Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 7, 1925 — page 129: what you’re looking at

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

_#AB WEAK SPOT. no sign. “Tf don’t like the gang,” she told him, “I don’t like rough stuff. Hf the cops are afraid of yeu, that’s nothing to ae about.” — — - Shm.- almost deiper her hand in his amazement. Whai did she consider some- thing to brag about, then? They ‘sat thus in utter silence while for halé an hour the _ thronged street blazed and swirled. “Is that— > Slim asked at lene tone so ticles that Kitty ona nized it—‘‘ why you won't ever go out with me any place?” The girl nodded. “ Because you're scared?” Kitty shook her head. ashamed,” she whispered. = Another long silence, during which sl im’s preconceived career and ideals fell apart and then regrouped themselves into new and ¢ ex- otic patterns. “You mean, if I was te give up this stuff and maybe get a job, it’d make < a hit with your” “Ob, Slim!” The color flooded path to Kitty’s face and her gray-green eyes.shone. “ And, listen: If I do, will you—” Kitty looked for the moment terrified. “T dont know, Slim. I don’t—know.” S Well, z said Slim, “ PH take a chanec, anyway.” It was at this that dvceacaneat came from a paar in which enceurage- ment might have been expected. — as Because Pm “Have you gone crazy, Kitty Blair?” Harry McCall wanted to know, his fair, boyish face wrinkled with exasperation. and hurt. Kitty wondered herself. “ Don’t you realize that Slim Devitt is the worst gangster in the precmct? Leads his own gang? Has been mixed up in ac dozen big jobs where safes were cracked— “You never arrested him for it,” Kitty retorted. ‘““He’s too clever,” McCall adenisted: “ but every cop in the precinet and every Headquarters man is waiting with his tongue out for a chance to get him. One slip and he’s gone. And yet you fall for his line!” 2 Harry, he’s trying ta. reform—” —— McCall’s laugh was an ugly one. ‘Tt end- ed j In a gulp. heart, girl, SF ’ he said; = ‘gesture of despair. a Kitty, you’ tek breaking ey Geos. came to her eyes. ‘1. wouldn’t hurt you for the whole world, Harry; you know that. ing you that I didn’t know my own mind, and I give you my word I know it less to- day than ever before in she life.’ Ze _ She hid her face. “Has that yegg got such a hold on you as that?” McCall asked between a sneer and a sigh. “ Reform! Pl tell you his game. It’s one of three things. He’s trying to eurry faver with you because he’s taken 2 fancy to you—and you're not the first. Or he’s trying to cover up some job py acting mealy mouthed. Or he’s gS out te re- form just to get into your good graces and | pump you: about me. He knows I’m after him, bad luck to him and all his like.” Kitty did not answer. “T tell you, this reform is anky a bluff.” “ It’s real, Harry.” The big fellow made an almost childlike “Tf it’s real, ask bim to give up his old gang. You'll see then. What’s he still runnin’ with them for?” Kitty opened startled eyes. “ But he isn’t doing any—rough stuff. He iets in on any of their ‘ jobs.’ ” “Does an honest man mix with that scum?” asked McCall, and flung from the house in 2 rage. Tl, SHE took his advice that very night. ‘“‘ Slim, are you still in with the old crowd?” “Sure. They’re all right.” “It’s net good for you to be in with them—now. It don’t look right. They’re a bad tot.” | “Say!” Slim was deftly rolling a ciga- rette with his left hand, not touching the paper with his right at all. Kitty watched the adroit fingers. “ D’you think I’ve got a sponge for a backbone? Just because I meet my old friends now and then doesn’t mean I’ll go out and crack a safe, ‘does it? Sure they’ re a bad lot; but they re good guys.” = They didn’t look so good that day in the alley. What was happening?” = Slim drew i in a puff of smoke, “exp elled Ti ger Costello are great pals, but he got my oie and again Pve been tell- “Oh, that! “Why, me and 3 =< comicboo S (ee)