Evening star., 1923-08-05

as no more than his due. "Of course,
! could have rolled you before you
come to-" he reminded Gregg. but
I'm on the level. l am. Anybody will
tell you Danbury Joe is on the level.
Danbury Joe, that's me-"
He went or to recite his personal
history in a lyrical tone that sug-
gested the oft-repeated tale. II used
to be a hat manufa cturer in d hat
town. millionaire. Yes, sir, | sported
a dicer and opened wine with the
best of them. l had a house with ten
rooms and a pair of iron de- er on the
front lawn, and my lovely dauSnter
was educated in Yewrup, yes, sir, it's
the truth. But she run away and
married grocer salesman and 1T
never been the same-Say, Jack, this
in more natural tone, III j had
whole dollar I could buy me bottle
of cough medicine" He coughed ar
fectingly.
Greg handed over the dollar.
we hadn't ought to stand here" :"
Joe went on nervously. 'the suns up.
cop might get nosey. If there's
anythin' ! hate it's nosey cop. II
you're able to walk I'll take you 10
on the south side of the square. We
go in through the area door when
there's no one looking. It's a great
crowd there every night. You hear
wonderful stories of .'aVel arounh
the fire"
Greg thanked him bnt declined the
invitation for the present He was
beginning to feel stronger. III could
get a cup of coffee and bite I'd be
all right he said.
Follow me-" said Joe. Il know
place round in 9Th"
Half an hour later Greg. still stiff
and sore but otherwise himself again
started to make his way from 9Th
avenue through 9th street. In the
broad light of day he felt not little
conspicuous in his shabby taxi
drivers makeup. but nobody ap.
peared to look at him. His heart
beat fast as he approached the little
house with the bic doors. AS soon
as he turned the corner he saw
policeman on guard in front and a
little knot of the curious gathered
near.
Arrived in front of the house he
saw that the big doors had been
smashed in. The policeman stood
swinging his club, bored and noncha-
liant. in sharp contrast to the gaping
bystanders. Thirsty as he was for
news. Greg dared not call attention
to himself by applying to Authority
Instead, he loitered among the on
lockers. keeping his ears open He
heard a stout woman with shopping
bag say to her friend:
NV dear | always said there was
something funny about that house.
No Christian people would live in
such an outlandish contraption.
WHY. those front windows downstairs
are the Kitchen windows. looked
through it once when 1t was for rent.
Think of having your kitchen VIM
dows right on the sidewalk, Any
one who walked by could see you in
YOUR boodgeWar cap. They say a
crazy foreigner built it years ago.
and | don't doubt it,
We'll, last night ! heard crash ash
of breaking glasS-there it lies still
on the sidewalk. see? It's from the
parlor window above. And man $
voice roared out twice: Beat her.
! Beat her" just like that. My. but
was scared. ] just pulled the blankets
over nv head No use lookin to my
Albert for comfort in the night He
sleeps like the dead
Greg got more exact information
from an Irishman IN eihsham
hummer the engineer of an apartment
house perhaps, who was describing
the affair to another man.
Il know the cop on the beat. He
told me the rights of the case. seems
about 4 this morning taxi druV up
to the station house. and "a young lei,
low mere lad they say. run IN ana
told the sergeant that guy was
heinr murdered at go West 9Th so
the sarge called half doZeh oi tnt
reserves and they rode back with the
kid in his fiivver They beat in the
door but the gang got through
secret way at the back into Clinton
place and scattered. They made
clean getaway. There wasn't thlng
in the house to show what they'd,
heen up to. Nothin' but some Kitchen
chairs and tables. Now they're trying
TO trace who hired the house from tins
old lady what owns II, but she doh
and that's all she asked
What about the boy who gave the
alarm?"
CONTINUED in Tomorrow's Starr