Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 23, 1924 — page 161: what you’re looking at

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

ACCORDING TO wasn’t the dust on it speedin’ would show. His radiator wasn’t hot. An’ they was no mark of his bumpin’ anythin’. But thin all that proves nothin’. Accordin’ to all the evidence they’re usin’, he’s guilty. Yet 1 know he ain’t.” ‘* How do ye know?” “The evidence o’ the boy himself. ain’t yeller.” There was ruminating silence for a time. Suddenly Barney sat up straight and both stubbed feet slapped the floor. “YT wonder now! Couldn’t I use a bit of evidence out 0’ court? I believe I'll try it.” A few moments he sat in thought, then rose and went into a phone booth, where he made two calls. The first was on George Varnum, whom he located with some difficulty. After explaining who he was he gave him these cryptic directions: “T and a friend o’ mine have some in- formation for ye about the Wimbleton case that ye’ll want badly to get. It would make ye a lot of trouble if anybody else got it. Ye’ll not be wantin’ even yer law- yer to hear it. So ye better come alone. If ye don’t come we'll just figger ye don’t mind our reportin’ it to the district attor- ney.” Then he called up his old friend Mike Regan, of the police force, whom he for- tunately found off duty. “ Mike,” he said, “ come over to the Primo at ten thirty, an’ I may be able to cover ye with glory in the Wimbleton case. Ask me no questions. Ye’ll know what to do if my hunch is right.” Then returning to Tim, he gave him his orders. “ Tf I’m right in me evidence, young Mr. Varnum ’ll be in here alone about eleven. All ye do is sit tight an’ agree to anything I say. I’m goin’ to do a bit of lyin’ about ye, Tim, boy. "Twill do no harm. If we are wrong, we’ll call it a joke.” Promptly on time was Officer Regan, and still mystified, he was secreted behind the safe in the office. As promptly at eleven George Varnum arrived alone. He was hesitant and plainly distrustful. * Well, what do you want?” he asked, He f THE EVIDENCE. 319 standing just inside the door as if prepared for flight. ‘“‘ Don’t try any monkey busi- ness, because I have friends just outside to protect me.” Opposite him, Barney and Tim, sitting against the wall in deadly calm, eyed him coldly for a long moment without speaking. In the interval the caller visibly wilted. Finally, Barney spoke in a soft, almost wheedling voice. “Me friend, Tim Moran, here, has brought me a bit of information that’s just between us two yet,” he lied glibly. ‘‘ He’d been workin’ late the night your friend Long was killed, and it bein’ a warm evenin’, he took a stroll across the park toward his home over by the river in Seventy-Sixth Street. Thinkin’ it would be pretty hot in his flat fer sleepin’, he dropped down behind a bush in the cool grass and took a bit of a nap. He was waked up by voices. What he heard an’ saw in the next half hour kept him listenin’ with both ears and lookin’ with both eyes. “He heard and saw plain. here, ain’t strong with the police, an’ had his reason for not spillin’ what he heard and seen. But to-night he gets confiden- tial and tells me. I’m tellin’ him he should tell the police. He thinks mebbe, though, ye might make it worth his while not to tell ’em.” Barney paused and bored his victim’s face with his keen blue eyes. For a mo- ment Varnum made an effort to retain his self-control, then began to tremble visibly and sank into a chair, staring at his inquisi- tor in horror. A sudden change came over the old garage man. He leaped to his feet and seemed to gain whole inches in stature as he towered over the now thoroughly fright- ened youth. “You yeller, murderin’ little skunk!” he roared. ‘‘ Would ye be sendin’ an innocent man to prison? Can ye give me any reason why I shouldn’t turn ye over to the police now?” Varnum leaped to his feet in a frenzy of panic and tried to hurl himself out of the door, but Barney was too quick for him. With a leap he reached the door first and threw the other man back in his chair. ECORMICLOO© KS) But Tim, agit gig rate (E@)