Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 153: what you’re looking at

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

JIM THE WISE. from Maiden Lane, in a small, silent stream of wonderful perfection, until the twins were satisfied they had enough. A certain Saturday night arrived. Mon- day would be a legal holiday. This meant that the diamond palace would be closed from nine o’clock Saturday evening—this happened in 1895—until nine o’clock the Tuesday morning following. Accordingly, after closing the store, the twins boarded a Pennsylvania train bound for New York. The train had been moving about an hour when there was a knock at the door of their compartment. “It’s Mr. Jim,” said Bob, shooting the bolt. Jim entered. ‘“‘ All’s well that ends well,” said Jim. “After you finish your business with the Crab, I suppose you’ll beat it at once for the ends of the earth!” ‘“‘'Yeh,” nodded Bob; “we got a clever get-away if we does say it—ain’t it true, Tommy?” Tommy smiled and nodded. “Well, don’t tell me, boys, what you’re going to do or how youw’re going to do it. I want to warn you—be careful of the Crab. I don’t know what it ’ll be, but he’ll try some dodge or other. In his slimy way he’s dangerous.” The black eyes of Tommy narrowed and he looked at his brother. Bob frowned and stuck out his lower jaw. “ He’s got the coin,” growled Bob, “ right in the dump with ’im. We don’t do no bizness ’less he’s alone. He’s got to do it our way. Main thing we knows is he’s got the price right there—-an’ he’s crazy after what we’ve got to sell ’im.” The next night Ikey the Crab was pre- paring to lock up his pawnshop for the night, when Bob and Tom, entered. The Crab’s beady eyes snapped turtlelike and his greenish yellow teeth showed in the sem- blance of a grin. Without any ceremony, the Crab led the way to a large room in the rear of his shop, rubbing his dry hands together as he went. In this room the Crab cooked in one cor- ner, slept in another and transacted im- portant business at a heavy rosewood table. Portions of the walls were covered with pic- tures of divers ages and values, mostly hung 143 crookedly. The floor was covered with a wild array of old rugs. The place looked as though it was never swept, and the Crab looked like an unclean shellfish that would cease to breathe if drageged from his den into the open air. Ikey closed the door and drew chairs up to the table, and Bob sat down opposite the Crab, while Tom dropped on his hands and knees and looked under the bed. The Crab’s lips curled back over his yel- low fangs. “ Ain’t yeh always been safe here?” Tom deigned no reply, but continued his hunt behind trunks and boxes until he had made a complete survey of the room. Then he sat down next to his brother and also facing the Crab. _“ Where you boys been?” “Never mind that, Ikey,” replied Bob, *f an’ while we’re here we might as well tell you, we don’t trust you since you did for Bill the Brute. Far’s that goes we didn’t have no love for you before that, but now it’s a case of comin’ to you to do business, just because you’re one of the few what’s got a roll that’s big enough. If you want to do business with us to-night you’ll have to have seventy-five thousand dollars in cash right here with you. Otherwise, we see’s a private party where we can get action quick.” ** Seventy-five thousand!” exclaimed the fence, entirely ignoring their reference to Bill the Brute. ‘‘ You expect me to have seventy-five thousand dollars in a place like this?” His voice took on the quality of a whine, ‘I might get it at the bank Mon- day if you have somethin’ worth while, but—”’ Bob interrupted him with a rough ges- ture. ‘“‘ Never mind all that stuff, Ikey. We know you've got the money. And it’s in this place. You think everybody’s as crooked as you are. That’s why you won’t trust a bank.” Simultaneously Bob and Tom rose to their feet as though about to leave. The Crab weakened and fairly fawned upon them in his fear that they would get away. ‘Sit down, boys, sit down,” he whined. “Tell me what you’ve got. Show it to me —show it to me.” Comicaoookxs (S@)