Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-02-12
copy-ish. 1914 BY Frank :. Packard

Is O~pS''O''v 49,
oNeaNAAssaaNsoesses
A man, fair haired. broad shoulder
"a, immaculate in well tailored tweeds,
leaned nonchalantly against the door
inside the room. He was young, not
more than twenty-eight, with clean
shaver. pleasant. open face-a hand
some face, married only, to the close
observer, by the wrinkles beginning to
pucker around his eyes and slight,
scarcely yliscerhibles puffiness In his
skin. Doe Madison, gentleman crook
and high class con man, who had lift
Cd his profession to an art, was still
too young to be indelibly stamped with
the hall marks Of dissipation.
His gray eyes travelled from one to
another, fingered an instant on Hell
ena and came back to the Flopper.
whats the trouble?" he demanded
quietly.
"The Floppers got It In for a couple
Of ginksN that handed him one--a bull
and chauffeur Of cape wagon"
Pale Face Harry grinned, punctuating
his words with cough.
Doc Madison shook his head and
smiled 1 little grtmly.
.Forsst It. Flopper" be said crisply,
I've something better for you to do.
You fade sway and lay low from this
Z minute. don't care what you do
3 when you're resurrected, but from now
on the three Of you are dead and
buried and the police go into mourn
|. ing for ut least six months"
-Wnat you got ffoT Us, Doc7 Some
thing meet Helena pushed Pale Face
Harry and the Flopper unceremonious-
y ont Of her line Of vision as she
spoke.
sYes-the drinks. Cleggy's bringing
them" Madison laughed and opened
the door as the tinkle of glass and IA
!. stunning footstep sounded without.
A man, big. hulking, thickset and
slouching, with shifty little black eyes
and the face Of bruiser, his nose bent
Grand almost fiattened down on one
cheek, entered the room, carrying four
glasses on q tin tray. He set down the
tray, and as no lifted the glasses from
II and placed them ON the table he
lssred around Ct the little group.
sGeer' no said, sucking in his breath.
'De Doc an Helena an Pale Face an
Dc Flopper! Gee! Dis looks like de real
t'ing-dls looks like biz"
ut does-6O cents worth-1O for
yourself" and Doc Madison sunyely
hipptd the coin into the tray. "Now
cleaf outf'.
Cle1sy put hts forefnger sig
i nidcantly to the side Of his nose SAY.
can't youse let ! sport IN on"-
'plear out~ Doc Madison broke In
quite as suavely as before, but there
was sudden CLINT Of steel in the gray
eyes as they held the bruisers, and
Cieggy, hastily picking MP the tray.
scufned from the room.
Madison watched the door close, then
he began to pace slowly up and down
the room.
.pull the chairs up to the table 70
We can take things comfortably" he
directed.
'-Thers amt but two" srtnnsd Pals
Face Harry.
.AOh, well, never mind" said Madi-
son. sSlsw thu couch around and pull
that up-Helena and win ut here on
4 the head Of Il"
etill pacing up and down the length
o. the room, his hands In his pockets,
Doc Madison watched the others az
they carri4d ont his directions; then,
suddenly, g he neared the door, his
hand shot out, wrenched tho door open,
and quick ~ Z panther he was in the
ball without.
There Was q yell, scufie, the rip
and crash Of rendlng banisters, an in
,tant's silence. then a heavy thud. and