The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1920-05-28
THE GROOVE
A COMPLETE NOVELETTE, By Chester Andrews
By Chester Andrews

not to see it. The hand dropped and
the colonel stepped back quickly.
well" he said, 81 don't quite under
stand You just did me the greatest
favor of all favors, and now you refuse
to shake my hand. If that's the way
you feel toward me why didn't you let
the Moro do his work."
"Kase," said Dean, you want his
meat You air my meat"
81 see," said the colonel. "Stin in
the groove. Then presume you came
on the same gentle mission as the
Moro did. It's rather fattaring, 1 must
say, to have one assassin kill another
for the honor of killing me-"
Dean made no answer and the col
onel stood quiet, intensely thinking
Suddenly he leveled his revolver at
Deans chest.
Drop that gun!" Dean obeyed.
"Step back! A couple of steps more"
Keeping his eye on Dean, the col
onel stopped and picked up the 9th
er's revolver. Then he emptied the
chambers of both guns and threw then
on the ground well behind him, took
eff his blouse and hat and tossed them
over the guns.
Dean" he said, when my old
| daddy couldn't reason with me, he
licked the whey out of me. Now step
up, Dean, and let's see what you're
made Of"
| Dean knew nothing of the stand
| up fist fighting. His accepted mode
of warfare was gun and knife, bu;
he was, at least no coward. He put
This head down and rushed The col
onel met him with a crashing upper
cut, but Dean merely shook his head
and bored him. He had just one idea
Ito clinch. Blow after blow he took
on face and body, but at last he locked
his long, sinewy arms around his an
tagonist in pythonlike grip. The
two men went down. Dean was the
stronger of the two, but was SO awk
ward that he could not use his
strength to advantage.
| On the other hand the colonel was
quick and accurate, and therefore
able to protect himself from most Of
the others moiling blows and, also
to work out of the powerful embrace
They rose, and Dean tried kicking
The colonel cody side-stepped, caught
Deans foot as it came up and turned
him double somersault. By this
| time Dean was in a frenzy. He
rushed blindiy, fiaying with his great
arms like wild ape.
Some Of these blows the colone
blocke' and some of them he taok
But his own straight. stingins
punches finally had their effect. Dear
went down, he didn't fall, nor was hs
knocked down. He just slowly san,
to his lunches and sat looking at thu
colonel out of one swollen eye-tht
other was closed tight.
"You air shore some man," he sait
with admiration.
The colonel calmly put on his ha
and blouse, picked up the two revol
vers, stuck his own in the holster anf
handed Deans to him.
Good night, Dean,' he said withou
O. trace of anger.
Three days later Dean came, halt
ingly, into the coloneps office. Thert
were still dark circles under his eyes
and bruise here and there on hi.
Colonel" he said, 81 amt out tt
git you no longer. | wanter to &c
back home an take keer O. my nav
but 1 wanter go back like 1 left.
wonder if you could fix it SOS l could
enlist ag'in an git hono'ble dis
charger"
81 think cam said the colonel
you go to the first sergeant of Com
pany c, and tell him you are to ea
and sleep with his company till we
can get the necessary permission from
headquarters.
Deans big frame Strengthened K
the position of the soldier. He salutet
and went out.
Colonel Burke drummed on the desi
with his fingers and smiled. 1t was
the smile of man who has accom-
plished purpose.
Do.f.xoo Moo1.foc t11rr