Octavus Roy Cohen

“ Him an’ Red Hartigan an’ Pal Conover was to divide what they got. I was to get th’ things Rollins wanted an’ meet him out yonder by that bush, y’ see about fifty or sixty feet beyond th’ porch door. Of course, havin’ th’ butler fixed, it looked easy. An’ there wasn’t no chancst for me to do Rollins dirt, ’cause he had th’ goods on me for another little job of mine, an’ he said he’d send me up if I didn’t come across fair an’ square. Oh, I ain’t even squealin’ on him now because I want to—th’ chief has always treated me right; but murder I won’t face for no man. ”

“ It would have stayed lost, perhaps, if you had not insisted so stubbornly that Hartigan was the man who did it when I knew all the time that Hartigan’s story must be true. And so, gentlemen,” turning to the others, “I think that about ends our day’s work. If you don’t mind, Rollins, we’ll slip the bracelets on you.”
Rollins held out his hands mildly and the handcuffs were slipped over his wrists.
“Do you wish to confess?” questioned Carroll in his habitual kindly voice. ”

“ A big man an’ a little man was scrappin’, an’ then, all of a suddint, th’ little feller tears loose an’ makes a break for th’ table. He yanks out a gun, an’ before he can shoot th’ big feller grabs him.
“‘I hope he gets him!’ Rollins was sayin’ over an’ over again. ‘I hope he kills that—Hamilton!’
“Just then th’ lights went out—flooie! just like that. There was two shots, or one, I ain’t sure which. Then th’ lights flashed on in about five or six seconds. There they was, standin’ up kinder funny, an’ th’ young lady yonder had the revolver in her hand. ”

“ CHAPTER XVI IN the face of a crisis a man will exhibit courage or cowardice. And Barrett Rollins, accused at the eleventh hour of a crime with which he had apparently had no connection, played his rôle well. ”

“ They’ve all had a chance to talk except Scammon. Go ahead, Lefty.”
The little man passed a nervous hand across his lips.
“All th’ beginnin’ of my story goes pretty well with what this fly cop,” indicating Donaldson, “said. Only one thing is different; th’ man who came to me with the proposition was Chief Rollins yonder. He said that Hamilton had some papers in his safe which he wanted. ”