The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-02-13

saying that She will need me? Who's going to harm her?'
 The girl was evidently on the point of answering, but as she raised her
 eyes she encountered the glance of
 Mrs. Langdon. That some message
 passed between the two women Ballin
 was confident Just what it's nature,
 however. he could not make up his
 mind, but in another moment, before
 he could pursue his line of thought. the
 street door again opened, this time let
 ting in the sinister form of the yelled
 woman.
 Susie Frances breathed under her
 breath, loud enough, however, for Bal
 lin to hear, and holding his interest in
 check. he turned and gazed absently
 at the newcomer
 Susie made no move to recognize any
 of the little group about the table in-
 stead she took her place in far cor
 ner of the room. picked up a menu
 card and listlessiy scanned the fare
 which the tearoom offered.
 This move on the woman's part came
 as a distinct shock to the others An
 nie was the first to regain something
 of her composure, for she turned quick
 ly to Ballin. to all appearances taking up conversation that had been going
 on before.
 You just got in from Chicago?' She asked the question of Ballin. but her
 attention was still directed toward the
 woman in the corner.
 If Annie had decided to take this means of informing the other that he
 was all right. quite to be trusted, Bal
 lin felt that he could play the game quite as well as could the girl.
 Yes" he answered, giving Annie all
 his attention as he reached into a coat
 f~ Tsf.s- |. . | well assumed ease and nodded. a smile
 playing across his lips. You ever been
 out in ChicagoT'
 Annie shook her head She was not
 as good an actress as the man was an actor, for she was evidently nervous and somewhat disconcerted by Susie's presence Ballin, however. gave her no more interest than if she had not been in the room.
 That's some burg out there" he
 went on, inhaling the smoke of the cigaret and blowing it in blue cloud toward the ceiling. "Only they started
 to clean it up. and their dragnet would have got us as easy as it got some of our friends, only Mary had friend in a department store, who tipped us off. But a lot I care New Yorks as good
 town as any other. If we don't like
 it we're going out to the coast"
 What were you doing out in Chi
 cago? Annie asked. It was evident
 that she had no purpose in her ques ton, but curiously enough it was the one thing that allowed Ballin, though quite unconsciously. to arouse Susie's interest.
 For a moment he considered what answer he could return sitting back in his chair he puffed meditatively al the cigaret, then with another smile he met his questioner's eyes and nodded. 'I don't mind telling you" he answered. He felt fairly confident that Frances
 had not forestalled him in choosing 6
 particular work in Chicago. and, with his mind drifting back over his law work, he chose, at random, job that was destined to hold both his own fate and that of Frances in the balance. When I was a kid" Ballin ex- plained, 'I used to work in pawn 1, shop thought my boss was making I too much money. So l used to add a 1 penny now and then to my wages. It | took him some years to get wise to me, 1 but finally it was either get caught or | get out-I got out, and drifted around until I found out I could start a pawn I shop business of my own. Only don't l lend I buy, and I aint too particular where the stuff comes from" "A fencem Annie exclaimed, forget l ting, in the interest of the mans story. the fact that Susie was also an intent 1 listener to his words.
 Some people call it that" Ballin grinned. But I got a better name for 1 it. I ran mine under the name of 1 Stocks and Bonds"
 l He paused, inspected the glowing end l of his cigaret and added: "A business l like that is all right if you know enough about what you're doing. If | you dont-well. you can lose more
 than if it was regular stock and bond business"
 Unnoticed by those at the table, Susie
 had risen from her chair and now, walking across the room, she stood looking down into Ballins face. For a moment she continued her scrutiny. then, with a little motion of her hand. she broke her silence. T want to have a talk with you. Come over here.'
 Frances caught a faint wink as the
 man lowered one of his lids, then he rose to his feet and followed the wom- an back to her table
 Copyright, 1920 Thompson Feature Servce.)
 Gro Be Continued Tomorrow.