Evening star., 1923-08-26
CONTINUED From Yesterdays Starr

You don't have to be burglars You
cover the crime"
Ginger looked relieved. Lay it out
to us, partner"
Listen carefully. First give Hickey
three minutes to get back through
Saith to Columbus again. Then you
show yourselves in SD street. Choose
the last house on the north side. l
don't know who lives there; that
doesn't make any difference. Well.
run out into the middle of the street
and look up at the windows. Run up
the front steps and down again. Run
in and out the area way. The idea is
to give plenty of action. see?"
We'll, the cop is standing up at the
top OF the hill where he can look
down both sides his beat. He'll soon
get on to you two milling around
down there. and he'll run down TO see
what's the matter. You tell him you
were walking up Amsterdam when
you saw a peculiar light in the base
through the windows, you saw fsl-
low shopping around with a flash
light; handkerchief over his face. hat
pulled down-you know the stuff And
afterward he went upstairs. Fix up
the story any way you like. fou can
tell good story, Ginger.
"The cop will probably send you
around to watch the rear While ne,
rouses the household and makes
room to- room search. It's hard on
the people. but II will bTing niue
excitement into their dull lives. any
way AS soon as you get the cop all
worked up you make quiet sneak,
see? / only need a couple OF minutes
to pull off my trick. Long before the
excitement down here dies down, Wen
be safe away"
som.
Greg. Hickey and Bull drove around
the block and returned to the corner
Of Columbus avenue and $50, Where
they stopped the cab before turning
into the side street. They could still
see the private patrolman at the Top
of the hill and they waited. Beyond
him they could not see for the nil:
and they had the satisfaction or
other side he could not see them
Presently they Chuckled TO see MN
straighten up and dart away down
the hill. The scheme worked.
No one was in sight within the four
blocks that they commanded. They
cut the ladder from its wrappings and
Greg and Bull took it, leaving Hickey
with the fiivver. The engine was left
running. Hickey was to run UP 70
them when Gregg gave him the fash
Greg and Bull were each armed
with two short lengths of wire.
Reaching the two houses. Greg took
All and Bull 413. Running down the
area steps they wired the iron gates
of the basement entrances fast to
their frames. Then springing up
two handles of the double doors to-
gether. All this took but minute.
and effectually safeguarded them
against a surprise from within the
houses: This done. Greg carried the
little ladder up the steps of 413 and
planted it under the bathroom win
dow. The street remained empty and
silent.
While he worked Greg kept the tail
of an eye on the windows of Amy's
sight of her face. He hoped she was
watching from farther back in the
room. The bathroom window was
raised an inch or two from the bot
tom. Bull stood on the sidewalk with
the handkerchief in one hand and the
fiashlight in the other. ready to sig
nal to Hickey the instant Amy ap-
peared.
When the ladder was in place Greg
nodded to BulI-alI this was carried
of street lamp almost in front of
the house-and Bull let the handker-
chief fiutter to the pavement.
They waited. The seconds passed.
The suspense was almost more than
mortal nerves could hear. Greg, hold
ing himself taut. was glad that it was
Bull he had with him. Bull had no
nerves. The seconds passed, and
there was no sound or movement from
above. The siCkening conviction took
shape in Greg's breast that some
thing had gone wrong. Amy of her
own free will would never keep them
waiting at such a juncture.
Suddenly Bull with warning ges-
ture darted noiselessly down the
area steps. At the same moment Greg
!, I'D h,Siol ct IN n a
street. Somebody had turned the
corner from Columbus avenue. Greg
swiftly telescoped the ladder and car
ried it inside the vestibule. Closing
half the storm door. he concealed
himself behind it. and lived through
a horrible moment or two. Suppose
this person were bound for the
Sanitarium?
But he passed by whistling softly.
all unaware of the drama he had
his disappearing back: a young back
with debonair swing to 1t, lover,
perhaps. returning from his lady.
They had to wait until he mounted
the steps Of one of the house above.
Then Greg joined Bull.
something's gone wrong, he whiS-
pered. I'm going in to see
Into the house? Good God!' said
Bull.
Greg was no less appalled, by the
task than he. Got to be DONE" he
said GO down and get Hickey.
Let him bring the cab up softly. If
we signal he'll come up with the
cut-out roaring. It's all or nothing
within the next three minutes If |
am not out again by the time you
come back with Hickey. you are TO
follow me in. Are you game for it?"
Bull nodded II am. if you are"
Bull left him. Greg looked up and
down. No one was in sight. He
mounted the step and brought out
the ladder again. In the light of the
naked man in a dream. yet to put
the light out would have only been
to cali attention to the spot where it
had been. To tell the truth, he had
no stomach for this job, but his reso-
luton held him to it. Amy depended
on him.
With a humping heart he mounted
the ladder 1t creaked like a rusty
wheel. But no matter If he walked
the entire block now. he had to go on.
At the top he put his hands under
the window and threw ii up. There
was no time to open it with care. 1t
would all be over in minute anyway.
He flung a leg over the sill and en-
tered the bathroom. \ rapid survey
of the windows across the street re-
vealed no scared white face watching
him.
The door into the bedroom was
closed. He opened it as softly as he
could. The light from the street
lamp below was thrown strongly on
the white ceiling. and its reflection
filled the room. He could see per-
fectly. The sight was photographed
indelibly on his brain; Amy lying
motionless in her bed beside him, and
across the room Blanca sitting up in
cot bed. her eyes fixed upon him
wide with terror. She was too terri
&1I 90 Sroc t1r
escaped her; she had no breath for
more.