Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1934-03-01
A Good Turn
By SYLVIA PARKER
g. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNU Service


kiest hospitals In the Seventies.
They set him up In private room
opening out on sun terrace and
banked his room so full of flowers that
when he woke up out Of the doze he
had fallen into in the ambulance-in-
duced by the sedative administered to
prevent any pain to his bullet-riddled
shoulder-he blinked and thought he
was In heaven.
The nurse, who was lovely as an
angel "a disciple Of Ziegfeld, picked
the nurses for this hospitaD, held his
hand and smiled at him.
"But who done dis for me?" John
Jones demanded. II amt had break
In twenty years. I amt askin' for a
break no more. First, somebody pumps
me full of lead, and den dey bring me
here like l was king or maybe
banker or somepin'."
The nurse shook her head, the crisp
blond curls sticking out around the
dot Of her starched hat exactly like
halo. II don't know anything about
1t, Mr.-er Mr.. Jones. But there's
visitor waiting to see you as soon as
you're settled and comfortable. Shall
let him come in now?"
swell, if it's any Of my old buddies,
show i'm up. And maybe you'd better
pitch an extra bed there in the corner,
where them flowers is cluttering up
the place. l guess any buddy Of mine
is entitled to half my good luck-half
the bullets in me, if he wants EN-"
Again the nurse smiled as she swung
open the door. II don't think he's"
But she was interrupted by tall,
broad-shouldered man, with thick black
hair standing up on his head and eyes
like cut steel. He strobe into the room,
looking like a cross between prize
fight manager and a prizefghter. He
shut the door after showing the pretty
nurse out with brusque tap.
He dropped the bundles he was car
rying to the table beside the bed, ex-
pertly slit open box Of cigars and
flicked back the cover of a box of
french chocolates Then he drew up a
chair.
The wounded man watched him,
eyes narrowed. When, at last, the big
man had settled himself, John Jones
wet his lips and spoke.
II don't know what's your racket,
pardner. All got to say is, I'm a
harmless guy as asks no favor except
to be let alone. If it was you put
those bullets in my shoulder last night,
you owe me something besides mess
of shrinking flowers. If not-what you
picking guy out of Bellevue and
bring him up here like Lord Cackiyack
himself? I'd rather have the cash"
The man beside the bed laced his
thick fingers. II don't suppose you
know who I am" he said. "And 1
don't suppose you've had chance to
see the morning papers, have your"
The sick man shook his head. II
didn't expect to find out who shot me
from BACKED car from the front page
Of the morning papers, did II"
The man leaned forward confiden-
TALLY. "Tm Butch Snyderl" he an
nounced.
The sick man tried to raise himself
in bed. Butch Snyderl What's big
guy like you pickin' out small fry like
me for? Wanted to try out your gun
before you got your MANI"
Butch smiled, shaking his head. II
didn't put any gun to you, boy. Do
you recall what happened before you
were shot last night? Or weren't you
sober enough to know what you were
about?"
John Jones paled with anger. 81
was sober, all right. I drifted along
Sixth avenue and into one Of the Fiji
ties. A swell guy came out of a brown
stone front and panhandled him.
same as I always do. 1t was whistling
cold, and didn't have anything on but
a sweater. The guy was with a dame
and she wanted to rush into the taxi
that was purrin' at the curb. But he
wouldn't go, that guy. Whoever he
was. he was one swell guy, all right.
What do you think he does, but peels
off his overcoat and tells me to slide
into it Boy, it was warm. One Of
those yellow camel's-hair ones. Then
he climbs into the cab and 1t goes off.
1 shuttle back toward Sixth avenue,
trying to argue myself into rustling
the coat to hook shop and hatin' to
"But I didn't have much chance to
warm up" he finished bitterly. 1.-THE
next thing hear is a gun cracking be-
hind me. didn't even have time to
turn around to see what was up. ]
found out soon enough 1t was me
they'd got. What did your men want
Butch? never was mixed up In moth.
ing, / can tell you"
Butch Snyder stood up, stretched to
his full height. "a bit taller than you,
I am, you'd say, wouldn't your" he
murmured, half to himself. "YouI
shoulder'd be about at my heart"
Then he swung around. "Those weren't
my men, pardner. And don't you wor.
ry about being mixed up in nothing
Just you get well, old boy. And any.
thing you think Of you want, Just say
the word and I'll have 1t up here prom.
to. The doctors say you'll heal up
o. X. 1t was just your shoulder got
it-not your heart. remember that"
Poforo ontorino fha oroof hIoc n