the voice of the city- 第6部分

stores　the　coveted　luscious　guerdon　of　summer's

golden　prime。



At　the　Italian's　fruit…stand　on　the　corner　be

stopped　and　cast　a　contemptuous　eye　over　the　dis…

play　of　papered　oranges；　highly　polished　apples　and

wan；　sun…hungry　bananas。



〃Gotta　da　peach？〃　asked　the　Kid　in　the　tongue　of

Dante；　the　lover　of　lovers。



〃Ah；　no；　…　〃　sighed　the　vender。　〃Not　for　one　mont

com…a　da　peach。　　Too　soon。　　Gotta　da　nice…a　orange。

Like…a　da　orange？〃



Scornful；　the　Kid　　pursued　his　quest。　He　entered

the　all…night　chop…house；　cafe；　and　bowling…alley　of

his　friend　and　admirer；　Justus　O'Callahan。　　The

O'Callahan　was　about　in　his　institution；　looking　for

leaks。



〃I　want　it　straight；〃　said　the　Kid　to　him。　　〃The

old　woman　has　got　a　hunch　that　she　wants　a　peach。

Now；　if　you've　got　a　peach；　Cal；　get　it　out　quick。　　I

want　it　and　others　like　it　if　you've　got　'em　in　plural

quantities。〃



〃The　house　is　yours；〃　said　O'Callahan。　〃But

there's　no　peach　in　it。　　It's　too　soon。　　I　don't　sup…

pose　you　could　even　find　'em　at　one　of　the　Broadway

joints。　　That's　too　bad。　　When　a　lady　fixes　her

mouth　for　a　certain　kind　of　fruit　nothing　else　won't

do。　It's　too　late　now　to　find　any　of　the　first…class

fruiterers　open。　　But　if　you　think　the　missis　would

like　some　nice　oranges　I've　just　got　a　box　of　fine　ones

in　that　she　might。〃



〃Much　obliged；　Cal。　　It's　a　peach　proposition

right　from　the　ring　of　the　gong。　I'll　try　further。〃



The　time　was　nearly　midnight　as　the　Kid　walked

down　the　West…Side　avenue。　　Few　stores　were　open

and　such　as　were　practically　hooted　at　the　idea　of　a

peach。



But　in　her　moated　flat　the　bride　confidently　awaited

her　Persian　fruit。　　A　champion　welter…weight　not　find

a　peach？　…　not　stride　triumphantly　over　the　seasons

and　the　zodiac　and　the　almanac　to　fetch　an　Amsden's

June　or　a　Georgia　cling　to　his　owny…own？



The　Kid's　eye　caught　sight　of　a　window　that　was

lighted　and　gorgeous　with　nature's　most　entrancing

colors。　　The　light　suddenly　went　out。　The　Kid

sprinted　and　caught　the　fruiterer　locking　his　door。



〃Peaches？〃　said　he；　with　extreme　deliberation。



〃Well；　no；　Sir。　　Not　for　three　or　four　weeks　yet。

I　haven't　any　idea　where　you　might　find　some。　　There

may　be　a　few　in　town　from　under　the　glass；　but　they'd

be　bard　to　locate。　　Maybe　at　one　of　the　more　expen…

sive　hotels　…　some　place　where　there's　plenty　of

money　to　waste。　　I've　got　some　very　fine　oranges；

though　…　from　a　shipload　that　came　in　to…day。〃



The　Kid　lingered　on　the　corner　for　a　moment；

and　then　set　out　briskly　toward　a　pair　of　green　lights

that　flanked　the　steps　of　a　building　down　a　dark

side　street。



〃Captain　around　anywhere？〃　he　asked　of　the　desk

sergeant　of　the　police　station。



At　that　moment　the　captain　came　briskly　forward

from　the　rear。　　He　was　in　plain　clothes　and　had　a

busy　air。



〃Hello；　Kid；〃　he　said　to　the　pugilist。　　〃Thought

you　were　bridal…touring？



〃Got　back　yesterday。　I'm　a　solid　citizen　now。

Think　I'll　take　an　interest　in　municipal　doings。　How

would　it　suit　you　to　get　into　Denver　Dick's　place　to…

night；　Cap？



〃Past　performances；〃　said　the　captain；　twisting　his　

moustache。　〃Denver　was　closed　up　two　months　ago。〃



〃Correct；〃　said　the　　Kid。　〃Rafferty　chased　him

out　of　the　Forty…third。　He's　running　in　your　pre…

cinct　now；　and　his　game's　bigger　than　ever。　　I'm

down　on　this　gambling　business。　　I　can　put　you

against　his　game。〃



〃In　my　precinct？〃　growled　the　captain。　　〃Are

you　sure；　Kid？　　I'll　take　it　as　a　favor。　　Have　you

got　the　entree？　　How　is　it　to　be　done？〃



〃Hammers；〃　said　the　Kid。　〃They　haven't　got

any　steel　on　the　doors　yet。　　You'll　need　ten　men。

No；　they　won't　let　me　in　the　place。　　Denver　has　been

trying　to　do　me。　　He　thought　I　tipped　him　off　for　the

other　raid。　　I　didn't；　though。　　You　want　to　hurry。

I've　got　to　get　back　home。　　The　house　is　only　three

blocks　from　here。〃



Before　ten　minutes　had　sped　the　captain　with　a

dozen　men　stole　with　their　guide　into　the　hallway　of

a　dark　and　virtuous…looking　building　in　which　many

businesses　were　conducted　by　day。



〃Third　floor；　rear；〃　said　the　Kid；　softly。　　〃I'll

lead　the　way。〃



Two　axemen　faced　the　door　that　he　pointed　out　to

them。



〃It　seems　all　quiet；〃　said　the　captain；　doubtfully。



〃Are　you　sure　your　tip　is　straight？〃



〃Cut　away！〃　said　the　Kid。　　〃It's　on　me　if　it

ain't。〃



The　axes　crashed　through　the　as　yet　unprotected

door。　　A　blaze　of　light　from　within　poured　through

the　smashed　panels。　　The　door　fell；　and　the　raiders

rang　into　the　room　with　their　guns　handy。



The　big　room　was　furnished　with　the　gaudy　mag…

nificence　dear　to　Denver　Dick's　western　ideas。　　Vari…

ous　well…patronized　games　were　in　progress。　　About

fifty　men　who　were　in　the　room　rushed　upon　the　police

in　a　grand　break　for　personal　liberty。　　The　plain…

clothes　men　had　to　do　a　little　club…swinging。　　More

than　half　the　patrons　escaped。



Denver　Dick　had　graced　his　game　with　his　own

presence　that　night。　　He　led　the　rush　that　was　in…

tended　to　sweep　away　the　smaller　body　of　raiders；

But　when　be　saw　the　Kid　his　manner　became　personal。

Being　in　the　heavyweight　class　be　cast　himself　joy…

fully　upon　his　slighter　enemy；　and　they　rolled　down

a　flight　of　stairs　in　each　others　arms。　　On　the　land…

ing　they　separated　and　arose；　and　then　the　Kid　was

able　to　use　some　of　his　professional　tactics；　which　had

been　useless　to　him　while　in　the　excited　clutch　of　a

200…pound　sporting　gentleman　who　was　about　to　lose

20；000　worth　of　paraphernalia。



After　vanquishing　his　adversary　the　Kid　hurried

upstairs　and　through　the　gambling…room　into　a

smaller　apartment　connecting　by　an　arched　doorway。



Here　was　a　long　table　set　with　choicest　chinaware

and　silver；　and　lavishly　furnished　with　food　of　that

expensive　and　spectacular　sort　of　which　the　devotees

of　sport　are　supposed　to　be　fond。　　Here　again　was　to

be　perceived　the　liberal　and　florid　taste　of　the　gen…

tleman　with　the　urban　cognomenal　prefix。



A　No。　10　patent　leather　shoe　protruded　a　few　of

its　inches　outside　the　tablecloth　along　the　floor。　　The

Kid　seized　this　and　plucked　forth　a　black　man　in　a

white　tie　and　the　garb　of　a　servitor。



〃Get　up！〃　commanded　the　Kid。　　〃Are　you　in

charge　of　this　free　lunch？〃



〃Yes；　sah；　I　was。　　Has　they　done　pinched　us　ag'in；

boss？〃



〃Looks　that　way。　　Listen　to　me。　　Are　there　any

peaches　in　this　layout？　　If　there　ain't　I'll　have　to

throw　up　the　sponge。〃



〃There　was　three　dozen；　sah；　when　the　game

opened　this　evenin'；　but　I　reckon　the　gentlemen　done

eat　'em　all　up。　　If　you'd　like　to　eat　a　fust…rate

orange；　sah；　I　kin　find　you　some。〃



〃Get　busy；〃　ordered　the　Kid；　sternly；　and　move

whatever　peach　crop　you've　got　quick　or　there'll　be

trouble。　　If　anybody　oranges　me　again　to…night；　I'll

knock　his　face　off。〃



The　raid　on　Denver　Dick's　high…priced　and　prodi…

gal　luncheon　revealed　one　lone；　last　peach　that　had

escaped　the　epicurean　jaws　of　the　followers　of

chance。　　Into　the　Kid's　pocket　it　went；　and　that　in…

defatigable　forager　departed　immediately　with　his

prize。　　With　scarcely　a　glance　at　the　scene　on　the

sidewalk　below；　where　the　officers　were　loading　their

prisoners　into　the　patrol　wagons；　be　moved　homeward

with　long；　swift　strides。



His　heart　was　light　as　be　went。　　So　rode　the

knights　back　to　Camelot　after　perils　and　high　deeds

done　for　their　ladies　fair。　　The　Kid's　lady　had　com…

manded　him　and　be　had　obeyed。　　True；　it　was　but　a

peach　that　she　had　craved；　but　it　had　been　no　small

deed　to　glean　a　peach　at　midnight　from　that　wintry

city　where　yet　the　February　snows　lay　like　iron。

She　had　asked　for　a　peach；　she　was　his　bride；　in　his

pocket　the　peach　was　warming　in　his　band　that　held　it

for　fear　that　it　might　fall　out　and　be　lost。



On　the　way　the　Kid　turned　in　at　an　all…night　drug

store　and　said　to　the　spectacled　clerk：



〃Say；　sport；　I　wish　you'd　size　up　this　rib　of　mine

and　see　if　it's　broke。　　I　was　in　a　little　scrap　and

bumped　down　a　flight　or　two　of　stairs。〃



The　druggist　made　an　examination。

〃It　isn't　broken；〃　was　his　diagnosis；　〃but　you　have

a　bruise　there　that　looks　like　you'd　fallen　off　the

Flatiron　twice。〃



〃That's　all　right；〃　said　the　Kid。　〃Let's　have

your　clothesbrush；　please。〃



The　bride　waited　in　the　rosy　glow　of　the　pink　lamp

shade。　　The　miracles　were　not　all　passed　away。　　By

breathing　a　desire　for　some　slight　thing　…　a　flower；

a　pomegranate；　a　…　oh；　yes；　a　peach　…　she　could

send　forth　her　man　into　the　night；　into　the　world

which　could　not　withstand　him；　and　he　would　do　her

bidding。



And　now　be　stood　by　her　chair　and　laid　the　peach

in　her　band。



〃Naughty　boy！〃　she　said；　fondly。　　〃Did　I　say　a

peach？　　I　think　I　would　much　rather　have　had　an

orange。〃



Blest　be　the　bride。









THE　HARBINGER





Long　before　the　springtide　is　felt　in　the　dull　bosom

of　the　yokel　does　the　city　man　know　that　the　grass…

green　goddess　is　upon　her　throne。　　He　sits　at　his

breakfast　eggs　and　toast；　begirt　by　stone　walls；　opens

his　morning　paper　and　sees　journalism　leave　vernal…

ism　at　the　post。



For；　whereas；　spring's　couriers　were　once　the　evi…

dence　of　our　finer　senses；　now　the　Associated　Press

does　the　trick。



The　warble　of　the　first　robin　in　Hackensack；　the

stirring　of　the　maple　sap　in　Bennington；　the　bud…

ding　of　the　pussy　willows　along　Main　Street　in　Syra…

cuse；　the　first　chirp　of　the　bluebird；　the　swan　song

of　the　Blue　Point；　the　annual　tornado　in　St。　Louis；

the　plaint　of　the　peach　pessimist　from　Pompton；　N。

J。；　the　regular　visit　of　the　tame　wild　goose　with　a

broken　leg　to　the　pond　near　Bilgewater　Junction；

the　base　attempt　of　the　Drug　Trust　to　boost　the

price　of　quinine　foiled　in　the　House　by　Congressman

Jinks；　the　first　tall　poplar　struck　by　lightning　and

the　usual　stunned