The Argosy, March 1907 — page 151: what you’re looking at

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

flowed from his nose and from a cut over his eye. His striped suit was disar- ranged, his cap had fallen off, and he was shaven and his hair “ shingled.” | But Wib knew him! - The officers rushed in, clubbing the men right and left. Several guards with rifles appeared from the corridor door. _The incipient mutiny was over as quick- ly as it had begun. N Young Jimmy Hoke was led away, fighting and swearing, between two of the guards. His victim was urged in the opposite direction. A dozen _ officers whipped the other convicts into line. The debtors were driven into the prison like sheep, and the excitement was general. But Wib was speechless with amazement. . He walked to his cell as one in a dream, and-he had nothing to say even to Billy Grist. He could not believe it true, and yet his eyes had keenly searched the face of young Hoke’s victim. Despite the change. -in it—the prison pallor, the shaven lip, the closely cropped head—Wib had recognized Adrian Lowther! The letter Mr. Peter Ware had writ- ten him now came to his mind with force. *He need not look far afield for his witness if he wanted him. Ware knew that Adrian was in jail! And yet, other people did not. Wib was sure of that. He was confident, that even Mrs. Lowther did not know of her son’s terrible disgrace. But this explained Mark Lowther’s determination to have no inquiries about his nephew answéred. It explained, too, why Wib’s letters had not found Adrian in the West. Of all his friends, his uncle must be the only person who knew where Adrian went through the uncle’s hands. She had Lowther was. Even his mother’s letters been told that Adrian was in some place called “ Colfax,’’ and that was how she had misinformed Wib and set him off on that wild-goose chase. He went back in his mind and recalled what Bella had said about the affair that had landed her brother behind the bars for two years, while his companion re- ceived a sentence of eighteen months. Nobody seemed to know Hoke’s part- ner in crime; but Bella believed he had influential friends, and money, because oo 3 =e a Soe ees Sf - ree x ior: TS « — = ae i xreh - a* Be A we > > 4 DOWN AND OUT. © ce on he had a lawyer who got him off with a light sentence. Later, when the night-watch came on, Wib beckoned the officer to the cell-door and asked him in a whisper about _the affair in the jail-yard. This man was a kindly fellow, and, anyway, Wib’s part in the trouble was known and had been commented upon generously by the offi- cers. “IT couldn’t tell you who the fellow really is. It’s been said he comes of good family. Of course, he only has a num- ber here—and Number Three Hundred and Eighteen come near takin’ that from him,” added the officer grimly. “ He’s a little devil. He’s sore on the big feller because he gave him the double cross in court, they say. ‘ Kelley ’— that’s the name he was sentenced under.” “* Kelley’ or not,” thought Wib, “that man is Adrian Lowther. His un- cle was willing enough to sacrifice me— to discharge me from employment—just to keep his disgrace from becoming public. ‘I swear, if I ever get out of here, I’ll have Adrian brought into court to testify about that table order! I’ve stood enough. I won’t be walked upon by any of them after this. ‘““Tve had the shame and disgrace of being shut up here. What’s sauce for the goose will baste the gander, I reckon! I’ll make McCann and Lowther listen to me, and if they won’t let Adrian testify without a row there must be some way of making him appear in court and swearing to the truth.” Oh, Wib was bitter that night. And he paid for his bitterness by lying awake for most of the dark hours. He rose gloomily and went to breakfast without a word, unwilling to discuss the exciting happening of the previous afternoon with his mates. Just after breakfast the trusty came out for him. He was wanted in the office. “That lawyer again, I bet!’ muttered Wib, forgetting what day it was. He entered the corridor and ap- proached Marren’s window. ‘There was nobody in the office that he could see. “Well, Mr. Harris, I don’t suppose you'd be sorry to leave us?” said Mar- ren good-naturedly. comicbooks con