Evening star., 1925-10-18

1ul swing 10 MS Jaw knocked MIN
bodily over the side of the car.
CURLY strained forward and watch
~ ed him land crazily on his feet at
the edge OF the narrow pathway. and
with swift sidelong twist roll head
| first down the sloping bank into hol-
low and lie still.
Without hesitation Curly swung
over the side Of the car. dropped to
the ground with supple ease, and ran
| back to the fallen man, reaching him
just before the caboose passed on.
He must be dead" was the fright
| ened, unspoken thought of the eX-
! convict as he stopped sover the mo-
downward at the foot of the slope.
With gentle strength he lifted and
righted the body. thrust his hand in
through shirt and undershirt to feel If
the heart were still beating. 1t was
|. though family.
Much relieved. he was about to with
draw his hand. when his exploring
fingers accidentally came in contact
with an object next the unconscious
| mans skin. What was this? He
grasped and drew it forth a
long leather wallet. He opened It.
Could he believe it?
Yellow backed bills II Of
them IL $1,000 bills g..
| and nothing else in the wallet. No
wonder this bird was afraid of police
He slipped the wallet and it's valua-
BILE contents into his own pocket and
proceeded to relieve the mysterious
stranger Of the siX-shooter he had
tried to draw a few minutes before.
A long sigh from the lips o@Ahe In
jured man seemed to Curly a warning
|of returning consciousness. He scram
bled up the bank and looked up and
down the railroad tracks. A quarter
mile in the direction from which they
had come on the train he saw two
men walking toward him. They would
have to pass the spot and could not
help seeing the PROSTATE man. A
fraction of a seconds indecision and
Curly turned and set off at a rapid
step in the direction of Cincinnati.
THE following evening a tall, ele-
L gantly attired young chap Of 80
stepped aboard a Pullman bound east.
His expensive gladstone bag bore the
monogram -. c.; his ticket read
New York City" Big Bill Harper's
brother. the hotelkeeper, had obliged
without asking questions in the mat
ter Of getting 81 900 bill changed into
conveniently small dimensions. Curly
Powell had become John Crawford.
He had never been to New York, but
he had more money than ever at one
time in his life and he had a hunch he
was going to like the big town.
Broadway took John Crawford to it's
sporting bosom with an extraordinary
speed. From the first his gambling
luck was nothing short Of phenomenal.
The more he wagered the more he
won. Horses, cards and dice were the
means Of multiplying his 10000 by 10
In the first six months.
AS time went swiftly on. an increas-
ing number OF the top-notchers of
Manhattan's professional gambling
element came TO regard Crawford as
fixed star among plungers, con-
sistent, dependable sport and gentle
man. He was invariably cool and we'll
mannered He steered clear Of the cup
that inebriates and never fell victim
to the snares of gold-digging women.
Old Sam Webster, the veteran game
keeper, who left a cool million to his
heirs when he died in '21, took liking
to him.
Sonny" old Sam had said to Craw-
ford a few days before his last Illness.
"let the suckers take the chances.
Get a place OF your own and build up
a play among the solid business men
who can afford to lose. Keep the pix
ers out and you'll have little trouble
with the police"
The advice was carefully needed
and the new No. II was the final re-
suit Of It.
been Curly Powell awoke from his
solitary doze before the open fireplace
in the reception hall Of the silent
house. He rose to his feet, stretching
lazily, and glanced at his watch.
"Guess I'll toddle' to bed. Tomorrow
will be my busy day." was his inward
comment as he noted he had slept
nearly an hour.
Presently he entered the large back
room at the top Of the house which
he had reserved for his bachelor sleep
ing quarters. He closed the door be,
hind him, and as his hand reached
out In the darkness for the electric
light in the wall, he suddenly became
aware that one of the rear windows
was wide open that some
one stood before it in the room with
him.
At the same instant he touched the
button that flooded the room with light
a nervous finger pulled on the trig.
ger of a heavy-calibered revolver-a
terrifying roar-and a bullet ploughed
it's cruel way into John Crawford's
breast. He staggered back against
the closed door and slid unsteadily
to the floor into q sitting posture
with his hands pressed to the wound.
The light revealed tall, slim. dark
man in a cap. clutching a revolver.
He had beady black eyes that glared
at his victim across the room with
a. hunted, murderous intensity.
Behind him, through the open win
dow. could be seen the short, narrow
strip Of rope ladder swinging from
the roof, that told the tale Of his
entrance. But. in the long, tense
silence that followed the shot the
stricken man had eyes only for the
face Of his assailant.
Recognition seemed to come to each
Of them at the same time their
thoughts flashed back six years to
piece of bacon a nat car on
a freight train. -.
well" exclaimed the lanky one,
II finally found you"
Crawford tried to speak, but found
he was unable to get breath -or
strength to force the words.
"Ha, you're croaking, amt va? Just
like you left me to croak after trim
ming me of the warden's dough"
The shooter seemed to realize his
victim was dying and wanted to taunt
him.
I'll bet va didn't know whose
Concerning the Rean.