The mirror., 1923-06-28

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Society was drawing revenue from this
foul canker which was eating out its very
heart. A fostering sore! What would
the harvest be? 1t was easy to forsee
that! Where now there was one victim
schooled in vice and crime, in ten years
there would be ten thousand! Yet this
thing was regarded as business PROPOSE
ton, and licensed to operate as such.
Miss True paused a moment at the
doorway to glance up and down the street,
and overheard two young men planning
a motor-boat party for the following Sum
day.
"Say, Jack! Everything is o. K. but
the "snake-oil." You know the Tlamo is
closed ON Sunday, and we can't risk TAX
ing the booze home Saturday night, for
Dad might get wise to it-What's your
idea?" came from one.
"Shucks! You're green!" replied Jack.
"Mike Rosso, the precinct captain, owns
a garage and filling station around the
corner. Well; Rosso's wife is "Porky"
McGovern's daughter; and "Squinty"
Gabriel runs the outfit for them. Taxi
business and filling station you know
keeps several gallon cans of special lu
bricating oil in the rear room for accomo-
Gation. Well get few pints filled from
him; but of course we can't drink the oil
in there,-you know,-hanging around
there is taboo!"
81 get you, Steve" replied the other,
and both laughed, then Jack resumed post
ing his chum about the neighborhood.
"Mrs. Rosso owns the big brick tene-
ment upon the corner too,-wedding pres
ent from her father. Looks kinda deserted
with all those green shuttered windows
always closed and dark. No "for rent"
signs visible either; but slim beckoning
fingers extend through the shutters after
dark" Jack winked, and the other grin
ned understandingly.
Miss True shuddered with horror at the
disclosures, and hastened up the street to-
ward the bridge crossing the river. A
thick fog was settling down over the city.
lust as she had crossed the bridge, a
Manufactured young woman peered at her
closely and fell in behind. She was soon
joined by a roughly dressed young man,
and the pair held hurried conversation
in an inaudible voice. Soon the man
crossed the street and ran ahead, disap-
pearing in the darkness and fog.
Justice stopped, and, facing the woman
behind her, demanded sternly "What does
this mean?"
"Please, Miss True" replied the other,
"Were your friends"
"How do you know me?"
"Oh pal of mine pointed you out to
me in the dancehall, and know that you
and Miss Wall took mother and the kids
up in the country for a week, and you
nursed mother when she was sick"
"And who is your mother?" asked JUS
tice
"Nix on that stuff! Pm not telling you
that!" was the reply. "But. Petes gone
on ahead to square you, and I'm sticking
wild youse, see?"
"What do you mean, square me?" cried
Justice in alarm.
"Some guys spotted you there at the
Alamo, and went ahead to wait for you
in the park"
"My God! Were they going to hold
me up?" asked Justice half sobbingly.
The girl nodded, and Justice was about
to turn back, but her informant only waved
Ter hand forward and added, "Pete's up
there, and Pm wild you, see? And got
your passport right here if l need it,"
vowed the girl as she tapped peculiar
bulge under her losse-ftting waist.
So the two walked onward, the girl just
behind saying, "Never mind Miss. Just
keep going-I'm right wild ye!"