The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1922-09-08

uAiuECmNlb hhOhh 10 AANoNh AAANNN
OF Wonders. A woman he wanted TO
consult was wont to sit behind a win
dow there at the receipt of customs.
Miss Annie Milllkan's pert smile
beamed through the window at Clas
when he stepped up.
"Hello, Mr.. Flat-Worker." she sang
cut. "How manyT
Clay explained that his business wac
serious. "Pve got to see you alone
now" he added.
IF you gotta you gotta" The gin
called an usher, who found a second
usher to take her place.
Annie walked down the street few
steps beside Clay.
whats the big Idea In calm me
from me job In the rush hoursT she
asked.
Clay told his story.
"Some of Jerry's strong-arm work"
she commented.
Must be. Can you help mel"
Annie looked straight at him, ha
morous little quirk to her mouth.
"Say, what're you askin' Inc to do
trow down my steadyf"
Annie was pretty, and inevitably she
had lovers. One Of these was "Slim"
Jim Collins, confidential follower OF
Jerry Durand. He was crook, and
she knew It, But some quality in him
his good looks, perhaps, or his game
ness-fascinated her in spite Of her
self. She avoided him, even while she
found herself pleased to go to Coney
with an escort so well dressed and SO
glibly confident. Another of her adj
mlrers was a policeman, Tim Muldoon
by name, the same one that had res
cued Clay from the savagery Of Du-
rand outside the Sea Siren. Tim she
liked. But for all his Irish ardor he
was wary. He had never asked her
to marry him. She thought she knew
the reason. He did not want for wife
woman who had been "Sllm" Jim's
girl.
Clay had come to Annie Millikan
now because of what she had told him
about "Sllm" Jim. This man was one
of Durand's stand-bys. If there was
any underground work to be done 1t
was odds-on chance that he would be
in charge of it.
I'm askin' you to stand by poor
girl that's In trouble" he said In an
swer to her question. "You wouldn't
let Durand spoil her life If you could
stop it,
"Well, what's my cue? Where do
1 come in on this rescue-the-beautifuI
heroine actT
when did you see Slim Jim last?
II might "a seen him this afternoon
an might not" she said cautiously,
looking at him from under broad
hat-brim. "Say, what's the layout?
Are you framin' Jim for up the riverT'
"I'm tryin' to save Kitty"
Because she's your gOil. Where do
/ come in at? What's there in 1t for
me to 60 rappin' me friend" demand
ed Annie sharply.
"She's not my girl" explained Clay.
Then, with that sure instinct that
sometimes guided him, he added, "The
young lady I'm In love with has
Just become engaged to another man"
Miss Mlllikan looked at him, frank
ly incredulous. "FOr the love O. Mike,
where's her eyes2 Don't she know a
real man when she sees one? I'll say
she don't"
A flush beat into Annie's cheeks.
She went off swiftly at tangent.
"Wouldn't it give fellow jar2 This
guy Jim Collins slips it to ME cOnfiden-
tial that he's off the crooked stuff.
Nothln' dom a-tall in gorilla work,
He kids me that he's quit gon' out
on the spud and porchcilmbin' don't
look good to him no more. A four-roOm
fiat, little wife, an the straight road
for Slim Jim. l fall for II, though
I'd Orta he hep to men. An he dates
me up tonight for the chauffeurs'
| ball"
but you didn't go?'
mo; he sidesteps it this aft Will
fairy tale about drivin' rich OF
dame out to Yonkers. All the time
he was figurn' Oh pinchin' this g0i
for Jerry. He's n rotten crock
"What color is slim Jims carp
"a dirty blue. Why?"
"That was the car
Annie lifted her hands In litt!C
gesture OF despair. I'm dead sicl
of this game. What's there In 1t?
live straight and eat in beanery
No lobster palaces in mine. Look a
me cheap buds. And Tim gives M
the over like was n street cat. VIVA
sort Of chance did ever have, will
toughs and gunner for me frlends?'
you've got yore chance now, An
ME. Tim will hop off that fence he
Oh and light runnln' straight TO
| you If he thinks you've ditched slim
Jim. You don't owe Jerry Duran'
anything, anyhow Where would h
have Kitty taken2 You can give {
guess"
She had made her decision befor
she spoke. Gimme paper and a pen
GIL"
On Clay's notebook she scrawled hun
riedly an address.
"Jim'd croak me If he knew I'd give
this" she said, looking straight ut tn
| nnttlaman