"Can de beef, you poor boobs," he cried. "Dere's a bunch
o' dicks out dere--de joint's been pinched."
Instantly pandemonium ensued. Cards, chips, and money
were swept as by magic from the board. A dozen dog-eared
and filthy magazines and newspapers were snatched from a
hiding place beneath the table, and in the fraction of a second
the room was transformed from a gambling place to an
innocent reading-room.
Billy grinned broadly. Flannagan had ceased his efforts to
break down the door, and was endeavoring to persuade Billy
that he might as well come out quietly and submit to arrest.
Byrne had drawn his revolver again. Now he motioned to
Bridge to come to his side.
"Follow me," he whispered. "Don't move 'til I move--then
move sudden." Then, turning to the door again, "You big
stiff," he cried, "you couldn't take a crip to a hospital, let
alone takin' Billy Byrne to the still. Beat it, before I come out
an' spread your beezer acrost your map."
If Billy had desired to arouse the ire of Detective Sergeant
Flannagan by this little speech he succeeded quite as well as
he could have hoped. Flannagan commenced to growl and
threaten, and presently again hurled himself against the door.
Instantly Byrne wheeled and fired a single shot into the arc
lamp, the shattered carbon rattled to the table with fragments
of the globe, and Byrne stepped quickly to one side.
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