Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-09-27
The Gift
Supreme
BY
George Allan England
Author of
Darkness and Dawn"
"The Alibi." etc.
CHAPTER NSXI.


ward, Muggs Rafferty, had been wan
dering the streets in numb detection.
Nefused permission TO see his idol
he had Jared forth into the crooked
streets of the North End, aimless
and sick at heart. Chance led him
within view of the blue shaded lanp
marked Police" which protected
over the door of the Hanover Street
station-house. And thither he now
bent his steps.
Gee. he pondered, in kind of
daZe, "l'll have slant at Meiny
anyhow. When de boss comes out of
his trance he'll sure want TO know
what's dom. It'll brace him up fine if
! can hand him a good spiel about
Meiny bein' all in"
At the desk he found Dan McCar-
thy. an old acquaintance of his who
had long viewed him with disfavor.
Good day, sergeant" began
Mugs, diplomatically. Can i have
little o your time?''
You'd set ninety days. If could
give it TO YOU" replied Dan. whats
on your chest?"
See here, sergeant" Mugs plead.
ed anxiously, II know / been in oil
some raw deals, but OATS all over
nov. see? I'm squarin' things. am
Can that cheese. Mugs it's stale.
What YOU been up to. now?''
"Nothin' crooked. SO help me, I'm
runnin straight. I'm de guy dat nail
ed Meiny, just after he knitted de
| missioner, an If yuh want"
whats that" demanded McCar-
thy. leaning over the desk you was
in on that?"
"Surest ting yuh Know
I'll have to hold you for examina-
ton"
"Ferget it. sergeant, ! don't need
no holdin'. l wouldn't miss spillin'
my story fer a clean knock -out O.
Jess Willard" Muggs thumped his
fist on the rail. Oats Gospel. too"
Minimum" grunted Dan. What
you want here, now?"
Lemme have a slant at Meiny. in
dere. VIII yuh?" In the earnestness
of his pleading. Mugs clntched the
rail with huge hands that shook Nc
then. lowering his voice, made an
swer:
Mugs, it AMT regular, but some
time these things is fixed up without
no harm done This Is a special oc-
casion. Many a time you've been in
this stationhouse. but never before
without bein' brought. What d'you
want to see Meiny for?''
"Oh. l Just wanta see how bad he's
cut up. Dat was some wallop l UNI
hooked to him, believe mel"
You're wise to more than just
this, Mugs"
Sure ! am! I'm wise to dozen
other lines he's been Workin'--black-
mail, graft. badger games, cadet
stunts-no end. Lemme have just
one slant at him. an I'll ladl. lou out
a story, at de trial; datll pitt him over
fer ninety-nine years-all straight
goods. too, an can be proved. How's
dat fer a bargain?''
"Shhh!" cautioned the sergeant
! his eyes cleaning little. "Remem-
Der, Mugs. there's no bargainin
with the police. but---well. yes, chase
along'in, if you want to, and give
him the once-over. His father is
there now. Meiny's summoned the
old shyster as his attorney. Don't
stay long. and don't try to slip any
thin over on us, or-you know!"
ME slip anythin' over, now" pro-
tested Mugs. Indignantly. II tell ynll
I'm goin' straight! I'll show yuh at de
trial-wait an sec!"
Mccarthy dismissed him with a
wave of the hand: then. gnawing his
m0,lstache. watched Mugs enter the
door that led to the cells.
| well. I'm damned!" he muttered
'Tf Muggs is really goin' right, the
days of miracles amt ended yet
Maybe we got hold of thread here
that'n unravel, the whole North End
And if that new missioner is re-
sponsible for it. he must be some
guy, believe mel"
Inside the fetid corridor Of cells
Mugs stepped at the end of the tier
and cannily observed the prospect.
] "Dere's de OLD, rat now, talkinD to
de young one. sire enough" said he,
|
a cell door near the further end OF
the row. Stage seemed visibly agi :
tated. His face and neck, always
rubicnnd. looked ready to burst, with
the surplusa ge/of thick blood that
distended them He had loosed his
collar for fleer breath; and as he
talked he famed himself Intellectual
| ly with a sheaf of legal papers he
| held in his fat. hairy hand.
Mugs, eager to catch any chance
word passing between the precious
pair, lent an attentive ear, but no
syllable rewarded him. The shyster,
wary as ever, kept his voice low as
he leaned against the mental grill
| and held converse with his battered
but still nonchalant son.
"Meiny," he was saying, "this is
awful, awful! You've had a mighty
close call my son. Mobbeo lou, did
they, in the streets of Boston? Lord !
But then, so they did Wendell Phil
lips. God, Meiny, they might have
killed you! And all for what?"
Search me! didn't do nothin'!''
Meiny replied, thickly by reason of
his cut and swollen lip. He peered
at his father, out of a badly black
ened eye. from the jumbled,, ill -smell-
| ing cot where he was sitting. "Its all
a mistake. Another guy pulled 1t, an
| they nailed me, that's ALL Say, old
gent. you was a heluva long time in
gettin' here. Is that the way YOU
treat the only son you're always rag
chewin' about lovin' so much? You're
a pippin, don't think"
"Meiny. Meiny,'' expostulated
Stage, you don't understand. I had
some business down on State street,
and -"
Estate street? You amt double
| crossin me, now, with old man Vim