Evening star., 1937-06-20
June 20, 1897

Joe okay," he answered And old friends are
a lot better than new ones. That goes both
ways from Sunday and he ought to remember
it. Goodby."
Middleton returned to the street and took a
cab to Bayne's haberdashery, with the other
taxi following him. He paid little attention to
his shadow, for his mind was filled with the
picture of district politics which he had just
seen. The favors done in Majors house were
all vote e-getters, he could understand, and
behind that front of human kindness the
machine stretched its influence into law courts
the police corporation affairs, city contract
ing, and dozen other places where favors
would be exchanged and places opened for
faithful adherents of Jimmy Major.
The years of tact and bargaining that had
founded this personal power of the district
leader were invested long ago. now Jimmy
Major could sit at ease dispensing the sap of
life to his adherents. In all his years he prob
ably had not given five cents from his own
pockets. He had made himself medium of
exchange, a sort of Bourse for traffic in favors.
and Middleton could understand why an
honest district attorney would rather have the
scalp of that father of rackets and gambling
and all evil than Jail for life the racketeers who
were able to operate by his license.
Middleton S preoccupation left him when he
arrived at Bayne's shop; for there at the
window, admiring hats and walking sticks.
was Alison Lewis. He came up behind her
quietly. II knew you even with your back
turned" said Middleton.
She did not face him at once, preferring to
study his dim image in the plate glass. In the
same thin reflection he watched her smile
The brim of your hat started waving the
moment it saw me" said he, land the hair at
the back of your neck began to shine like
gold. How can all of you love me at once like
this?"
She turned to him and became grave.
Whats happened to you?" she asked.
1T was long. long time ago. - said Middle
ton, that small boy had dream, and all
through the years he waited and waited to
find ~
Hush, John," she commanded Don't
talk silly talk, but tell me what's happened
to you"
lis it altogether silly TALK"
us there time to be serious about it," she
asked, but her smile broke down, suddenly,
and they found themselves staring helplessly
at one another.
IAN right" said Middleton. '' won't talk
till the job is finished And then you'll listen
to me?"
With all my heart" said the girl.
They went silently into Bayne's, and all the
time that he was picking out quieter theme
of clothing for Joe Thompson she said not
word; they were in the street again before she
stopped avoiding his eyes.
He said, II think have bait for big fish in
my pockets. Do you believe that a dictaphone
record could be patched together"
II know place where they patch old
phonograph disks, ," she said IF the broken
edges are clean enough"
We'll 20 there" said Middleton.
They were in taxicab travelling toward
the Third Avenue address of the repair shop
before she asked: You're not going to tell me
what's happened?"
Not until it makes more sense. Tell me
about Joe Thompson.
Hes been everything from machine
gunner in Central America through espionage
in the Great War to pearl-fishing in the South
Seas. There's not an unkind spot in him. so
far as know, but he'll do anything in the
world for fun or money" she explained.