Adventure, February 1917 — page 206: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

204 Most of what Regan said was abuse of the Austrians and pleading with the men not to give in and to stand back of him. But for the benefit of the ‘newcomers he re- peated the story of the latest outrage, that Rummy Miller had got beat up that very day by three or four or half a dozen Austrians, and was now in the sick bay from it. Which didn’t stir any blood-lust in me to speak of, Rummy being both out- rageously quarrelsome and an ungodly liar when in his cups, which was whenever he had cash or credit. But not content with that, Regan said, the Austrians were gathering to raid Schultz’s, and by morning it’d be known who was to run Hattamen, us or them, At that point everybody whooped except Maitland and me. It was all I could do to keep from joining in, for the atmosphere of the place was sure tense and electric. Just then a man that it seemed they’d stationed further down Schultz’s alley burst in the door. “The Austrians are comin’,” he half yelled. He came across the room, wild- eyed, imparting more information. “In a bunch. They just left Korean Charley’s. They swear they’re goin’ to get us. Goin’ to clean up every American in Hatta- men.” An uneasy, blustering stir swept over the crowd, everybody on their feet. But Maitland rasped sarcastically at the mes- senger: “‘Hlow the devil do you know what they’re saying? You don’t savvy their lingo any more than I do.”” Then, to anybody that'd listen to him: “‘They’ve got”to get home, haven’t they? They’ve got to come this way. ‘They’re probably coming in a bunch because they’ve heard we’re waiting for them. They’re afraid to come singly.” Nobody paid much attention to him, but on the other hand nobody made any move toward the door. They were all willing somebody else should lead the way. I’m not saying they were afraid—but show me the man that likes to*face cold steel! Regan saw the mood they were in. He was no fool. He knew the men needed some other stimulus than words. And when he glanced at Maitland, angry at Maitland’s words, he saw it. Out of the front of Maitland’s blouse stuck a triangle of red and white, a corner of the rescued flag. Adventure Regan jumped from the table, his eyes gleaming wickedly. His long arm shot out. He gripped the flag, yanked it out, leaped backward to escape Maitland’s blow, and waved the flag above his head. “Here y’are, boys,” he yelled. ‘“‘Here’s your colors.” He started for the door. “Follow me, boys. Follow the flag.” It was like the four-flushing would-be- bully he was to put himself first. Little did he care for anything except the dubious sort of glory he was courting. Maitland yelled angrily: “You fool, give me back that flag!” and tried to get at Regan, but couldn’t for the press of men all trying to get out the door at once. And so we all piled pell-mell out into the alley. And I knew, as the head of the bunch turned down the dark alley toward Korean Charley’s, that this wasn’t any little thing. With each side carrying weapons, they’d try to beat each other to the use of them. It wouldn’t be a matter of a few bruises, but of bleeding dead bodies and of funeral parties. - I saw trouble without end ahead, trouble for the commanding officers, for the am- bassadors, for Washington and Vienna. These men, dressed in their country’s uni- form, represented something bigger than themselves. I wondered if they’d lost sight of that entirely in their foolish prides and animosities. “He’d never have got them started with- out that flag,” grinned Maitland. “And they’re disgracin’ the flag at that—drunken str@et brawl in a foreign country!” They were going along pretty quiet now, muttering and whispering, bunched up, fill- ing the alley from wall to wall. Regan had fallen back till he was in the center of them. There was a reason for that. Ahead of us had begun to sound a confused murmur of foreign voices, and a heavy trampling of feet. Maitland and I stuck together, on the fringe of the mob. I was wondering what todo. Suddenly Maitland began to laugh, “That’s discipline for you,” he jeered. “Discipline! A bunch of gangsters.” “‘There’s empty-headed rummies in any outfit,” t said, “If an officer was here, you'd see.’ “Humph!” grunted Maitland. der—there they are.’ “T won- Wook (EO) (E@)