Traffic in Souls: A Novel of Crime and Its CureBall, Eustace Hale
General
Traffic in Souls: A Novel of Crime and Its Cure
Ball, Eustace Hale
Crime -- Fiction
The lad shoved a paper at Bobbie, who tossed him a nickel and hurried
on, quizzically glancing at the flaring headlines which featured the
name of Reggie Van Nostrand and his own. The quickly made
illustrations, showing his picture, the machine of the young clubman,
and the house of slavery were startling. The traditional arrow
indicated "where the battle was fought," and Burke laughed as he
studied the sensational report.
"Well, I look more like a gangster, according to this picture, than
Jimmie the Monk! Those news photographers don't flatter a fellow very
much."
At the station house he was warmly greeted by his brother officers. It
was embarrassing, to put it mildly; Burke had no desire for a pedestal.
"Oh, quit it, boys," he protested. "You fellows do more than this
every day of your lives. I'm only a rookie and I know it. I don't
want this sort of thing and wish those fool reporters had minded their
own business."
"That's all right, Bobbie," said Doctor MacFarland, who had dropped in
on his routine call, "you'd better mind your own p's and q's, for you
will be a marked man in this neighborhood. It's none too savory at
best. You know how these gunmen hate any policeman, and now they've
got your photograph and your number they won't lose a minute to use
that knowledge. Keep your eyes on all points of the compass when you
go out to-night."
"I'll try not to go napping, Doc," answered Burke gratefully. "You're
a good friend of mine, and I appreciate your advice. But I don't
expect any more trouble than usual."
After his patrol duty Burke was scheduled for a period on fixed post.
It was the same location as that on which he had made the acquaintance
of Jimmie the Monk and Dutch Annie several months before. As a
coincidence, it began to storm, just as it had on that memorable
evening, except that instead of the blighting snow blizzards, furious
sheets of rain swept the dirty streets, and sent pedestrians under the
dripping shelter of vestibules and awnings.
Burke, without the protection of a raincoat, walked back and forth in
the small compass of space allowed the peg-post watcher, beating his
arms together to warm himself against the sickening chill of his
dripping clothes.
As he waited he saw a man come out of the corner saloon.
It was no other than Shultberger, the proprietor of the cafe and its
cabaret annex. The man wore a raincoat, and a hat pulled down over his
eyes. He came to the middle of the crossing and closely scrutinized
the young policeman.
"Is dot you, Burke?" he asked gruffly.
"Yes, what do you want of me?"
"Veil, I joost vanted to know dat a good man vos on post to-night, for
I expect troubles mit dese gun-men. Dey don't like me, und I t'ought
I'd find out who vos here."
This struck 4434 as curious. He knew that Shultberger was the guardian
angel of the neighborhood toughs in time of storm and trouble. Yet he
was anxious to do his duty.
"What's the trouble? Are they starting anything?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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