The Monroe journal., 1915-07-20

you can get me away from here be
fore that red-faced drunkard comes
back. Have a runaway-anything!
Here's the money!"
For a single timorous instant the
cabman hesitated. Then he took the
roll OF money and crammed II into his
pocket without looking at it. Before
Griswold could brace himself there
was quick whish OF the whip. a pip
ing cry from the driver. and. the
horses sprang away at reckless gal
lop. with the little lrishman hanging
to the reins and shouting feebly like
faint-hearted Automedon.
Griswold caught a passing glimpse
OF the redfaced man wiping his lips
in the doorway of the saloon as the
carriage bounded forward; and when
the critical instant came. he was care
full TO fall out ON the riverward side
OF the vehicle. II was a desperate ex-
pedient, since he could not wait to
choose the favorable moment. and the
handouts made him practically help
less. Chance saved the clumsy escape
from resulting in a speedy recapture.
When he tumbled out OF the lurching
carriage he was hurled violently
against something that figured as
wall of solid masonry and was half
stunned by the conclusion. None the
less, he had wit enough to lie motion
less in the shadow Of the wall, and
the hue and cry, augmented by this
time to a yelling mob, swept past
without discovering him.
When it was safe to do so. he sat
up and felt for broken bones. There
we're none; and he looked about him.
The wall of masonry resolved itself
into cargo of brick piled on the
levee side of the street, and obeying
the primary impulse of a fugitive, he
quickly put the sheltering bulk of it
between himself and the lighted thor
oughfare.
The next step had to be resolutely
thought out. How was he to get rid
of the handouts? Any policeman
would have a key, and there were
doubtless plenty of locksmiths in st.
Louis. But both of these sources of
assistance were out of the question.
Whom, then? The answer came in
one word-McGrath On day when
the upriver voyage was no more than
fairly begun, one of the negroes in the
crew had procured a bottle of bad
whisky. To pacify him the mate had
put him in irons, using two pairs of
handouts for the purpose. Therefore.
McGrath must have key.
But would McGrath do il? That re-
NAMED to be seem and since hesita-
ton was no part of Griswold's equip
ment, he covered the letters as well
as he could with a scrap Of bagging,
and walked boldly down the levee and
aboard the Belle Julie, falling into line
with the returning file of roustabouts.
The mate was at the heel of the
foot plank, and he saw at once what
the scrap of sacking was meant to
hide.
Hello. there, Gavitt!" he called, not
less grufily than of yore. but without
the customary imprecation; what are
ye doing with thin things on?"
Griswold told a straight story, con-
cealng nothing-not even the detec-
tive's refusal to tell him what he was
arrested for
"Ye'd ought to find that cabby and
buy him a seegyar,' was the mates
comment. so We legged it, did ye?"
He led the way up to his quarters
in the texas, and telling Griswold to
wait, went down on his knees to rum
mage in the locker beneath the berth.
1--WE got a couple O. pair av thin
things in here, somewhere, and maybe
the key to 'em will fit yours?"
McGrath found his handouts and
tried the key in those upon Griswold's
wrists. 1t fitted.
Now we're fut and hand loose, I'll
say to ye what | wouldn't say to a
cripple Wan is that ye're not Gavitt;
yere no more like him than am. Let
that go. we've been up to some devil
try. But that's all over and gone.
Whatll we be doing next?"
Griswold took leaf out of the past.
Safety in a former peril had grown
out of a breakfast deliberately eaten
In cafe next door to the Bayou State
Security.
"What would | do but finish my job
on the Julie?" he said, pushing the
theory to its logical conclusion.
The mate shook his head. "Ye
needn't do that; the cops might be
coming down here and running you in
again. How much pay have ye drawn"
Not any"
McGrath took greasy wallet from
his pocket and counted out deck.
hands wages for the trip.
Take this, and Ill be getting II
back from the clerk. 1t might not be
good FIR ye to show up at the office.
Griswold suffered a sudden return
to the meliorating humanities.
I've been calling you all the hard
names | could lay tongue to, McGrath,
ana there have been times when
would have given the price of a good
farm for the privilege of standing up
to you on bit of green grass with mo-
body looking on. take II all back.
Ynn Soy vnu havan,f fnrcnttnn. moi.