The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-07-18

DERKINs was drunk. He was SO
i drunk that he was going home of his
own volition. He had had enough OF
wine and gay company-which. being
interpreted by one who knows Perkins,
means that he had had enough to satiate
ten average men,
It was 2 O'Clock IN the morning, and
the residential street was dark and de-
serted. A fine, foglike rain showered
down from the wet, black sky. A chill
wind from the North Pacific struck
minor melody from the swaying skele-
tons of the naked shade-trees,
Perkins lurched rhythmically onward
breathily mounting q foolish song. Dan
Carwood stepped from out the SHADOWS
behind him and struck. The sno.-
weighted, leather -cased blackjack ID
Dams hand sounded against the drunken
mans skull and ficked out the gutterins
fame of his sodden consciousness
Dan knelt by the huddled form on the
drenched sidewalk and thrust practiceo
fingers into the stricken mans pockets.
Suddenly, in obedience to a warming OF
instinct, warning that thrilled through
him, like an electric shock, he bent for-
ward, tensed for a spring. He hac
heard no sound, seen no menace OF sub
stance nor shadow, but he knew that an
enemy menaced.
fighting cat, coming to his feet as he did
so. As he rose, the steel shod butt OF
revolver crashed into his face, and a
blue clad arm encircled his neck.
EASY there, you" the gruff voice OF
Patrolman Cavanaugh growled in his
ear. Zone wriggle out o. you, an III
feed you fun meal o. hot leac!'
Carwood hung limp In the circle of
the patrolman's iexed arm, striving
desperately to assemble his shattered
senses that he might plan some method
Of escape. 1t seemed that nothing short
of a miracle could save him and as he
thought this--the miracle happened.
The officer grunted sharply, and his
arm relaxed from about Carwood's neck.
Dan staggered back. As his vision
cleared, he saw that the patrolman lay
inert, sprawled across the prone form of
Perkins. A low voice from the dark
ness called:
DAN This is Pinky slemmer. You
all right?"
Yes" Carwoof muttered dazedly.
Where the"
"Can the talk" the other urged 81
beanec the bull, but he's liable to come
to an whistle any minute. Come on !"
Confused, still racked with pain from
the blow of the patrolman's revolver
butt, half believing himself the victim
of delirious fancy, Dan Carwood fled
through the wet dark with the man who
had saved him from the law. Dan knew
Pinky Slemmer-Pinky, the faro dealer,
con man, bank sneak, and worse-but
until this strange meeting he had no
knowledge Of the latter's presence in
the city. Pinky had seemingly ma
terialized out of the dark like ghost;
but the blow he had struck at Cava-
naugh had not been dealt with an astral
weapon.
Dan followed him up one street anc
down another, till they came at last
to a well lighted thoroughfare. An au-
tomobfle stood purring by the curb. The
man at the wheel nodded to Pinky.
Slemmer threw open the door and
motioned Dan to enter.
my car" he said. sect in!''
AS Dan stumbled in, from far behind
them there came the shrill blast Of a
policeman's whistle. Pinky laughed as
he leaped in beside Dan.
THAT bulls got his wind back" he
said. whistles nice, don't he? Beat
it for Casey's, Jim
The man at the wheel nodded, and
the machine leaped away. Carwood
rested his bloody face in his hands and
groaned.
"Hurt?'' Pinky asked anxiously.
mot much" Carwood muttered.
'T'm worried. Is all this real, or did
that bulls rap make me eligible for the
foolish house?"
Pinky laughed.
"It's all real, old timer" he assured
Carwood. ''I'd been out on a wine
party, and I'm taking a little spin in my
lit to cool of when / pipe you unGer
the electric light at the corner OF Eighth
and Pine. I'm not sure it's you, at
first, and I hop out of the car to give
YOU the up-and down. Then l make
It that you're trailing that souse, and
fall In behind to watch you work. l
figure that when you start to work on
him TIL stand Off in the dark and say
g nttls something-just throw a little
scare into you for a Joke, seef / trail
along behind a piece, and see you tap
the stew on the bean. I'm just coming
up to have my little joke when ] see
the bun step out and mace you; 80 1
come from behind and feed him one OF
his own cough drops. When did you
make town."
Last night" Carwood saic shortly.
Man! That bull certainly bad me
right:"
Slemmer eyed him curiousiy.
'sWhat's the idea Of your rolling
drunks?'' he inquired. "That guy haye
some real money on him, did hep
I'm broke" Carwood admitted
bluntly. 81 needed an eating stake and
bed money"