Evening star., 1923-07-15

Tryon a view Of a great discolored
lump over his right temple. Pelham
leaned eagerly forward.
Better let us do something for that
bruise, SLIM" he suggested.
"Ain't nothing anybody can do" re-
piled Slim. "Oniy way to make it well
is for me to get crack at the guy that
done It," His expression was suddenly
| ferocious. Slim Wickenson was a good
friend; he was also a bad enemy
WELL" he resumed, "the party looked
kind of stiff until about eight men in
uniform began circulating around the
| room with trays and glasses. After the
booze had got everybody all meller,
dinner was announced. I'd sort OF got
talking with some folks and breezed
in the dinner with them. I'll say this
for Ravasan; he has a good cook" He
! smacked his lips reminiscently.
| ss,TOWARD the end OF the dinner
l. there was singing and dancing and
juggling; a regular vaudeville show.
Well. just as the dinner ended, and the
folks was all gettin' ready to dance,
| there's a commotion at the door OF the
dining room. Rayasan appears. arguin'
with couple Of gents. Behind them
| can see half dozen more. Hard -lookin'
| customers too.
Everybody is watchin' Ravasan-I
| knew him because I'd heard n waiter
call him by name-when suddenly he
i marches dnUyn IN ha prin
He whispers to him a minute. and then
the Prince lifts his hand and speaks
| HE grins and shrugs and says that
he is sorry that in this free country
| it seems that a gentleman can't give a
| little entertainment to his friends with
out the Governments buttin' in. There's
| d bunch of prohibition enforcement
| officers at the door. and they say that
| they've got to search everybody. Even
the ladies. the Prince explains. And
\ with that / noticed that behind the
| group OF men in the doorway are two
/ women.
We'll, I'll get to 1t. With the ladies'
soma of them almost hysterical, herydod
Into an adjoining room. and with US
men, all of US ugly and fightin' mad.
left in the main dining room. the doors
| are locked. And then, suddenly, we
all get wise. For the first thing these
prohibition officers do is belt q waiter
one on the Jaw. and he takes a moe
quiet snooZe under the table. Then
| these here enforcement officers fash a
fo1; of guns" He shrugged. Whats
the use of -goin' on any further? You
can guess the rest. Pocketbooks,
watches. everything; they clean US right.
/ Screams come from the next room.
| and in about ten minutes the women
gangsters came through the doorway
with sacks full Of plunder.' They locked
the door on the ladies, but we could
hear them still screaming.
Well, there was nothing we could
do. The bandits, mon and women
both, backed to the door and made
their get-a-away. Ten minutes later
the cops had arrived: they kept us an
hour or so. telling all about the raid
and finally let US go. I came straight
home"
"But how about your foreheadr de-
manded Pelham. Did you try to put
up a battle7"
IDIcKENsoN colored. I'm game
enough. boss" he said. But I'm
not crazy. That bunch. men and
women both. were ready to kill. They
didn't get anything from me. except
about eight dollars and a gold-plated
watch worth about fifteen more"
Then how did you get the bruise r.
asked Jerry Tyron.
That's the important thing" re-
piled Dickenson. CAS- I handed over
my wallet the guy that took 1t gave
me a nasty look. Says he: Your boss
didn't come eh? Well, take this home
and show it to him
And with that before could
dodge, he lifts the gun that he's been
stickin' in my stomach. and soaks me
over the head"
Quietly, Pelham remarked. THAT
seems to put It up to the Gray Ghost,
lJerry."
1 Tryon's heavy brows drew closer
together az he frowned.
"A darned lucky thing you stayed
away. They'd have killed you, Mr..
Pelham"
That's what think" cried Dick
enson "I been tellin' him that he's
crazy goin' around alone! Here they
follow him."
Pelham sat bolt upright; his gray
eyes grew intent. Jerry. listen to
me. rye been followed before. but
only when actually working on q spe-
cino case. Tonight Is the first time
that rve been followed when the
Gray Ghost was about to commit a
crime! ~whyr
you've got mo-" replied Tryon.
lpuzzled-
"But it's simple just the same" de-
clared Pelham. THE Gray Ghost
i thought that I might stumble upon
his plans: he wanted to know where
4 was and what was doing"
"But how would you stumble on his
plans? We never have" retortsd Try
on.
"Psraaps he wanted me to stumble
\ on these vlAns.s said Pelham
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