Evening star., 1922-06-11

Lots of them fellers around But they
say the worst is the Stick-up Lady. She
makes EN- show where they got their
big money hid-ties' EN- up and hits
EN- over the head if they don't. She's
been to places two blocks above. and
further down town. l heard all about
her yesterday from that Mrs. Cohen who
has the notion store across the avenue.
Maybe she gonna work this block
next"
Cheerful prospect. eh?" says l.
But at least a visit from her might
break the dull monotony of life on
Cd avenue Say, Louisa, you're
wonder You think you'd be afraid to
get as far away as Florida. do you?
Listen think you've got lots of nerve
to stay at home
But Louisa can't see it that way.
That's only once in while such things
happens says she. Most times it's
like this. quiet and dull. See. when it
gets near 10 O'Clock | don't have many
customers After II they'll come in for
spell, gettin' back from theaters-
sandwiches and such. So l alta stay
open Don't you want little lunch, you?
pickles with your coffee"
A ND Of course Inez couldn't resist
it. It did taste rather good, and it
was more or less interesting to sit
there. watching Louisa fit back and
forth to the shop. and hearing her tell
in the most matter-of-fact way about
,,,l, A,,I
we had been. l reflected, traipsing over
half the country without getting mixed
up in anything half so thrilling.
Somehow it was hard to believe that
she hadn't been stringing US. only /
knew that Louisa didn't have the imag-
ination, for one thing, and wouldn't have
bothered to use it on us, even If she
had Selling sliced ham, and cans of
sardines, and Swiss cheese in quarter
pound lots was the real serious busi-
ness of lite for Louisa, and she had
little time for anything else.
Twice while she was telling us the
tragedy of Anna she broke off to an
swer the door buzzer and add a few
pennies to the days sales. And even
now, sitting there in the quiet little
shuttle through the swing door and in
behind the counter
OF course. when 1 call it quiet room.
don't mean that this particular Sd
avenue block was any silence zone. You
could hear and feel the roar and rum
BILE of traffic, punctuated by the hoots
of taxi horns and other weird noises.
| Still, it was rather a secluded room,
with only one window that opened on
an air-shaft. 1t seemed rather safe
and protected, too.
So when Louisa scuffed through the
| swing door to answer ring, and the
usual mutter of voices such as went
| with most of her greeting to customers
| did not follow. we hardly gave the
thing thought. 1t was not until after
a minute or two. with the stiffness
broken only by a few. crisp footsteps
| in the store. that we began to prick
up our ears curious. Somebody out
there was a making low, Kissing re-
marks to Louisa in quite a disagreeable
tone 1 know I started at Inez, and I
| found her staring at the door.
Sounds funny says she.
What does?" says l.
I "In there" says she. I'm gonna
see."
With that she stepped over, pushed
| open the door crack, and took peak.
1t wasn't much more She let the door
swing back softly and stood listening.
"Well?" says I.
"Sx-s-sh." says Inez, and as she
| faced me l noticed that the lids Of her
usually wide eyes were half shut and
that he, lips were pressed firmly to-
gether Then she tip:oed away from
| the door, drew me over. to the back
window, and breathed husky in my ear.
Tits that Stick-up Lady," she an
nounced. !