George A. Birmingham

“ He stood alone behind his bar when the police entered the hotel. He greeted the sergeant heartily, for he was a man of good conscience and unaware of any reason why he should dread a visit from the police. He was struck by the solemn severity with which Sergeant Farrelly replied to his greeting, and became vaguely uneasy. The business of a publican is beset with legal snares which only the most fortunate men succeed in avoiding altogether. Jimmy examined himself rapidly, but failed to discover anything in his immediate past which could bring him under the lash of the law. ”

“ Would you think now that a gentleman like him—and I'll say this for him, that he always was a gentleman—do you think now that, if so be he did know where Patsy was gone, he'd be wanting to tell you and maybe get a poor man into trouble that he had a liking for? ”

“ Him and Patsy was mighty thick."
"Talk sense, can't you?" said the sergeant. "Is it likely now that a man like his lordship would be conniving at the escape of a criminal from justice?"
"I said no such thing," said Jimmy; "and I'll thank you, Sergeant Farrelly, not to be putting it out that I did. What I said was that he might know more than he'd care to tell. ”