Argosy, Vol. 122, No. 1 — page 133: what you’re looking at

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

THE HOUSE Barr refused to take offense. ‘‘ No,” he said seriously; ‘‘ but you shouldn’t have held out anything on me. You got careless. I’ve seen ’em all come and go—come and go—and the reason they slipped was be- cause they wouldn’t listen to a good law- yer. That’s the only reason there’s a mar- ket for man cages, Frank—the only reason the State runs a boarding-house up at Os- sining—” “You haven't answered my question!” In spite of his control the realty man showed irritability. He had gone through some hard days. ‘‘ Damn it,” he burst out, “can’t you forget for a second you're a sharp lawyer, and answer a plain question? Can you beat the case or no?” “ Beat it? Sure, I can beat it. Frank, I can beat damn near any case they could bring against you—yes, by God, even if it was murder. Mind you, I don’t say I can keep them from coming to trial, but I will guarantee you this—they ‘Il never put you behind the bars!”’ | “ That’s big talk—”’ “No, is it! Not when you know the law, my boy, not when you know the law like I do. Why, look here, even if this was a charge of murder, have you any idea how many unpunished murderers there are living to-day in the United States? No, of course not. Well, as far back as 1911 a con- servative estimate showed one hundred thousand—one hundred ‘thousand of ’em, Frank! And out of that hundred thousand, seventy-five thousand were never even in prison. Fact! Admitted by the best au- thorities. And what kept ’em out of jail? Smart lawyers, that’s the answer, smart law- yers!”’ “You hate yourself, don’t you?” “No. I’m merely trying to show you that you can beat this if you'll let me play your hand. But you’ve got to let me play it—you’ve got to give me your confidence.” “Barr, you have a plan? Yovurre hold- ing out something on me—”’ “Yes, I have a plan—” ‘What is it?” *“‘ No,” Barr smiled mysteriously, “ can’t tell you that. Trade secrets.” | La Salle frowned uneasily. “I don’t like that. I want to know—to be sure—” OF FRAUD. 123 “Nothing doing,” Barr chuckled. “That’s my business. D’ you think I’m fool enough to tip my hand to you—or anybody? Huh! But I give you my word if you'll let me alone you'll never get closer to a prison than you are to-day.” “Your word be damned. That’s good enough.”’ | ‘“‘ Ah, but you’ve got to trust your law- yer, my boy.”’ La Salle studied Barr shrewdly. He was annoyed by this mystery Barr enjoyed so gleefully. Quickly he reviewed his situa- tion, anxious to see if by any chance Barr could gain through treachery. ‘ Look here,” he demanded suddenly, “can you swing this thing alone?” ‘“‘ There’s the point.”” Barr was sudden- ly earnest. ‘I’ve got to swing it alone— or not at all. That’s flat. There’s a risk in this, Frank—a risk for me. If I pull you out of the fire—and you’re damn close to frying in your own fat, I can tell you— if I do it, you’ve got to keep hands off. No meddling, no extra counsel to gum up the works—’”’ La Salle started to shake his head. ‘“T mean it! I tell you, you’re in deep— you don’t know how deep yet. I can get you out. But absolutely you must let me play my lone hand. There’s my proposi- tion, Frank. Take it or leave it.”’ ‘Very well, you listen to me a minute. I’ve thrown a lot of business your way, Barr. You’ve got fat off me. That’s all right, too. I’m not expecting gratitude. But what I’ve thrown your way isn’t a marker to what I can do for you when this thing blows over. It will blow over. I’ll beat these indictments if it takes every cent I own and all the lawyers in the United States. “And when I do I’m going into big things! I’m going to swing a lot of money © and a lot of power, Barr. If you’re not dead sure of this case, if you want other help, get anybody you please and never mind the bill. Or play your lone hand, if you see it that way, but I’m warning you, Barr—I’m giving you your chance, because, if you fatl me, don’t-ever look to me for a crust of bread. That plain?” ‘“‘ Plain enough.”’ not cComiclbooks.com