Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1916-06-15

will be there after you at one o'clock
tonight or about that time. II 1
don't show up tonight will probably
do so tomorrow night; and II not
then, the night following. Got that?"
"Say, is this continuous perform
ance, with me playin' the part Of
waiter?"
"That is about the size of it, Rick
ett It's yours for sleepy hollow until
I get there-if you want the job. If
you don't, there are plenty of others"
"Of course I want the job, an
there amt any others - not like me.
An besides, l amt never done any
jobs with you, Crewe, an Pm achin'
for a chanct. Do you mean that ]
amt to poke my mug outa doors till
you git there, not even If it takes a
week?"
"Only for eats, and they must be
sudden and quick, and If hear of
your talking to person in the street,
man or cop, it's off,"
"Say, Crewe, can't you give me a
line on what it is?"
'1'll give you nothing whatever as
long as you wear those clothes; so
duck And, Bobcat, if hear that you
have stopped in at a booze.can or
stopped to talk with anybody on your
way to your nest-well, keep out of
here afterward; that's all. Beat it,
now"
"Well, wouldn't that give you the
bives?" the Bobcat muttered as he
turned away, and Crewe looked after
him, smiling oddly.
But as soon as Rickett had closed
the door behind him, Crewe caught
the eye of one of the ferret-eyed be-
ings at the opposite side of the room
and crossed the middle finger Of his
left hand over the first finger.
The man thus signaled to rose laz-
lily from his chair, stretched himself,
and slouched out Of the room on the
trail of Bobcat.
"Come here, Pincher," Crewe
called presently. Then: "Tell the
boys along the wall that I'm going to
blow and ask them what they will
have. You can do the serving. Then
come and take yours over the bar. /
want to talk to you. Now" he went
on when that had been done, "you
are almost a stranger in this burg,
aren't you?"
"Surest thing you know, Crewe." I
never was here in my life till I
: brought that letter to you last week.
I've always lived in Chi, just as jim
my said in the letter. 1t was him
that got me to thinking that l would
rather live straight and be on the lev
el than to stay crooked all my life.
! "I've never been 'm,fgged,' so !
/ guess maybe there's a chance for me.
And Jimmy said you'd boost and help,
i if you thought 1 meant it. That's why
| l came to New York, and to you. Be-
| cause Jimmy sent me-"
| 1.-THE recommendation of Jimmy the
Dip goes with me, Pincher. He left
here some time ago and promised to
live on the level, and he has kept his
word. Anyhow, Pm going to give you
tryout. If you make good and don't
fall by the wayside, I'll find you
good and decent job afterward."
Say, Crewe, if you only knew
how much l appreciate"
"Never mind that, my boy. You
are only boy yet. How old are
you?"
"Twenty-three."
"You are broke, aren't your"
Crewe asked.
1--WE got little over four dollars
left"
well, I'm going to stake you to
fifty. Shut up your trap. now. You
must work for it,
"Ill do anything anything,
|. Crewe, except"
"Well, except what?"
Except steal. I'm damned If I'll
ever DO that again"
Good! l like the sound of that,
Pincher. What changed you?"
"My mother changed me. She sent
for me. l went to see her, an-well
got there only just in time; and /
promised her. Say, Crewe, what is
it. that you want me to do to earn
that fifty?"
"Shake hands, Pincher, and then
I'll tell you. think that we are 60
ing to be very good friends"
THANK you, Crewe. You know
how to put heart into man, all right.
, / had begun to think you were little
, slow about coming to the front, but
guess you were only sizing me up"
. Correct, Pincher. ! was trying
| Won ont and chan that can stand
what you have been up against for a
! week is all right. Now to business
"Yes," was the eager reply.
! ''You sized up those two bulls that
were in here while ago, didn't you?'
II sure did, Crewe."
, "One is Lieutenant Baxter; the
, other-the thick-set one with the red
harris Marine. l am going to put
you on their trail, and from what