The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-18

Nobody home, mister the only fellah in there blowed out in hurry about some thin'.'
 "Neyer mind," says, "where did he go?"
 'Well," says the noble youth, "he as't me where did the singer hang out and I told him and he pulled out on high. Must be a friend of his'n."
 It took me probably minute to get the simp far enough out of his sea of mirth to the line and turned sharp and busted in on the scenery. It wasn't 80 dark, but could distinguish my pet, the boy who had pulled me out of lot of holes by his work and knowledge of the electric game. He was standing by shanty, in which might have been either the front or back yard. Close in front stood . hulk about thirty per cent larger than me-and, look me over-I am no weakling. There was . humble of voices, . thin, and mild, carrying voice tell me exactly where the singer lived. have been chased by wild men in the Philip pines, and that had tendency to raise all the pep l could deliver, at a time when was nearly twenty years younger. The eve ming I went forth to redeem Artie think I beat all records. The triangle occurred at the opportune moment, as the stroy writer might put it. I counted the shacks down like fiddle string, from my pet. The big man was saying: Honest, mister, 1 wouldn't "a swatted you but had to. You fit some thin awful.''
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 "Tell it to the little girl, if you ever meet her on the other side"
 And the large stiff says, just as ran into clinch.
 "Gawdsake, man, have heart. I ain't done nothin' to you" And the bleak, steady voice replied:
 "Got your number. Where did you leave Pearl? Say it quick, because don't think it matters, after all these years. Come clean"
 Then the big>one began to yelp: "Poil"- that's the way he said it-"Oh, Poil."
 had grabbed the kid, but felt like an undertaker's selection, because knew he was nutty. That little slim tad pitched me away with short-arm jab and said: "Lay off, Billy, I don't want to hurt you, but must deliver the goods"
 I'm old, but not damn fool. Something in the kids voice was the first warning. As he turned, the look in his long white face was another warning. Skulls and cross bones would have been Christmas greetings compared with that face. The big boy saw it, in the weak flare from distant crossing light. And he began to talk: "Mister, swear to Gawd we didn't mean to treat you so dirty; "Am Poll! E" Gawdsake Poilv"
 Then, while was struggling with daedly maniac, not much over half my size, but as full of poison as an Ocochobee rattler, came the blessed diversion. had the vision of whole bedtick coming my way. Out of that came short, active woman. Lights from a switchstand showed her up in good shape. Fat, full of earrings and other monkey business, she glared out in that dim light like a denizen of the district south of the railroad. It must be Foil. I hoped it was it was. The shapeless mass ran up to the big guy and tackled him, low. The boy was handicapped. He couldn't shoot over load like that. The kid turned so his face was in the light and the woman screeched: "My Gawd, it's that little boy we flim-flammed."
 Then the big one began to beg some more. He was a large, sour stiff, with hair all over him. He looked mean, but simple, when analysed.
 Honest, mister" he yips, i've didn't mean to be so mean with you. That there gun wasn't loaded-she made me promise it wouldn't be when we framed to elope. Her old man promised to shoot favorite liver out of me if I ever looked at the kid, and