Shorty McCabe on the Job | Page 2

of some folks! Come on now, Dominie!
Cover up better with that right mitt: I'm goin' to push in a few on you
this time."

And if you never saw a Fifth avenue preacher well lathered up you
should have had a glimpse of this one at the end of the next round. He's
game, though; even thanks me for it puffy.
"You're welcome," says I. "Maybe I did steam 'em in a bit; but I expect
it was because I had my mind on that party out front. While you're
rubbin' down I'll step in and attend to his case. If I could only wish a
pair of eight-ounce gloves on him for a few minutes!"
So, without stoppin' to change, or even sheddin' the mitts, I walks into
the front office, to discover this elegant party in the stream-line
cutaway pacin' restless up and down the room. Yes, he sure is some
imposin' to look at, with his pearl gray spats, and the red necktie blazin'
brilliant under the close-clipped crop of Grand Duke whiskers. I don't
know what there is special about a set of frosted face shubb'ry that sort
of suggests bank presidents and so on, but somehow they do. Them and
the long, thin nose gives him a pluty, distinguished look, in spite of the
shifty eyes and the weak mouth lines. But I ain't in a mood to be
impressed.
"Well?" says I snappy.
I expect my appearin' in a cut-out jersey, with my shoulder muscles still
bunched, must have jarred him a little; for he lifts his eyebrows
doubtful and asks, "Er--Professor McCabe, is it?"
"Uh-huh," says I. "What'll it be?"
"My name," says he, "is Steele."
"I know," says I. "Snug fit too, I judge."
He flushes quick and stiffens. "Do you mean to infer, Sir, that----"
"You're on," says I. "The minute I heard your name I placed you for the
smooth party that tried to unload a lot of that phony Radio stock on Mrs.
Benny Sherwood. Wanted to euchre her out of the twenty thousand life
insurance she got when Benny took the booze count last winter, eh?

Well, it happens she's a friend of Mrs. McCabe, and it was through me
your little scheme was blocked. Now I guess we ought to be real well
acquainted."
But I might have known such crude stuff wouldn't get under the hide of
a polished article like J. Bayard. He only shrugs his shoulders and
smiles sarcastic.
"The pleasure seems to be all mine," says he. "But as you choose. Who
am I to contend with the defender of the widow and the orphan that
between issuing a stock and trading in it there is a slight difference?
However deeply I am distressed by your private opinion of me, I shall
try to----"
"Ah, ditch the sarcasm," says I, "and spring your game! What is it this
trip, a wire-tappin' scheme, or just plain green goods?"
"You flatter me," says J. Bayard. "No, my business of the moment is
not to appropriate any of the princely profits of your--er--honest toil,"
and he stops for another of them acetic-acid smiles.
"Yes," says I, "it is a batty way of gettin' money--workin' for it, eh? But
go on. Whatcher mean you lost your dog?"
"I--er--I beg pardon?" says he.
"Ah, get down to brass tacks!" says I. "You ain't payin' a society call, I
take it?"
He gets that. And what do you guess comes next? Well, he hands over
a note. It's from a lawyer's office, askin' him to call at two P.M. that day
to meet with me, as it reads, "and discuss a matter of mutual interest
and advantage." It's signed "R. K. Judson, Attorney."
"Well, couldn't you wait?" says I. "It's only eleven-thirty now, you
know."
"It is merely a question," says Steele, "of whether or not I shall go at

all."
"So you hunt me up to do a little private sleuthin' first, eh?" says I.
"It is only natural," says he. "I don't know this Mr.--er--Judson, or what
he wants of me."
"No more do I," says I. "And the notice I got didn't mention you at all;
so you have that much edge on me."
"And you are going?" says he.
"I'll take a chance, sure," says I. "Maybe I'll button my pockets a little
tighter, and tuck my watchfob out of sight; but no lawyer can throw a
scare into me just by askin' me to call. Besides, it says 'mutual interest
and advantage,' don't it?"
"H-m-m-m!" says Mr. Steele, after gazin' at the note thoughtful. "So it
does. But lawyers have a way of----" Here he breaks off sudden and
asks, "You say you never heard of this Mr. Judson before?"
"That's where you fool yourself," says