The Ely miner., 1922-09-01

Il
people indoors, but as the westerner
drew near the drug store Clay saw
with relief a taxicab draw up outside.
Its driver, crouched in his seat behind
the waterproof apron as far back as
| possible from the rain, promptly ac-
| cepted Lindsay as a fare.
Back in minute" Clay told him,
and passed into the drug store.
The abduction was still being dis
cussed. He pushed home questions as
| TO Identification. One of the men in
| the drug store had caught a flash of
| the car number. He was sure the first
four figures were 1867. The fifth he
did not remember. The car was dark
| blue and it looked like taxi. This in
formation Clay got the owner of the
store TO forward to the police.
He did not wait to give it personal
| ly, but Joined Johnnie in the cab. The
address he gave TO the driver with the
waterproof hat pulled down over his
| head was that of a certain place OF
Amusement known as Heath's Palace
Of Wonders. A woman he wanted TO
consult was wont to sit behind a win
dow there at the receipt of customs.
Miss Annie Millikan's pert smile
! beamed through the window at Clay
when he stepped up.
Hello, Mr.. Flat-Worker," she sang
out. How many?"
Clay explained that his business was
serious. I've got to see you alone
nOw," he added.
IF you gotta you gotta" The girl
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 hours?" she
asked.
Clay told his story.
Some of Jerry's strong-arm work" -"
she commented.
Must be. Can you help me?"
Annie looked straight at him, a hu
mOrOus little Quirk to her mouth.
Say, what're you askin' me TO do
! t'row down my steady?"
Annie was pretty, and inevitably she
! had lovers. One of these was "Slim"
! Jim Collins, confidential follower of
! Jerry Durand. He was a 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 ad-
mirers 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 a wife
a woman who had been "Slim" Jim's
! girl.
| Clay had come to Annie Millikan
now because Of what she had told him
about "Slim" Jim. This man was one
Of Durand's stand-bys. If there was
any underground work to be done it
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
I come in on this rescue-the-beautiful
heroine act?"
when did you see Slim Jim last %
Il might "a seen him this afternoon
an 1 might not" she said cautiously,
looking at him from under a broad
hat-brim. '.Say, what's the layout?
Are you framin' Jim for up the rivera"
Pm tryin' to save Kitty"
| Because she's your goil. Where do
come in at? What's there in it for