"This kid's all right," said a man he recognized as Lieutenant Grady from the neighborhood station. "He's Ben Guarino's brother."
"That don't mean anything," retorted a burly, cold-eyed man whose hard-boiled demeanor identified him as from headquarters.
"Does to Tony!" snapped Grady. "We've never heard of him bein' outside the law yet, either in this ward or any other."
"Thanks, Lieutenant!" smiled Tony. "Can't I buy a cigar for you and the boys?"
They all laughed at that. Not a man of them but what was old enough to be his father, yet he called them "boys" and they liked it. With all the poise and self-possession of a judge on his own bench, Tony led the crowd of officers to the front of the pool-room and purchased cigars for them all. Then they exchanged cheery "Good-nights" with him and departed. Already Tony had learned the manifold advantage of having a good "rep" with the cops. Also he knew the great power that came from having people in one's debt, even for such little things as cigars. Tony seldom accepted a favor from any one, but if he did, he always tried to return one twice as big, thus removing his moral debt to them and making them indebted to him.
