Johnston McCulley

“ She was a little slip of a thing with yellow hair and blue eyes and roguish dimples, a dainty little bit of womankind who, despite her doll-like appearance, had an expression in her face that told she was wise enough to take care of herself, the sort to have presence of mind in an emergency. ”

“ And now Thubway Tham waited for an opportune moment. It came when the express made the next stop. There was a wild surging toward the door. Men and women struggled to get out, and others struggled to get in.
Tham's hand darted downward and did its work, The wallet was obtained without difficulty and slipped into the side pocket of Tham's coat. ”

“ The article was to the effect that there is a moment in the life of every individual when there comes a great thrill, a supreme second, one always to be remembered.
“Thith ith the bunk!” Tham told himself, “There ith no thuch thing ath a thrill any more. My goodneth! If there ith a great thrill, I never have theen one. Thith kind of thtuff maketh me thick!”
The little waitress stopped beside him and dropped a check on the table. ”

“ Where doeth a man go to get one of thethe thrill thingth?”
“I got mine,” replied the little waitress, “by falling in love a few years ago.”
“My goodneth!” Tham gasped. “Of all the thilly rot! Well, I'll never get a great thrill that way. Any time I fall for a thkirt it will be a cold day in Augutht—a mighty cold day with thnow on the ground and ithe on men'th whithkerth.”
“Uh-huh!” the little waitress said. “I've heard guys talk like that before. The tougher they are, the harder they fall. I knew a big business man once who used to make his clerks flinch when he talked. ”

“ The door jammed, and Craddock was watching, and the simp you robbed howled.”
“It wath my fault for not watching out for Craddock,” Tham told her.
“Better be careful after this,” she said.
“Thay! I—I don't know what to do about thith,” declared Thubway Tham. He took the roll of bills from his pocket and his eyes bulged. It was indeed a haul worthy of effort. The howling victim had not lied.
“Some leather!” Nettie Burde acknowledged.
“And you are goin' to have half of it,” Tham declared. “You are not goin' to work for twenty dollarth a week. Ted Burde'th niethe can't do that.” ”