Page:Arthur Stringer - The Door of Dread.djvu/296

 milder-spoken inquiry. "Whatcha got there, anyway?"

"It's all right, Tim! She's only lit and noisy!"

"Who is?"

"It's Blink Hogan's skirt. We had to dig her out o' Cumiskey's hop-joint!" "Soused?"

"To the gills! Says she's a she-hyena and been tryin' to prove it!"

"Whatcha doin' with her?" was the officer's more indifferent-noted inquiry. For Sadie, with her breath cut off, was unable orally to contradict this gross misstatement. So she did her best to kick the glass out of the cab-front. But the big man was too much for her.

"We gave Blink our promise to get her home," was the smaller man's weary retort. "But if you can do it any easier, I wish t'ell you'd take her over."

The officer now stood on the curb. He was swinging his night-stick.

"Not for mine!" he finally announced.

It was not until the cab was under way, and well under way, that Sadie was really permitted to breathe again. They were traveling faster now, rocking along streets that were still unknown to