Howard R. Garis

“ Peter, who had been appointed to shadow Larry at different times, watched him set out for the circus. The former copy boy, whom association with bad men had made sharp-witted, had seen his chance in the Garden, and taken advantage of it.
Jimmy had been brought to one of the worst dens in New York's Chinatown. It was hired by a gang of white men who were worse than the lowest Celestial criminals. The room, the door of which had a rising sun painted on it, was the headquarters of a notorious band of men. ”

“ He smiled, and rubbed his hands together as though he was wrapping up ill-gotten money. He was a lawyer who had once been a brilliant member of the bar, but whose tricky practices had driven him from the courts. ”

“ We're taking a lot of risks, and it's only fair we should be paid for 'em. It isn't as if we were trying to get the land for nothing.”
“Oh, I'm with you in anything reasonable,” spoke the blue-handed man. “Only, don't hurt the little kid. That's my last word. I used to have a little boy once—before I went to the bad,” and he turned his head away.
For a long time the gang sat up and discussed their programme. Their talk revealed that they had laid a well-planned plot to get possession of Jimmy, in order to have a hold over Larry. ”