Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 7, 1925 — page 133: what you’re looking at

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

HIS WEAK SPOT. a few minutes, though it was over an hour, — shen somebody shook him awake. Dazzled _ by a flashlight, he looked. up into. the face Sprang from his chair and had his hand _ of Harry McCall. “Come on,” said Harry, < and aa it snappy.” : — What’s- up?” Stim dead. “Tiger Costello,” McCall growled, “he kicked off at midnight. fe Slim went white. “Is Tiger dead?” | McCall gave him a look not easily for-— gotten. ‘“ You ought to know,” the detec- tive answered. — “ Youre: wanted for his murder.” At the station Se put Slim ‘hrc a third degree to which the ordinary third degree was by comparison as a safety match to a forest fire. It lasted till almost noon. Exultant as they were at getting Slim Dev-_ itt on a serious charge, his questioners had to acknowledge that the man’s nerve seemed unbreakable. mission during all the long hours. - “Not that it makes so much Tiger over a card “game. f aked a reconciliation last night. We know Z you ran up and stabbed him while Leo ing to ask a question.” mare It’s a Tie,” Slim: ‘repeated neice sunk in his chair, cheeks hollow, eyes: clos- — ing in an agony of fatigue. “ Tiger’s own words,” “McCall iterated, “*He got me. He got me. ——— — “¥ didn’t do it,” Slim> said for the mil- lionth time. His chin sank on his chest. _ Even in the brief interval between that and - the next question he had gone to sleep. The next question came, also for the mil- lionth time. ‘‘ Where did you go after the fight?” “Home,” Slim repeated. McCall drew his colleagues aside. There was a whispered conference. Sunk in a stupor of weariness, Slim did not hear Mc- Call = == = will break then. Leave him | to me.” It was the ‘opening of the door that jerked Slim into wakefulness. What new deviltry _ were” they planning? Why didn’t they lock — him up in a cell and let him sleep? plows S the a swung inw ward. _ get me in worse if you told. fs _ if they brought her into it? “You don’t = don't He made no eS ad-_ ich difference = whether you confess or not,” McCall “The sneered, ‘“‘ we know. you had trouble with teeth. — We know you = 603 With a little cry on her ns; Kitty ran toward hin = = In ‘Spite. ol that ‘deadiy. weariness, Slim over her mouth before she could say a word. Her eyes were dilated with horror, her face white as paper. _ shaking as she clung to Hie arm. He could feel her “Don’t say anything Slim warned tensely, “ you don’t now anything about this—” he looked meaningly into her star- ‘ing eyes— ‘and if you did, it would only God! what know anything about it,” he repeated, grip- _ping her arm till his nails pit her flesh. ze No, Slim, “ ee replied obediently, “ I t¥. nything—about | jo With - a ie sigh, Slim let her go. “They can hear everything we say,” he — ‘informed the girl, “so we won’t say a great deal.” — “Why, Slm’s coheds® Ss listening himself let me in fo see you—” dirty dog!” Slim said: between his" Harry S No, no. It isn’t any trick! “Harry -wouldn’t— = ‘Harry would,” Slim: Se = Harry “would: do anything to get me, “and there’s _ several reasons: why I hope he hears me Saying ‘this. == hope—” He checked the — anger surging within him. Why waste en-— ergy on anger? “ Remember, kid, you don’t know anyt 1ing—not anything at all _—about this thing.” aS: All I know,” Kitty answered, is that you didn’t. do yy “ Are you a3 sure as you See Slim _ groaned, crushing her in his arms. ee ‘What does it matter?” Kitty said, her cheek to his. “It would kill me if youd done it, but I’d love you, anyway.” 7 _ Slim said hungrily: “ Would you, kid? Would you, even if 1’ 'd done it?” = Something i in the thought, in his_ gaze, : made Kitty close her eyes, “but she panted: “Td love you, no matter what—” —Her_ arms. strained as. if they would never let him go. Into this tableau walked McCall. Aces Kitty’ s bent and sobbing figure, still in his. embrace, Slim a the dete eee a : long