Evening star., 1922-06-11

|
A ND by the tone I could tell that
Inez was getting her Swedish up.
| She didn't seem to be bit frightened, or
even nervous. She was just plain mad,
and Inez in that rare frame of mind is
rather hard to handle.
Are you sure?" l whispers. 1T
doesn't seem possible. right on the street
here. with so many passing"
Its her, all right insists Inez. Tall
girl with green veil over her face.
Stylish dressed, too. But she's maxim
Louisa dump out the cash drawer for
her I'm gonna stop that"
.Inez mad already started for the door
when l grabbed her by the arm. Wait ~
says L. Don't do anything foolish. If
it is a holdup you're likely to get hurt.
Let me take a look first
And sure enough. one glance through
crack of the door, showed me that
Inez was right The Stick-up Lady was
on the job. She was wearing quite
snappy hat under the green veil. and an
eXpensive-looking cape trimmed with
monkey fur. Also she was threatening
Louisa with an automatic and demand
ing more money. Shes got a gun"
warned Inez. You'd get shot if you
| went in there"
| Il don't care" says IneZ. II shouldn't
| stay mere and let her rob Louisa Leave
me go, Trilby May"
| She had shaken me off as easily as
| if Id been child, when l did this
| quick thinking and put over my plan.
IF you must mix in this, Inez," says
l. show a little sense. You can't do
any good by crashing in that way. You
might stand show If you could sur
prise her from behind
How" says Inez.
The window says l. Il see an iron
fire escape ending just outside. and it
must open into another window on the
second floor, probably in hallway. Iy
you could get to the front door"
You bet says Inez. Help boost
me through
Listen" says l. as she crawled out.
AS you come in. or just before, I'll
attract her attention. But grab the
gun first. And for the love of soup,
make it snappy."
Sure 1 will" says Inez.
GAVE her what 1 guessed to be
/
two minutes before ! crept over to
the swing door and pushed it open bit.
At first the Stick-up Lady didn't notice
me. She was too intent on explaining
to Louisa that if she didn't dig up more
coin than that something mighty dis
| agreeable was bound to happen TO her.
| AS for Louisa she was standing in the
far corner of the little store behind the
counter, holding her hands up in
! bored listiess manner, and with an alb
| solutely wooden expression on that fiat
| face Of hers. l wish l had tempera-
ment like that Ess for me, | could
feel my knees knocking together. Scared?
I'll say l was.
"Lou-Lou:sa " l managed to call,
| in a weak. shaky voice.
/ That put me in the limeiight at once
Who's that buttin' in" demands the
| veiled person pal of yours. ehc' Say,
just walk right in here. you. Oh a
lady friend? Get over there by your
dear Louisa and put your fippers up.
| too. Higher. There, now. perhaps you
| can"
| She didn't get any further. I'd heard
quite enough. however. Anybody that
| yearns to be held up by a lady crook
can have what l missed and welcome.
To have somebody point revolver at
| you at such close quarters and order
! you about snappy and hostile isn't my
idea of a pleasing sensation. Makes
| you feel SO helpless and foolish. and
| gives you such a sudden sick feeling in
| your tummy.
x
| T SUPPOSE it wasn't more than a
minute so that l posed as the
party of the second part, but it seemed
| full half hour. Then the front door
swung in abruptly. the strong right arm
| of IneZ shot out. and the automatic was
sent rafting to the floor. while the hold
| up lady was folded in on the ample
chest of IneZ with a firm grip.
| OF course, she didn't submit meekly
| She wrigged and squirmed and tried
to bite and kick. and the pair of them
| went caroming around in the narrow
alleyway between the counter and the
shelves in lively fashion. But Inez. who
had been brought up on a Minnesota
| farm with four husky brothers, was
right at home in a rough -and-tumb
| fight She rushed the Stick-up Lady
against the wall so impetuously that
she knocked all the breath and most
| of the fight out of that enterprising
| person. BY that time Louisa and l low
| cred our hands and were edging out to
help.
Did she set any money!" asks Inez.
Then take it away from her"
| You bet" says Louisa. ITS in that
| bag what she's got on her arm. Hold
her tight.
"Aw I'M give up" groans the lady
crook. You don't have to bust my ribs
| in
shut up, you!' says Inez, giving her
another shove against the WALL and
managing to rap her over the head with
one of ner own firsts. You're too fresh,
you are; robbin' poor folks with gun.
| Ought to be 'shamed, you! Now dump
it out, ouisa.'
THERE wasn't much, only a few
dollars in small change.
| What we do with herr" asks 1nez.
Can you get cop?'
Cops are no good" says Louisa.
| 'Lotta trouble if you could find one.
And I got my money back. But you
tell her she better not come back here
any more
You hear says IneE, twisting her
captives arm. Next time I break your
| back and put you in Jail, too. Yes.
hear of you botherinn Louisa again
| and
Fat chance!" groans the prisoner.
Say, now that 1 know you got a sne-