Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-11-02

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noyed by her manner.
"Jm pretty well able to take care Of myself
] thank you for warning me-"
You'll kiss me goodby. Larry" she pleaded.
She wouldn't care-if she knew"
"She?" he asked What do you mean"
He was astonished and curious to learn how
the girl knew anything Of his growing regard
for Betty Tabor
81 knew, ! knew" she repeated. 81 knew 1t
the first time we met knew there was an
other girl"--
I'm certain ] did not hint az such thing"
he replied with an attempt at dignifed bearing
81 have not even told her"
"Goodby," she said, weeping softly. IT hope
you're happy, Larry and please don't think
meant to do wrong"
He kissed her; more a kiss OF forgiveness
than of love. and she chung to him weeping until
he put away her hands and went out. The girl
threw herself face downward upon the lounge
and sobbed, this time from sense OF loneli.
ness and perhaps OF loss
Mccarthy descended the stairs and walked
rapidly through the darkened lawn to the
street. In spite of his pretense of believing
there was no danger he found himself nervous.
Avoiding the shadows, he kept near the outside
of the pavement and scrutinzed each pedes-
trian carefully. He walked two blocks toward
the street car line, when taxi cab slowed up
and swerved toward the sidewalk
Taxi, sir, taXi?" asked the driver Take
you down town, sr?"
Mccarthy hesitated instant. II he hurried
back to the hotel and found Swanson he would
rid himself Of the nervous dread Of something
Intangible which he could not explain.
How much downtown" he asked, stopping
near the taxi cab which had come to full stop
Take you down for half rates. Sir. I'm going
that way"
Very we'll" said Mccarthy.
He walked to the side of the car and turned
the handle to step within. The instant he en-,
tered the car he felt himself seized and jerked
EnWnNyo rd uvh nair ~ bap do IT..
throat At that instant the car started, leaping
forward and gathering speed with each revolu.
ton of the wheels.
McCarthys legs sticking from the still
open door Of the machine. He had been jerked
forward until he was half resting upon the legs
or the occupants. vicious tlow struck him
on the back of the neck Twisting fighting
squirming he struggled to free himself from
tho hands that we're throttling him His knees
FOUND grip upon the floor of the car and
bracing himself, he jerked loose from one OF
the men, and struck wildly at the shape he saw
silhouetted against the opposite window. His
fist met flesh with crunchng sound
III kill you for that" gritted someone strik
at him. In the half light of the interior Nc
earthly saw an object descending. He threw
up an arm to protect his head and with a
ching blow heavy blackjack fell upon his
arm. He seized the weapon and jerked it from
nd that had held it. but 1t fell to the floor
of the cab. NV "oot
mccarthy hau struggled TO his feet, bowling
as his head struck the roof. One man seated
kicked at him and hurt him cruelty. He was
sending with the cab door swinging wide
street. Ne-
Curses, groans, cries of pain and anger came
from the interior as the player. battling against
Two unknown opponents, fought on. All three
OF the participants In the battle at forty miles
an nour, were hampered by the smallness or
the INFERIOR Again and again Mccarthy quick.
er ana more agile than the others landed his
fist solidly, and each telling blow was recevod
with oaths and threats. Mccarthy had fouebt
In silence since his first cry of alarm. Now he
1eIt his strength going and his breath came
short and fast. He knew the end was ~nar
and raising his voice. he cried aloud "Helpi
Help p'
He strove to tear himself from the arms I'D
legs that struck and kicked him, n get his head
out OF the window to raise the alarm
Again and again he cried Then sudden1v
the car lurched around corner at a mad pace
49, Nc onto two wheels and skidding sicken
ingly. At that instant one of his assaiIants
dove his feet against his body, and as the car
urched wildly. Mccarthy broke loose Crashed
frantically for something to save himself. and
with scream, plunged from the machine
struck upon the asphalt of the side street into
which the car had WHIPPED slid along it to the
gutter and lay huddled heap
The car stopped quickly and whirled back
to where he lay. The men leaped out ons
tuisIuS anu iIoIuiuS, lHe Otner urging silence
ar' haste. Between them they lifted the half
conscious player and showed him into the
bottom of the car.
Hurry up, Fred" urged the quiet man to
the driver These fellows down at the corner
are coming. Jump In, Jack"
They leaped back into the taxi, and the man
called Jack said viciously:
There-you, thatll teach you"-- He
kicked the PROSTATE player
cut that out" ordered the quiet man, quick
y. You needn't murder him. He's fixed"
CHAPTER XIV.
A Gdmoler's Strataoem.
EVENTS that preceded and led up to the des.
- perate encounter between Mccarthy and
the two strangers in the dark interior of a
racing taxi cab seemed to have been dictated
by fate. AT the end of the double header be-
tween the Jackrabbits and Bears, Easy Ed Ed.
wards had hurriedly laid new plans to save
himself. The gambler had watched both con.
tests. believing all the time that the result of
the games ended his final hope Of winning the
bets, and. facing ruin, he had welcomed his
new lease upon hope with the determination
OF resorting to desperate measures to achieve