing house you have
work cut out for your steel.
So when Eddie McManus, known to
the Capulets rs Cork McManus, drifted
into Dutch Mikes for a stein Of beer
and came upon a bunch Of Montagus
making merry with the suds he be.
4gan to observe the strictest parliament
Rtary rules. Courtesy forbade his leaV-
ing the saloon with his thirst unsaked
caution steered him to a place at the
kbar where the mirror supplied the cog
nizance OF the enemy'S movements
hat his Indifferent gaze seemed to dis
lain; experience whispered to tum
hat the finger of trouble woul0 .,e
busy among the chattering stems at
Dutch Mikes that night Close by his
side drew Brick Cleary, his Mercuto.
companion Of his perambulations. Thus
hey stood, four Of the Mulberry hill
gang and two Of the drydock gang.
Overstrained etiquette at last gave
way. 1t is not known who first over.
stepped the bounds of punctilio, but
he consequences were immediate
Buck Malone of the Mulberry hills
with Dewey-like swiftness, got an
Plight inch gun swung round from his
hurricane deck, but McManus' simile
must be the torpedo. He glided in
nder the guns and slipped a scant
hree inches Of knife blade between
he ribs Of the Mulberry hill cruiser.
Meanwhile Brick Cleary, a devotee to
trateGy, had skinned across the lunch
|ounter aud thrown the switch Of the
lectricS. leaving the combat to be
Eaged by the light Of gunflre alone.
The cop caUe and found a pros
rate, bleeding MoL,aCu supported by
hree distrait and reticent followers of
be house. Faithful to the ethics Of
be gangs no Ole knew whence .ae hurt
ame.
At midnight McManus srolled
round pile Of lumber near an cas-;
de dock and fingered in ,ho vicini :
a certain water plug. Drlc,; C!eary
|rifted casually to the trysun. place
en minutes later. He'll maybe not
foak," said Brick, "and he won't tell.
course. But Dutch Mike did He
bld the police he was tired of having
fs place shot up. It's unhandy just
ow, because Tim Corrigans in Eu-
bpe for weeks end with kings. He'll
back on the Kaiser Williams next
friday. You'll have to duck out of
ght till then"
This goes to explain why Cork Nc
anus went into Rooney's one night
hd there looked upon the bright.
ranger face of Romance for the
st time in his precarious career.
1t was o2 Thursday evening that
prk's seclusion became intolerable to
IN. Never a hart painted for water
untain as he did for the cool touch
a drifting stein. But he must avoid
e district where he was known. The
ps were looking for him everywhere
At half past II McManus stood In a
rkish crosstown street, looking up at
e name "Rooney's," picked out by
candescent lights against signboard
er second story window. He had
Fard Of the place as a tough hang
T.; with its frequenters and its To-
lity he was unfamiliar. Guided by
rtatn unerring indications common
all such resorts, he ascended the
hirs and entered the large room over
e cafe.
Here were some twenty or thirty
bles, at this time about half filled
tn Rooney's guests.
For one brief moment you must ad-
re Rooney with me as he receives.
Rts, manipulates and chaffs his
ests. He is twenty-nine. He has
ellington's nose, Dante's chin the
eekbones Of an Iroquois, the smile OF
lleyrand. Corbett's foot work, and
poise Of an eleven-year-old east |
is assisted by a lieutenant known |
4 Frank, a pudgy, easy chap, swell !
.Ased, who goes among the tables |
Bng that dull care does not intrude. |
icManus sat down at a vacant table. |
lie paid for the glass of beer that he
1SAtut lhltu MS ndlIO" DIlluiueu
&by to the back of his brickdust |
I'd, twined his feet among the rungs |
his chair and heaved a sigh of con
tment from the breathing spaces OF
innermost soul.
girl, alone, entered ROoneys, glanc
around with leisurely swiftness and
opposite Mchanus at his table. Her
IS rested upon him for two seconds
the look with which woman recon.
ters all men whom she for the first
e confronts. In that space Of time
will decide upon one of two things
ther to scream for the police or that
may marry him later on.
Ter brief inspection concluded, the
laid on the table a worn red NOR
co shopping bag, with the inevitable
gallant sail Of frayed lace hand
chief flying from a corner Of it.
er she had ordered a small beer
% the immediate waiter, she took
n her bag a box Of cigarettes and
tied one with slightly exaggerated
Of manner. Then she looked
in in the eyes Of Cork McManus