Argosy, Vol. 122, No. 1 — page 81: what you’re looking at

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

FINDINGS IS KEEPINGS. Vale wondered as they strolled along what would be the outcome of this matter. If he identified Allan as the lurker in front of 97'Trevorth Street on the night of the robbery, how would such _ identification affect Allan’s sister? Allaine! A wonderfully sweet name, Harry Vale told himself—and a wonderfully Sweet girl she was. There was a venomous air about the criminal lawyer. He more than hinted that he expected Vale to identify the suspect in any case. It might be made worth his while for the patrolman to stretch a point in Andrew’s favor and say: ‘‘ Yes. That is the man!” Vale had not forgotten that fiver the lawyer had tentatively offered him in the beginning. He knew—not from his own small expe- rience, of course—that the easiest thing in the world for a policeman to do is to smirch his fingers with petty graft. Wisely he had determined that a cigar should be his limit for doing any man a favor. They came to the Idlers’ Club. They entered, to be met by a serious-faced serv- ant, who evidently knew Andrew Maywell. “Your cousin, Mr. Maywell?” said the man, eying the uniformed policeman askance. ‘“ Yes, sir. He is in the billiard- room, sir. Will you step this way, sir?” “Tell him to come here,” said the lawyer shortly. Yes, sir.” In a minute Allan appeared. He was in his shirt-sleeves and wore a shade over his eyes. He was brushing his fingers of chalk. ‘You want to see me, do you, Drew?” he asked. Then he observed the police officer, and indignation chased the expres- sion of sneering amusement out of his face. ““What’s the meaning of this?” he ex- claimed. “Take a look at this young man, Officer Vale,” said Andrew Maywell harshly. “Is he the man?” Allan’s eyes narrowed. The upper part of his face was shadowed by the green shade he wore. Andrew suddenly reached and snatched the shade off. ‘“ Damn you!” snarled his cousin. ‘‘ What trick are you up to now?” Yet, was there some fear in \Allan’s ex- ' Vale muttered. 71 pression as he glared at Vale? The latter’s searching look held that of the suspect for a moment. Black hair, black eyes, well defined brows, oval, colorless face; but just now there was a faint line of shaving visible. And—how closely he resembled his sister! ~ “Ts this the fellow?” croaked Andrew again. “No,” said Harry Vale quietly. ‘I do not think this is the man.” CHAPTER VIII. IN THE COURSE OF DUTY. “WHAT do you mean?” demanded the criminal lawyer, rage suddenly flush- ing his face. ‘ You mean to say you can- not identify him?” “That is exactly what I mean.” Allan laughed harshly, and with a cer- tain relief. “They say you are a great criminal lawyer, Drew,” he said. ‘I don’t doubt, if you get the chance, that you will hang something on me. But you won’t do it honestly. And if you start something, you’d better finish it—or I’ll get you!” He turned on his heel and went back to his game. Vale followed the lawyer out upon the sidewalk. Andrew Maywell did not at first look at him. “Ts that all, sir?” the policeman asked. Maywell at that gave him a look both ‘Malevolent and suspicious. “I don’t know whether you are stringing me or not,” the lawyer said harshly. “ If you are, so much the worse for you. You may find that your memory regarding that fellow improves on due consideration. If it does you would better communicate with me.” He swung away, and Vale, reflectively twirling his baton, strolled on toward his beat. He had got in wrong with Mr. An- drew Maywell. No doubt of that. The influential lawyer might be able, as he threatened, to make the policeman very somy that he had allowed his curiosity in the first place to get him into this tangle. “It promises to be a pretty family rukus,” ‘“ And I’m not one of the family. But if I were—” cComiclbooks.com