Part 13 (1/2)

”All right, Jimmie. Beat it yourself.”

Baxter turned around as Jimmie quietly slipped away. Baxter leaned over the table to smirk into the face of the young girl.

”Say, Miss Lorna, some of my friends are over in another corner of the room, and I'm going to speak to them. Now, save the next tango for me.

Mr. Shepard will fix it for you, and if you jolly him right you can get into his new show, 'The Girl and the Dragon,' can't she, Sam?”

”Where are you going?” exclaimed Shepard in a gruff tone. ”You've got to attend to something for me to-night.”

There was a brutal dominance which vibrated in his voice. Here was a desperate character, thought Burke, who was accustomed to command others; he was not the flabby weakling type, like Baxter and Craig.

”It's better for you to do it, Sam. I'll tell you later. Jimmie just tipped me off that there's a bull on the trail that's lamped me.”

Burke understood the s.h.i.+fting of their business arrangement, but to Lorna the crook's slang was so much gibberish.

”What did you say? I can't understand such funny talk, Mr. Baxter. I guess I had too strong a c.o.c.ktail, he! he!” she exclaimed. ”What about a lamp?”

”That's all right, girlie,” said Shepard, as Baxter walked quickly away. ”Some of his friends want him to go down to the Lamb's Club, but he doesn't want to leave you. We'll have a little chat together while he is gone. I'm not very good at dancing or I'd get you to turkey trot with me.”

Lorna's voice was whiny now as she responded.

”Oh, I'm feeling funny. That c.o.c.ktail was too much for me.... I guess I'd better go home.”

”There, there, my dear,” Shepard rea.s.sured her. ”You get that way for a little while, but it's all right. You'd better have a little beer--that will straighten you up.”

Only by the strongest will power could Burke resist his desire to interpose now, yet the words of the men prepared him for something which it would be more important to wait for--to interfere at the dramatic moment.

”Here, waiter, a bottle of beer!” ordered Shepard.

Burke turned half way around, and, by a side-long glance, he saw Shepard pulling a small vial from his hip pocket as he sat with his back to the policeman.

”Oh, ho! So here it comes!” thought Bobbie. ”I'll be ready to stand by now.”

He rose and pushed back his chair. The waiter had brought the bottle with surprising alacrity, and Shepard poured out a gla.s.s for the young girl. Bobbie stood fumbling with his change as an excuse to watch.

Lorna was engrossed in the bubbling foam of the beer and did not notice him.

”I guess he's afraid to do it now,” thought Bobbie, as he failed to observe any suspicious move.

True, Shepard's hand pa.s.sed swiftly over the gla.s.s as he handed it to the girl.

She drank it at his urging, and then suddenly her head sank forward on her breast.

Bobbie stifled his indignation with difficulty as Shepard gave an exclamation of surprise.

”My wife! She is sick! She has fainted!” cried Shepard to Burke's amazement. The man acted his part cunningly.

He had sprung to his feet as he rushed around the table to catch the toppling girl. With a quick jump to her side Bobbie had caught her by an arm, but Shepard indignantly pushed him aside.

”How dare you, sir?” he exclaimed. ”Take your hands off my wife.”

The man's bravado was splendid, and even the diners were impressed.