Argosy All-Story Weekly, November 13, 1920 — page 59: what you’re looking at

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

THE -CRIMP. Abie paused a suggestive minute. He stared around the rapidly emptying mission room. ‘“« There’s a man dyin’ out in th’ fo’c’s’le of th’ whaler Bowhead; preacher. ‘‘ He ain’t got nobody to pray for him. His name is Yetsky. He was hit by a Chink. He'll die and they’ll throw him overboard to th’ fishes.”’ Holy Joe, as Abie the Crimp expected, became interested. “Tl be with you in a minute,” he said, glancing at his flock going out the door. ‘No! It’s life er death, preacher. The Yetsky Wop—” “The Yetsky Wop?” “Sure, preacher. D’ye know who I mean now?” “Yes. I’ve been watching his progress for years. He’s one of my particular— converts.” ‘“‘ He’s in bad now. Keenon, of the Secret Service, pinched him for makin’ queer money. The detective let him go when he promised to stay aboard the whaler until it went out.” The lambent light in Holy Joe’s eyes died to a restrospective glitter. Abie, keenly alert, detected a resolute movement of the missionary’s lips. They closed in a straight line. “Tye heard of Keenon, Abie. So he ar- rested one of my converts? That is too bad!” ‘“‘ Got him dead, baits right! Caught him with th’ goods —molds and copper an’ a platin’ outfit. Then this Keenon let’s him go.” ‘“‘ Were there any witnesses to the raid, Abie?” “* Sure! whole thing. ‘What is the mate’s name?” A mate of th’ Bowhead saw th’ > ‘“* Hansen.” ‘“ How—did the Yetsky Wop get in- jured?” “A Chink hit him on th’ head. The Chink’s name is Hong Kee.” Abie thought he might as well pile mat- ters on thick enough to make sure of get- ting Holy Joe out in the dingey. Hong Kee was a well known Barbary Coast character. The crimp was not surprised when Holy 4A Shy | Joe started buttoning up a long black coat and looking about for a hat. ‘You’re comin’ with me, preacher?” ‘““Most certainly! I shall be of some service, I hope. You haven’t explained how Hong Kee came to go to the whaler.” “Oh, Keenon caught him with five cans 0’ hop. _ was good hop. I saw it with my own eyes.” Abie was the only man in San Francisco who knew where the five cans were hidden at that particular minute. He intended selling them when the Bowhead was well out from shore soundings. “You get me,” he told Holy Joe after they left the mission hall. “ You get me, preacher, when I tell you that J am Keenon. It’s not generally known.” The missionary did show some surprise. ‘Why, I never suspected that,” he said. ‘Are you the government detective?”’ Abie opened. his coat, ran a thumb with- in the arm-hole of his checked vest, and showed the gold insignia that was pinned to ‘his suspender strap. “United States Secret Service,” whis- pered Holy Joe. “I never knew it, Abie.” ‘Sure! I pinched those guys to-night, then I changed m’ mind an’ let ’em go—to th’ whaler. They started fightin? among themselves—there’s some more out there— an’ Captain Gully sent word to me that Yetsky Wop was dyin’ an’ needed a preach- er. I thought of you.” Abie searched for sign of Hansen at the shore end of Meigg’s wharf. He whistled shrilly. The mate, sleepy and damp, emerged from the shelter of a shed. “Right out to th’ Bowhead!”’ command- ed the crimp. “I’ve kept my promise to Captain Gully. This is the man!” The mate was a silent soul. He started rowing with long whalerman’s strokes. Abie sat on the after thwart with Holy Joe. was directed toward the Market Street ferry-house. The Bowhead was some little distance from the shore. It showed a pale riding- light on the foremast. No other ship was near the whaler. ‘““So you are Keenon?” said the mission- ary suddenly. cS 00 Y0) They faced the seaman whose glance . (EC) m