Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-09-02
The Gift
Supreme
BY
George Allan England
Author of
Darkness and Dawn"
1.-The Alibi." etc.

bradford got up from the chair at
his table, where he had been brood
ing, in his shabby genteel room on
Appleton street, walked to the win
dow, threw 1t open, and looked OUT.
The cool air was grateful to his
cheek. An early summer morning
was trying its best to throw some
charitable ray of cheer over the ash
barrels and refuse of the alley where
on his eyes rested.
Bradford observed the alley and
the clothes line, the prowling cats,
the slattcrn back porches and all the
ugllness before him. and smiled odd
ly.. Human lives, thought he, were
like streets and alleys-in front, pre-
tense and responsibility; in back,
disorder, slovenliness and dirt.
y I've been Il fool said he slowly,
"a fool and a howard, TO mourn and
brood over my personal grief when
there's so much unloveliness that
wants cleaning up and so much suf-
fering that needs a hand stretched
out to it. | can wait for Sylvia.~AI
will wait. But meantime I've had
enough of this"
He turned and went back to his
table, where stood a. burnt wood
frame with n photograph of Sylvia
Standing there, he looked down at it
in quiet contemplation. noting the
broad brows and heavy coils of hair
the strongly nodded chin, and calm
and quiet eyes that looked bravery
out at him with honest sincerity.
Sylvia" he whispered, life must
have purpose and a meaning for
me, too. When you come back, you
| mustn't be ashamed of me-"
| He took up the picture. kissed it
and set it back on the table. Then
| he put on his hat and with diff
| ferent look upon his face from any
| 1t had ever worn, issued forth into
the sunshine of the early summer
! day
or an evening toward the middle
of the month two men were lounging
over their drinks In the back room
OF Cronin's Place, not three minutes
walk from the squalor OF North
Square.
|
| there. Mike!" commanded the larger
of the twain and raised reckoning
| finger at the waiter. He lighted a
cigaret that sagged from his loose
| lips. fixed a watery eye on his rat
faced companion, and gushing smoke
toward the tissue-paper streamers
that depended from the ceiling as fly
| roosts, summed pup with satisfac-
| ton
We'll, Dannie. we put it across,
afte~ all, didn't we? No penny-ante
game neither. but some o. x. finan-
cial operation. If we can keep it
| time. thought for q while, there,
they had us on the run; but we got
away with 1t, after all. AS a game
can you beat it?"
| Rat-face shook his head and
| reached for cigaret.
| 1T was bull luck, tho, Meiny," he
commented. Your old gent just
happened to get things fixed up
right, didn't he. Ell? That's what's
goin' to let us by--nothin else. IL
he hadn't had the goods on that doc
prescriptions, an without 'em 1t
would ha' been paws-off this game"
you're right" assented Meiny,
scratching his blossomy nose. Since
that internal Harrison law went in.
they're bugs on this dope proposition,
an if anybody bleats a kick, it's
good night. But with these here
he drew from his pocket bundle of
blank prescriptions, all signed &C H.
Tressor, NJ. D."-"with these here
Dan,; we can do business; an do it
prOperv'l
He gazed at the prescriptions with
eye.
Yes, DAM he repeated, these
little slips will surely help us gather
in the sheaves, if we work 'em right.
don't know as ! ever dragged a
more promisin' proposition out o the
old gent but it certainly cut him to
ribbons to give EN- up. He's in a
blue sweat over 'em this minute,
Danny; blue sweat with pink trim
MINIS"
"HOw's that"
VII, cAplstlleu the uutlTul son, 1T
got his nanny, that's ALL What a
roar he put up! Cursed me by all
his gods, Dan, an then some. Yo,k
see"-Meiny fingered his glass con-
templatively-"it is bad lay for him
If anythin's traced"
Damned old crab" said rat-face,
mot Ito want to boost his own son."
He glanced fu:tively at NIeiny with
contracted pupils that told the story
of a morphine habit, and stroked his
hollow, leathery cheek with trem-
bling hand. Tried to throw you,
did he, eh?"
yep, Said he couldn't risk it
as if one deal more or less mattered
with him! Tho it's cinch he'd get
sloughed in and showed for fair, if
he was ever caught in a jam on this
lay. However, forget that part I
amt losin' much sleep over his end
of the game" He Enthusiastically,
showing yellow teeth. but he got
cold feet, anyhow; SO 1 had to use
pressure on him, Danny He cursed
me an denied me as his son-me. the
only one he's got! Think O. that.
will you?"
1--WE should worry!" judged Dan.
He delivered the goods anyhow"
"He had to! Get me?"
II get you. Well?"
We'll" said Meiny, taking a drink
and wiping his mouth on the back OF
his notified hand, now what 1 sent
for you for is this" He lowered his
voice and peered cautiously about
the back room of the saloon to make
sure no eavesdropper was nigh. 81
got proposition to make you,
Danny--a first class proposition. Are
IlNOu omen to it 2"